Evaluation of Juvenile Salmon Production in 2009 from the Cedar River and Bear Creek

Evaluations of 2009 juvenile salmon production in the Cedar River were made possible by City of Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), which funded operations of the inclined-plane trap. King Conservation District and King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) provided funding for trapping in Bear Creek, the Cedar River screw trap, and PIT tagging in both systems.

Success of these projects relied on the hard work of a number of dedicated permanent and temporary Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) personnel. The WDFW Hatcheries Program successfully collected adult sockeye broodstock and incubated eggs, releasing over 2.78 million sockeye fry into the Cedar River. Escapement data were collected and estimates developed by individuals from several agencies: Steve Foley, Larry Lowe, Dan Estell, Lacey Jeroue, and Jared Hoffer from WDFW; Mike Leslie and Brian Footen from the Muckleshoot Tribe; Karl Burton from SPU; and Hans Berge, Mistie Hammer, and Jim Lissa from King County DNRP. WDFW scientific technicians Paul Lorenz, Dan Estell, and Richard Warnick worked long hours, usually at night, in order to operate the traps, mark, identify, and count fish. WDFW biologists Mike Ackley and Pete Topping provided valuable experience and logistical support. Project management was provided by Paul Faulds from SPU and Hans Berge from King County.

We also appreciate and acknowledge the contributions of the following companies and agencies to these studies:

Cedar River

• The Boeing Company provided electrical power and a level of security for our inclined-plane trap.
• The Renton Municipal Airport provided security for the inclined-plane trap and other equipment housed at the airport.
• The City of Renton Parks Department and the Washington State Department of Transportation provided access and allowed us to attach anchor cables to their property.
• The United States Geological Survey provided continuous flow monitoring. Seattle Public Utilities communicated flow changes.

Bear Creek

• Blockbuster Video provided electrical power.
• The City of Redmond Police Department and Redmond Town Center Security staff provided a measure of security for the crew and trap.
• King County Water and Land Resource Division provided continuous flow monitoring.