1997 final report, draft: Salmon redd composition, escapement and migration studies in Prairie Creek, Humboldt County, California, 1996-1997
Klatte B and Roelofs T. 1997. 1997 final report, draft: Salmon redd composition, escapement and migration studies in Prairie Creek, Humboldt County, California, 1996-1997
From the Abstract: "Humboldt State University and Pacific Coast Fish, Wildlife and Wetlands Restoration Association, under a Memorandum of Agreement with the California Department of Transportation Compliance Plan under Regional Water Quality Control Board Order 90-8, monitored the migration of adult and juvenile salmonids and spawning substrate composition in Prairie Creek, an old-growth coastal stream, located in northern California. Anadromous salmonids entering and spawning in Prairie Creek were examined over a 5-month period starting in November of 1996 and ending March of 1997. A total of 237 live fish were captured using a weir and fish trap placed 9.5 km above the creek mouth. Species composition, numbers, size of fish, run timing, and sex ratios were recorded. Spawning and carcass surveys were conducted over the study period. A total of 160 individual chinook and coho salmon redds and 221 carcasses were measured within the Redwood National Park 10.5 km index reach (Streelow Creek to Good Creek) plus an additional 4 km upstream. Sixteen coho redds were used for a spawning gravel composition study and of these redds, 6 were used for an emergent fry trapping study. A negative linear relationship was demonstrated between intragravel flow and the percentage of fines less than 2 mm of the spawning substrate for all 16 coho redds. A significant difference in inflow rates and percent fines was determined between coho redds above Brown Ck. and below Brown Ck. Juvenile migrating salmonids were captured using an EG Solution rotary screw trap, a fyke net, and six pipe traps. The screw trap was operated upstream from the confluence of Streelow Ck. from 20 February 1997 to 19 June 1997. Total captures included 25,994 chinook young of the year (YOY); 3,113 coho YOY; 2,302 coho yearlings; 247 trout YOY; 710 trout yearlings; 94 steelhead smolts; and 430 coastal cutthroat trout. Weekly trapping efficiencies were conducted when possible with juvenile chinook. The rotary screw trap total mortality rate calculated over the trapping period was less than 1%. The fyke net trap was operated above the confluence of Boyes Ck. from 3 March 1997 to 19 June 1997. Total captures included 34,987 chinook YOY, 6,368 coho YOY, 633 coho yearlings; 1,797 trout YOY; 177 trout yearlings; 31 steelhead smolts and 210 coastal cutthroat trout. Pipe traps were located at the confluence of S.F. and N.F. Brown Ck., Boyes Ck., Godwood Ck., May Ck., and above HWY 101 in Little Lost Man Ck. Total captures for pipe traps combined included 6,681 chinook YOY, 19,909 coho YOY, 596 coho yearlings; 820 trout YOY; 801 trout yearlings; 68 steelhead smolts and 274 coastal cutthroat trout. A summer coho population estimate produced 24,558 juvenile coho between Streelow Creek and below Ten Tapo Creek (14.5 km)(1,694 coho/km)."
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Klatte, Bernard; Roelofs, Terry
- Date of Issue
- 1997-12-01
- Units
- REDW
- Keywords
- carcass survey, Chinook Salmon, Coastal Cutthroat Trout, Coho Salmon, Dissolved Oxygen, emergence, Escapement, Fish Monitoring, Fish Studies, fyke nets, Migration, Oncorhynchus clarki, Oncorhynchus kisutch, Oncorhynchus mykiss, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, pipe traps, Population Estimate, Prairie Creek Basin, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, redd characteristics, redd composition, rotary screw trap, Salmonid Species, Sex Ratio, Spawning Survey, Steelhead Trout, Survival, Trapping, Water Discharge, Water Quality, Water Temperature