1870 



Figure 1. — Commercial catch of ciiinook salmon in the Columbia River, 1865-1962. Data for 1865-1937 from 

 Craig and Hacker (1940) and for 1938-62 from Ward, Robison, and Palmen (1964). 



More recent reports by State fishery agen- 

 cies deal with specific sections of the Colum- 

 bia River drainage. The Willamette River 

 was surveyed from 1958 to 1960 by biologists 

 of the Fish Commission of Oregon (Willis, 

 Collins, and Sams, 1960). Eastern Oregon 

 rivers (Umatilla to Owhyee) were also sur- 

 veyed by the Commission from 1957 to 1960 

 (Thompson and Haas, 1960). These extensive 

 surveys included information on the species 

 offish, environment, obstructions, diversions, 

 potential hatchery sites, projected impound- 

 ment areas, and recommendations for correc- 

 tive measures. Surveys based on aerial ob- 

 servations were also made by the Fish 

 Commission of Oregon on the Deschutes and 

 John Day Rivers and on Fifteen Mile Creek 

 (Haas and Warren, 1961). 



Surveys of Idaho tributaries of the Columbia 

 River started about 1955 by the Idaho Depart- 

 ment of Fish and Game and are still being 

 continued. Hauck-"- provided information on past 

 and present spawning areas in Idaho and on 

 the relative importance of the Salmon River 

 and its tributaries for the production of 

 Chinook salmon. A report on the Clearwater 

 River was released in 1962 by the Idaho De- 

 partment of Fish and Game (Murphy and 

 Metsker, 1962); the report gives compre- 

 hensive data on spawning gravel in the Clear- 

 water River and on its important tributaries 

 (excluding the North Fork). Spawning ground 

 surveys on the North Fork were made by 



personnel of the Bureau of Commercial Fish- 

 eries in connection with the proposed Dworshak 

 Dam (Tunison and McKernan, 1960). 



Locations of principal spawning areas and 

 estimated runs in Washington streams were 

 provided through correspondence^ and per- 

 sonal interviews. Further information on the 

 lower Columbia tributaries in Washington 

 appears in subbasin reports of the Columbia 

 River Fishery Development Program and the 

 Washington Department of Fisheries. Joint 

 reports were made on the Abernathy, Cowlitz, 

 Elokomin, Grays, Kalama, Klickitat, Lewis, 

 and Wind River areas (Washington Department 

 of Fisheries and Fish and Wildlife Service, 

 1951). The Fish and Wildlife Service (1951) 

 reported independently on the Big White 

 Salmon, Little White Salmon, and Washougal 

 River areas. 



Many streams were rehabilitated under 

 Federal-State public works programs in the 

 1930's by installing screens, improving fish- 

 ways, and removing obstructions such as 

 logjams or splashdams. 



More recently, the Columbia River Fishery 

 Development Program, a cooperative Federal- 

 State program for construction and rehabilita- 

 tion, has continued to restore formerly pro- 

 ductive areas and put previously inaccessible 

 areas into use. This program was activated 

 in 1949, when maximum emphasis was placed 

 on development of fishery production in the 



■"■personal communication, Forrest R. Hauck, Idaho 

 Department of Fish and Game, October 24, 1961. 



^ Henry O. Wendler, Washington Department of Fish- 

 eries, table entitled "Salmon runs of the Columbia River 



watershed," July 12, 1961. 



