Lower Snake River Weekly Report 5/9/17

As of May 8th, 2017, a total of 92 spring Chinook had passed Lower Granite Dam on the lower Snake River.  By this time last year, 4,814 had passed.  And the 10-year average is 11,254.  I was planning to go fishing this weekend, but I think that would be futile with so few Chinook in the Snake River, and even fewer in the Salmon River.  I may still attend the Sacred Salmon Ceremony in Riggins, ID though.

We are either experiencing a slow start to the spring Chinook run, a very small run, or a combination of both.  River flows have been high and cold this year.  The 2015 juvenile Chinook, many of which are returning this year as adults, experienced extreme levels of mortality in the hydrosystem during their migration to the Pacific Ocean.  You  can read more about that here.

The number of steelhead that have migrated past Lower Granite Dam by May 8th was 7,228.  By this time last year, 5,410 had passed.  And the 10-year average was 8,844.  These are most likely not steelhead that have come up from the Pacific Ocean this year, but fish who wintered in the Snake River.