North Fork Adult Fish Trap
Operations Outline
2005
The North Fork fish trap is located at river mile 28.3 on the Clackamas River approximately one tenth of a mile below the Faraday Diversion Dam. Fish that enter the Buckley style trap are dip netted, sorted and enumerated. During the sorting procedure fish are either placed back into the fish ladder or are placed into a hopper, which then loads them into a sixteen hundred gallon oxygenated truck for distribution either up river, down river, to Faraday Reservoir or to the Clackamas fish hatchery. Standard practice is to sort fish five days per week. When the five day daily average exceeds fifteen unmarked fish entering the trap, sorting will occur six days per week. Sorting will occur seven days a week when the five day daily average exceeds thirty unmarked fish. During periods when few hatchery fish are present, hatchery fish may be accumulated for several days before transporting. Currently only unmarked fish are allowed to pass upriver. Hatchery fish that are recycled back downstream are given a hole punch in the caudal fin. Generally the number of fish transported at one time is limited to 120 chinook or 140 coho and steelhead. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) District Biologist determines the dates and locations of release sites for hatchery fish. This report outlines the distribution of each species of salmonid collected at the North Fork adult fish trap.
1.Winter Steelhead
1.1The Clackamas River winter steelhead run consists of three stocks. Eagle Creek stock, hatchery brood stock derived from native Clackamas River adults and native Clackamas stock.
1.1.1.The Clackamas adult migration begins in October and ends in June of the next year.
1.2The majority of the unmarked adults that return to the North Fork trap
are placed back into the ladder to continue there upstream migration.
1.2.1March through April, Approximately twenty pair of unmarked adults are hauled to the Clackamas fish hatchery for brood stock supplementation.
1.3November through the middle of April all clipped adults are recycled down river at Barton Park (RM 13.3).
1.4From mid April through June marked steelhead are either recycled down river or, at the direction of the District Biologist may be released to a lake (Faraday Reservoir) to remove them from the spawning population.
2.Summer Steelhead
2.1The Clackamas River summer steelhead run consists of both hatchery and naturally produced Skamania stock. Beginning in 1999 summer steelhead have not been allowed past North Fork Dam due to the concerns of rearing competition between the non indigenous summer steelhead and the winter steelhead juveniles.
2.1.1The summer steelhead migration begins in April and ends in November. Summer and winter steelhead are differentiated by condition or fin mark.
2.2April through November all returning unmarked fish are recycled down river at Barton Park (RM 13.3).
2.2.1The marked fish are either recycled down river along with the non-clipped fish or placed into Faraday Reservoir. Reservoir stocking of summer steelhead usually begins in May and can go through the end of November and is done at the direction of the District Biologist
3.Spring Chinook
3.1The Clackamas River run of spring chinook consists of both hatchery and wild components.
3.1.1The spring chinook migration begins in May and ends in October.
3.2Non-clipped chinooks are allowed to pass upstream of the North Fork Dam via the North Fork fish ladder through the month of May.
3.2.1June through the end of August most unmarked chinook are hauled around North Fork Dam and released at the boat ramp of North Fork Reservoir (RM 31.2). This is done because chinooks in the summer time tend to delay downstream of the separator. September through October the unmarked fish are either hauled upstream or are allowed to pass North Fork Dam via the fish ladder.
3.3The distribution of marked adults and jacks is determined by the District Biologist. Fish may be recycled down river to Barton Park (RM 13.3) or may be taken to the Clackamas fish hatchery for rendering and distribution.
4.Early Coho
4.1The Clackamas early Coho consist of both naturally produced and Eagle Creek hatchery stock.
4.1.1The early coho migration begins in August and ends in November.
4.2August through September most of the unmarked fish are hauled around North Fork Dam along with the spring chinook and released at the North Fork boat ramp (RM 31.2).
4.2.1October through November the unmarked fish are allowed to pass North Fork Dam by way of the fish ladder.
4.3A few stray Eagle Creek hatchery coho show up at the North Fork fish trap and are recycled down river at Barton Park (RM 13.3).
5.Late Coho
5.1The Clackamas River Late coho consist entirely of naturally produced fish.
5.1.1Adult migration begins in October and ends in March of the next year. Early and late run coho are differentiated by condition.
5.2All unmarked fish are allowed to pass above the North Fork Dam by way of the North Fork fish ladder.
5.3All marked fish are recycled down river at Barton Park (RM 13.3).