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Columbia River Fall Chinook, Summer Steelhead and Coho Returns Show Some are Up and Others Down by Mark Yuasa Seattle Times, September 13, 2011

Here are the latest updates on Columbia River fall chinook, summer steelhead and coho.

Bonneville Dam passage is expected to total 504,100 fall chinook adults based on the preseason forecasts. Passage is typically 50-percent complete by Sept. 7.

Chinook passage at Bonneville through Sept. 11 totals 221,367 adults, including 176,979 bright stock and 44,151 tule stock. Based on the average 10-year timing curve, bright passage is typically 59-percent complete and tule passage is typically 77-percent complete by this date.

The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) reviewed salmon stock status and fishery data on Sept. 6 and Sept. 12. Based on the Bonneville Dam counts through Sept. 11, TAC updated the fall chinook river mouth run sizes to 354,000 Upriver Brights (URBs), 56,000 Pool Upriver Brights (PUBs), 36,650 Bonneville Upriver Brights (BUBs) and 73,000 Bonneville Pool Hatchery (BPH).

The pre-season forecasts were 399,600 URBs, 62,600 PUBs, 37,700 BUBs, and 116,400 BPH.

TAC is estimating that the fall chinook passage over Bonneville is two to three days late, but also notes that we are still in the peak passage time therefore future in-season projections will likely change.

As for upriver summer steelhead the forecast for the combined Group A/B steelhead returns to Bonneville Dam totals 366,800 fish, including 105,600 wild fish (29-percent). The Group A forecast is similar the recent 10-year average, while the Group B forecast is 80-percent of the 10-year average.

Counts of steelhead at Bonneville Dam since July 1 total 309,616 fish. Passage at Bonneville Dam (July-October) is typically 50-percent complete by Aug. 15.

For Lower Columbia River coho the 2011 river mouth return of Columbia River coho (following expected ocean fisheries) is projected to be 270,800 adults, which includes 168,500 early stock and 102,300 late stock.

Bonneville Dam passage is predicted to be 81,500 adult coho. Passage through Sept. 11 totals 63,882 fish. Based on the average 10-year timing curve, total adult passage is 37-percent complete by this date.