Res-Metsker1959 Investigation Of
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Volume 020 Article 12 CL EARW PE RC E - i 4-- CLARK JEFFERSON_ LINCOLN IDOKA WlNrF State of Idaho DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME Ross Leonard, Director INVESTIGATION OF STEELHEAD PASSAGE AT SELWAY FALLS, 1958 and 1959 Columbia River Fishery Development Program by Howard E. Metsker Fisheries Biologis TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction............................................... 4 Description of Selway Falls and fish passage ..................10 Selway Falls area........................................ 10 Lower north falls...................................... 13 Lower south falls...................................... 13 Upper south falls...................................... 19 Upper north falls...................................... 19 Flow-falls relationship...................................22 Sport fishery - 1958...........................................................................................22 Total catch 0 0 0 0 0 •...............................................0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 Size of steelhead in the catch • 0 0.............................................. 0 . 0 0 • 0 2 L~ Sexual maturity of steelhead in the catch .................. 24 Injured fish ................ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 • • • • .. 2! Use of tributaries by blocked fish 0 • . 0 0 • 0 0 0 0 . 26 Conclusions and discussion of fish passage . ••• 0 .. 0 • 26 Recommendations.................................. 0 0 • 0 28 Acknowledgements............... 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 .. 29 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Page Figure 1. Lower Selway Falls at various water levels. 7 Figure 2. Selway Falls, June 16, 1958. 8 Figure 3. Clearwater River drainage, Idaho. 9 Figure 4. Topographic map of Selway Falls indicating the position of the various major falls and seven stations for gauging river levels. 14 Figure 5. Point of fish passage at lower south falls. High water in the spring of 1958 moved boulder in center foreground downstream about 8 feet widening the adjacent gap from li to 4 i feet. 16 Figure 6. Dip netting steelhead at lower south falls. 16 Figure 7. Attaching plastic streamer to steelhead. 16 Figure 8. Graphic presentation of steelhead passage and detainment over Selway Falls as observed in the years 1958-1959 (data for passage at lower south falls confined to the period following shift in boulder). 20 Figure 9. Selway River flows-maximum, minimum and average to the nearest 100 c.f.s. for the period October 1, 1945, to September 30, 1956.Compiled from U.S.G.S. records from water-stage recorder located near Lowell, Idaho, (one mile upstream from the mouth of OHara Creek) 21 Table. 1. Adult chinook salmon counted over the Lewiston Dam, Clearwater River, 1950-1959 6 Table 2. Adult steelhead counted over the Lewiston Dam, Clearwater River, 1950-1959. 6 Table 3. Water elevations at seven stations through Selway Falls read to the nearest one-half foot, corresponding river flows and degree of obstruction to upstream steelhead passage, 1958. 11 Table 4. Water elevations at seven stations through Solway Fells read. to tne nearest one-half foot, corresponding river flows and degree of obstruction to upstream steelhead passage, 1959. 12 Page Table 5. Observed unsuccessful attempts by steelhead to ascend lower north falls, 1958. 15 Table 6. Observed unsuccessful attempts by steelhead to ascend lower south falls, 1958. 15 Table 7. Sightings of tagged steelhead below Selway Falls, 1958. 18 Table 8. Sport and Indian catch of steelhead in the Selway Falls area, February 18 to May 11, 1958. 23 Table 9. Fork length-frequency distribution, by sex, of 208 steelhead in the sport catch, Selway Falls, March 18 to May 11, 1958. 25 Table 10. Degree sexual maturity of steelhead observed in the sport catch, March 18 to May 11, 1958. 25 Table 11. Steelhead passage through Selway Falls in the years 1946 through 1955 for the period September 1 to November 30 and February 1 to May 30 based on 43 days of observation during 1958 and 1959 (data for passage at lower south falls confined to the period following shift in boulder). 27 Table 12. Hypothetical salmon passage over Selway Falls for the 10-year period 1946-1955 based on observed steelhead passage data for 1958-1959 and known dates of salmon entry into the Clearwater River (May, June, July and August). 27 INTRODUCTION The Clearwater River drainage is composed of three major tributaries: the North Fork; the Middle Fork, including the Lochsa and Selway Rivers; and the South Fork. Hunting, fishing, and camping rank high as primary uses of the watershed. Resorts and packers are available to provide seasonal accommodations. Angling is limited primarily to streams accessible by road. Species of fish taken in the fishery include steelhead (adult and juvenile), cutthroat, resident rainbow, Dolly Varden, and brook trout. Some Rocky Mountain whitefish are taken in the fall and winter months. An expanding smallmouth bass fishery extends as far upstream as Selway Falls on the Selway River and in limited numbers above the mouth of the South Fork of the Clearwater River. Annual runs of spring chinook salmon are too small to provide a significant sport fishery. In 1926, a diversion dam to provide hydroelectric power was constructed across the Clearwater River approximately three miles above its mouth by the Island Power and Light Company. In 1939, the ownership of this dam was transferred to the Wash- ington Water Power Company, the present owner. When the dam was constructed, one fishway was provided on the north river bank. In 1939, following the realization that the single ladder was inadequate in passing anadromous fish, two additional fishways were constructed: one on the south end of the diversion dam and one at the powerhouse outlet. Prior to the construction of the additional fishways, the large runs of anadromous fish present in the drainage before the construction of the dam were reduced drastically. The runs of chinook salmon, particularly, were reduced to remnants. To determine whether spring chinook salmon could be re-established in the drainage above the dam, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game released in the North Fork of the Clearwater River drainage a limited number of spring chinook salmon fingerlings annually from 1947 to 1953, excepting 1949. These releases varied from 16,800 in 1947 to 69,900 in 1950. In 1950, approximately 20,000 of the fish -4- released were narked for identification by fin removal. Recovery of marked fish at the dam proved the return of these fish to the drainage (Table 1). Counts of salmon and steelhead passing upstream through the fishways at the dam have been made by personnel of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game annually since 1950. These counts, presented in Tables 1 and 2, reveal (except for the 1956-1957 fish year) a significant increase in return of successive generations of steelhead past the dam. In recent years, two high dams, one on the North Fork and one on the Middle Fork of the Clearwater River, have been proposed for construction. In light of present knowledge of fish passage at high dams, these dams proposed for construct- ion on the North and fiddle Fork , represent threats to future anadromous fish runs in the Clearwater River drainage. Penny Cliffs Dam, as proposed for construction on the Middle Fork, will back water approximately to Three Links Creek, some 10 miles upstream from Selway Falls. In the fall of 1957, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, as part of the federally-financed Columbia River Fishery Development Program, instituted stream surveys in the Clearwater drainage to determine the location of migratory blocks and suitable hatchery sites. It is planned that all major tributaries to the drainage, except the North Fork, will be inspected to determine the amount of additional spawning area which can be made available for use b ., salmon and steel- head. As part of these surveys, a study was begun in February, 1958, to determine the extent of delay to adult steelhead at Selway Falls, located on the Selway River approximately 20 miles above its mouth (Figures 1, 2 and 3). The Selway River drainage is a remote wilderness area of 1,910 square miles. Only two Forest Service roads penetrate the area, one extending upstream from the mouth of the river to Selway Falls and the other crossing the drainage some 90 miles above the mouth of the Selway River. The river, originating in the Bitter- root Mountains, flows approximately 100 miles before converging with the Lochsa -5- Table 1. Adult chinook salmon counted over the Lewiston Dan, Clearwater River, 1950=1959. 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 195. 197 19 9 Apr. May 5 2 11 June 1 15 7 23 2 4 7 42 11 5 July 6 12 7 35 15 6 98 11 3 Aug. 2 8 3 1 3 1 1 2 Sept. 1 1 2 3 Oct. 1 1 1 N o v . Totals 9 35 15 67 181/ 142/ 14 152 26 13 1/ Total includes 2 fish marked as fingerlings from 1950 brood. 2/ Total includes 4 fish marked as fingerlings from 1950 brood. Table 2. Adult steelhead counted over the Lewiston Dam, Clearwater River, 1950-1959. 1-2 1 5 2- mK~ 1 .5 6 1 . 56-5 l•~ -8 low8e July 28, 58 15 16 12 26 0 36 2 2 0 Aug 5 18 5 15 3 27 2 Sept. 5 160 9-1/ 214 800 659 128 2,090 4,803 Oct. 987 390 810 318 1,5 954 2,116 301 4,322 13,266 Nov. 43 52 26 , 102 36o 81 14 96 1,018 Dec. 58 14 7` / 55 23 53 17 10 284 Jan. 1 0 94 1 2 02/ 7 62 Feb. 5 7 165 97 47 15 0 1,183 1418 March 279 )413 4,377 947 577 383 933 8,809 6,008 April 1,981 3,2)4)4 3,774 2 9 776 6,191 3,120 2,425 3,439 6,460 May 1,289 1,229 1 9 757 1,813 3,823 1,414 141 905 808 June 121 350 99 118 382 77 31 19 85 Totals 4,202 6,337 10,646 7,147 14,175 7,961 3,993 20,943 33,216 1/ No count from September 15 to October 7, ladders oven to fish passage.