No Springers on the Kalama this year....

[fishcrazy]

Bullkllr,

I'm curious as to how the springers got over the falls on the Kalama?


Kris

[Bullkllr]

There is known fish passage over the falls in the canyon as I recollect. Most of the fish go up the ladder, but under the right conditions I've heard some steelhead and chinook can and do make it over. Hard to believe looking at the falls, but native springers and summer runs had to be some amazing fish anyway.

Logic dictates they must have occupied the very upper reaches, as springers usually do, but that's not saying they didn't rest and spawn in the river below the falls also. It is mentioned in the report that recent spawning occurs in the section between the hatcheries, but those are considered "mixed stock" wilds.

Hatchery managers down there could tell you much more than I could.

There is another set of falls -Kalama Falls- on Weyco property further up river that would be impassable.

[fishcrazy]

Interesting. 

I'm not sure how often the right conditions could have ocured. Enough to have sustained a healthy run in the upper river? Can't imagine much of a run spawning in the lower river.

I'm thinking if they had a native run in the upper river then they should be able to naturally return. Without the help of the fish ladder.  Wild fish should be put back below and let nature return her own fish.  It would weed out the week that way.

I really have my doubts that the Kalama had much of a native run.  But it sounds like it was possible.

Kris

[Bullkllr]

Interesting. 

I'm not sure how often the right conditions could have ocured. Enough to have sustained a healthy run in the upper river? Can't imagine much of a run spawning in the lower river.

I'm thinking if they had a native run in the upper river then they should be able to naturally return. Without the help of the fish ladder.  Wild fish should be put back below and let nature return her own fish.  It would weed out the week that way.

I really have my doubts that the Kalama had much of a native run.  But it sounds like it was possible.

Kris

I'm sure there's other info out there. I'll look through my collection and on the web and see what I can turn up.

The report I quoted didn't estimate any numbers of spring chinook- just said they were there but the fall run was predominant- so the numbers of springers probably were never huge.
I could easily see those fish being completely wiped out. The upper watershed has been roaded and logged as much as timber land can be. And with hatchery intrusion from out of river stocks since 1959 (and capturing nearly all fish at the hatchery) chances of maintaining a viable true native run were basically nil.

Your idea of allowing natural passage is good. Problem is all those years after 1959 such practices were unheard of. I recall the falls actually had a wire system built (weir dam) to prevent passage up the falls because they wanted all fish possible to use the ladder. Five decades later, there's likely none left to allow pass.

[Bullkllr]

 Found this. Long, technical read mostly.
http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/assets/25/302_04042006_153011_PopIdTM73Final.pdf
Some tidbits:
"The Kalama River historically had and currently maintains a very large population of fall Chinook salmon. Although only a small spring-run population exists in the Kalama River, anecdotal information suggests that the run was once considerably larger (WDF 1951). There is, however, considerable debate on this matter." (p.66)

"Summer and winter steelhead are native to the Kalama River basin. A waterfall (Lower Kalama Falls) at RKM 17.7 historically may have been accessible only during periods of low flow. A set of high falls at RKM 56.3 (e.g.,Kalama Falls) marks the limit of upstream migration." (p.91)

"Kalama Falls (RKM 16) was not thought to be passable historically for coho salmon, thus coho salmon would not have had access to the headwater regions that were more suitable to Type S fish. A fish ladder was built in the early 1900s, although current access to the upper river is still limited with only a few coho salmon able to jump Kalama Falls. Since historical use of this area was limited, coho salmon that currently reach Kalama Falls Hatchery are returned to thelower river. WDF (1951) indicated that the early run often is prevented from ascending Kalama Falls by the placement of the hatchery weir, which normally is removed by the time the late run arrives." (p.117)

There was a map on page 254 which showed historic spring chinook accessibility all the way to the upper falls.

[Come Get Some]

I have been fishing the Kalama since the early sixty's. We were the first campers in Bob Mahaffeys horse pasture. He opened the fence to let us in. We have the brown cabin across from the old store. We have always caught springers  in the river. We hunted and fished all the way to the upper reaches. I can remember the river bottom looking dark and then it moving. ALL FISH. A few years ago they predicted a early closure for springer fishing. The hatchery had reported a return of only 3 fish to that point. I had already caught 28 springers that year before the prediction. It was still early april. Were the counts innacurate? was the information falsified? Who will know. The problem goes deeper than only poor hatchery management. We are the only state that still allows gillnetting in the tributaries. Florida had runs that were almost extinct. They stopped their gillnetting programs and the fish rebounded to record numbers. Managing the people is much more profitable than managing the resource whether it is for hunting or fishing. The temperature of the Kalama river has also raised quite a bit. When I was young there was never any green slime or slippery rocks. The fish were very strong and larger than the fish we catch now. You could not swim in the river for more than a few minutes. Many issues have plagued the once great Kalama. We will probably never see the runs we once had, A very sad turn of events.

[Annette]

I two agree that this State has done  the rivers and people great harm. When I first came to this side of the state the rivers were full of big salmon and steelhead all year long . The trout filled the pools where the steelhead would feed on the young hatchlings .
Then along came biologists who like lords of their land killed off strains of fish in the millions because they had a better Idea. Well men, thirty years later  there's no fish... Our grandchildren won't know what it was like to have three or four big salmon swim past you while you're fishing the Eloachman or the Kalama. They may not  even have a chance to learn how to cast into the riffle and watch a steelhead rise to swallow it. Makes me ashamed to be a human...

[huntnphool]

Well men, thirty years later  there's no fish... Our grandchildren won't know what it was like to have three or four big salmon swim past you while you're fishing the Eloachman or the Kalama.

You are missing the point Annette, they won't know what its like to see three or four big salmon swim by, but the one salmon they might see will be the superior gene carrying wild stock.

[Annette]

Well men, thirty years later  there's no fish... Our grandchildren won't know what it was like to have three or four big salmon swim past you while you're fishing the Eloachman or the Kalama.

You are missing the point Annette, they won't know what its like to see three or four big salmon swim by, but the one salmon they might see will be the superior gene carrying wild stock.

Nope, that one  was ate by a sea lion!

[huntnphool]

Well men, thirty years later  there's no fish... Our grandchildren won't know what it was like to have three or four big salmon swim past you while you're fishing the Eloachman or the Kalama.

You are missing the point Annette, they won't know what its like to see three or four big salmon swim by, but the one salmon they might see will be the superior gene carrying wild stock.

Nope, that one  was ate by a sea lion!

Key word there being "might"