Klamath River Salmon Counts Show Mixed Results as Season Winds Down

YREKA, Calif., Dec. 27, 2024 – Final fish counts from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reveal a complex picture of salmon returns in the Klamath River system, with Chinook numbers below historical averages while Coho show promising increases in some tributaries.

The Shasta River station, which concluded operations on December 23, recorded 4,944 Chinook salmon – significantly below the 2001-2023 median. However, Coho salmon numbers reached 41, showing continued late-season growth.

The Scott River emerged as a bright spot for Coho salmon, with 706 fish counted through December 13, exceeding historical averages. Meanwhile, Chinook returns remained steady at 599, well below typical numbers.

“Weather conditions challenged monitoring efforts throughout December,” noted wildlife officials, who had to remove and reinstall counting equipment multiple times due to adverse conditions.

Smaller tributaries showed modest activity, with Bogus Creek recording 352 Chinook and 23 Coho, while Shovel Creek counted 254 Chinook and 13 Coho salmon. Jenny Creek reported 334 Chinook and 3 Coho.

Final season totals are pending, as officials will incorporate sonar data and average passage rates to account for periods when counting stations were temporarily offline.

Wildlife managers note that these counts don’t include fish spawning downstream of the monitoring stations, with complete escapement reports expected after data analysis concludes.