IN DEVELOPMENT -- Annual Brood Year Assessment Indicators based on PA 3.3.3 (Reclamation 2024) for Sacramento River Winter Chinook

By February 1 of each year, this webpage summarizes multiple indicators of Winter-run Chinook Salmon migrating downstream and upstream the Sacramento River in the current year, as described in section 3.3.3 of the Proposed Action (Reclamation 2024). The indicators represent the previous broodyear’s cohort of outmigrants and the return adults from the broodyear 3 years ago. These indicators would inform "operations, risk tradeoffs for determining the downstream extent of water temperature management, and the need to pursue increasing production or taking other actions at LSNFH". For full description, see PA 3.3.3 Quoted Text. Broodyear Assessment indicators for historical years are also available on this webpage.

Current Brood Year Assessment Indicators

2025 Brood Year Assessment Indicators including TDM, ETF, JPE, and Adult Escapement Forecast. Temperature-dependant Mortality (TDM) sourced from SacPAS Fish Model applying Anderson et. al (2022) and Martin et. al (2017) models. Egg-to-fry (ETF) Survival and Natural Origin JPE sourced from annual JPE Letters (compiled by SacPAS at JPE Letter Data). Outyear Adult Escapement Forecast sourced from Table II-2 (PFMC 2024).
Assessment Year Brood Year Adult Return Year; BY of Adults >30% TDM <20% ETF Survival 25% JPE (Natural Origin) 3-year Mean 25% JPE (Natural Origin) 10-year Mean 25% JPE (Natural Origin) All Years Mean Outyear Adult Escapement Forecast
2025 2025 2025; 2022 No 4507

Winter Chinook Indicators Summary

Brood Year Assessment Indicators Summary including TDM, ETF, JPE, and Adult Escapement Forecast. Temperature-dependant Mortality (TDM) sourced from SacPAS Fish Model applying Anderson et. al (2022) and Martin et. al (2017) models. Egg-to-fry (ETF) Survival and Natural Origin JPE sourced from annual JPE Letters (compiled by SacPAS at JPE Letter Data). Outyear Adult Escapement Forecast sourced from Table II-2 (PFMC 2024).
Assessment Year Brood Year Adult Return Year; BY of Adults >30% TDM <20% ETF Survival 25% JPE (Natural Origin) 3-year Mean 25% JPE (Natural Origin) 10-year Mean 25% JPE (Natural Origin) All Years Mean Outyear Adult Escapement Forecast
1992 1992 NA No NA NA
1993 1993 NA No NA NA
1994 1994 NA No 28682.0 NA
1995 1995 NA No 36344.5 NA
1996 1996 NA No 44555.6 NA
1997 1997 NA No 53457.7 NA
1998 1998 NA No 63181.4 NA
1999 1999 NA No 73569.3 NA
2000 2000 NA No 92894.8 NA
2001 2001 NA NA 210395.6 99130.4 99130.4
2002 2002 No NA 364314.2 146395.1 138681.0
2003 2003 No NA 491516.5 192148.0 166637.7
2004 2004 No NA 409592.9 213403.7 170775.6
2005 2005 No NA 550804.5 300733.1 226993.1
2006 2006 No NA 704339.5 390083.1 274178.1
2007 2007 No NA 946294.4 a 429583.6 b 274178.1
2008 2008 Yes NA 544606.5 a 434111.1 b 266694.8
2009 2009 No NA 224677.0 a 458830.8 b 510103.1
2010 2010 No NA 177452.3 457769.4 b 258057.1
2011 2011 No No 139474.7 410470.8 b 246607.4
2012 2012 No No 85572.7 365917.0 b 240937.2
2013 2013 No No 157603.9 346465.3 b 243706.7
2014 2014 Yes Yes 154476.4 325432.0 b 234044.1
2015 2015 Yes Yes 118552.0 221832.8 b 224973.9
2016 2016 No No 32702.2 122586.1 b 217331.1
2017 2017 No No 39109.5 115362.8 210652.0
2018 2018 2018; 2015 No No 66731.2 110747.6 206715.1 1594
2019 2019 2019; 2016 No Yes 124127.2 102630.3 206975.1 1924
2020 2020 2020; 2017 No Yes 134853.9 102583.2 202530.7 3077
2021 2021 2021; 2018 Yes Yes 109175.8 101657.9 196624.8 9063
2022 2022 2022; 2019 No Yes 42091.0 89585.8 190486.7 5971
2023 2023 2023; 2020 No No 34154.8 65548.5 186236.3 4540
2024 2024 2024; 2021 No No 31976.1 64907.8 181189.0 1013
2025 2025 2025; 2022 No 4507
Footnotes
  1. JPE for 2007 is missing; therefore only 2 years available for calculation.
  2. JPE for 2007 is missing; therefore only 9 years available for calculation.

Temperature-dependant Mortality (TDM)

Annual update to TDM estimates available November/December.

Related SacPAS resource: SacPAS Fish Model

Temperature-dependant Mortality (TDM) using Anderson et. al (2022) and Martin et. al (2017) models; TDM generated using SacPAS Fish Model
Brood Year TDM using Anderson et. al (2022) Anderson-TDM Exceed 30% TDM using Martin et. al (2017) Martin-TDM Exceed 30%
2002 0.0000 No 0.0008 No
2003 0.0026 No 0.0000 No
2004 0.0112 No 0.2664 No
2005 0.0119 No 0.0526 No
2006 0.0001 No 0.0000 No
2007 0.0630 No 0.1084 No
2008 0.3929 Yes 0.3008 Yes
2009 0.1562 No 0.0974 No
2010 0.0000 No 0.0009 No
2011 0.0000 No 0.0000 No
2012 0.0000 No 0.0000 No
2013 0.1142 No 0.0649 No
2014 0.7642 Yes 0.7609 Yes
2015 0.8772 Yes 0.8404 Yes
2016 0.0039 No 0.0024 No
2017 0.0176 No 0.0030 No
2018 0.0001 No 0.0164 No
2019 0.0041 No 0.0020 No
2020 0.0114 No 0.0196 No
2021 0.7347 Yes 0.7553 Yes
2022 0.0702 No 0.1648 No
2023 0.0000 No 0.0000 No
2024 0.0065 No 0.0034 No
2025 0.0000 No 0.0000 No

Egg-to-fry (ETF) Survival

Annual update to ETF Survival from JPE Letter available January/February.

Related SacPAS resource: Juvenile Production Estimates (JPE) for Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook Salmon

Egg-to-fry (ETF) Survival from annual JPE Letters
Brood year ETF Survival ETF Survival <20% JPE Letter Date JPE Letter Footnote JPE Letter References & Contributors
1992 0.25 No 1993-02-09 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
1993 0.25 No 1993-10-01 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
1994 0.25 No 1995-02-21 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
1995 0.25 No 1995-10-20 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
1996 0.25 No 1997-02-10 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
1997 0.25 No 1998-04-27 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
1998 0.25 No 1999-02-26 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
1999 0.25 No 2000-01-01 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2000 0.25 No 2001-01-29 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2001 NA NA NA NA NA
2002 NA NA NA NA NA
2003 NA NA NA NA NA
2004 NA NA NA NA NA
2005 NA NA NA NA NA
2006 NA NA NA NA NA
2007 NA NA NA NA NA
2008 NA NA NA NA NA
2009 NA NA NA NA NA
2010 NA NA NA NA NA
2011 0.25 No 2012-01-26 6/ This is measured at Red Bluff based on female spawners, carcass survey females, JPI/female spawner, and fecundity data (J. Smith, FWS, 12/7/11 WRPWT notes) CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2012 0.25 No 2013-01-31 6/ Survival measured at Red Bluff based on JPI/female spawners in carcass survey, and fecundity data (J. Smith, USFWS, 12/7/11 WRPWT notes) CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2013 0.27 No 2014-02-21 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2014 0.056 Yes 2015-01-16 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2015 0.042 Yes 2016-01-28 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2016 0.24 No 2017-02-03 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2017 0.44 No 2018-01-08 NA CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2018 0.263 No 2019-02-01 5/ Back calculated estimated survival between eggs laid in-river and fry production estimates at RBDD based on numbers of fry equivalents (JPI) using traditional (59%) fry-to-smolt survival estimates CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2019 0.1798 Yes 2020-01-23 5/ Back calculated estimated survival between eggs laid in-river and fry production estimates at RBDD based on numbers of fry equivalents (JPI) using the 0.4651 fry-to-smolt survival rate estimate based on method described in O’Farrell et al. (2018). CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2020 0.1146 Yes 2021-01-15 5/ Back-calculated estimated survival between eggs laid in-river and fry production estimates at RBDD based on numbers of fry equivalents (JPI) using the 0.4475 fry-to-smolt survival rate estimate method described in O’Farrell et al. (2018). CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2021 0.0256 Yes 2022-01-14 5/ Back calculated survival between estimated eggs laid in-river and fry production estimates at RBDD based on numbers of fry equivalents (JPI) using the 0.4429 fry-to-smolt survival rate estimate based on method described in O’Farrell et al. (2018). CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2022 0.0217 Yes 2023-01-13 5/ Back calculated estimated survival between eggs laid in-river and fry production estimates at RBDD based on numbers of fry equivalents (JPI) using the 0.4946 fry-to-smolt survival rate estimate based on method described in O’Farrell et al. (2018). CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2023 0.2494 No 2024-01-12 5/ Back calculated estimated survival between eggs laid in-river and fry production estimates at RBDD based on numbers of fry equivalents (JPI) using the 0.5066 fry-to-smolt survival rate estimate based on method described in O’Farrell et al. (2018). CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS
2024 0.2884 No 2025-01-10 5/ Back calculated estimated survival between eggs laid in-river and fry production estimates at RBDD based on numbers of fry equivalents (JPI) using the 0.5149 fry-to-smolt survival rate estimate based on method described in O’Farrell et al. (2018) CDFW, LSNFH, USFWS

Juvenile Production Estimate (JPE)

Annual update to JPE Letter available January/February.

Related SacPAS resource: Juvenile Production Estimates (JPE) for Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook Salmon

Total natural production entering the Delta from annual NMFS Winter-Run Chinook Juvenile Production Estimates (JPE)
Brood year Total natural production entering the Delta JPE Letter Date JPE Letter References & Contributors Lower 95% CI Upper 95% CI 3-year Mean 10-year Mean All Years (to date) Mean 25% of 3-year Mean 25% of 10-year Mean 25% of All Years (to date) Mean
1992 246157 1993-02-09 NA NA NA
1993 66536 1993-10-01 NA NA NA
1994 31491 1995-02-21 NA NA NA 114728 28682
1995 338107 1995-10-20 NA NA NA 145378 36344.5
1996 165069 1997-02-10 NA NA NA 178222.3 44555.6
1997 138316 1998-04-27 NA NA NA 213830.7 53457.7
1998 454792 1999-02-26 NA NA NA 252725.7 63181.4
1999 289724 2000-01-01 NA NA NA 294277.3 73569.3
2000 370221 2001-01-29 NA NA NA 371579 92894.8
2001 1864802 2002-02-22 NA NA NA 841582.3 396521.5 396521.5 210395.6 99130.4 99130.4
2002 2136747 2003-02-19 NA NA NA 1457257 585580.5 554723.8 364314.2 146395.1 138681.0
2003 1896649 2004-01-21 NA NA NA 1966066 768591.8 666550.9 491516.5 192148 166637.7
2004 881719 2005-02-08 NA NA NA 1638372 853614.6 683102.3 409592.9 213403.7 170775.6
2005 3831286 2006-02-10 NA NA NA 2203218 1202933 907972.6 550804.5 300733.1 226993.1
2006 3739069 2007-02-15 NA NA NA 2817358 1560333 1096712.3 704339.5 390083.1 274178.1
2007 NA NA NA NA NA 3785178 a 1718334 b 1096712.3 946294.4 a 429583.6 b 274178.1
2008 617783 2009-01-12 NA NA NA 2178426 a 1736444 b 1066779.3 544606.5 a 434111.1 b 266694.8
2009 1179633 2010-02-24 NA NA NA 898708 a 1835323 b 2040412.3 224677 a 458830.8 b 510103.1
2010 332012 2011-01-12 NA NA NA 709809.3 1831078 b 1032228.5 177452.3 457769.4 b 258057.1
2011 162051 2012-01-26 NA NA NA 557898.7 1641883 b 986429.7 139474.7 410470.8 b 246607.4
2012 532809 2013-01-31 NA NA NA 342290.7 1463668 b 963748.7 85572.7 365917 b 240937.2
2013 1196387 2014-02-21 NA NA NA 630415.7 1385861 b 974826.7 157603.9 346465.3 b 243706.7
2014 124521 2015-01-16 NA NA NA 617905.7 1301728 b 936176.4 154476.4 325432 b 234044.1
2015 101716 2016-01-28 NA NA NA 474208 887331.2 b 899895.5 118552 221832.8 b 224973.9
2016 166189 2017-02-03 NA NA NA 130808.7 490344.6 b 869324.4 32702.17 122586.1 b 217331.1
2017 201409 2018-01-08 NA NA NA 156438 461451 842607.8 39109.5 115362.8 210652.0
2018 433176 2019-02-01 NA NA NA 266924.7 442990.3 826860.4 66731.2 110747.6 206715.1
2019 854941 2020-01-23 Method 2 (O'Farrell et. al 2018) with data from USFWS, UC Santa Cruz, and SWFSC 301002 1408880 496508.7 410521.1 827900.4 124127.2 102630.3 206975.1
2020 330130 2021-01-15 Method 2 (O'Farrell et. al 2018) with data from USFWS, UC Santa Cruz, and SWFSC 145088 515172 539415.7 410332.9 810122.9 134853.9 102583.2 202530.7
2021 125038 2022-01-14 Method 2 (O'Farrell et. al 2018) with data from USFWS, UC Santa Cruz, and SWFSC 59064 191013 436703 406631.6 786499.3 109175.8 101657.9 196624.8
2022 49924 2023-01-13 Method 2 (O'Farrell et. al 2018) with data from USFWS, UC Santa Cruz, and SWFSC 32298 67550 168364 358343.1 761946.8 42091 89585.78 190486.7
2023 234896 2024-01-12 Method 2 (O'Farrell et. al 2018) with data from USFWS, UC Santa Cruz, and SWFSC 159951 309841 136619.3 262194 744945.2 34154.8 65548.5 186236.3
2024 98893 2025-01-10 Method 2 (O'Farrell et. al 2018) with data from USFWS, UC Santa Cruz, and SWFSC NA NA 127904.3 259631.2 724756.0 31976.1 64907.8 181189.0
Footnotes
  1. JPE for 2007 is missing; therefore only 2 years available for calculation.
  2. JPE for 2007 is missing; therefore only 9 years available for calculation.

Temperature Compliance Point (TCP)

Related SacPAS resource: Sacramento River Water Temperature Threshold Analysis

Sacramento River Historical Temperature Control Point 2010-2018 Daily Average Temperature Degrees Fahrenheit (Days Applied) from SRTTG annual report Original SRTTG Annual Report Table 3 (https://cawaterlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/FINAL_SRTTG_2018_Annual_Report_20181121.pdf) Updated by SacPAS. CDEC Sites BSF = Balls Ferry, JLF = Jellys Ferry, CCR = Sacramento River upstream of Clear Creek confluence, and SAC = Sacramento River upstream of Hwy 44.
Year March April May June July August September October November
2010 BSF-56°F BSF-56°F (01-14);
JLF-56°F (15-30)
JLF-56°F (01-10);
BSF-56°F (11-24);
JLF-56°F (25-31)
JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F
2011 BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F
2012 JLF-56°F JLF-56°F (01-15);
BSF-56°F (16-30)
BSF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F JLF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F
2013 BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F (01-16);
1BSF-56.75°F (17-31)
1 BSF-56.75°F 1 BSF-56.75°F 1 BSF-56.75°F 1 BSF-56.75°F 1 BSF-56.75°F 1 BSF-56.75°F
2014 BSF-56°F (01-27);
CCR-58°F (28-31)
CCR-58°F (01-24);
CCR-56°F (25-30)
CCR-56°F CCR-56°F CCR- 56°F CCR- 56°F CCR- 56°F CCR- 56°F CCR- 56°F
2015 2 CCR-56°F CCR-56°F (01-17);
CCR-58°F (18-30)
CCR-58°F (01-14);
CCR-56°F (15-31)
CCR-56°F (01-04);
CCR-58°F (05-30)
CCR-58°F CCR-58°F CCR-58°F CCR-58°F CCR-58°F
2016 CCR-58°F CCR-58°F CCR-58°F CCR-58°F (01-16);
BSF-56°F (17-30)
BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F
2017 3 BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F
2018 4 BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F
2019 5 BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F
2020 5 BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F BSF-56°F (01-20);
CCR-56°F (21-30)
CCR-56°F CCR-56°F
2021 5 CCR-56°F CCR-56°F (01-17);
CCR-60°F (18-30)
CCR-60°F (01-16);
SAC-57°F (17-31)
SAC-57°F (01-14);
SAC-55°F (15-30)
SAC-55°F SAC-55°F SAC-55°F SAC-55°F SAC-55°F
2022 5 SAC-55°F SAC-55°F SAC-55°F (01-01);
SAC-58°F (02-31)
SAC-58°F (01-06);
SAC-54.5°F (07-30)
SAC-54.5°F SAC-54.5°F SAC-54.5°F SAC-54.5°F SAC-54.5°F
2023 5 SAC-54.5°F SAC-54.5°F SAC-54.5°F (01-13);
CCR-53.5°F (14-31)
CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F
2024 5 CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F
2025 5 CCR-58°F CCR-58°F CCR-58.0°F (01-14);
CCR-53.5°F (15-31)
CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F CCR-53.5°F  
Footnotes
  1. BSF-56.75°F used as surrogate for Airport Road 56°F
  2. Year 2015 July - November the temperature target was 57°F, not to exceed 58°F
  3. Year 2017 pilot evaluation study also targeted CCR at 53°F May 15 - Oct 31
  4. Year 2018 pilot evaluation study also targeted CCR at 53.5°F May 15 - Oct 31
  5. Years 2018-2025 compiled by SacPAS from annual "Northern CVP Water Temperature Report" (for individual years 2018-2025), https://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvo/vungvari/sactemprpt.pdf

Extinction Risk

Direct quote from NMFS 2024, p17.

Updated Biological Risk Summary

The biological status of the SR winter-run Chinook salmon population has declined since the 2016 5-year review, with the single spawning population on the mainstem Sacramento River at a high risk of extinction (Table 7). New information indicates the population – which had experienced a declining trend in abundance through 2017 – is beginning to rebuild such that the population decline viability criteria would indicate a low risk of extinction for SR winter-run Chinook salmon. The population, however, remains at an increased risk of extinction due to the influence of the hatchery broodstock. Although at the time of this review hatchery influence is declining, it remains at a level above which would indicate a low or moderate extinction risk.

Table 7. Summary of SR winter-run Chinook salmon extinction risk by population criteria described in Lindley et al. (2007) for the 2010, 2015, and 2020 review periods. Overall risk is determined by the highest risk score for any criterion.
Criteria 2011 5-Year Review 2016 5-Year Review 2024 5-Year Review
Population Size Low risk Low risk Low risk
Population Decline Low risk Moderate risk Low risk
Catastrophe, rate and effect Low risk Low risk Low risk
Hatchery Influence Low risk Moderate risk High risk
Overall risk is determined by the highest risk score for any criterion (NMFS 2024).
2011 5-Year Review 2016 5-Year Review 2024 5-Year Review
Extinction Risk Low risk Moderate risk High risk

Outyear Adult Escapement Forecast

Annual updates to Adult Escapement Forecast estimates available February/March.

Related SacPAS resource: SacPAS webpage for PFMC Abundance, Harvest, and Impact Rates

Table II-2 Sacramento River winter Chinook abundance forecasts, allowable age-3 impact rates, and management performance (reproduced from PFMC 2024a)
Year a 3-Year Geometric Mean b Abundance Forecast c Postseason Abundance d Postseason Abundance Value Footnote Age-3 impact rate south of Point Arena, CA
Maximum Allowable (%) e Preseason Forecast (%) Postseason Estimate (%) Postseason Estimate Value Footnote
200021.4
2001850823.3
2002909221.8
2003597610.3
20041809024.8
20051890717.2
2006261915.1
2007295417.8
200841520.0
200914390.0
2010696e
2011326328.3
20121797596013.713.712.6
20131521306712.912.918.8
20142380371815.415.415.8
2015365986719.017.5e
2016398150819.912.810.7
20172521211715.812.217.6
20181594813914.48.513.9
20191924693515.714.810.0
202030771085420.016.212.6
20219063634620.014.718.8
20225971307120.015.226.2g
20234540f20.00.0NAh
20241013f12.1NANA
20254507f20.0NANA
Table II-2 Footnotes
a/ Year indicates the management year in which age-3 SRWC are exposed to ocean fisheries.
b/ Allowable impact rates from 2012-2017 were determined by an abundance-based control rule, where abundance was defined as the most recent three-year geometric mean of escapement.
c/ Since 2018 the abundance forecast has been defined as the predicted age-3 escapement in the absence of fisheries. Forecasts were made using a life cycle model through 2023. Beginning in 2024, forecasts were made using a Gaussian Process model.
d/ Postseason estimates of the age-3 escapement in the absence of fisheries.
e/ Beginning in 2018, allowable impact rates were determined by a new control rule utilizing forecasts of the age-3 escapement in the absence of fisheries.
f/ Insufficient data for postseason estimate.
g/ Preliminary. Incomplete cohort data (age-4 escapement unavailable).
h/ Not estimated. Incomplete cohort data (age-3 and age-4 escapement unavailable).

PA 3.3.3 Quoted Text

Annual Winter-run Chinook Salmon Broodyear Assessment

Direct quote from Reclamation 2024, pp 3-25 to 3-26.

3.3.3 Annual Winter-run Chinook Salmon Broodyear Assessment

In order to inform operations, risk tradeoffs for determining the downstream extent of water temperature management, and the need to pursue increasing production or taking other actions at LSNFH, the JPE SubTeam will conduct a winter-run Chinook salmon broodyear assessment for the previous year's cohort and the cohort of return adults that hatched three years prior. The purpose is to track species conditions and take appropriate actions to avoid adverse impacts to the following year’s cohort. If the previous year’s cohort and the cohort three years prior, is determined to have experienced "adverse conditions", then more actions would be taken to manage the objectives for each Bin, including both biological and drought protection objectives. The broodyear assessment will be developed by February 1 or each year using the best available science to guide calculation of each metric described below. The broodyear assessment will be based on the best available science each year and the JPE SubTeam may consider using the following indicators or information:

  • >30% TDM
  • <20% ETF survival
  • 25% of historic JPE
  • TMP compliance point was above CCR
  • Adverse Population Viability Trends (per previous year’s annual brood year report if there was an increase in any of the five criteria in Lindley et. al. 2007)
  • High Risk of Extinction (per 5 year status review)
  • Outyear adult escapement forecast based on Pacific Fishery Management Council winter-run stock abundance analyses

The JPE SubTeam will provide the broodyear assessment to Reclamation and the SHOT. If the broodyear assessment determines Adverse Conditions for Winter-run Chinook salmon and identifies that Shasta storage and hydrology are expected to result in continuing adverse conditions to the coming broodyear, the SHOT will report these conditions and proposed actions to the Directors and all reasonable actions will be taken to avoid continued adverse conditions. These indicators of broodyear strength can be revised by the SHOT with NMFS approval.

Extinction Risk and Population Metrics Definitions

Direct quote from Lindley et al. 2007, Table 1.

Table 1. Criteria for assessing the level of risk of extinction for populations of Pacific salmonids. Overall risk is determined by the highest risk score for any category. (Modified from Allendorf et al. 1977)
CriterionRisk of Extinction
HighModerateLow
Extinction risk from PVA > 20% within 20 years
– or any ONE of –
> 5% within 100 years
– or any ONE of –
< 5% within 100 years
– or ALL of –
Population sizea Ne ≤ 50
–or–
N ≤ 250
50 < Ne ≤ 500
–or–
250 < N ≤ 2500
Ne > 500
–or–
N > 2500
Population decline Precipitous declineb Chronic decline or depressionc No decline apparent or probable
Catastrophe, rate and effectd Order of magnitude decline within one generation Smaller but significant declinee not apparent
Hatchery influencef High Moderate Low
  1. Census size N can be used if direct estimates of effective size Ne are not available, assuming Ne/N = 0.2.
  2. Decline within last two generations to annual run size ≤ 500 spawners, or run size > 500 but declining at ≥ 10% per year. Historically small but stable population not included.
  3. Run size has declined to ≤ 500, but now stable.
  4. Catastrophes occuring within the last 10 years.
  5. Decline < 90% but biologically significant.
  6. See Figure 1 (Lindley et al. 2007) for assessing hatchery impacts.

Direct quote from Lindley et al. 2007, Table 2.

Table 2. Estimation methods and data requirements for population metrics. St denotes the number of spawners in year t; g is mean generation time, which we take as three years for California salmon.

screen capture of table 2 from Lindley 2007

References

Allendorf, F.W. et al. 1997. Prioritizing Pacific salmon stocks for conservation. Conservation Biology 11(1):140–152. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2387285.

Anderson, J.J., W.N. Beer, J.A. Israel, S. Greene. 2022. Targeting River Operations to the Critical Thermal Window of Fish Incubation: Model and Case Study on Sacramento River Winter-Run Chinook Salmon. River Research and Applications 8950: 895-905. DOI:10.1002/rra.3965.

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