233 



is in reasonably good condition, protected by having old growth 

 redwood forest in the headwaters. Although exact numbers of 

 spawning coho eure not known for the EUc River, counts of redds, 

 carcasses, euid living fish indicate that the run probably averages 

 at least 400 fish per year. For example, a CCC survey on 23 

 January 1991 (peaJc run time, in some of the best habitat) of 3 

 miles of the north fork of the Elk River counted 51 coho. A run of 

 400+ coho may not seem like much, but it could represent about 5% 

 of all wild coho spawning in California 1 



Salmon Creek is a less productive streem of coho than the Elk 

 River, presumably as a result of the cumulative effects of timber 

 harvesting in the drainage. A trap set at the lower end of the 

 drainage in recent years indicates an annual run of 15-25 fish. 

 The persistence of this small run is most likely dependent of the 

 protection of the headwaters, to reduce sedimentation and provide 

 other habitat benefits. 



Our knowledge of the Yager Creek drainage is limited In part 

 because the Pacific Lumber Company denied my crew access to the 

 drainage when we were doing our survey of the fishes of the Eel 

 River system. Between 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1993, CCC crews did 

 manage some cursory s\irveys of the drainage, particularly Lawrence 

 Creek and Shaw Creek. Shaw creek is a tributary to Lawrence creek, 

 with headwaters in old growth forest- The run size here is small 

 probably less than 20 coho per year, which is related both to 

 conditions within the drainage (roads and logging) and to 

 conditions outside the drainage (degradation of the Van Duzen and 

 lower Eel rivers) . However, the fact that the entire drainages of 

 Lawrence and Shaw creeks, and that of much of Yager Creek, are 

 within the proposed Headwaters Forest area means that stream 

 restoration efforts are likely to be especially productive here - 

 and stream restoration is the primary means by which coho 

 populations are going to be recovered. 



Conclusions . Streams in the Headwaters Forest area are important 

 habitat for emadromous fishes, especially coho salmon. I estimate 

 that 5-10% of the remaining wild coho salmon in California spawn in 

 these drainages. One of the major reasons for this is seems to be 

 that the headwaters of the streams are still mostly in reasonably 

 good condition, especially those in old growth redwood forest. 

 Protection of this area would have a significant positive effect on 

 coho salmon populations, which are declining coastwide. H.R. 2866 

 provides an uniisual opportunity protect and restore salmon and 

 steelhead populations, and to help reverse the trend of ever- 

 declining fisfteries. 



Peter B, Moyle 

 Professor of Fisheries 

 University of California, Davis 

 7 October 1993 



