Adult Salmon Monitoring 2010 - Community Salmon Investigation (CSI): Highline
Miller and Walker Creeks Stewardship

Chum included two females and one unknown; low clear and low; little foam, mostly looked natural; saw blue heron

Removed all flagging (final survey of season)

Removed all flagging (final survey of season)

Removed all flagging (final survey of season)

Water clear; level normal; saw three carcasses, all previously marked

Water clear; level of flow normal (a lot lower than the last several weeks); saw two carcasses, both previously marked

Water clear, level normal; saw two-previously marked carcasses and one fresh head; marked a new carcass

Water clear, level normal; saw two carcasses, both previously marked

Flow moderate, clear; some of fish ladder sections scoured down to bare concrete (gravel filling between baffles is gone)

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read -15 cm; flow moderate, clear; some foam

Flow low, clear; no foam

Flow low, clear; no foam

Great changes in gravel in fish ladder; in some places all rocks scoured away; changes in stream beds; no fish holes where there had been some before

Adult bald eagle flew up from right bank where creek enters the Sound

Course of upper stream completely changed at Fish property

High tide; water murky

Two red tailed hawks; white foam coming from drain from TU hatchery shed

Heron fishing at Swim Club

Two fish in fish ladder; one below the cluster of rocks downstream from the fence; water fast, high, only clear in the shallow areas; creek channel altered above the Fish property due to December 11-12 flood

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read 40 cm; water high, fast, mostly cloudy except in shallow areas; some foam

Flow moderate to fast, clear to cloudy in depth; no foam; marked one fish from 12/16/10 survey and one fish head

Cloudy, high water, no foam

Water 4-6 inches higher than normal; quite clear; dramatic stream bed changes (due to December 11-12 storm/flooding)

Stream flow moderate to fast; water approximately 4 inches higher than normal but clear; some foam, brown tint

Stream water 2 inches higher than normal; quite clear; significant contour changes (due to December 11-12 storm/flooding)

Flow still relatively high but obviously nowhere near where it had been; substantial re-channeling of streambed and large woody debris movement has occurred; natural foam

Water volume high, tide out, elevation gage above bridge #2 read -6 cm; substantial new gravel deposits and large woody debris movement; natural foam

Chum was a female; some channel movement and large woody debris shifting has occurred from storm; a previous redd site has a lot of new gravel deposited above it

Nothing seemingly significant noted

Water volume fairly high, moving very swiftly but clear; a lot of silt on edge of creeks

Water volume fairly high, moving very swiftly but clear; a lot of silt on edge of creeks

Water volume fairly high, moving very swiftly but clear; a lot of silt on edge of creeks

Water volume fairly high, moving very swiftly but clear; a lot of silt on edge of creeks; fish by culverts at Snake Road

Survey did not occur due to unsafe, high flow conditions; heavy rain falling

Survey did not occur due to unsafe, high flow conditions; heavy rain falling; high tide

Survey did not occur due to unsafe, high flow conditions; heavy rain falling

Survey did not occur due to unsafe, high flow conditions; heavy rain falling

Survey did not occur due to unsafe, high flow conditions

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read 70 cm; water too high/turbid to survey safely or see anything

Survey did not occur due to unsafe, high flow conditions

Water too high/turbid to survey safely or see anything; great blue heron fishing in area between beaver pond and lower confluence with Miller Creek; water level below bridge at beaver poond read 48 cm

Survey did not occur due to unsafe conditions; stream flooding due to 2+ inches of rain in the preceding 36 hours; photos shown below

Walked part of stream upstream of Fish house; water very fast and could not walk in stream at sewer plant; very heavy rain was beginning; stream high, tubulent, deep, not clear

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read -15 cm; water high, fast, turbid; found chum carcass in dendrite channel of Walker Creek just above lower confluence with Miller; stream high, tubulent, deep, not clear

One chum by lower crossing was about 60 cm; also two other chum in same area; stream high, tubulent, deep, not clear

Blue heron fishing stream at Swim Club; one chum head was near the east fence of the Swim Club; stream high, tubulent, deep, not clear

Stream too swift to go in water much; some foam in stream downstream of sewer plant

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read 68 cm; water fast-moving and high volume; low clarity

Busy fish, maybe spawning near an already marked redd; water normal

Fast moving water but nearly normal water level

Stream high, colored up; little foam; lots of new wood

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read -6 cm; an apparent coho jack found above bridge #4; water to tops of bank and colored up; log jam below bridge #3 is mostly gone

Stream higher and a bit tannic; marked new redd under fallen tree just downstream of crossing

One carcass between the fence and fish ladder on the far side of the creek about 1-2 feet above the water line; not safe to cross creek to evaluate further; this evaluation occurred just after a major squall line had passed through the area

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read 51 cm; stream extremely flooded, high water, very turbid

Water high and flow fast; very turbid

Stream extremely flooded, high water, very turbid

Water very clear; easy to spot fish

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read 4 cm; water very clear

Water very clear

Water very clear; two herons seen; one fish was in the beaver pond; saw Tony and Dave (both commonly seen at the Cove!)

Great blue heron fishing in fish ladder

More foam than before; lots of foam in a few places

Pool below log jam at lower crossing is popular place for chum

Could not access Swim Club because of lock problems; great blue heron fishing at Swim Club

Great blue heron fishing just downstream of swer plant; foam in fish ladder and in stream in upper Fish property; marked redd

Saw five carcasses and two heads

Water flow low; clear

Water flow low; clear

Water was clear, tannic, slow to moderate flow with some foam; saw two possible redds in the making but did not see eggs (could not mark redds given activity); groups of fish splashing by the Fish house; saw large amount of foam above the Fish house

Not surveyed due to lack of daylight

Water was clear, tannic, slow to moderate flow with some foam; one fish about 50 cm and the other about 62 cm

Water was clear, tannic, slow to moderate flow with some foam; survey started at Swim Club; four chum in section below fence; one fish in culvert at road's edge; one fish head seen

Two adipose fins seen; fish had black backs, not white; fish at sewer plant and upstream

Mild turbidity; elevation gage above bridge #2 read -30 cm; moderate foam

Very white and slow moving chum about 63 cm (25 inches) in length; other fish healthy

Fish had very little red color; fish just below culvert near pool; fish 58-66 cm (23-26 inches)

Lots of white foam; water higher than previous week (11/25/10) and tannic; lots of signs water had been higher; marked redds 100 feet south of bridge and by rebar sticking up from stream at upstream end of big culvert

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read -6 cm; very large salmon head observed in water above bridge #4

Some white foam; water otherwise clear; all six fish were within 5 m. upstream of crsossing; male and female appeared to be working on a redd

Water clear; five fish were on Swim Club property; two large redds visible

Saw one carcass in fish ladder; saw one head marked 11/25/10

Flow average, water clear, minimal foam; found head of chum (probably female) about 22 cm (9 inches) from snout to gill cover

Saw one carcass

Flow averaage, water clear, minimal foam; saw two juvenile fish

Flow high and turbid; was able to survey in stream only in wider areas where water was less deep; could not survey fish ladder

Flow was high and turbid; did not survey in creek, only from boardwalk; elevation gage above bridge #2 read 29 cm

Both chum visible due to white fungus on fins showing up in turbid water; creek high and turbid

Flow was high and turbid

There was a carcass under bridge #2 that was too deep to retrieve; elevation gage above bridge #2 read 36 cm

One chum was nearly white on top (from fungus?) but still swimming upright, top fin flesh was missing; others were not so white

Saw one 10 cm (4 inch) fish; did not survey Swim Club area

The two chum were between bridges #4 and #5

Tree fell over the area with multiple redds since the preceding day's survey; two boys and a dog were playing in the stream through half of the survey area

These two fish were upstream of the Snake Road culvert

Chum just above and below bridge #5

Includes three fish upstream of Snake Road culvert

Three otters in Fox Creek culvert just above confluence with Miller; great blue heron fishing above fish ladder

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read 42 cm; water turbid; flow moderate; no foam; suspect chum included two males and two females

Water tannic; water lightly turbid; no foam

Flow somewhat turbid; little foam

Of the chum, two were male, two were female, and two could not be identified as to sex; all chum spotted in the fish ladder or just below; "other" fish was a cutthroat; water very clear and low; snowing and snow on the ground; found three chum heads/parts of bodies but no tails (and thus did not record as official carcasses)

Live chum was a male; elevation gage above bridge #2 read 42 cm; tide in, water clear but deep; snowing and snow on the ground; chum carcass above bridge #2 was in water too deep to retrieve

Flow low and clear; little to no foam; snowing and snow on the ground

Flow low and clear; no foam; marked two carcass remnants; beaver pond two-thirds frozen and ducks were walking on ice; snowing and snow on the ground

Survey did not occur today due to icy conditions preventing travel by survey team

Not surveyed due to icy conditions preventing access to survey area

Water very clear; air temperature -4 C (25 F); large chum spotted at bridge #5

Not surveyed due to icy conditions preventing access to survey area

Water very clear; great blue heron fishing in stream at Swim Club

Surveyed upper part on Brett Fish property only because Sewer District closed early due to snow

Water was clear and low; elevation gage above bridge #2 read -20 cm

Water dark with tannin; great blue heron fishing at Swim Club

Flow low, very clear; saw pair of chum possibly spawning at boundary between District/Brett Fish property

Low flow, very clear; low, rising tide

Low flow, very clear

Low flow, very clear

Stream flow moderate and tannic; 2 chum were in fish ladder; estimated fish lengths: 2 x 50 cm; 1 x 60 cm; 1 x 68 cm

Flow moderate, clear, som foam; elevation gage above bridge #2 read 20 cm

Flow slow, clear, tannic

Flow moderate, clear, tannic; great blue heron fishing at Swim Club

Fish were hiding underneath the ivy near the sewer plant; one brushed past Kim and swam 50 feet downstream; water clarity low

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Elevation gage above bridge #2 read -30 cm; water tannic in color; water clarity low; chum were 76 cm (30 inches) long and spawning at upper limit of survey area

Fish head with mouth closed seen; water clarity low

Water clarity low

Fish present throughout survey section, including in fish ladder; chum included 3 females and 1 male -- sex of others not identified; higher flow; no foam; great blue heron fishing at lower end of survey area

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read -6 cm

Marked suspected redd; water clear; little to no foam

One fish below fish ladder; one fish in fish ladder; eight large males and females upstream of culvert; YouTube video available

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Fish about 58 cm (23 inches) in length upstream of bridge #1; saw one juvenile fish

One small fish before red footbridge at Swim Club

Saw great blue heron; team did not survey upstream of fish ladder but Brett Fish observed 8 chum in the upper survey area within two hours of the survey so these fish are added to this record to provide a complete picture of all four survey areas

Mid-tidal elevation; stream low and clear

Large alder tree has just fallen in creek below Snake Road culvert; fish was observed by downed tree

Three chum upstream of large culvert; two by "hazard" alder tree; redd (egg nest) marked on LB upstream of large culvert

Redd (egg nest) marked on RB upstream of bridge #4

Viewed great blue heron on Miller Creek from road by Upper Walker

10-12 cm (4-5 inch) fish lept out of beaver pond; bald eagle flying over tennis courts

Clear, low/moderate flow; some foam

Clear, low/moderate flow; fish observed were large and likely chum

Clear, low/moderate flow

Greate blue heron fishing at Swim Club

Clear, moderate flow, tannic; saw scattered fish eggs near mouth of Fox Creek culvert just downstream of big Miller Creek culvert; saw head of male chum

Clear, moderate flow, tannic, some foam; elevation gage above bridge #2 read -30 cm

Clear, moderate flow, tannic

Clear, moderate flow, tannic, some foam

Clear water; foam in usual spots

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read 28 cm; clear water, some foam; saw pair of pileated woodpeckers working on dead alder tree

Clear water, little tannic color; little foam

Clear water; light foam behind tennis courts

Fish appeared to be a chum; observed great blue heron fishing; some foam; scattered fish eggs near mouth of Fox Creek culvert just downstream of big Miller Creek culvert

Tide was out; water was much lower at mouth than previous Thursday surveys

Flow low, clear; lot of foam

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read 65 cm; fish was about 35 cm (14 inches) in length and silver

Flow low, clear

Chum was 60 cm (24 inches) in length and had lots of white fungus on fins; caudal (tail) fin was shredded; fish held station in stream next to Dennis' boots for three minutes, then darted upstream

Saw three river otters preying on fresh chum carcass; observed great blue heron fishing below fish ladder

Saw goldfish (!) by bridge #3; elevation gage above bridge #2 read 25 cm; good water visibility

Good water visibility

Good water visibility

Stream low and tannic; light foam

Spooked great blue heron by Swim Club

Moderate flow with light tannin color; saw 3-4 river otters!

First chum of the season were a male and female building a read upstream of bridge #5; flow moderate and tannic; light foam

Flow moderate and tannic; some foam

Fish were male; one had adipose fin, the other did not; great blue heron fishing

 Fish was a male

Elevation gage above bridge #2 read -5 cm; flow moderate, clear, and tannic; no foam

 Flow moderate, clear, and tannic; no foam

 One male about 50 cm in length; two other fish at least 30 cm in length; flow moderate, clear, and tannic; some foam

More foam

Low flow, slightly tannic; white foam in several places

Tide very high (12.45 foot tide at 15:34, just before we got there) - gage by bridge #2 read 68 cm; head/saw large splash by bridge #5 but could not confirm it was a salmon

Low, slightly tannic

Low, tannic; heavy silt deposits along banks

Saw male about 18 inches (48 cm) in length - fish behavior pretty normal; water clear, average flow, minimal foam

Found two large fish (throught to be trout) trapped under logs, one at the downstream end and one at the upstream end of the survey area

Creeks rushing; lots of evidence of flooding

Did not survey because of very high flows (at least 1.56 inches of rain fell this day at SeaTac Airport)

At stream mouth on the Sound, a mature bald eagle flew up from the beach; water very high; heavy rain

Did not survey because of very high flows (at least 1.56 inches of rain fell this day)

Water level too high to see clearly through the fish ladder portion

Water too turbid to see very well

Water too turbid to see very well

Fast running; deep pools; did not walk the "fish ladder"; blue heron at culver opening; red eggs along right bank at downstream end of the culvert

Water mark at 22" on bridge by beaver pond outlet; high water, cloudy, deep pools

Fish 18" (45 cm) and sickly/gasping

Clear stream; fish 20 - 24" (50 - 61 cm)

Saw possible 17" (43 cm) cutthroat with spots on back

Flow steady and clear; little foam; possible redd (egg nest) marked; male and female over redd

Flow steady; a little colored up

Flow steady, clear; little foam; redd marked -- two males sparring over female at redd

High volume but clear

Water clear but flowing fast; saw one unidentified small fish

Water clear

Could not proceed upstream of fence due to high flows

Stream very fast and deep; visibility poor

Muddy

Stream very fast and deep; visibility poor; heron present; seven tennis balls

High water; poor to no visibility in stream

High tide; poor to no visibility in stream; water mark at 19" on bridge by beaver pond outlet

High water

Observed one dead mouse or mole

Observed 2-3 small juveniles; one dead frog between bridges 4 and 5; water mark at 19" on bridge from beaver pond outlet

Observed 20-25 small juvenile fish swimming in group

Found freshly-deceased 3" (8 cm) cutthroat

Fish observed 150 yards from mouth; about 20" (50 cm) in length; probably a coho

Stream clear and low; juveniles in stream on B. Fish property

Stream clear and low; found flagging from the dead fish ID'd 10/13/2010 [101310_LwrMlr_PSM01 ] on the gravel bar midstream; the carcass is completely gone, but there are still a few eggs scattered in the gravel; we retied the ribbon to a stake and placed it in the middle of the gravel bar; juvenile fish in stream

Stream clear and low; no foam

 Eggs found in gravel and carcass found upstream 10 feet ( this was approximately where coho female 101310_LwrMlr_PSM01 was found 10/13). 3-5" small fish seen

Unusual orange color to standing water at edge of creek

Creek very clear

Dead rabbit

Creek very clear

Creek clear and very low; no foam

Creek clear and low; little foam

Found fish head beyond bridge 4 and remnants of carcasses

101310_LwrMlr_PSM01 carcass no longer intact; eggs/flesh strewn about

10/10/2010
C. Bobanick/ D. Bobanick/ E. Bobanick