Salmon Count

9:00AM - NOON

Friday, December 14, 2007

Total Fish = Live Fish + Carcasses           --  Total Fish on the reaches counted

Graph by David Baker

2007 Salmon Count Results

   Chart by Gregg Bates

DCC was originally thinking of dropping the survey because fish were not observed in their usual redds sites in Dry Creek and also because of the extremely low stream flows this year.  At the urging of several fish biologists we pressed on and had a successful count due to our wonderful volunteers. We had a great group of 33 people from:

Granite Bay Flycasters (9) attendees included: 

David Baker, Mike Laing , Heath Wakelee, Drake Johnson, Mike Susslin, Bill Templin, Larry Goodell, Bruce Reese and Mac Hunter.

Other volunteers arrived from:

Placer County

City of Rocklin

Placer County Water Agency

State water boards

CalEPA-OEHHA

DWR Consultants

Fish and Game

Placer Land Trust

Fish and Wildlife

City of Roseville

And residents

Let me know if I left anyone out.

We covered most of the spawning areas of the watershed except for Cirby/Linda.  Numbers are down as expected (spreadsheet attached) but comparable to last year which was a surprise.  It was useful to get the data.  We may hear more later about how Dry Creek compares to other areas of the state.

Thank you for donating your time. I hope it was a good day on the creek for everyone.

Gregg Bates

David Baker

Dry Creek Conservancy

On Friday, December 14, Granite Bay Flycasters members are again invited to volunteer and help with the local annual Salmon Count led by David Baker and Gregg Bates of the Dry Creek Conservancy.

Dave and Gregg send the following details:

It looks like there won’t be a big amount of rain in the next couple of weeks.  Experience has taught that if salmon haven’t arrived by the middle of December they probably won’t be coming.  We know that a small amount have entered the creeks, and State and local agencies believe it’s important to document the spawner presence this year so... 

Please email to dcc@surewest.net if you can participate on December 14th. 

We will be wading in the streams so waders are necessary.  If you have used your waders elsewhere please be sure they are clean so we don’t introduce mud snails and other pests.  Find info on the mud snails at: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/mudsnail/Mudsnail_FAQ.html.

Do your rain dance,

Gregg

Click to display and print these forms and bring with you to the Salmon Count.  Read all forms and sign the waiver.  Additional printed forms will be available at the meeting site.

     Waiver (left click & print)       Protocol (left click & print)      Fish Survey Form (Excel spreadsheet; left click & print)

We will meet at the bottom of the hill in the theater parking lot at

N. Sunrise and Eureka at 9:00AM to NOON, Friday, December 14, 2007:

Report and Photo Gallery of the 2006 Salmon Count from Heath Wakelee:

This year REI awarded Dry Creek Conservancy a grant to improve our geographic positioning information for spawning. DCC purchased 13 Garmin GPS units to send out on the stream reaches. There was a one hour training on using the GPS units for our survey immediately before the survey from 8:00 to 9:00 AM.

My two-person team included myself and Bill Templin.  We recorded six live salmon and Bill tagged six carcasses ranging from 28" to 34". A count of twelve salmon was okay, but two years ago Bill recorded about 75 on the same stretch of Miner's Ravine. We suspect that we were a week or two early for the big run and it is highly likely that another count will be conducted later this year.

We had a great time and hope that more GBF members will volunteer for future counts.

Heath Wakelee
GBF VP Conservation

Scroll right and Click each thumbnail photo to see it enlarged below:

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