Lake Washington salmon counts

Lake Washington salmon have been counted each year since 1972 as they enter freshwater at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks -- also known as the Ballard Locks -- on Seattle's Lake Washington Ship Canal. Currently, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Muckleshoot Indian Tribe staff conduct the counts cooperatively to determine if there are sufficient sockeye to open fishing seasons.

Sockeye counts begin on June 12 each year and go through July in order to provide consistent data from year to year. The sockeye are counted daily during set time periods as they pass through both the locks and the fishway, and the counts are converted into a daily total number of fish passing upstream. In early July, state and tribal managers begin to make weekly projections of the expected total run size based on the current counts. When the co-managers expect the total run size includes sufficient surplus fish above the escapement goal of 350,000 sockeye, sport and tribal fishing seasons will be opened.

Preliminary daily Chinook counts will be available from late July through September and daily coho counts will be available from Sept. 1 until early October.  The preliminary counts are subject to revision.

Daily coho counts

DateDaily CountRunning Total
6/12-8/31/24110110
9/1142252
9/2596848
9/38281676
9/412922968
9/53193287
9/69034190
9/78105000
9/88635863
9/911927055
9/1011078162
9/119109072
9/128899961
9/1380310764
9/14133612100
9/15114213242
9/16129314535
9/1751815053
9/1844015493
9/1930115794
9/2060716401
9/2156116962
9/2227317235
9/2336317598
9/2441718015
9/2559718612
9/2639819010
9/275319063
9/284619109
9/293019139
9/303019169
10/1019169
10/2019169

 

Daily Chinook counts

 

DateDaily CountRunning Total
6/18 - 6/30/2422
7/102
7/202
7/302
7/402
7/502
7/602
7/713
7/825
7/905
7/1005
7/1105
7/12712
7/13012
7/141528
7/152149
7/16958
7/171068
7/18068
7/191583
7/20083
7/21083
7/2238121
7/230121
7/2422143
7/25150293
7/2615308
7/2745353
7/28231584
7/2957641
7/30133774
7/3147821
8/18451666
8/22671933
8/32362169
8/42682437
8/52952732
8/66453377
8/72523629
8/8823711
8/91043815
8/105974412
8/119345346
8/127336079
8/133876466
8/144797045
8/1511918286
8/167969082
8/173689450
8/182999749
8/1986010609
8/2035010959
8/2165611615
8/2238612001
8/2315012151
8/2434212493
8/2562113114
8/2633013444
8/2764414088
8/2860014688
8/2969015378
8/3038615764
8/3131816082
9/118516267
9/236216629
9/329616925
9/434417269
9/521317482
9/621917701
9/76417765
9/824218007
9/916418171
9/108518256
9/114618302
9/127218374
9/135918433
9/147918512
9/155418566
9/163918605
9/17718612
9/182018632
9/19018632
9/201318645
9/216518710
9/22018710
9/23018710
9/24018710
9/25718717
9/26018717
9/27018717
9/28018717
9/29018717
9/30018717
10/1018717
10/2018717

 

 

Daily sockeye counts

DateDaily CountRunning Total
6/12/2433
6/13912
6/142739
6/15746
6/16349
6/172473
6/181891
6/1916107
6/2075182
6/21183365
6/2290455
6/23133588
6/2484672
6/2553725
6/26181906
6/272371143
6/281901333
6/293911724
6/303362060
7/19232983
7/210574040
7/39945034
7/41405174
7/58826056
7/610317087
7/77227809
7/88618670
7/912739943
7/10157211515
7/11139612911
7/12136414275
7/13103415309
7/1494316252
7/15115117403
7/1643717840
7/179717937
7/1835118288
7/1918918477
7/2031518792
7/2172719519
7/2258820107
7/2344420551
7/2456421115
7/2540221517
7/2617721694
7/2718521879
7/2816122040
7/296922109
7/3015422263
7/3111522378
8/121422592
8/28622678
8/35622734
8/411122845
8/52922874
8/614323017
8/71523032
8/82023052
8/9023052
8/103323085
8/112823113
8/12823121
8/132023141
8/14023141
8/15023141
8/16023141
8/171323154
8/18723161
8/19023161
8/20723168
8/21723175
8/22023175
8/23023175
8/24023175
8/251323188
8/26023188
8/27023188
8/28023188
8/29023188
8/30023188
8/31023188
9/1023188
9/2023188
9/3023188
9/4023188
9/5023188
9/6023188
9/7023188
9/8023188
9/9023188

Ballard Locks sockeye counts

On desktop/laptop, move the cursor over a data point to see the exact date and count. To zoom in or out on the chart, use the mouse scroll wheel. Click and drag the graph to pan the data left or right.

On touch devices, tap the data point to see the exact date and count. To zoom in or out on the chart, spread or pinch the chart area. Tap and drag the graph to pan the data left or right.

To view and compare counts from previous years, click/tap the year in the legend below the chart to toggle it on or off.

Annual sockeye counts

YearTotal Count
202323,901
202243,289
202136,618
202022,492
201916,825
201828,406
2017129,568
201658,583
201532,154
201458,421
2013177,349
2012143,318
201142,641
2010155,900
200921,719
200833,630
200760,166
2006417,089
200574,820
2004375,517
2003199,300
2002375,517
2001264,823
2000416,528
199951,941
199889,020
1997127,797
1996508,336
199534,280
1994166,267
1993131,457
1992241,329
199186,594
1990122,964
1989195,454
1988531,063
1987192,058
1986246,913
1985282,821
1984442,752
1983391,101
1982370,195
1981198,798
1980491,587
1979233,278
1978269,090
1977417,783
1976215,462
1975169,302
1974184,050
1973384,550
1972242,359

Collecting biological samples from adult sockeye

A comprehensive biological sampling program will continue gathering critical information for the management of Lake Washington sockeye salmon, including changes in populations, survival rates, genetic identification, changes in size, etc.

The goal is to collect approximately 200 adult sockeye each week as they move from seawater into the Lake Washington Basin. Biologists from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe will lead the sampling effort, with the collaboration of WDFW staff who will assist in the collection and processing of samples from the adult sockeye. Seattle Public Utilities provides funding for processing and analysis of these biological samples.

Types of information collected

  • Scales
  • Lengths
  • Genetic Samples (DNA)
  • Mark Samples (Otoliths and tags)
  • Sex

Examples of three important biological data sets:

  • Age Composition - Sockeye salmon age compositions are a necessary step in measuring survival rates. Insufficient age data have been collected in recent years because of budget constraints and due to the difficulty of collecting a representative sample. Scales from the adult fish will be used to determine ages.
  • Wild/hatchery proportions - Artificially produced sockeye salmon will be an important component of the return in 2017 and coming years. The hatchery fish are 100% otolith (small bones inside the head) marked for differentiation from wild-origin sockeye. The accurate estimation of the numbers of returning hatchery fish is important to evaluate hatchery performance, and can be used to inform in-season fishery management decisions.
  • Genetic Diversity - Because genetic (DNA) analysis has only recently become available as an assessment tool, consistent genetic sampling programs have not been a part of the management process. Tissue samples collected from Lake Washington sockeye stocks will be used to make future comparisons between populations based on DNA profiles. This may allow the in-season monitoring of the returns of various wild and hatchery stocks, the crafting of protective measures in fisheries, and may allow the measurement of the influence of hatchery fish on wild sockeye.