Outdoors Notebook | Massive flooding has negative impact on young salmon survival

Hitting the rivers to go fishing is at a standstill for days to come, but many are wondering about young salmon survival because of massive flooding.

"This is an especially bad situation like the flooding that happened in [November] 2007, and we're having the same problems of scouring eggs on spawning grounds, and loss of juvenile fish survival," said Jeff Haymes, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist. "It seems like now we're getting these 100-year type floods every other year, which is not good. These floods will dig a big hole for several years.

"This was supposed to be a La Niña kind of year, and then it snapped back to something like an El Niño weather pattern, at least for the time being."

Some of the severe impact on fish survival is in Southwest Washington.

"The worst damage happened from Woodland north in places like Chehalis, Kalama and Kelso," said Joe Hymer, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist. "Depending on the salmon species, and when and where they spawned, I am sure it will have an impact.

"We had fairly low water conditions this past fall so some fish probably spawned in the main river channels and that will make those eggs in the gravel more vulnerable. The local hatcheries on the Lower Columbia got drilled pretty hard, although it sounds like they survived, but it was nip and tuck for a while."

The situation around Aberdeen and Grays Harbor looked grim as well.

"Everything was flooded like the Wynoochee, Satsop and all the smaller rivers," said Scott Barbour, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist. "Most of the coho and chinook redds are down in the gravel, and I imagine there would be some scouring of eggs. There are still [migrating] coho to come, but this will do damage to chinook redds for sure. It is pretty nasty."

Locally, it appears that the outlying areas of Seattle got slammed, and likely damaged some salmon and steelhead spawning grounds.

"This kind of situation is lousy for the spawning beds, and for all the chinook and sockeye eggs that are in the gravel," said Steve Foley, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist who assessed the Cedar River. "I heard the hatchery is going to be OK at Landsburg."

While the hatchery at Landsburg escaped substantial damage, the Lower Cedar juvenile fish trap was lost and then recovered from Lake Washington with some damage. The other trap in the Lower Cedar River was taken out of the water with some damage.

Further north, it looks like some rivers could feel the loss of future salmon runs.

In general, these types of floodwaters don't do much good for young chinook, steelhead and coho," said Brett Barkdull, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist who covers areas from Skagit River north to the Canadian border. "It displaces the juvenile fish, and gets them stranded in places where they shouldn't be. What affect it will have on them in the long term and how much loss is hard to say at this point.

"The Nooksack and Stillaguamish got hit pretty bad, and this is going to really have impact, mainly on chinook and chum there. And to some extent the coho may get away a little better because they tend to spawn in smaller streams."

Barkdull pointed out that the Upper Skagit River escaped flooding problems, and all the northern hatchery facilities were doing fine.

"I talked with our hatchery complex manager and we survived at all the facilities, and the fish are alive and doing fine," said Barkdull of the Marblemount, Baker, Kendall, Whatcom Creek and Lake Whatcom hatcheries.

Other local hatcheries may have taken a worse hit from this latest storm.

"The Tokul Creek [Hatchery] was a mess, they're taking it hour by hour, and we're looking at releasing [150,00 juvenile steelhead] early," said Annette Hoffman, a state Fish and Wildlife fish program manager. "The staff [at the Arlington Hatchery] had some concern, but were working hard on their issues, and were planning on moving fish to other ponds for the time being. They planned to release [some 80,000 trout] early into local lakes if necessary."

The Whitehorse Hatchery was pretty much an island. The Soos Creek Facility took on a considerable amount of water, and there was also some issues at Voights Creek as well.

"It doesn't sound too great for our hatcheries and this may bring on high mortality losses along with low releases in the future," said Chad Jackson, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist.

Notes

• The Summit at Snoqualmie and Sessions and Snowboy Productions is hosting a free youth snowboard "Greenhorn Games" event at 11 a.m. Saturday at Summit Central. Register from 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m. The contest is open for all boys and girls under age 13. Details: www.summitatsnoqualmie.com.

• Outdoorsman and author Dan Nelson will host a free slide-show presentation followed by a Q&A and book signing 7 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Seattle REI Store, 222 Yale Ave. N. Nelson will highlight from his book Snowshoe Routes: Washington, 2nd Edition, outings for all skill levels, and very accessible routes within driving distance of Seattle. Details: 206-223-1944 or www.rei.com.

• There is a free Avalanche Awareness Class 7 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Issaquah REI Store. Learn how to know if it is safe and how to reduce your odds of becoming a statistic. Details: 425-313-1660 or www.rei.com.

• The Seattle Boat Show is Jan. 23-Feb. 1 at the Qwest Field and Event Center and South Lake Union in Seattle. The show features more than 1,130-plus boats of all sizes, and offers more than 200 free seminars from boating to fishing. Cost is $10 adults; $5 youth age 11-17; and $18 for a three-day pass. Details: www.seattleboatshow.com.

• The Washington Sportsmen's Show is Jan. 21-25 at the Puyallup Fair and Events Center. The show offers a wide range of attractions, demonstrations, seminars and family activities for hunters, outdoorsman and anglers. Cost is $10 adults; and $5 for youth age 6-16. Hours: Noon-8 p.m., Wednesday-Friday; and 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday. Details: www.otshows.com.

• The Washington Steelhead Club is hosting a private showing of "Raising the Ghost" at the group's membership meeting 6 p.m. Jan. 29 at the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture. The movie captures the passion of steelhead angling while weaving an important conservation message to the plight of wild steelhead. Details: www.wildsteelheadcoalition.com.

• The Washington Butterfly Association meeting is 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 N.E. 41st St. in Seattle. Jon Pellham's topic is titled "Talkin' Blues," a program to get a running start for the 2009 butterfly season. Details: 206-364-4935 or www.naba.org/Chapters/nabaws.

• The Northwest Mountain School is offering an AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course Feb. 14-16 in Leavenworth and at Stevens Pass. Cost is $275. Details: /www.mountainschool.com or 509-548-5823.

• Washington Sea Grant and the Port of Seattle Fishermen's Terminal are co-sponsoring a U.S. Coast Guard-approved course on First Aid at Sea Course 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 6 and Feb. 25 in the Nordby Building at Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle.

Topics include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, patient assessment, shock, trauma, burns, fractures, hypothermia, cold-water near- drowning, immobilization, backboards, first-aid kits, and more. Cost is $80, and preregistration is advised. Details: 206-543-1225 or email sfisken@u.washington.edu.

• Ridge Explorations is hosting the Gary Brill Avalanche Awareness Clinics and Level 1 classes now through February at various REI stores and other outdoors stores. The clinics are free and the classes are $205. Details: 253-891-0149 or www.RidgeExplorations.com.

• The Seattle Sportsmen's Convention is Feb. 13-14 at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. Festivities include auctions, meals, gun and hunt raffles and addresses by keynote speakers. Cost is $125 for both days. Details: www.working4wildlife.com or 425-882-9772.

• The Patty Wagon ski bus to Stevens Pass begins service on Thursdays now through Feb. 26. Cost is $191 for eight weeks or $29 per trip. It starts from 185th and Aurora to Lake Forest Park to Bothell and a last stop in Monroe. Details: 206-546-6717.

• The Mount Rainier National Park has opened the Snow Play Area for sledding and sliding, and offers guided snowshoe walks at Paradise. Visitor should call ahead for hours and status of the snow play area.

Snowshoe walks are offered on weekends and holidays from Jan. 10 to March 29 at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. Details: 360-569-2211.

• The statewide Christmas Bird Counts hosted by the Audubon Society are happening around the holidays, and are looking for all birdwatchers to participate. Local dates: TodayDec. 28, Kent-Auburn, Nancy Streiffert at nancy_streiffert@hotmail.com or 253-796-2203; and Jan. 1, Skagit Bay, Art Campbell at acampbell@herrerainc.com or 206-783-2449 all.

• Mount Rainier National Parks is offering daily guided snowshoe walks from Dec. 20-Jan. 4, and on weekends and holidays from Jan. 10-March 29. Walks are offered at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sign up at the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise beginning one hour before the start time.

Snowshoe walks cover approximately 1.5 miles and last up to two hours. Snowshoes are provided. A donation of $1 is asked to help defray the cost of snowshoe maintenance. Snowshoeing is a moderately strenuous activity, and participants must be at least eight years old. Details: 360-569-2211, ext. 3314.

• The Washington Sea Grant and Port of Seattle/Fishermen's Terminal are hosting a Marine Electrical Wiring Workshop for all boaters 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Nordby Building, Fishermen's Terminal, 3919 18th Ave. West in Seattle. The workshop is designed for boat owners who want to upgrade their electrical systems. Cost is $80. Preregistration is advised. Details: 206-543-1225.

• The Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center at Mount Rainier National Park is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and holidays through Dec. 31. The visitor center offers new exhibits, park information, a new park movie, book store and gift shop, as well as food service. Details: 360-569-2211 or www.nps.gov/mora.

• Hatchery steelhead fishing is open on the Upper Columbia River from Rocky Beach Dam to 400 feet below Wells Dam. Daily limit is two hatchery-marked fish, and they must be longer than 20 inches. Fishing will remain open through March 31, but could close sooner. A night closure and selective gear rules apply. Anglers may use single, barbless hooks and knotless nets, motorized vessels and bait are allowed.

• Lake Chelan is open for chinook salmon fishing through Feb. 8. Areas within 400 feet of the mouths of all tributaries are closed. Hatchery-reared summer chinook stocking have been successful to the point to allow fishing. Daily limit is two chinook with a minimum size limit of 15 inches. No catch-record card is needed.

• The Washington Trails Association offers statewide trip reports and trail conditions. Details: www.wta.org.

• The Northwest Fly Anglers offers various public classes through the year. The public also is invited to club meetings on the third Thursday of each month, at the Haller Lake Community Center, 12579 Densmore Ave N., in North Seattle. Details: 206-684-7524.

• The Emerald Sea Dive Club offers year-round activities including the big buddy program and weekly and monthly dives. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. at Alfy's Pizza, 4820 196th S.W. in Lynnwood. Details: 425-775-2410 or www.emeraldseadiveclub.org.

• The Seattle Audubon Society offers field trips and classes every month. Details: 206-523-4483 or www.seattleaudubon.org.

• Northend Bassmasters is accepting new members who want to learn more about bass fishing. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Creek Cafe, 22620 Bothell-Everett Highway (Canyon Park) in Bothell. Details: 206-789-4259 or e-mail Gary Millard at glmillard@comcast.net.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com