SPAWNING GROUND CATALOG OF THE KVICHAK 

 RIVER SYSTEM, BRISTOL BAY, ALASKA 



INTRODUCTION 



The Kvichak River system is 

 the major contributor to the important 

 red salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, 

 Alaska. From 1932 through 1962; the 

 Kvichak-Naknek fishery contributed 

 about 60 percent of the total Bristol 

 Bay catch. During the period 1955-^2, 

 the Kvichak River system alone had an 

 estimated average total run (catch 

 plus escapement) of more than 8^ mil- 

 lion red salmon. 



Since 1955 the Fisheries 

 Research Institute (FRI) has surveyed 

 spawning grounds to detennine distri- 

 bution of fish. During I96I and I962 

 the siurveys were enlarged to include 

 meas\irements and estimates of spawn- 

 ing area \itilized and potential spawn- 

 ing area. These additional observa- 

 tions were made in order to estimate 

 carrying capacity of Kvichak spawning 

 grounds . 



To date 7I stream and pond 

 areas and 23 beach areas have been 

 surveyed and cataloged. This catalog 

 includes all stream and pond areas 

 utilized by the fish, with one or two 

 possible and minor exceptions. Ex- 

 tensive surveys of beach areas did not 

 begin until I96O, and several of these 

 areas may be omitted from the catalog. 



Since 1955, FRI has studied 

 spawning grounds vinder a Saltonstall- 

 Kennedy contract administered by the 

 B\ireau of Commercial Fisheries (BCF). 

 Between I95O and 1955, FRI, financed 

 by salmon canners of Bristol Bay, 

 made occasional spawning ground surveys. 

 Prior to 1950, infrequent siirveys of 

 parts of the Kvichak River system were 



made by the BCF. These are record- 

 ed in "Reports of the Commissioner 

 of Fisheries to the Secretary of 

 Commerce, Alaska Fishery and Fur 

 Seal Industries . " This present 

 catalog contains spawning ground 

 information collected during these 

 three periods, thus providing in- 

 terested management and research 

 agencies with the data under one 

 cover. 



Early in I960, a tenta- 

 tive spawning area catalog was 

 compiled by D. R. Heinle and H. D. 

 Smith. The format of this catalog 

 was later changed to accommodate 

 additional and more detailed in- 

 formation, resulting in the present 

 form compiled by R. L. Demory and 

 R. F. Orrell. Field observations 

 were made by C. D. Becker, Demory, 

 J. R. Gilbert, Heinle, 0. E. Kerns, 

 Jr., 0. A. Mathisen, Orrell, L. A. 

 Phinney, Smith, and P. E. Wright. 

 In addition, many temporary workers 

 aided in data collection. 



Special acknowledgment is 

 made to Oren B. Hudson, pilot and 

 owner of Iliamna Airways, who 

 provided excellent help and flying 

 service for aerial surveys . 



MAPS 



Five maps are presented 

 in this catalog. The first (fig. l) 

 is a map showing the Kvichak District 

 of Bristol Bay, Alaska. Figures 2-5 

 are maps of Iliamna Lake and Lake 

 Clark. Each map shows the number 

 and name of those streams included 

 in the catalog. 



