2015 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 2015 fall-run Chinook salmon (Chinook, 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, 2015 and ended on December 9, 2015 due to high river flows. An ARIS sonor camera was installed on December 9, 2015 and operated through December 21, 2015.

The total number of Chinook salmon that entered the Scott River during the 2014 season is estimated to be 2,113 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 573 (27.1%) males and 1,540 (72.9%) females. Based on scale age analysis, adults comprised approximately 99% (2,092 fish) and grilse comprised 1 % (21 fish) of the run. Males ranged in fork length (FL) from 41cm to 105cm and averaged 76.7cm. Females ranged in FL from 39cm to 92cm and averaged 71.9cm. None of the Chinook salmon that returned were estimated to be of hatchery origin.