Adults
The number of returning adults is an important metric in salmon recovery, as these fish are the basis of future wild coho populations. NOAA Fisheries has established a recovery target of 10,100 adult coho salmon returning each winter to the Russian River basin. We use a combination of passive tracking methods to estimate basinwide returns of Conservation Hatchery coho salmon. We also conduct seasonal spawner surveys with our partners at Sonoma Water to document adult salmon and steelhead returning to spawn in many Russian River tributaries.
Young-of-the-year
We work with Sonoma Water biologists to conduct snorkel surveys each summer in order to document the distribution and relative abundance of wild coho salmon and steelhead young-of-the-year, as well as spawning success from the previous winter.
Smolt Monitoring
We operate funnel net traps on Willow, Green Valley and Mill creeks each spring to monitor the downstream migration of coho smolts (one-year old fish) as they make their way to the ocean. Sonoma Water also operates a smolt trap on Dutch Bill and Mark West creeks.
PIT-tag Technology
We use tiny devices called Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags, to identify and track individual salmon and steelhead from their release as juveniles, or capture and tagging as wild fish, to their return as adults. Channel-spanning antenna arrays placed in critical salmon streams record information on individual fish 24/7, as they pass over these receivers.