Only three streams (Curtis, Buckhorn, and Lick Creeks) were found to have Chinook 

 salmon more than 1 mile (1.6 km) upstream from the mouth. These are all major tributar- 

 ies, with stream widths averaging more than 18 feet (5.5 m) and individual stream length 

 over 6.5 miles (10.4 km). Juvenile chinook salmon were not found in the main SFSR above 

 the confluence of Vulcan Hot Springs Creek, 7 miles (11 km) from the SFSR headwaters. 



Random sampling of Lodgepole Creek in 1971 found 98 percent of the chinook salmon 

 in the first 0.25 mile (0.4 km) of stream adjacent to the river and only 2 percent in 

 the second quarter mile of stream. In 1974 the electrofishing results were comparable, 

 with 94 percent of the chinook salmon collected in the first quarter mile, 5 percent in 

 the second quarter mile, and 1 percent in the third quarter mile of stream (fig. 2). 

 However, in Curtis Creek in 1971 random sampling collected only 6 percent of the chinook 

 salmon in the first quarter mile of stream as compared to 44 percent collected in 1974 

 by elctrofishing (fig. 3). Chinook salmon were found about 1.2 miles (2 km) above the 

 mouth in Curtis Creek. 



Salmon Standing Crops 



Standing crops of juvenile chinook salmon in the tributary streams averaged from 

 0.001 salmon/ft2 (O.Oll/m^) in Dollar Creek to 0.036/ft2 (0.383/m2) in Lodgepole Creek 

 (table 3). Six streams (Tyndall, Lodgepole, Curtis, Cabin, Blackmare, and Fitsum 

 Creeks) had standing crops averaging higher than 0.019/ft2 (0.202/m2). The remainder 

 of streams had chinook salmon standing crops less than 0.006/ft^ (0.068/m^), with an 

 overall average of 0.005 salmon/ft^ (O.OSS/m^). 



The extensive electrofishing of the lower reach of Lodgepole Creek in 1974 yielded 

 a population estimate of only 0.006 chinook salmon/ft^ (0.068/m2). The higher standing 

 crop in the 1971 random sampling could be due to the two lower stations being in highly 

 populated reaches. The Curtis Creek standing crop estimate was 0.003/ft2 (0.031/m2). 

 Sampling in Lodgepole Creek included the entire range of the juvenile chinook salmon 

 rearing area in 1974 while the sampling in Curtis Creek only covered a part of their 

 range. 



Population estimates in September 1975 on Big Springs Creek, Idaho, found chinook 

 salmon densities of 0.002/ft2 (0. 020/m2) (Horner and Bjornn 1976). Horner and Bjornn 

 also made visual (snorkeling) estimates of selected study sites on Bear Valley Creek in 

 July 1975 and estimated less than 0.004 chinook salmon/ft^ (0.04/m2). 



In Capehorn, Elk, and Marsh Creeks, tributaries of the Middle Fork Salmon River, 

 chinook salmon densities averaged about 0.034/ft2 (0.368/m2) in August 1972 and 1973 

 (Bjornn and others 1974) . The major portion of the chinook salmon were located in pool 

 areas with depths over 0.5 foot (0.15 m) . Edmundson (1967) visually (snorkeling) 

 reported 0.020 chinook salmon ft^ (0.220 per m'^)for a selected study site on Crooked 

 Fork, a tributary of the Lochsa River. 



The SFSR tributaries are considered marginal for rearing of summer chinook salmon 

 and standing crop values were lower than in those areas considered prime salmon and 

 steelhead rearing areas. 



6 



