Salmon Tracker December: Where are California’s Chinook now?

 - Keith Marine, Principal Fisheries Scientist Aquatic Resources Consulting Sciences

1. What salmon run is currently making its way up the Sacramento River, north of Sacramento?
The primary run currently on the move north of Sacramento is the fall‑run Chinook salmon returning from the ocean into the mainstem Sacramento River, which characteristically enters the system from July through December.

2. What life stages of salmon are in the river right now?
At this time you’ll find adult salmon migrating upstream to spawn, along with newly emerged fry (recently hatched) and juvenile smolts beginning their downstream migration, depending on timing.

3. How are current conditions looking for salmon in the system right now?
Right now, conditions for salmon in the Sacramento River are moderately favorable in terms of temperature management—recent modeling shows water-temperature targets around 53.5 °F at key locations for incubation of winter-run Chinook are being met.