Volunteers and staff perform spawner surveys to count salmon returning to project sites. Surveys begin below the project site and continue upstream until well above the project site. Project sites are walked once per week during the spawning season. Each week the total number of live adult salmonids, salmonid carcasses, and redds are counted and recorded by species. Tails are clipped to avoid counting the same carcass in subsequent surveys. Every redd is counted, measured, and flagged. A flag is tied directly above the redd with the date the redd was recorded written on the flag. This prevents redd disturbance during future surveys and double counting.
Spawner Survey Totals 2000-2010
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- Spawned-out salmon provide a much-needed nutrient source for birds, mammals, fish and aquatic invertebrates, and even streamside plants!
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- Along with staff and volunteers, SFEG interns conduct spawner surveys to help track salmon use at restoration sites.
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- Monitoring Coordinator Kevik Rensink shows volunteers how to measure a redd, or salmon nest.
