NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-35 Status Review of Chinook Salmon from Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and California James M. Myers, Robert G. Kope, Gregory J. Bryant1, David Teel, Lisa J. Lierheimer, Thomas C. Wainwright2, W. Stewart Grant, F. William Waknitz, Kathleen Neely, Steven T. Lindley3, and Robin S. Waples National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Fisheries Science Center Coastal Zone and Estuarine Studies Division 2725 Montlake Blvd. E. Seattle WA 98112-2097 1National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Region Protected Species Management Division 501 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-4213 2National Marine Fisheries Service Mark O. Hatfield Marine Science Center 2030 S. Marine Service Dr., Newport, OR 97365-5296 3National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center 3150 Paradise Dr., Tiburon, CA 94930-1299 February 1998 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE William Daley, Secretary National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration D. James Baker, Administrator National Marine Fisheries Service Rolland A. Schmitten, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, uses the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS series to issue informal scientific and technical publications when complete formal review and editorial processing are not appropriate or feasible due to time constraints. Documents published in this series may be referenced in the scientific and technical literature.

The NMFS-NWFSC Technical Memorandum series of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center continues the NMFS-F/NWC series established in 1970 by the Northwest & Alaska Fisheries Science Center, which has since been split into the Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. The NMFS-AFSC Technical Memorandum series is now being used by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center.

Reference throughout this document to trade names does not imply endorsement by the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA.

This document should be cited as follows:

Myers, J.M., R.G. Kope, G.J. Bryant, D. Teel, L.J.
Lierheimer, T.C. Wainwright, W.S. Grand, F.W. Waknitz,
K. Neely, S.T. Lindley, and R.S. Waples. 1998. Status
review of chinook salmon from Washington, Idaho,
Oregon, and California. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA
Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-35, 443 p.

This document is available to the public through:

National Technical Information Service
U.S. Department of Commerce
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
1-800-553-8647
orders@ntis.fedworld.gov

The Biological Review Team (BRT) for chinook salmon included, from NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center:  Peggy Busby, Dr. Stewart Grant, Dr. Robert Iwamoto, Dr. Robert Kope, Dr. Conrad Mahnken, Gene Matthews, Dr. James Myers, Philip Roni, Dr. Michael Schiewe, David Teel, Dr. Thomas Wainwright, F. William Waknitz, Dr. Robin Waples, and Dr. John Williams; NMFS Southwest Region:  Gregory Bryant and Craig Wingert; NMFS Southwest Region (Tiburon Laboratory): Dr. Steve Lindley, and Dr. Peter Adams;  NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center (Auke Bay Laboratory):  Alex Wertheimer; and from the USGS National Biological Service:  Dr. Reginald Reisenbichler.

CONTENTS

List of Figures

List of Tables

Executive Summary

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The "Species" Question

Background of Chinook Salmon under the ESA

Summary of Information Presented by the Petitioners

Distinct Population Segments

Population Abundance

Causes of Decline for Chinook Salmon

Information Relating to the Species Question

General Biology of Chinook Salmon

Ecological Features

Geological Events

Ecoregions

Coastal Range (#1)

Puget Lowland (#2)

Willamette Valley (#3)

Cascades (#4)

Sierra Nevada (#5)

Southern and Central California Plains and Hills (#6)

Central California Valley (#7)

Eastern Cascades Slopes and Foothills (#9)

Columbia Basin (#10)

Blue Mountains (#11)

Snake River Basin/High Desert (#12)

Northern Rockies (#15)

Marine Habitat

Chinook Salmon Life History and Ecology

Juvenile Life History

Ocean Distribution

Size and Age at Maturation

Run Timing

Straying

Fecundity and Egg Size

Other Life-History Traits

Regional Variation in Life-History Traits

Puget Sound to the Strait of Juan de Fuca

Washington and Oregon coasts (Hoko River to Cape Blanco)

California and southern Oregon coast (south of Cape Blanco)

California Central Valley

Columbia River ocean type

Lower Columbia River (to the Cascade Crest)

Upper Willamette River

Columbia River (east of the Cascade Crest)

Columbia River Stream Type

Genetic Information

Background

Statistical Methods

Previous Genetic Studies

Alaska

Pacific Northwest overview

Yukon and British Columbia

Washington

Columbia River Basin

California and Oregon

Levels of Genetic Differentiation among Populations

New Studies

Regional patterns of genetic variability

British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California

Columbia and Snake Rivers

Summary

Discussion and Conclusions on ESU Determinations

Evolutionary Significance of Life-History Forms

Major Chinook Salmon Groups

California Central Valley

Coastal basins and Puget Sound

Columbia River

ESU Descriptions

1) Sacramento River Winter-Run ESU

2) Central Valley Spring-Run ESU

3) Central Valley Fall-Run ESU

4) Southern Oregon and California Coastal ESU

5) Upper Klamath and Trinity Rivers ESU

6) Oregon Coast ESU

7) Washington Coast ESU

8) Puget Sound ESU

9) Lower Columbia River ESU

10) Upper Willamette River ESU

11) Mid-Columbia River Spring-Run ESU

12) Upper-Columbia River Summer- and Fall-Run ESU

13) Upper Columbia River Spring-Run ESU

14) Snake River Fall-Run ESU

15) Snake River Spring- and Summer-Run ESU

Relationship to State Conservation Management Units

Relationship to ESU Boundaries for other Anadromous Pacific Salmonids

Artificial Propagation

Overview of Artificial Propagation

Asia and Oceania

Japan

Russia

New Zealand

North America

Alaska

British Columbia

Columbia River Basin

Scale of Hatchery Production

Introduction of Non-Native Chinook Salmon into Hatcheries

West Coast Artificial Propagation Activities

1) Sacramento River Winter-Run ESU

2) Central Valley Spring-Run ESU

3) Central Valley Fall-Run ESU

4) Southern Oregon and California Coast ESU

5) Upper Klamath and Trinity Rivers ESU

6) Oregon Coast ESU

7) Washington Coast ESU

8) Puget Sound ESU

9) Lower Columbia River ESU

10) Upper Willamette River ESU

11) Mid-Columbia River Spring-Run ESU

12) Upper Columbia Summer- and Fall-Run ESU

13) Upper Columbia River Spring-Run ESU

14) Snake River Fall-Run ESU

15) Snake River Spring- and Summer-Run ESU

Assessment of Risk Extinction

Background

Absolute Numbers

Historical Abundance and Carrying Capacity

Trends in Abundance

Naturally-spawning hatchery fish

Habitat

Regional perspective

Factors Causing Variability

Threats to Genetic Integrity

Recent Events

Other Risk Factors

Approach

Previous Assessments

Data Evaluations

Quantitative methods

Data types

Computed statistics

Analysis of Biological Information

Central Valley Region

1) Sacramento River Winter-Run ESU

2) Central Valley Spring-Run ESU

3) Central Valley Fall-Run ESU

Southern Coastal Region

4) Southern Oregon and California Coastal ESU

5) Upper Klamath and Trinity River ESU

Oregon and Washington Coastal Region

6) Oregon Coast ESU

7) Washington Coast ESU

8) Puget Sound ESU

Lower Columbia River Region

9) Lower Columbia River ESU

10) Upper Willamette River ESU

Upper Columbia and Snake Rivers Region

11) Middle Columbia River Spring-Run ESU

12) Upper Columbia River Summer- and Fall-Run ESU

13) Upper Columbia River Spring-Run ESU

14) Snake River Fall-Run ESU

15) Snake River Spring- and Summer-Run ESU

Discussion and Conclusion on ESU Risk Analysis

1) Sacramento River Winter-Run ESU

2) Central Valley Spring-Run ESU

3) Central Valley Fall-Run ESU

4) Southern Oregon and California Coastal ESU

5) Upper Klamath and Trinity Rivers ESU

6) Oregon Coast ESU

7) Washington Coast ESU

8) Puget Sound ESU

9) Lower Columbia River ESU

10) Upper Willamette River ESU

11) Middle Columbia River Spring-Run ESU

12) Upper Columbia River Summer- and Fall-Run ESU

13) Upper Columbia River Spring-Run ESU

14) Snake River Fall-Run ESU

15) Snake River Spring- and Summer-Run ESU

Citations

Appendix A:  Age at Smoltification

Appendix B:  Age at Maturation
     Part One/Part Two/Part Three

Appendix C:  Reproductive Traits

Appendix D:  Hatchery Releases
     Part One/Part Two/Part Three/Part Four/Part Five/Part Six/Part Seven/Part Eight/Part Nine

Appendix E:  Abundance Data
     Part One/Part Two/Part Three/Part Four/Part Five

Appendix F:  The Risk Matrix Method

Glossary