Land use in the Lower Columbia complex (Germany, Mill, and Abernathy) is primarily commercial forestry. These watersheds provide the best opportunity to assess the effectiveness of restoration treatments and commercial forest management on increasing salmon production. Lack of large wood in the channels, reduction in off-channel habitat and alterations in sediment delivery and transport are factors likely influencing salmon production in these watersheds.
Chinook, coho, and steelhead are the focal species for population abundance and survival study in these watersheds. AAbundance of coho is estimated at three life stages life stages (parr, smolt, spawner). Abundance of Chinook and steelhead are estimated at two life stages (smolt, spawner). Coho parr are collected by electrofishing and seining in index reaches during late summer. Juvenile migrants of all species are captured in screw traps operated near the mouth of the creek during the outmigration period. Adult escapement is estimated using combinations of a resistance-board weir on Abernathy Creek and spawner surveys on all three creeks.
