2014 Scott River Salmon Studies Final Report

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife's (Department) Klamath River Project (KRP) operated a video fish counting facility and conducted cooperative spawning ground surveys (carcass surveys) on the Scott River during the 2014 fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) spawning season. The purpose of these surveys is to describe the run characteristics of adult Chinook salmon and coho salmon into the Scott River. Video fish counting operations began on September 30, 2014, and ended on December 6, 2014, due to high river flows.

The total number of Chinook salmon that entered the Scott River during the 2014 season is estimated to be 12,471 fish. Based on the proportion of male and female Chinook salmon that were sampled during the spawning ground surveys, the run was comprised of approximately 5,992 (48.0%) males and 6,479 (52.0%) females. Based on scale age analysis, adults comprised approximately 83.55% (10,420 fish) and grilse comprised 16.45% (2,051 fish) of the run. Males ranged in fork length (FL) from 38cm to 105cm and averaged 72.9cm. Females ranged in FL from 44cm to 95cm and averaged 76.2cm. KRP staff estimated that 15 of the Chinook salmon that returned were of hatchery origin.