HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Fishery Division 00011 J7 Art maiiiii -4.61441144 IAME COMMI$11011 OREGON STATE GAME COMMISSION P. 0. BOX 3503 PORTLAND, OREGON 97208 Umpqua River Research (Winchester Segment) 1965 - 1966 Number 21 STATE OF OREGON Oregon State Game Commission Fishery Division C. J. Campbell Chief of Operations Umpqua River Research (Winchester Segment) nDERAL AID TO FISH RESTORATION PROJECT Project F-75-R-1 By Jerry A. Bauer District Fishery Biologist Umpqua River Research (Winchester Segment) 1965 - 1966 Number 21 This page intentionally left blank UNINUA RIVER RESEARCH (Winchester Segment) ABSTRACT A view-window counting station was operated at the Pacific Power and Light Company's dam on the North Umpqua River at Winchester, Douglas County, Oregon. (Figure 1) The fish passing the dam each season were enumerated by species, according to a statistical sampling program established at Oregon State University. The counter recorded the marked fish of hatchery origin con- tained in each run of fish. The data collected were used to project total figures for each species of fish, evaluate hatchery production, provide information to the public, and in formulating angling regulations. INTRODUCTION The Winchester counting station is located on the Pacific Power and Light Company's dam at Winchester, Oregon, approximately three miles north or Roseburg. The station is in Section 25, Township 26 South, Range 6 West, Douglas County, Oregon. The first counting station on Winchester Dam was constructed in 1945, with two counters enumerating the migration during the daylight hours. Fish were counted-over a white board located about four feet below the counter. The ladder was closed to fish passage when the counters were not on station. In 1964, a new view-window counting station was constructed in the upper pool of the ladder. L ANE COUNTY 2 < Li DIENINI coos C OLD NTH' WINOUSTETL DAM FIGURE 1 METHODS A statistical sampling program developed at Oregon State University was followed. periods: Based on past data, the counting day was divided into three 4 a.m, to Noon; Noon to 8 p.m.; and 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. The program utilized one counter who sampled five of the twenty-one periods in the week with the ladder- remaining open at all times. night count each seven days. The program requires one In the fall, winter, and spring months, more counting time is utilized in the afternoon periods; however, during the summer months this is reversed. Appendix 1 is a sample of the monthly counting schedule. Within a designated counting period, fish passing the view-window were identified, enumerated, and recorded. (Appendix 2).Each fish was examined for marks and all marked fish tabulated. (Appendix 3) Weather and water conditions, including qUality, temperature, and stream flow were recorded. Special information regarding the physical condition and general appearance of the fish during certain periods of the year was established and later employed in formulating angling regulations. DISCUSSION Six species, and/or races, of anadromous fish and four species of coarse fish were counted through the station. Table 1 gives the total number by species and projection of the counts to completed runs are shown in Table 2. All runs continue to demonstrate increases over the parent run and the 1965 spring chinook count established a new high since counting was inititated in 1945. A report of the bi-monthly counts is prepared and sent to the newpapers and radio stations in the Region. This report compares the projected total Figure 2. Jack chinook salmon passing Winchester viewing chamber Figure 3. Chinook Salmon as seen through viewing chamber 4 of anadromous fish enumerated for the period to the previous ten-year counts. An example is shown in Appendix 4. Table 1 Fish Counted Over Winchester Dam July 1, 1965 - June 30, 1966 Coho Winter Steelhead 975 6,726 Summer Sea-run Spring Chinook 3,276 Steel,. head 3,227 Cutthroat Fall Chinook 430 79 Miscellaneous Trout 38 Suckers Scuawfish 20,526 1,930 A total of 18,732 lamprey passed through the viewing chamber. Table 2 Winchester Dam Projected Total Anadromous Fish Counts, 1965-1966 Year 1965 Spring Chinook 11,730 Summer Steelhead Sea-run Cutthroat Fall Chinook 182 5,428 Coho 2,262 9,935 796 1966 Winter Steelhead Of the 3,276 spring chinook tabulated during the report period, 180 were of hatchery origin. The marked chinook were from a group of fish released at the Rook Creek Hatchery, upstream from the counting station. Several fish with fins excised denoting rearing at Butte Falls Hatchery and release in Rogue River The 3,227 summer steelhead counted during passed through the viewing chamber. the report period contained 1,336 marked fish. 5 These fish were from hatchery and natural pond production. Seventy-three fish with fins removed were recorded in the run of 430 sea-run cutthroat, The marked cutthroat were returns from hatchery releases made four miles below the counting station. A total of 6,726 winter steelhead moved past the viewing chamber, and 535 of these were marked. These fish, like the summer run, were from both hatchery and natural pond releases, It is interesting to note that nearly 72 percent of the marked steelhead classed as winter fish were of the summer race, Appendix 5 contains the marked fish data and the projection totals, Table 3 depicts the results of the total projection data. Table 3 Results of Fish Examined for Marks at Winchester Dam 1965-1.966 Number of fish examined Number of marks observed Total run Percent of run marked Run Species 1965 Spring chinook 7,158 1,658 11,730 23.2 1965 Summer steelhead 3,324 1,220 59428 3607 1965-66 Cutthroat 430 73 796 17,0 1965-66 Winter steelhead 6,736 535 9,935 7.9 The various marks are transferred from the counting records to an accumulative form, Appendix 5, permitting the various artificial production programs on the river to be evaluated. In some instances the same marks are used for several years and fish from these individual groups are separated into brood year by scale analysis. Based on the large returns of marked fish Figure 4. Jack chinook salmon, left pectoral fin excised. Figure 5. Chinook salmon, illustrating slight regeneration of the left ventral fin. arriving at Winchester Dam, the artificial production program is striving to provide for March release, spring chinook smolts at 4 to 6 fish per pound and steelhead smolts at 4 to 8 fish per pound. Table 4 presents the fish stocked by species, and the rate of return for the project. A check was made to determine the segment of each run passing the station at any given time of day. Table 5 indicates that by far the greater number of chinook and steelhead move in the afternoon (Noon to 8 p.m.), but an appre- ciable portion of the coho and sea-run cutthroat migrate at night. The enumeration of fish runs over Winchester Dam and creel data denoting the status of the populations and success of the hatchery program has led to more liberalized seasons and bag limits. The information on the condition of the fish throughout the year resulted in allowing the taking of adult steelhead the entire year in the main Umpqua River, North Umpqua, South Umpqua, Smith River and North Fork Smith River. Period Covered: July 1, 1965 - June 30, 1966 Financial Report: Project Approval $11,500 Actual Expenditures $10,888.77 7 Brood Year 1960 1961 1962 1963 1962 1963 1964 Species Spring chinook Spring chinook Spring chinook Spring chinook Summer steelhead Summer steelhead Summer steelhead 26,300 3,500 29,500 14,400 2,900 13,900 19,400 100 3,000 26,850 41,200 41,100 11,600 38,800 500 31,000 27,100 82,400 13,300 54,700 24,800 91,000 25,700 55,200 Number of Fish Stocked Rock Creek West Bend 6.7 22.7 16.1 9.8 15.0 16.0 9.0 8.0 8.2 11,4 20.0 30.0 16.2 35.0 6o.o 46.7 21.1 1002 12.0 Pumps (M) Pumps Rock Creek Rock Creek Pumps(M) Pumps(M) Pumps- Winchester Winchester Winchester Winchester West Bend West Bend(M) Pumps Pumps Pumps West Bend Rock Creek Rock Creek 7.2 11.2 Rock Creek Rock Creek Rock Creek Stocking of Place 5.3 5.5 4.3 Size at Stocking per pound 1963 1963 1963 1963 101 1 345 153 36 161 March 1965 April 1965 May 1965 May 1965 April 1965 April 1965 April 1965 0.1 2.9 1.0 9 85 142 13 0.1 403 4.3 0.4 6.2 1.6 1.4 1.0 0.8 0.2 0.6 0.2 0.3 1.1 002 0.3 0.5 3.6 4.7 Percent Returns of Total Stocked 1,127 152 117 March 1964 2,547 666 March 1964 March 1964 163 1 March 1964 November 1963 25 May 1964 48 March March March March December 1964 November 1964 369 3,251 3,768 Number of Adult Recovered February 1964 February 1964 March 1963 March 1962 March 1962 Date of Stocking Umpqua Anadromous Fish Stocking and Rate of Return; 1962-1966 Table 4 year 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 years years years years years years years year year year year year year 2 years 2 years 1 Time Remaining to Complete Run Year Brood Year 1962 1963 1964 Species Winter steelhead Winter steelhead Winter steelhead 9,100 17,700 18,000 13,000 7,900 800 25,300 23,100 17,000 Number of Fish Stocked 11.4 19.5 10.1 13.5 21.6 81.2 10.2 21.0 24.6 Size at Stocking per pound March 1964 March 1964 March 1964 Winchester Winchester Winchester March 1965 May 1965 May 1965 March 1963 March 1963 March 1963 Winchester Winchester Winchester Winchester Rock Creek Rock Creek Date of Stocking Place of Stocking 0 11 45 33 0 90 2 12 465 of Adult Recovered Number Umpqua Anadromous Fish Stocking and Rate of Return, 1962-1966 Table 4 (continued) 0.5 0.06 0.0 0.7 0.4 0.0 1.8 0.05 0.01 of Total Stocked Return.. Percent 2 years 2 years 2 years 1 year 1 year 1 year Time Remaining to Complete Run Year TABLE 5 Rate of Movement Through Winchester Counting Station, 1965-1966 Sioecies Percent of run passed during each time period Noon - 8 DAL 8 p.m, - 4 a,m 4 a4m. - Noon Spring chinook 22 59 19 Summer steelhead 32 54 14 Sea4irun cutthroat 34 40 26 Coho 22 40 38 Winter steelhead 13 80 7 APPENDIX 1, TO; DATE: May 27, 1966 Clyde A. Laurance FROM; SUBJECT: Jerry Bauer June Fish Counting Schedule JUNE Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 4AM-Noon 6 5 4AM-Noon 13 12 26 Noon-8PM Off 4AM-Noon 27 Noon-8PM Noon-8PM Off 8PM-4AM 30 Off 4AM-Noon Noon-8PM 18 Noon-8PM 8PM-4AM 25 24 23 29 28 Noon-8PM Noon-8PM 11 4AM-Noon 17 16 4AM-Noon 22 21 Off Off 8PM-4AM 10 9 8PM-4AM 15 14 20 Off Noon-8PM Off Noon-8PM 19 8 7 Noon-8PM Noon-8PM Off 4AM-Noon APPENDIX 2. Oregon State Game Commissiol Fishery Division Form 51 Rev. 8/66 DAM COUNTING STATION RECORD, RIVER INVESTIGATIONS Location Chinook Adult Jack ,9. 72* 66. 60° 59 1 Remarks - _ 29 16 344 347 238 136 124 106 125 18 96 2 2 a 16 7 2 23 1 1 2 5 3 14 11 18 1 3 1 - 1 1 1 1 Water °F 68° Fish Counts by Species Salmon Other Coho Jack Steelhead Trout Trout Chub Sucker Adult Lampreys 25 22 24 26 12 15 14 16 -, 12 2a 145 2 ... Clyde A. Laurance Time On ... Noon Estimates of Fish Counts in Next 24-Hour Periods Additional Comments Ai .r °F'. 4'2 4'2 4'2 Clear Clear Clear Overcast Mostly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy 4:00- 5:00 :00- 6:00 :00- 7:00 7:00- 8:00 8:00- 9:00 9:00-10:00 10:00-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00- 1:00 16 1:00- 2:00 6 2:00- 3:00a 8 7 _ 3:00- 4:00 4:00- 5:00 12 5:00- 6:00 5 6:00- 7:00 8 1 7:00- 8:00 8:00- 9:00' 9:00-10:00 10:00-11:00 11:00-12:00 12:00- 1:00 1:00- 2:00 2:00- 3:00 3:00- 4:00 65 TOTALS Counter Gaure W3ather and Water Conditions Time 6:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 12:00 noon 00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Time June 6, 1966 Date Winchester Dam -1N. Umpqua Salmon trout are sea-run cutthroat 1516 . 154 _ Time Off 8PM RP LP RM BV LV RV LM AN - LV -LK SPRING CHINOOK BV -BM Right Pectoral fin Left Pectoral fin Right maxillary Both Ventral fins Left Ventral fin Right Ventral fin Left maxillary Anal fin 5 16 65 RP-RM LP -LM IN -LP -LM AN - -R!? MISC CUTTHROAT RV 61,11 MARKED FISH RECOVERED AT WINCHESTER DAM LV-LM MISC AD LV RV BV IP AN LM RM - AD-LV 1 SUMMER STEELHEAD LV-LM LV Adipose fin Left ventral fin Right ventral fin Both ventral fins Left pectoral fill Anal fin Left maxillary Right maxillary -1 144. AD-LM 6/16/65 1 AD-LP 1 BV 1 AD-AN MARKED FISH RECOVERED AT WINCHESTER DAM MISC. 1 WINTER STEELHEAD AD-RM AD AD-RV MISC. APPENDIX 4. SOUTHWEST REGIONAL OFFICE OREGON STATE GAME COMMISSION P. O. Box 577 Roseburg, Oregon WINCHESTER DAM COUNTING STATION - NORTH UMPQUA RIVER Fish counts through May 31, 1966 Year Period of May 16-31 Total Through May 31 Total Count Percent of run by May 31 Spring Chinook (adults) 1957 1958 1959 196o 1,294 1961 1,775 1,303 5,112 1,214 2,686 1,598 951 658 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 761 3,403 3,043 2,498 2,104 3,168 2,877 6,716 2,454 6,773 4,358 4,285 3,856 3,460 3,594 765 943 542 327 456 542 4,711 3,659 9,222 5,792 8,631 79.4 78.9 72.2 58.5 67.2 78.6 72.8 42.2 78.5 Spring Chinook (jacks) 1957 1958 1959 196o 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 384 142 60 81.1 65.5 50.8 19.5 355 166 89 239 316 601 942 1,798 591 3,011 44.1 52.6 52.3 19.6 1,458 407 3,099 47.0 0 0 0 0 2,228 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 78 35 3,141 16 510 712 75 98 172 192 167 258 46 136 172 870 422 899 267 Summer Steelhead 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 0 0 0 0 57 2,041 2,049 2,732 2,504 4,827 2,90o 5,428 2.5 1,4 14.7 6.6 3.1 1 (LP -LM) 9 (Lv-LM) 3 (RP -RM ) 2 (BV-RM) 3 (LP -LM) 2 (AN-RV) 2 (AD- RM -RV) 6 (BV -RM) 3 (RP-RM ) Marks Observed Adipose fin Left Ventral fin Right Ventral fin Both Ventral fins Right Pectoral fin Left Pectoral fin Right Maxillary Left Maxillary Anal fin 226 7/31/65 AD LV RV BV RP LP RM LK-AN - 240 7/15/65 Date Number of Fish Examined SPRING CHINOOK - 1965 1,650 1,635 7,042 6,816 Accumulative Examined Fish 11,463 11,120 TOtal Run 27 (AN-RV ) 309 (RP -I) 8 (LP-L ) 9 (AN-RP) 1,558 (BV -RM) 28 (LV -LM) 35 (Rv-HK) 688 (AD-Rv-RM) 23 (AD -RM) (AD-RV-RM)(1960 Brood) (BV -RM) (1961 Brood) (LV -LM) (1963 Brood) (RP -RM) (1962 Brood) (LP -LM) (1963 Brood) 9 (Rogue River) 27 (AN-RV (AN-R1 (Rogue River) 688 1,555 14 304 6 23 (AD -RM) (1959 Brood) 35 (RV -RM) (1960 Brood) Accumulative marks in run 23.4 24.0 Percent of Run Marked