U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Prepared in cooperation with Bonneville Power Administration and 

the Public Utility District Number 1 of Lewis County, Washington

Behavior and Movement of Adult Winter Steelhead 

(Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Upper Cowlitz River Basin, 

Washington, 2017–18

Open-File Report 2020–1054
Cover: Looking downstream from U.S. Forest Service Road Number 25 bridge on the 

Cispus River, Washington. Photograph by Brian K. Ekstrom, U.S. Geological Survey, 

July 5, 2010.
U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Behavior and Movement of Adult Winter Steelhead 

(Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Upper Cowlitz River 

Basin, Washington, 2017–18

By Theresa L. Liedtke, Tobias J. Kock, Amy C. Hansen, Brian K. Ekstrom, and Ryan G. Tomka

Prepared in cooperation with Bonneville Power Administration and

the Public Utility District Number 1 of Lewis County, Washington

Open-File Report 2020–1054
U.S. Department of the Interior

DAVID BERNHARDT, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

James F. Reilly II, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2020

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth,

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must be secured from the copyright owner.

Suggested citation:

Liedtke, T.L., Kock, T.J., Hansen, A.C., Ekstrom, B.K., and Tomka, R.G., 2020, Behavior and

movement of adult winter steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, 

Washington, 2017–18: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020–1054, 35 p.,

https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201054.

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)
iii

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, we would like to thank Mike Kohn and Laura Wolfe with Lewis County Public Utility 

District for initiating these research efforts and Debbie Carlson with Bonneville Power Administration for 

managing the contracting and funding for them. William Hurst, formerly with U.S. Geological Survey, was 

instrumental to our field efforts, both with fish tagging and tracking. We are grateful to John Serl with 

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and his staff for their efforts with fish tagging and sharing their 

knowledge about the reintroduction efforts. We thank Eric Shoblom with Tacoma Power and his staff for 

their support at the separator and for transporting and releasing all tagged fish during the study. 

Additionally, we thank numerous private landowners in the upper Cowlitz River Basin who provided access 

for fixed telemetry sites and mobile tracking. Specifically, we appreciate Gar Abbas with the U.S. Forest 

Service in Randle, Washington, for coordinating our land access agreements in order to complete our 

monitoring efforts. Finally, we thank our colleagues at the Columbia River Research Laboratory for their 

efforts with fieldwork during the study.
iv

Contents

Acknowledgments .........................................................................................................................................iii

Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... 1

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................... 2

Methods......................................................................................................................................................... 4

Fish Tagging and Release ......................................................................................................................... 5

Fish Monitoring........................................................................................................................................... 6

River Flows ................................................................................................................................................ 7

Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 7

Results........................................................................................................................................................... 8

River Environment...................................................................................................................................... 8

Fish Tagging and Release ......................................................................................................................... 9

Behavior................................................................................................................................................... 11

Fates ........................................................................................................................................................ 17

Kelts ......................................................................................................................................................... 18

Spawning Locations ................................................................................................................................. 19

Discussion ................................................................................................................................................... 23

References Cited......................................................................................................................................... 26

Appendix 1. Detailed Summary of Spawning Locations of Radio-Tagged Steelhead in the Upper

Cowlitz River Basin ............................................................................................................................... 27

Figures

1. Map of the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, showing fixed radiotelemetry sites used

to monitor study fish in 2017, 2018, and both years ...................................................................................... 4

2. Graphs showing mean daily flow, in cubic feet per second, at two U.S. Geological Survey

streamgages in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, during the two study periods (2017 and

2018) and the previous 10 years (2007–16).................................................................................................. 9

3. Graphs showing radio-tagged adult steelhead residence time after release into one of two locations

in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, until movement at least 2 river kilometers

away, 2017–18 ............................................................................................................................................ 13

4. Graphs showing radio-tagged adult steelhead residence time by origin, and date of release

after release into one of two locations in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, until movement

at least 2 river kilometers away, 2017–18.................................................................................................... 14

5. Image showing locations of adult radio-tagged steelhead spawning in the upper Cowlitz

River Basin, Washington, by release site, 2017........................................................................................... 22

6. Image showing locations of adult radio-tagged steelhead spawning in the upper Cowlitz

River Basin, Washington, by release site, 2018........................................................................................... 23
v

Tables

1. Number of hatchery-origin and natural-origin male and female adult steelhead radio-tagged;

released into the Cispus River, Washington; and used for analysis in 2017 and 2018................................ 10

2. Number of hatchery-origin and natural-origin male and female adult steelhead radio-tagged;

released into Lake Scanewa, Washington; and used for analysis in 2017 and 2018................................... 11

3. Percentage of adult radio-tagged steelhead detected in the Cispus River, Cowlitz River, Lake

Scanewa, or the tailrace below Cowlitz Falls Dam after release into one of two locations in the upper 

Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18 ................................................................................................. 15

4. Percentage of adult radio-tagged steelhead detected in the Cowlitz River or Cispus River

after release into one of two locations in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18 ................. 16

5. Percentage of radio-tagged adult steelhead making trips between Lake Scanewa and the

Cowlitz River or Cispus River in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, prior to spawning,

2017–18....................................................................................................................................................... 17

6. Percentage of adult radio-tagged steelhead assigned to Cispus River, Cowlitz River, Lake

Scanewa, or fallback below Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington, with fates by release site and origin,

2017–18....................................................................................................................................................... 18

7. Percentage of adult radio-tagged steelhead that fell back below Cowlitz Falls Dam prior to

or after spawning, remained upstream, or were collected at the dam, by sex, origin, and release site

in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18 ............................................................................. 19

8. Number of radio-tagged steelhead at spawning locations in the upper Cowlitz River Basin,

Washington, by release site and release year............................................................................................. 21
vi

Conversion Factors

U.S. customary units to International System of Units

Multiply By To obtain

Length

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

International System of Units to U.S. customary units

Multiply By To obtain

Length

centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch (in.)

millimeter (mm) 0.03937 inch (in.)

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile (mi)

meter (m) 1.094 yard (yd) 

Area

hectare (ha) 2.471 acre

hectare (ha) 0.003861 square mile (mi2) 

square kilometer (km2) 247.1 acre

square kilometer (km2) 0.3861 square mile (mi2)

Mass

gram (g) 0.03527 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as °F = (1.8 × °C) + 32.

Abbreviations

GPS global positioning system

HOR hatchery origin

NOR natural origin

rkm river kilometer(s)
1

Behavior and Movement of Adult Winter Steelhead 

(Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the Upper Cowlitz River 

Basin, Washington, 2017–18

By Theresa L. Liedtke, Tobias J. Kock, Amy C. Hansen, Brian K. Ekstrom, and Ryan G. Tomka

Executive Summary

A 2-year radiotelemetry study was completed to monitor the movements of adult winter 

steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in the upper Cowlitz River Basin. A reintroduction program 

was established to restore healthy and harvestable populations of steelhead because volitional 

access to the area was blocked in the 1960s after construction of dams in the lower river. A trapand-haul program is used to move adult steelhead and salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) upstream, 

around the dams and large reservoirs, and release them in the upper basin to spawn naturally. 

Fish are released into Lake Scanewa, the uppermost reservoir in the system, and into the Cowlitz 

and Cispus Rivers. The goal of this study was to describe the behavior, movement, and tributary 

use of adult steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River Basin to assist in evaluating the trap-and-haul 

program and reintroduction program. We were specifically interested in learning more about the 

locations where steelhead spawn. Individual fish were assigned one of four fates, based on their 

location during the spawning period: Cowlitz River, Cispus River, Lake Scanewa, or fallback

below the dam that impounds the reservoir. A total of 215 steelhead were tagged for the 2017–18 

study. Of these, 5 fish regurgitated their transmitters before or shortly after release, so 210 tagged 

fish were used for analyses, including 121 fish (57.6 percent) released into the Cispus River and 

89 fish (42.4 percent) released into Lake Scanewa. The Cowlitz River release site was not 

evaluated. Hatchery-origin (HOR) and natural-origin (NOR) steelhead were included in the 

study. Within the first 10 days after release, most steelhead had moved at least 2 river kilometers

away from their release site. Fish released into Lake Scanewa, however, moved from their 

release site significantly sooner than fish released into the Cispus River, regardless of origin or 

sex. Most radio-tagged steelhead (93–100 percent) made no more than one trip between the 

reservoir and one of the rivers prior to spawning.

Steelhead were predominantly assigned fates in the river closest to where they were 

released, but origin also played a role. Steelhead released into the Cispus River were assigned 

Cispus River fates more than 80 percent of the time, including both origins and both years.

About 13 percent of NOR fish had fates in the Cowlitz River, but the proportion was lower for 

HOR fish (0–2 percent). Fallback was the least common fate for Cispus-released steelhead (three 

HOR fish in 2017), followed by the reservoir fate, ranging from 5 to 9 percent in 2017, and zero 

in 2018. The steelhead released into Lake Scanewa were almost exclusively NOR fish, which 

had primarily Cowlitz River fates (55–57 percent). We released only six HOR steelhead into 

Lake Scanewa, and they all had Cowlitz River fates. The reservoir fate was uncommon for both 

release sites, and it was consistently lower in 2018 compared to 2017. Flow conditions were 

higher in 2017, which may have affected steelhead movement patterns or timing. The three HOR 
2

steelhead released in the Cispus River in 2017 were the only fish that fell back over Cowlitz 

Falls Dam, which represented 1.4 percent of the total study fish, 5.7 percent of the Cispusreleased fish in 2017, and 9.4 percent of the Cispus-released HOR fish in 2017.

About 62 percent of the steelhead released in Lake Scanewa spawned in the Cowlitz 

River, with the remaining 38 percent in the Cispus River. Within the Cowlitz River, close to onehalf (about 47 percent) of the fish spawned in the upper reach, and about 16 percent spawned in 

the lower reach. Steelhead released into Lake Scanewa that spawned in the Cispus River were 

minimal in reach 5 (4 percent) and distributed in approximately equal proportions in the middle 

(reach 6; 16 percent) and upper (reach 7; 18 percent) reaches. Steelhead released into the Cispus 

River spawned almost exclusively in the Cispus River (94 percent). The upper Cispus River 

reach (reach 7) was used by more fish (72 percent) than the middle Cispus reach (reach 6;

16 percent). Taken together, the upper Cowlitz River reach (reach 4) and upper Cispus River 

reach (reach 7) accounted for more than 71 percent of the spawning locations for radio-tagged 

steelhead. When the middle Cispus River reach (reach 6) is included with the upper reaches, they 

account for 87 percent of our described spawning sites. We described 12 tributaries in the 

Cowlitz River and 8 tributaries in the Cispus River where steelhead spawned. After spawning, 

about 53–63 percent of steelhead moved downstream as kelts, either being collected at Cowlitz 

Falls Dam or being detected downstream from the dam. More fish were collected from both 

release sites in 2018 compared to 2017. Across release sites and years, more NOR fish and 

females moved downstream as kelts. This study added to the understanding of the behavior and 

movement of adult steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, supporting the findings of 

previous studies in the basin and describing spawning sites in the system’s two main rivers and 

their tributaries. Future research efforts in this system may use additional telemetry studies, 

genetic analyses, and spawning ground surveys to provide further insights into the progress of 

the reintroduction effort.

Introduction

Winter steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and other Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) 

were excluded from the upper Cowlitz River Basin in the 1960s when Mayfield and Mossyrock 

Dams were constructed at river kilometer (rkm) 84 and rkm 105, respectively. However, the 

construction of Cowlitz Falls Dam (rkm 142) in the mid-1990s, which included a surface 

collection system to collect downstream migrants, provided an opportunity to reintroduce 

anadromous fish species to the upper Cowlitz River Basin (Serl and Morrill, 2011). The 

reintroduction effort included the development of a trap-and-haul program that moves juvenile 

and adult fish around Cowlitz River dams and large reservoirs. Adult salmon and steelhead that 

return to spawn in the Cowlitz River are collected downstream from Mayfield Dam at a 

collection facility, and fish destined for the upper Cowlitz River Basin are transported and 

released upstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam to spawn naturally. Juvenile salmon and steelhead 

that are progeny of transported adults eventually move downstream toward the ocean and 

encounter Cowlitz Falls Dam where they can be collected and transported downstream from

Mayfield Dam. The reintroduction has successfully established populations of steelhead, 

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and coastal 

cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) to areas upstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam

(Serl and Morrill, 2011). These efforts are continuing with the goal of eventually establishing 

populations in the basin that are healthy and harvestable.
3

The trap-and-haul program uses three release sites upstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam 

where fish-hauling trucks can access the river to release adult salmon and steelhead. The primary 

release site is in Lake Scanewa (fig. 1), the reservoir created by Cowlitz Falls Dam. At this site,

fish enter the reservoir near the confluence of the Cowlitz and Cispus Rivers. Spawning habitat is 

nearly absent in Lake Scanewa but released fish can choose to enter either the Cowlitz River or 

the Cispus River, which each contain abundant areas for spawning. The second site is on the

Cowlitz River near Packwood, Washington, about 58 rkm upstream from the Lake Scanewa 

release site. The third site is on the Cispus River about 28 rkm upstream from the Lake Scanewa 

release site (fig. 1), next to the Tom Music Bridge (not shown) and uses the bridge’s armoring to 

help protect the site from the high flows of winter and spring. The reservoir release site has 

advantages: it has the shortest transport time (from the adult collection facility downstream from

Mayfield Dam) of all three release sites, and fish can select either the Cowlitz River or the 

Cispus River for entry; however, there are also concerns associated with releasing fish in the 

reservoir. The reservoir water temperatures can exceed 20 °C during summer months. The 

release site is a short distance upstream (3 rkm) from Cowlitz Falls Dam, so fish may be more 

susceptible to fallback downstream from the dam. Previous studies in the watershed have 

determined that fallback rates of reservoir-released hatchery-origin (HOR) steelhead are 

significantly higher than that of natural-origin (NOR) steelhead released in the reservoir

(Kock and others, 2016). Current trap-and-haul strategies now incorporate releasing most NOR 

steelhead into Lake Scanewa and most HOR steelhead into the Cispus River.
4

Figure 1. Map of the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, showing fixed radiotelemetry sites used to 

monitor study fish in 2017 (open squares), 2018 (open triangles), and both years (open circles). Steelhead 

release sites are denoted by solid stars, and reaches are separated by arrows. KM, kilometers; Rkm, river 

kilometer.

Insufficient information about the fates of winter steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River 

Basin is available, specifically for areas where spawning may occur. Previous studies (Kock and 

others, 2016) monitored the movements and fates of steelhead but were not focused on spawning 

locations. In 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey began a 2-year radiotelemetry study to assess 

behavior, movement, and tributary use by adult steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River Basin for 

the Lewis County Public Utility District.

Methods

The Cowlitz River in southwestern Washington is a primary tributary to the lower 

Columbia River. The river drains 6,698 km2 on the western slopes of the Cascade Range. Three 

dams are operated on the river including Mayfield Dam, Mossyrock Dam, and Cowlitz Falls 

Dam. The upper Cowlitz River Basin consists of two main rivers, the Cowlitz River and Cispus 

River (fig. 1). They share a confluence at rkm 144, near the center of Lake Scanewa, a small 

reservoir with a surface area of 264 ha The Cowlitz River upstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam 

drains 1,577 km2 and the Cispus River drains 1,121 km2. 

We divided the Cowlitz and Cispus Rivers into seven reaches to describe fish movement 

patterns (fig. 1). Reach 1 extended from the downstream side of Cowlitz Falls Dam at rkm 142 

on the Cowlitz River to rkm 137 near the head of Riffe Lake. Reach 2 was bounded on the 

downstream end by Cowlitz Falls Dam and rkm 2 on the Cispus River and rkm 146 on the 

Cowlitz River and included part of Lake Scanewa. Reach 3, on the Cowlitz River, was about
5

33 rkm long and included the area from rkm 146 to 182. The upper reach of the Cowlitz River 

(reach 4) included the area upstream from rkm 182. We defined three reaches on the Cispus 

River. The downstream reach of the Cispus River (reach 5) was about 6 rkm long and included

the area from rkm 2 to 8. The middle reach (reach 6) included rkm 8–28, and the upper reach of 

the Cispus River (reach 7) included the area upstream from rkm 28 (fig. 1).

Fish Tagging and Release

Adult steelhead were collected for tagging at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery (rkm 80),

downstream from Mayfield Dam. The fish trap at the hatchery operates continuously during 

periods when adult salmon and steelhead are migrating. Fish are handled and sorted on weekdays 

by staff from Tacoma Power. An automatic crowder was inside the fish trap, and an exit chute 

near the top of the trap led to the area where anesthesia was administered. The crowder was used 

to force groups of fish (20–50 fish per group) into the exit chute for batch application of 

anesthesia. Fish were anesthetized using electrosedation (model EA–1000B, Smith-Root, Inc., 

Vancouver, Washington) to facilitate the sorting process. Groups of fish were crowded into a 

large holding basket and electrosedation was applied for about 30 seconds, after which fish were 

immobile and ready for sorting. Fish were sorted by species and origin and moved into one of 

eight concrete holding tanks where they could be transferred to the hatchery for spawning or 

loaded onto fish-hauling trucks and transported to upstream release sites. Tagging occurred after 

sorting and before fish were transferred to the holding tanks. Tagged fish were held overnight, in 

the same tanks as untagged fish, for release the day after tagging.

For each tagged fish, we noted origin, sex (visually assessed), and fork length (in

centimeters). Once these data were collected, a radio transmitter was gastrically implanted using 

methods described by Keefer and others (2004). We used MCFT–3EM transmitters (Lotek©

Wireless, Inc.; Newmarket, Ontario, Canada) that were 53×12 mm and weighed 10 g in air or

TX–PSC–I–1200 transmitters (Sigma Eight, Inc.; Newmarket, Ontario, Canada) that were

45×16 mm and weighed 16 g in air. Transmitter type varied by year. A single band of silicon 

tubing (about 1 cm long) was placed around the lower part of each transmitter to decrease the 

likelihood that transmitters were regurgitated (Keefer and others, 2004). 

On each release date, groups of fish were loaded onto fish-hauling trucks for transport to 

the upper Cowlitz River Basin, after the standard loading process for the trap-and-haul program.

Loading was completed using water-to-water transfer from the holding tank to the fish-hauling 

truck. Transport trucks hauled about 130 adult steelhead in each load, and tagged fish were 

transported with untagged fish. For this study, tagged fish were only released at the Lake 

Scanewa and Cispus River release site (fig. 1). Transport time from the Cowlitz Salmon 

Hatchery to the Lake Scanewa release site was about 45 minutes. Transport from the Cowlitz 

Salmon Hatchery to the Cispus River release site was about 90 minutes. Releases normally 

occurred in the morning from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Fish were released directly from the transport 

truck into the river at the Lake Scanewa release site using a 1.0-m-long flume that minimized the 

drop from the truck to the river. At the Cispus River release site, the transport truck parked 

adjacent to a release pipe that conducted fish and water about 35 m to the river, under the Tom 

Music Bridge. Fish were released directly from the truck into the release pipe using a 1-m-long 

flume to span the gap between the truck and the pipe.
6

Fish Monitoring

A series of fixed-location radiotelemetry monitoring sites (hereinafter “fixed sites”) were 

deployed to detect tagged fish as they moved within the study area (fig. 1). Fixed sites monitored 

fish in the Cowlitz River, in the Cispus River, in Lake Scanewa, and when they passed 

downstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam. In March 2017, 15 fixed sites were deployed to monitor 

steelhead at the following locations:

• Downstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam near the head of Riffe Lake at rkm 137;

• In the tailrace of Cowlitz Falls Dam at rkm 141;

• Two receivers at the separator of the Cowlitz Falls Dam fish facility at rkm 142;

• In the forebay of Cowlitz Falls Dam at rkm 142;

• Upstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam in Lake Scanewa at rkm 144;

• Near the Day Use Park of Lake Scanewa at rkm 146; 

• At the head of the reservoir on the Cowlitz Arm of Lake Scanewa at rkm 162;

• On the Cowlitz River at rkm 182;

• On the Cowlitz River at rkm 188; 

• Near Packwood, Washington, on the Cowlitz River at rkm 203; 

• In the Cispus Arm of Lake Scanewa at rkm 2;

• On the Cispus River at rkm 11; 

• Near Yellowjacket Creek on the Cispus River at rkm 27; and

• On the Cispus River at rkm 34 (fig. 1).

In 2018, five additional fixed sites were deployed to monitor steelhead. One of the fixed 

sites deployed in 2017, on the Cispus River at rkm 11, was not used to monitor steelhead in 2018

(fig. 1), so there were 19 fixed sites monitoring in 2018. The five additional fixed sites deployed 

for the 2018 study were at the following locations:

• Near Cowlitz Falls Campground at Lake Scanewa at rkm 154;

• In the Cispus Arm of Lake Scanewa, downstream of rkm 1;

• Additional receiver in the forebay of Cowlitz Falls Dam at rkm 142;

• In the Cowlitz Arm of Lake Scanewa at rkm 150; and

• On the Cispus River at rkm 8 (fig. 1).

At most fixed sites, monitoring occurred from February or March each year through August, 

although some sites were monitored through the end of 2017 and into 2018 as part of other 

studies.

In both years, fixed sites contained a telemetry receiver (model SRX–400, SRX–600, or 

SRX–800 [Lotek© Wireless, Inc.; Newmarket, Ontario, Canada] or a model ORION [Sigma 

Eight, Inc.; Newmarket, Ontario, Canada]) connected to one or two Yagi antennas. Power was 

provided by a 12-volt battery that was recharged by a solar panel.

Fixed site detection data were supplemented with mobile tracking detections collected 

during March, April, May, and June. Mobile tracking was conducted by vehicle two times per 

week. Staff drove roads that bordered the rivers and reservoir in the study area while monitoring 

a telemetry receiver. Global positioning system (GPS) data were recorded for each detection 

location. Mobile tracking occurred in the Cowlitz River and the following tributaries: Lambert, 
7

Kiona, Miller, Silver, Killborn, Burton, Dry, Johnson, Smith, Skate, Lake, Muddy, Clear Fork, 

and Ohanapecosh Rivers and Creeks. A small amount of mobile tracking effort was also used in 

Davis, Hall, Butter, and Coal Creeks after initial efforts demonstrated that few fish were present. 

Additionally, mobile tracking occurred in the Cispus River and tributaries: Copper, Quartz, 

Crystal, Iron, Greenhorn, Yellowjacket, Camp, North Fork Cispus, and Prospect Rivers and 

Creeks. After initial observations determined that few fish were present, few mobile tracking 

efforts were used in East Canyon, Squaw, Adams, and Orr Creeks. At times during 2017, snow 

depth restricted mobile tracking efforts to tributaries in the lower 3 miles of the Cispus River:

Yellowjacket Creek and the North Fork of the Cispus River.

River Flows

River flows in the upper Cowlitz River Basin are monitored by four streamgages

operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Two streamgages are on the Cowlitz River, 

upstream from Lake Scanewa near the towns of Packwood (USGS station 14226500) and Randle 

(USGS station 14231000). The third streamgage is on the Cispus River near the mouth of 

Yellowjacket Creek (USGS station 14231900). The fourth streamgage is downstream from

Cowlitz Falls Dam and is known as the Kosmos streamgage (USGS station 14233500).

Discharge data from the Randle, Cispus, and Kosmos streamgages are highly correlated for the 

following reasons: the Cowlitz and Cispus Rivers respond similarly to rainfall and snowmelt 

events given their proximity to each other, and discharge at the Kosmos streamgage is essentially 

the sum of discharge at the Randle and Cispus River streamgages. We present streamgage data 

from Randal for the Cowlitz River and from Yellowjacket Creek for the Cispus River. The 

USGS streamgage data described in this report are available in the USGS National Water 

Information System by querying the station identifier and time period of interest (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 2019).

Data Analysis

Detection records from fixed telemetry sites and from mobile tracking were merged with 

tagging and release data to create a combined detection dataset. Radio-tagged steelhead were 

monitored from their dates of release (March–May 2017 and February–May 2018) until at least

July 25, 2018. Monitoring efforts for steelhead continued until late July or early August each 

year at most sites, but some 2017 sites were monitored through July 25, 2018. All GPS 

coordinates of fish locations were rounded to the nearest river mile in each river or creek and 

then converted to river kilometers. All data management, data processing, and data analysis were 

conducted in SAS® version 9.4 (Cary, North Carolina).

Residence time at the release site was calculated from the time of release until the first 

detection at least 2 rkm away, which was the smallest movement distance we could effectively 

measure. We used event-time analysis (Allison, 1995) to compare residence time at the release 

sites and movements by HOR and NOR fish after release. A Chi-square test of independence 

(Sokal and Rohlf, 1996) was used to test for differences in the proportions of fish that 

demonstrated different behavior patterns. Significance was determined using an alpha of 0.05. 

We calculated the number of trips prior to spawning from release to the reservoir. A trip 

was defined as being detected in the reservoir (reach 2) and then detected in either reach 3 or 5

(fig. 1). Subsequent detections in the reservoir incremented the count.
8

Individual fish were assigned one of four fates, based on their location during the 

spawning period: Cowlitz River, Cispus River, Lake Scanewa, or fallback into Riffe Lake. Fish 

were assigned Cowlitz River or Cispus River fates if they were last detected in either river prior 

to the spawning period or if they were detected in either river or tributary during the spawning 

period. Fish were assigned a reservoir fate if they were last detected in Lake Scanewa prior to the 

onset of the spawning period or if they spent less than 4 days in one of the rivers before moving 

downstream and remaining in the reservoir after the onset of the spawning period. Fish were 

assigned a fallback fate if they were detected downstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam prior to the 

onset of the spawning period. We also assigned a second fate to estimate the percentage of fish 

that moved downstream as kelts. This second fate included four possible outcomes: (1) fish that 

did not move downstream after spawning, (2) fish that moved downstream after spawning but 

remained in Lake Scanewa, (3) fish that moved downstream after spawning and were collected at 

the Cowlitz Falls fish facility (at Cowlitz Falls Dam), and (4) fish that moved downstream after 

spawning and passed Cowlitz Falls Dam. We determined the percentage of kelts collected at the 

Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility by dividing the number of kelts collected by the total number of kelts 

available (that is, the sum of those that remained in Lake Scanewa, were collected, or passed the 

dam after spawning).

We used March 15 to demarcate the onset of spawning for steelhead. Steelhead 

detections after this date determined the presumed location of spawning. This date was 

established based on historical run timing and our knowledge of the system. Any fish collected at 

Cowlitz Falls Dam or passed downstream from the dam prior to March 15 was designated as a 

fallback.

Spawning location was determined as the most upstream known location in the Cowlitz 

or Cispus Rivers of a radio-tagged steelhead or the most upstream location within a tributary. If a 

fish was detected in more than one tributary, it was noted in both.

Results

River Environment

Discharge in the upper Cowlitz River Basin is largely affected by rainfall and snowmelt 

events. During February–August 2017, four peaks of mean daily flow near or greater than 10,000 

ft3/s occurred in the Cowlitz River. High flow events occurred in February and March, followed 

by another event in early May (fig. 2). Mean daily flow in 2017 from February 20 to July 25 

(representing most of the monitoring period) was 4,523.9 ft3/s (range 1,374.0–17,090.6 ft3/s).

Similar trends occurred in the Cispus River but on a much smaller scale. Mean daily flow was 

1,796.8 ft3/s (range 732.8–4,525.1 ft3/s). In 2018, mean daily flow was lower than in 2017. The 

highest flow from February to August 2018 was in early February before the first release of 

tagged steelhead. Cowlitz River mean daily flows gradually increased until early April and 

remained around 5,000 ft3/s through the end of May (fig. 2). During the 2018 study period, mean 

daily flow was 2,952.1 ft3/s (range 934.1–7,377.1 ft3/s) in the Cowlitz River and 1,128.4 ft3/s 

(range 474.2–2,958.0 ft3/s) in the Cispus River.
9

Figure 2. Graphs showing mean daily flow, in cubic feet per second, at two U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) streamgages in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, during the two study periods (2017 

and 2018) and the previous 10 years (2007–16). Top graph, USGS station 14231000 on Cowlitz River at 

Randle, Washington. Bottom graph, USGS station 14231900 on Cispus River.

Fish Tagging and Release

A total of 215 adult winter steelhead were radio-tagged during the 2 years of study. Five 

steelhead regurgitated their transmitter prior to or shortly after release, so 210 steelhead were 

used in the final analysis (tables 1 and 2). The final tagged population included 121 fish (57.6 

percent) released into the Cispus River and 89 fish (42.4 percent) released into Lake Scanewa. 

By origin and sex, the overall study group included 43 HOR males, 40 HOR females, 59 NOR 

males, and 68 NOR females. The overall mean fork length of tagged fish was 71.1 cm (standard 

deviation, 8.1 cm), and mean size was similar between HOR (71.2 cm) and NOR (71.0 cm) 

tagged steelhead.
10

Table 1. Number of hatchery-origin and natural-origin male and female adult steelhead radio-tagged;

released into the Cispus River, Washington; and used for analysis in 2017 and 2018.

[Abbreviations: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, natural origin]

Release date

Number of males Number of females

HOR NOR HOR NOR

2017

March 21. 3 0 1 0

March 28. 0 0 1 0

April 4. 5 0 2 0

April 11 2 6 4 1

April 17 1 2 2 0

April 24 1 2 0 0

April 26 1 0 2 1

May 1 1 0 1 1

May 4 0 4 2 4

May 8 0 0 3 0

2017 subtotal 14 14 18 7

2018

February 20 2 0 0 0

March 13 2 0 0 0

March 15 3 0 0 0

March 20 1 0 1 0

March 22 1 0 0 0

April 13 0 7 0 8

April 16 3 1 5 4

April 18 9 0 5 0

April 23 2 0 2 0

April 30 2 0 2 0

May 8 1 0 0 0

May 10 1 0 2 0

May 15 1 0 0 0

May 22 0 0 0 3

2018 subtotal 28 8 17 15

Total

2017–18 42 22 35 22
11

Table 2. Number of hatchery-origin and natural-origin male and female adult steelhead radio-tagged;

released into Lake Scanewa, Washington; and used for analysis in 2017 and 2018.

[Abbreviations: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, natural origin]

Release date

Number of males Number of females

HOR NOR HOR NOR

2017

April 25 0 1 0 3

April 27 0 1 0 3

May 2 0 0 2 1

May 9 0 0 2 1

May 11 0 1 0 0

May 16 0 0 0 1

May 18 0 0 0 2

May 22 0 0 1 0

2017 subtotal 0 3 5 11

2018

March 6 0 1 0 1

March 9 0 0 0 1

March 13 0 2 0 2

March 15 0 2 0 2

March 20 0 1 0 1

March 27 0 5 0 1

March 29 1 0 0 1

April 2 0 1 0 2

April 4 0 4 0 3

April 6 0 3 0 8

April 9 0 4 0 4

April 11 0 11 0 9

2018 subtotal 1 34 0 35

Total

2017–18 1 37 5 46

Behavior

Most of the radio-tagged steelhead moved at least 2 rkm away from the release site 

within the first 10 days after release; however, fish released at Lake Scanewa moved faster than 

fish released at the Cispus River site. In 2017, all tagged fish were detected at least 2 rkm away 

from the Lake Scanewa release site by 9.6 days after release, and the median was 0.6 day (fig. 3). 

Median residence time at the Cispus River release site in 2017 was 2.2 days, and 90 percent of 

fish were detected at least 2 rkm away by 8.3 days. By origin, median HOR residence time was 

1.8 days and median NOR residence time was 4.4 days after release at the Cispus River release 

site. Too few HOR fish were released at the Lake Scanewa site in either year for comparisons. 

Similar trends occurred with fish tagged and released in 2018 (fig. 3). After release at the Lake 
12

Scanewa site, 99 percent of fish were detected at least 2 rkm away within 3.7 days. Median time 

to move at least 2 rkm from the Cispus River release site in 2018 was 3.1 days, and 90 percent of 

fish moved by 14.0 days. Median HOR steelhead residence time was 3.3 days and median NOR 

steelhead residence time was 2.5 days after release at the Cispus River release site. Travel away 

from the Lake Scanewa release site was faster than the Cispus River release site in both years 

(Wilcoxon test, 2017: Z score [Z]=32.2, probability [P]<0.0001; 2018: Z=38.8, P<0.0001). There 

were no significant differences in travel time away from release sites by origin or sex in either 

year; however, median residence time was about one-half day shorter for males than females 

after release at the Cispus River site. Median residence time by month of release varied by month 

and origin, and residence times were shorter for NOR fish than HOR fish (fig. 4).
13

Figure 3. Graphs showing radio-tagged adult steelhead residence time (in days) after release into one of 

two locations in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, until movement at least 2 river kilometers

away, 2017 (top graph) through 2018 (bottom graph). Fish not detected moving within the follow-up period 

of 100 days were censored (open circle). Z score, Z; P, probability; <, less than.
14

Figure 4. Graphs showing radio-tagged adult steelhead residence time (in days) by origin (HOR, hatchery 

origin; NOR, natural origin), and date of release, after release into one of two locations in the upper Cowlitz 

River Basin, Washington, until movement at least 2 river kilometers away, 2017 (boxes outlined in red) and 

2018 (boxes outlined in black). Box hinges are 25th and 75th percentiles, horizontal bars inside the boxes 

are the median, whiskers are 10th and 90th percentiles, and dots are 5th and 95th percentiles. Sample 

sizes (n) of each group are shown. No NOR fish were released in March 2017 or February 2018.
15

Dispersal though the upper Cowlitz River Basin was similar between release sites and 

years, with some differences observed by origin. Of the fish released at the Cispus River site, 

67.9–73.5 percent were detected moving into Lake Scanewa by year (table 3). A total of 14.3 

percent of 2017 NOR fish and 17.4 percent of 2018 NOR fish were detected in the Cowlitz River 

after release at the Cispus River site. Few to none of the HOR fish released at the Cispus River 

site were detected in the Cowlitz River. Of the Cispus-released fish, 11.8–24.5 percent were 

detected in the tailrace, with similar numbers between origin in 2017 and twice as many NOR

fish as HOR fish in 2018. Of the fish released in Lake Scanewa, 68.4–88.6 percent of fish were 

detected upstream from the release site in the Cowlitz River and 73.7–84.3 percent of fish were 

detected downstream from the release site in Lake Scanewa (table 3). Few HOR fish were 

released at the Lake Scanewa site for comparison by origin. About one-third of fish released at 

the Lake Scanewa site were detected in the Cispus River by year (31.6–42.9 percent). About onehalf as many fish released in Lake Scanewa were detected in the tailrace compared to those 

released in the Cispus River. 

Table 3. Percentage of adult radio-tagged steelhead detected in the Cispus River, Cowlitz River, Lake 

Scanewa, or the tailrace below Cowlitz Falls Dam after release into one of two locations in the upper 

Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18.

[Individual fish can be represented in multiple categories. Origin: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, natural origin]

Release site Origin Number of fish 

released

Percentage detected

Cispus

River

Cowlitz

River

Lake 

Scanewa Tailrace

2017

Cispus HOR 32 100.0 0.0 68.8 25.0

NOR 21 100.0 14.3 66.7 23.8

Combined 53 100.0 5.7 67.9 24.5

Lake Scanewa HOR 5 0.0 100.0 40.0 0.0

NOR 14 42.9 57.1 85.7 14.3

Combined 19 31.6 68.4 73.7 10.5

2018

Cispus HOR 45 100.0 6.7 71.1 8.9

NOR 23 100.0 17.4 78.3 17.4

Combined 68 100.0 10.3 73.5 11.8

Lake Scanewa HOR 1 0.0 100.0 100.0 0.0

NOR 69 43.5 88.4 84.1 7.2

Combined 70 42.9 88.6 84.3 7.1

Movement into the Cowlitz and Cispus Rivers was related to release location and origin.

More than three-quarters of fish released in the Cispus River were detected in reach 6 or 7 of the 

Cispus River (73.6–94.3 percent), although fewer HOR fish than NOR fish were detected in the 

upper Cispus River (fig. 1, table 4). Less than 8 percent of fish were detected in reach 5, although 

this reach only consisted of mobile detections. About 10 percent of fish released in the Cispus 

River moved to the Cowlitz River and were detected primarily in reach 3 (13 fish), with fewer in

reach 4 (6 fish). By origin, fewer HOR fish than NOR fish were detected in reach 3 and no HOR 
16 

fish were detected in reach 4. Similar to the Cispus River-released fish, about one-half of the fish 

released in Lake Scanewa and detected in reach 3 were detected in reach 4 (table 4), although the 

Lake Scanewa-released fish were detected about tenfold more than Cispus River-released fish by 

year. The percentages of radio-tagged steelhead released into Lake Scanewa that were detected 

in the Cispus River included 10.5–12.9 percent in reach 5, 26.3–41.4 percent in reach 6, and 

15.8–18.6 percent in reach 7 by year (table 4). 

Table 4. Percentage of adult radio-tagged steelhead detected in the Cowlitz River or Cispus River after

release into one of two locations in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18. 

[Individual fish can be represented in multiple categories. Origin: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, natural origin]

Release site Origin Released

Percentage detected by reach

Cowlitz River Cispus River

3 4 5 6 7

2017

Cispus HOR 32 9.4 0.0 6.3 93.8 65.6

NOR 21 14.3 14.3 4.8 95.2 85.7

Combined 53 11.3 5.7 5.7 94.3 73.6

Lake Scanewa HOR 5 100.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

NOR 14 92.9 57.1 14.3 35.7 21.4

Combined 19 94.7 47.4 10.5 26.3 15.8

2018

Cispus HOR 45 6.7 0.0 8.9 84.4 71.1

NOR 23 17.4 13.0 4.3 95.7 82.6

Combined 68 10.3 4.4 7.4 88.2 75.0

Lake Scanewa HOR 1 100.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

NOR 69 88.4 46.4 13.0 42.0 18.8

Combined 70 88.6 47.1 12.9 41.4 18.6

Most radio-tagged steelhead made fewer than two trips between the reservoir and one of 

the rivers prior to spawning (table 5). Most fish (59.4–100.0 percent), regardless of origin or 

release site, did not enter the reservoir prior to spawning. For fish released at the Cispus River 

site, trends were similar between years. A total of 8.9–21.9 percent of HOR and NOR fish 

(combined) made one trip to the reservoir, 4.8 percent (one fish) of NOR fish made two trips, 

3.1 percent (one fish) of HOR fish made three trips, and 3.1 percent (one fish) of HOR fish made 

a total of seven trips to the reservoir prior to spawning (table 5). Few HOR fish were released at 

Lake Scanewa in either year, and none of those six fish were detected in the reservoir prior to 

spawning. NOR fish released in Lake Scanewa followed the same trends as the Cispus River 

fish, making 0–2 trips each year.
17

Table 5. Percentage of radio-tagged adult steelhead making trips between Lake Scanewa and the Cowlitz 

River or Cispus River in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, prior to spawning, 2017–18.

[Abbreviations: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, natural origin]

Number

of trips

Cispus River released Lake Scanewa released

HOR NOR HOR NOR

2017

0 71.9 81.0 100.0 71.4

1 21.9 14.3 0.0 21.4

2 0.0 4.8 0.0 7.1

3 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

7 3.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

2018

0 91.1 87.0 100.0 59.4

1 8.9 13.0 0.0 36.2

2 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.3

Fates

Most of the fish released in the Cispus River were assigned fates in the Cispus River 

regardless of year or origin, whereas most fish released in Lake Scanewa were assigned fates 

outside the reservoir, in the rivers. More than 80 percent of radio-tagged steelhead released in the 

Cispus River had Cispus River fates, and the next largest group was about 14 percent of NOR 

fish with Cowlitz River fates (table 6). In 2017, 18.8 percent of HOR fish and 4.8 percent of 

NOR fish released at the Cispus River site had reservoir or fallback fates compared to zero fish 

in 2018. All the HOR fish released in Lake Scanewa were assigned a Cowlitz River fate. Of the 

NOR fish released in Lake Scanewa, about 56 percent were assigned a Cowlitz River fate 

followed by about 40 percent with Cispus River fates. In 2017, 7.1 percent had a Lake Scanewa 

fate compared to 1.4 percent in 2018. There were no fallbacks from either release site in 2018. In 

total, 3 of 210 fish released in 2017 and 2018 (1.4 percent) fell back prior to spawning, and these 

were all HOR fish released at the Cispus River site in 2017. All three fish were first detected 

moving downstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam during May 4–6, 2017. During this 3-day period, 

both turbines were operating, spillway 4 was open, and mean hourly total project discharge was 

13,752 ft3

/s (fig. 2).
18

Table 6. Percentage of adult radio-tagged steelhead assigned to Cispus River, Cowlitz River, Lake 

Scanewa, or fallback below Cowlitz Falls Dam, Washington, with fates by release site and origin, 2017–18.

[Origin: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, natural origin]

Release site Origin Total Cispus River Cowlitz River Lake Scanewa Fallback

2017

Cispus HOR 32 81.3 0.0 9.4 9.4

NOR 21 81.0 14.3 4.8 0.0

Lake Scanewa HOR 5 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0

NOR 14 35.7 57.1 7.1 0.0

2018

Cispus HOR 45 97.8 2.2 0.0 0.0

NOR 23 87.0 13.0 0.0 0.0

Lake Scanewa HOR 1 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0

NOR 69 43.5 55.1 1.4 0.0

Kelts

Distribution of radio-tagged steelhead after spawning varied by release site, origin, and 

sex. A total of 5.7 percent (3 of 53) of fish released in the Cispus River in 2017 were fallbacks 

prior to spawning. No other fallbacks prior to spawning were documented (table 7). After 

spawning, the highest proportions of fish were not detected moving downstream (that is, they 

remained upstream) or were collected at Cowlitz Falls Dam (table 7). From 29.4 to 39.6 percent 

of fish were not detected moving downstream after spawning, regardless of release site or year, 

although they were predominantly male. About 50 percent of 2018 steelhead and from 26.4 to

42.1 percent of 2017 steelhead were collected at the dam, with similar proportions between 

sexes. By year and release site, about 10 percent of fish were last detected in Lake Scanewa. The 

remaining fish (11.9 percent) passed downstream from Cowlitz Falls Dam (fallback after

spawning) and a higher percentage of female fish moved downstream than male fish (7 males 

and 28 females). The percentage of kelts collected at the Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility was 53.7

percent in 2017 and 71.1 percent in 2018. The breakdown by sex and origin of collected kelts 

included the following: 72.7 percent of male HOR steelhead, 66.7 percent of female HOR

steelhead, 70.3 percent of male NOR steelhead, and 59.6 percent of female NOR steelhead.
19

Table 7. Percentage of adult radio-tagged steelhead that fell back below Cowlitz Falls Dam prior to or after 

spawning, remained upstream, or were collected at the dam, by sex, origin, and release site in the upper 

Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18.

[Origin: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, natural origin. Sex: M, male; F, female]

Release site Origin Sex

Fallback 

prior to 

spawning

Not detected 

moving 

downstream

Last 

detected in 

Lake 

Scanewa

Collected 

at Cowlitz 

Falls Dam

Fallback 

after 

spawning

Total

2017

Cispus HOR M 7.1 71.4 7.1 14.3 0.0 14

HOR F 11.1 16.7 11.1 33.3 27.8 18

NOR M 0.0 50.0 14.3 28.6 7.1 14

NOR F 0.0 14.3 0.0 28.6 57.1 7

Total 5.7 39.6 9.4 26.4 18.9 53

Lake Scanewa HOR M 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0

HOR F 0.0 60.0 0.0 40.0 0.0 5

NOR M 0.0 33.3 0.0 66.7 0.0 3

NOR F 0.0 27.3 18.2 36.4 18.2 11

Total 0.0 36.8 10.5 42.1 10.5 19

2018

Cispus HOR M 0.0 35.7 3.6 46.4 14.3 28

HOR F 0.0 27.8 11.1 55.6 0.0 18

NOR M 0.0 37.5 12.5 50.0 0.0 8

NOR F 0.0 13.3 6.7 53.3 26.7 15

Total 0.0 29.4 7.4 51.5 11.8 68

Lake Scanewa HOR M 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1

HOR F 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0

NOR M 0.0 32.4 14.7 47.1 5.9 34

NOR F 0.0 28.6 14.3 48.6 8.6 35

Total 0.0 30.0 14.3 48.6 7.1 70

Spawning Locations

Spawning locations of radio-tagged steelhead were related to release location but varied

within the basin. Fish released into Lake Scanewa predominantly were detected in the Cowlitz 

River. In both years, more fish from this release site were found to spawn in the upper Cowlitz

River (reach 4; fig. 1) than in the lower Cowlitz River (reach 3; table 8; figs. 5 and 6; appendix 

tables 1.1 and 1.2). In 2017, the farthest upstream location was at Smith Creek (rkm 197.5) 

compared to the Ohanapecosh River (rkm 215.7) in 2018. Five fish released in Lake Scanewa in 

2017 spawned in the Cispus River: in Yellowjacket (rkm 27.0) and Camp (rkm 28.3) Creeks and 

the Cispus River (rkm 30.5 and 37.0). Of the fish released into Lake Scanewa in 2018,

41.0 percent were located in the Cispus River or tributaries, with 4 fish in the lower (reach 5),

12 fish in the middle (reach 6), and 13 fish in the upper Cispus River (reach 7). Few fish released 

in the Cispus River were thought to have spawned in the Cowlitz River or tributaries in either 
20

year (table 8, figs. 5 and 6; appendix tables 1.1 and 1.2). These locations include Lambert Creek 

(rkm 147.7), Cowlitz River (rkm 185.1, 203.6, 203.6), Johnson Creek (rkm 197.5), and Skate 

Creek (rkm 202.3). Most steelhead released in the Cispus River moved into the upper Cispus 

River (reach 7), followed by the middle Cispus River (reach 6), and the fewest into the lower 

Cispus River (reach 5). Tributary use in the Cispus River included Quartz, Crystal, Iron, 

Greenhorn, Yellowjacket, Camp, and Prospect Creeks as well as the North Fork Cispus River. 

The maximum upstream location of steelhead in the North Fork Cispus River was rkm 12.9, and 

a total of 22 fish were located there between years and release sites. Maps of spawning locations

by origin and unique tag code are presented in appendix 1. No tagged fish were detected in the 

following Cowlitz River tributaries during mobile tracking efforts: Davis, Hall, Butter, and Coal 

Creeks. Tagged fish were not detected in the following Cispus River tributaries during mobile 

tracking efforts: East Canyon, Squaw, Adams, and Orr Creeks.
21

Table 8. Number of radio-tagged steelhead at spawning locations in the upper Cowlitz River Basin,

Washington, by release site and release year.

[Fish that entered more than one tributary are represented in both rivers. River kilometers 146.0–215.7 are locations 

in the Cowlitz River or at the confluence of a tributary. River kilometers 2.0–48.3 are locations in the Cispus River 

or at the confluence of a tributary. Rkm: River kilometer]

River Reach Rkm Cispus River Lake Scanewa

2017 2018 2017 2018

Cowlitz 3 146.0–182.0 0 0 4 4

Lambert 3 147.7 0 1 0 0

Kiona 3 161.4 0 0 0 1

Miller 3 165.4 0 0 0 1

Silver 3 169.8 0 0 1 3

Cowlitz 4 182.0–215.7 1 2 4 18

Killborn 4 185.1 0 0 1 0

Burton 4 188.5 0 0 1 0

Dry 4 196.3 0 0 1 0

Smith 4 196.7 0 0 2 4

Johnson 4 197.5 1 0 0 5

Skate 4 202.3 1 1 0 4

Lake 4 208.1 0 0 0 1

Ohanapecosh 4 215.7 0 0 0 1

Cispus 5 2.0–8.0 0 1 0 0

Quartz 5 6.6 1 2 0 2

Crystal 5 6.9 1 2 0 2

Cispus 6 8.0–28.2 4 8 0 9

Iron 6 13.8 0 0 0 1

Greenhorn 6 19.8 0 1 0 1

Yellowjacket 6 27.0 3 3 2 1

Cispus 7 28.2–48.3 28 33 2 9

Camp 7 28.3 1 1 1 0

NF Cispus 7 32.3 6 13 0 3

Prospect 7 46.5 0 2 0 1
22

Figure 5. Image showing locations of adult radio-tagged steelhead spawning in the upper Cowlitz River 

Basin, Washington, by release site, 2017. Map image is the intellectual property of Esri and is used herein 

under license. Copyright © 2020 Esri and its licensors. All rights reserved. Rsite, release site; >, greater 

than; <, less than. Cispus release site is the Cispus River release site. 
23

Figure 6. Image showing locations of adult radio-tagged steelhead spawning in the upper Cowlitz River 

Basin, Washington, by release site, 2018. Map image is the intellectual property of Esri and is used herein 

under license. Copyright © 2020 Esri and its licensors. All rights reserved. Rsite, release site; >, greater 

than; <, less than. Cispus release site is the Cispus River release site.

Some of the tagged steelhead entered multiple tributaries. Only males demonstrated this 

behavior. In 2017, one steelhead was located in both Dry Creek and Smith Creek in the upper 

Cowlitz River (reach 4, tag code 2291, NOR). In 2018, four steelhead were found in multiple 

tributaries: Crystal and Quartz Creeks (tag code 2457, HOR) in the lower Cispus River (reach 5), 

Camp and Yellowjacket Creeks (tag code 1133, HOR) in the upper Cispus River (reach 7), and 

Johnson and Smith Creeks (tag code 1261, NOR) and Johnson and Skate Creeks (tag code 1323, 

HOR) in the upper Cowlitz River (reach 4). 

One female HOR steelhead (80-cm fork length) released on April 17, 2017, in the Cispus 

River and collected at the Cowlitz Falls Fish Facility was determined to have fallen back prior to 

spawning. This fish was returned to Lake Scanewa on April 21, 2017. This fish entered the 

Cispus River on April 22, 2019, and then Crystal Creek (rkm 6.6, reach 5) on April 25, 2017,

where we captured a video recording of it being courted by a wild rainbow trout 

(https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/anadromous-steelhead-and-resident-rainbow-troutinteractions). The following week, the radio tag was recovered without the fish present in Crystal 

Creek.

Discussion

This study used radiotelemetry to monitor adult steelhead movements in the upper 

Cowlitz River Basin to describe fates and spawning locations and to assist in the evaluation of 

reintroduction efforts. Our previous studies of adult steelhead were conducted from 2005 to 2012 

(Kock and others, 2016) and provided the first insights into how steelhead moved in the system 
24

after release into Lake Scanewa or at release sites in the rivers. Kock and others (2016), 

however, provided only coarse information on final locations in the upper reaches of the rivers

because their study objectives were broader, focused on estimating the proportion of fish that fell 

back over Cowlitz Falls Dam prior to spawning and describing the proportion of fish present in 

the rivers during the spawning period. The current study was designed as a continuation of Kock 

and others (2016), with the goal of refining the descriptions of steelhead spawning locations in 

the Cowlitz and Cispus Rivers and their tributaries. 

Steelhead were predominantly assigned fates in the river closest to where they were 

released, but origin also played a role. Steelhead released into the Cispus River were assigned 

Cispus River fates more than 80 percent of the time, including both origins and both years. Fish 

origin affected the number of fish that left the Cispus River and were assigned Cowlitz River 

fates. About 13 percent of NOR fish had fates in the Cowlitz River, but the proportion was lower 

for HOR fish (0–2 percent). Fallback was the least common fate for Cispus River-released 

steelhead (three HOR fish in 2017), followed by the reservoir fate, ranging from 5 to 9 percent in 

2017, and zero in 2018. Kock and others (2016) reported similar patterns in fate for steelhead 

released in the Cispus River: Cispus River was the most common fate for both origins, and more 

NOR fish moved to the Cowlitz River than HOR fish. The steelhead released into Lake Scanewa 

were almost exclusively NOR fish, which had primarily Cowlitz River fates (55–57 percent). We 

released only six HOR steelhead into Lake Scanewa, and they all had Cowlitz River fates. The 

next most common fate for reservoir-released NOR steelhead was the Cispus River

(36–44 percent), with few fish having reservoir fates (1–7 percent), and none documented to fall 

back over the dam. These findings confirm the importance of the Cowlitz River for NOR fish 

released into the reservoir, as reported by Kock and others (2016). These authors reported that 

the Cowlitz River was the most common fate for NOR fish released into the reservoir

(53 percent), followed by 29 percent assigned a Cispus River fate. The reservoir fate was 

uncommon for both release sites, and it was consistently lower in 2018 compared to 2017. Flow 

conditions were higher in 2017, which may have affected steelhead movement patterns or 

timing.

We documented few fallback events. Three HOR steelhead released in the Cispus River 

in 2017 were the only fish that fell back over Cowlitz Falls Dam. These fish represented

1.4 percent of the total study fish, 5.7 percent of the Cispus River-released fish in 2017, and

9.4 percent of the Cispus River-released HOR fish in 2017. All three fish were detected in the 

dam tailrace in early May 2017 during high flow conditions and spill operations. These findings 

compare well with Kock and others (2016) who reported that 1.9 percent of HOR steelhead 

released in the Cispus River fell back, with more fallback events occurring during high flow 

conditions.

Steelhead dispersal patterns were similar between release sites and years. Within the first 

10 days after release, most steelhead had moved at least 2 rkm away from their release site. Fish 

released into Lake Scanewa, however, moved from their release site significantly sooner than 

fish released into the Cispus River, regardless of origin or sex. Most radio-tagged steelhead

(93–100 percent) made no more than one trip between the reservoir and one of the rivers prior to 

spawning, a finding similar to a previous study (Kock and others, 2016).

After spawning, about 53–63 percent of steelhead moved downstream as kelts, either 

being collected at Cowlitz Falls Dam or being detected downstream from the dam. More fish 

were collected from both release sites in 2018 compared to 2017. Across release sites and years, 

NOR fish and females moved downstream as kelts. Females are more common as kelts than 
25

males (Evans and others, 2004), likely because the cost of breeding competition is higher for 

females (Evans and others, 2008) and they presumably leave spawning areas after spawning is 

complete to maximize their chances of survival and potential return to spawn again. Kock and 

others (2016) reported that 29 percent of tagged steelhead moved downstream from the dam, as 

evidenced by either being collected or detected in the tailrace. Their proportion may have been 

lower than our proportion because they had more fallbacks during their study years. Our results 

are similar to Kock and others (2016) in that we found similar proportions of HOR and NOR fish 

moving downstream but a higher proportion of females compared to males.

One of the main objectives of this study was to document spawning sites for steelhead in 

the upper Cowlitz River Basin. We used a monitoring approach that was more spatially extensive 

than that of Kock and others (2016) so steelhead movements within each of the main rivers could 

be described by river reach, and we used intensive mobile tracking to monitor the use of 

tributaries by tagged fish. We found that most (about 62 percent) steelhead released in Lake 

Scanewa spawned in the Cowlitz River, with the remaining 38 percent in the Cispus River. 

Within the Cowlitz River, close to one-half (about 47 percent) of the fish were presumed to have 

spawned in the upper reach, and about 16 percent spawned in the lower reach. Steelhead released 

into Lake Scanewa that spawned in the Cispus River were minimal in the lower reach (4 percent) 

and distributed in approximately equal proportions in the middle (16 percent) and upper

(18 percent) reaches. Steelhead released into the Cispus River were presumed to spawn almost 

exclusively in the Cispus River (94 percent). The upper Cispus River reach was used by more 

fish (72 percent) than the middle Cispus River reach (16 percent). Taken together, the upper 

Cowlitz reach and upper Cispus River reach accounted for more than 71 percent of the spawning 

locations for radio-tagged steelhead. When the middle Cispus River reach is included with the 

upper reaches, they account for 87 percent of our described spawning sites. The lower Cispus 

and Cowlitz River reaches, combined, accounted for 13 percent of spawning sites. We described 

12 tributaries in the Cowlitz River and 8 tributaries in the Cispus River where steelhead 

spawned, and further detail is provided in figures and tables in the appendix. Our summaries of 

spawning locations should be useful for resource managers in the Cowlitz River Basin because

they may help refine their trap-and-haul procedures to best serve their reintroduction goals.

The fate summaries we present are useful to improve our understanding of dispersal 

patterns in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, but they should be interpreted cautiously because our 

study design did not directly address important factors such as prespawn mortality, harvest, or 

confirmed spawning success. Based on our study approach, estimates of Cowlitz River, Cispus 

River, and reservoir fates may be biased. Some steelhead detected in the Cowlitz and Cispus 

Rivers likely died prior to spawning because of natural factors such as disease or predation or 

were harvested by anglers. Additionally, steelhead that survived to the onset of spawning did not 

all likely spawn successfully. We have greater confidence in our estimates of fallback, however, 

because we were able to detect fish within minutes of their fallback event.

This study added to the understanding of the behavior and movement of adult steelhead 

in the upper Cowlitz River Basin, supporting the findings of Kock and others (2016) under 

different environmental conditions and describing spawning sites in the system’s two main rivers 

and their tributaries. Future research efforts in this system may use additional telemetry studies,

genetic analyses, and spawning ground surveys to provide further insights into the progress of 

the reintroduction effort. 
26

References Cited

Allison, P.D., 1995, Survival analysis using SAS—A practical guide: Cary, North Carolina, SAS 

Institute, Inc., 292 p.

Evans, A.F., Beaty, R.E., Fitzpatrick, M.S., and Collis, K., 2004, Identification and enumeration 

of steelhead kelts at a Snake River hydroelectric dam: Transactions of the American Fisheries 

Society, v. 133, no. 5, p. 1089–1099. [Also available at https://doi.org/10.1577/T03-121.1.]

Evans, A.F., Wertheimer, R.H., Keefer, M.I., Boggs, C.T., Peery, C.A., and Collis, K., 2008, 

Transportation of steelhead kelts to increase iteroparity in the Columbia and Snake Rivers:

North American Journal of Fisheries Management, v. 28, no. 6, p. 1818–1827, accessed 

January 2020, at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1577/M08-043.1.

Keefer, M.L., Peery, C.A., Ringe, R.R., and Bjornn, T.C., 2004, Regurgitation rates of 

intragastric radio transmitters by adult Chinook salmon and steelhead during upstream 

migration in the Columbia and Snake Rivers: North American Journal of Fisheries 

Management, v. 24, no. 1, p. 47–54. [Also available at https://doi.org/10.1577/M02-128.]

Kock, T.J., Ekstrom, B.K., Liedtke, T.L., Serl, J.D., and Kohn, M., 2016, Behavior patterns and 

fates of adult steelhead, Chinook salmon, and coho salmon released into the upper Cowlitz 

River Basin, 2005–09 and 2012, Washington: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2016–

1144, 36 p., accessed December 2019, at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161144.

Serl, J.D., and Morrill, C., 2011, Summary report for the 1996 to 2009 seasonal operation of the 

Cowlitz Falls fish facility and related Cowlitz Falls anadromous reintroduction program 

activities: Report by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to the Bonneville Power 

Administration, 195 p.

Sokal, R.R., and Rohlf, J.F., 1996, Biometry: New York, W.H. Freeman and Company, 887 p.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2019, USGS water data for the Nation: U.S. Geological Survey 

National Water Information System database, accessed January 17, 2019, at 

https://doi.org/10.5066/F7P55KJN.
27

Appendix 1. Detailed Summary of Spawning Locations of 

Radio-Tagged Steelhead in the Upper Cowlitz River Basin

This appendix presents a detailed summary of the spawning locations of radio-tagged 

winter steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River Basin. Table 1.1 is a summary of steelhead released 

in 2017, and table 1.2 is a summary of steelhead released in 2018. The tables individually 

identify each tagged steelhead and report its origin, sex, fork length, release site, fate and 

spawning location. Spawning locations are visually depicted by origin for 2017 (fig. 1.1) and 

2018 (fig. 1.2) to assist managers in evaluating the potential for interactions between hatchery 

origin and natural origin steelhead in this system.

Table 1.1. Spawning locations of radio-tagged steelhead released at two sites in the upper Cowlitz River 

Basin, Washington, in 2017.

[Fate: CIS, Cispus River Basin; COW, Cowlitz River Basin; RES, Reservoir; Origin: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, 

natural origin. Sex: F, female; M, male. Length: Fork length in centimeters. River: NF, North Fork. Rkm main:

River kilometer main, which designates river kilometer in either Cowlitz or Cispus River. Rkm tributary: River 

kilometer tributary, which designates river kilometer within the tributary (or not applicable [NA], if no tributary) 

where spawning occurred]

Tag code Release site Fate Origin Sex Length Spawning location

River Rkm main Rkm tributary

1123 Cispus CIS NOR M 46 Quartz 6.6 1.6

2135 Cispus CIS HOR F 80 Crystal 6.9 0.0

2011 Cispus CIS HOR M 90 Cispus 17.7 NA

1203 Cispus RES HOR F 74 Yellowjacket 27.0 3.2

1207 Cispus CIS NOR M 56 Yellowjacket 27.0 3.2

2041 Cispus CIS HOR F 77 Yellowjacket 27.0 3.2

2097 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 71 Yellowjacket 27.0 4.8

2193 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 55 Yellowjacket 27.0 8.0

1183 Cispus CIS HOR F 78 Cispus 27.2 NA

1077 Cispus CIS HOR F 79 Cispus 27.4 NA

1151 Cispus CIS HOR M 86 Cispus 28.0 NA

2211 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 49 Camp 28.3 0.0

2263 Cispus CIS HOR F 61 Camp 28.3 0.0

1067 Cispus CIS NOR M 83 Cispus 29.0 NA

1055 Cispus CIS NOR M 80 Cispus 30.6 NA

1289 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 63 Cispus 30.6 NA

1259 Cispus CIS NOR F 73 Cispus 32.2 NA

2253 Cispus CIS HOR F 65 Cispus 32.2 NA

1165 Cispus CIS HOR M 86 NF Cispus 32.3 0.0

1169 Cispus CIS HOR F 79 NF Cispus 32.3 0.0
28

Tag code Release site Fate Origin Sex Length Spawning location

River Rkm main Rkm tributary

1297 Cispus CIS HOR F 80 NF Cispus 32.3 1.6

1117 Cispus CIS HOR F 78 NF Cispus 32.3 3.2

2051 Cispus CIS NOR M 68 NF Cispus 32.3 4.8

2087 Cispus CIS NOR M 69 NF Cispus 32.3 4.8

2033 Cispus CIS HOR M 78 Cispus 34.3 NA

2043 Cispus CIS HOR F 76 Cispus 34.3 NA

2265 Cispus CIS HOR F 77 Cispus 34.3 NA

2277 Cispus CIS NOR F 57 Cispus 34.3 NA

1177 Cispus CIS HOR M 64 Cispus 35.4 NA

1225 Cispus CIS HOR M 60 Cispus 35.4 NA

2035 Cispus CIS HOR F 75 Cispus 35.4 NA

1175 Cispus CIS NOR M 56 Cispus 37.0 NA

2017 Cispus CIS NOR F 67 Cispus 37.0 NA

2021 Cispus CIS HOR M 84 Cispus 37.0 NA

2037 Cispus CIS HOR F 80 Cispus 37.0 NA

2237 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 69 Cispus 37.0 NA

1287 Cispus CIS HOR F 75 Cispus 38.6 NA

2063 Cispus CIS HOR M 87 Cispus 38.6 NA

1061 Cispus CIS NOR M 66 Cispus 40.2 NA

2039 Cispus CIS NOR F 64 Cispus 40.2 NA

2101 Cispus CIS NOR M 75 Cispus 40.2 NA

1075 Cispus CIS NOR M 75 Cispus 43.5 NA

1113 Cispus CIS HOR M 82 Cispus 45.1 NA

1059 Cispus CIS NOR F 73 Cispus 46.7 NA

1149 Cispus CIS NOR F 71 Cispus 46.7 NA

1229 Cispus CIS HOR M 46 Cispus 46.7 NA

2029 Cispus CIS HOR M 83 Cispus 46.7 NA

1187 Cispus CIS HOR F 79 Cispus 48.3 NA

2129 Cispus CIS NOR M 75 Cispus 48.3 NA

1271 Lake Scanewa COW HOR F 81 Cowlitz 162.2 NA

1279 Lake Scanewa COW HOR F 73 Cowlitz 162.2 NA

2049 Lake Scanewa COW HOR F 73 Cowlitz 162.2 NA

2079 Lake Scanewa COW HOR F 80 Cowlitz 162.2 NA

1139 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 65 Silver 169.8 1.6

1107 Cispus COW NOR M 74 Cowlitz 185.1 NA

1147 Lake Scanewa COW HOR F 70 Killborn 185.1 0.0

2167 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 83 Cowlitz 188.3 NA

2209 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 72 Cowlitz 188.3 NA

2083 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 64 Burton 188.5 3.2

2231 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 63 Cowlitz 196.3 NA

2291 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 54 Dry 196.3 0.0
29

Tag code Release site Fate Origin Sex Length Spawning location

River Rkm main Rkm tributary

2291 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 54 Smith 196.7 0.0

2181 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 66 Smith 196.7 0.0

1161 Cispus COW NOR M 71 Johnson 197.5 1.6

2045 Cispus COW NOR F 62 Skate 202.3 6.4

2071 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 68 Cowlitz 212.4 NA
30

Table 1.2. Spawning locations of radio-tagged steelhead released at two sites in the upper Cowlitz River 

Basin, Washington, in 2018.

[Fate: CIS, Cispus River Basin; COW, Cowlitz River Basin. Origin: HOR, hatchery origin; NOR, natural origin. 

Sex: F, female; M, male; Length: Fork length in centimeters. River: NF, North Fork. Rkm main: River kilometer

main, which designates river kilometer in either Cowlitz or Cispus River Rkm tributary: River kilometer tributary, 

which designates river kilometer within the tributary (or not applicable [NA], if no tributary) where spawning 

occurred]

Tag code Release site Fate Origin Sex Length Spawning location

River Rkm main Rkm tributary

2446 Cispus CIS HOR M 63 Cispus 4.8 NA

1255 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 68 Quartz 6.6 3.2

2443 Cispus CIS HOR M 65 Quartz 6.6 3.2

1424 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 64 Quartz 6.6 4.8

2457 Cispus CIS HOR M 72 Quartz 6.6 4.8

1411 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 73 Crystal 6.9 1.6

2215 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 82 Crystal 6.9 1.6

2463 Cispus CIS HOR F 67 Crystal 6.9 1.6

2457 Cispus CIS HOR M 72 Crystal 6.9 3.2

2189 Cispus CIS NOR F 68 Cispus 8.7 NA

2197 Cispus CIS HOR F 64 Cispus 8.7 NA

2444 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 82 Cispus 12.9 NA

2091 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 78 Iron 13.8 1.6

2013 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 69 Cispus 14.5 NA

2299 Cispus CIS HOR F 70 Cispus 14.5 NA

1301 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 67 Cispus 17.7 NA

2459 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 81 Cispus 17.7 NA

1140 Cispus CIS HOR F 67 Greenhorn 19.8 1.6

2461 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 75 Greenhorn 19.8 1.6

2205 Cispus CIS HOR M 73 Cispus 22.5 NA

1410 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 74 Cispus 24.1 NA

2219 Cispus CIS HOR F 62 Cispus 24.1 NA

2223 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 76 Cispus 25.7 NA

2450 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 70 Cispus 25.7 NA

1420 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 76 Yellowjacket 27.0 3.2

2447 Cispus CIS HOR M 63 Yellowjacket 27.0 3.2

1132 Cispus CIS HOR M 66 Yellowjacket 27.0 11.3

1133 Cispus CIS HOR M 67 Yellowjacket 27.0 11.3

1195 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 73 Cispus 27.2 NA

2440 Cispus CIS HOR F 65 Cispus 27.2 NA

2019 Cispus CIS HOR F 65 Cispus 27.4 NA

2099 Cispus CIS HOR M 84 Cispus 27.4 NA

2435 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 72 Cispus 27.4 NA
31

Tag code Release site Fate Origin Sex Length Spawning location

River Rkm main Rkm tributary

1133 Cispus CIS HOR M 67 Camp 28.3 6.4

1138 Cispus CIS HOR M 71 Cispus 29.0 NA

1173 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 73 Cispus 29.0 NA

1421 Cispus CIS NOR M 60 Cispus 29.0 NA

2015 Cispus CIS HOR F 66 Cispus 29.0 NA

2125 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 83 Cispus 29.0 NA

2445 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 79 Cispus 29.0 NA

1121 Cispus CIS HOR M 63 Cispus 30.6 NA

2109 Cispus CIS HOR M 64 Cispus 30.6 NA

2235 Cispus CIS HOR F 81 Cispus 30.6 NA

1427 Cispus CIS HOR F 62 Cispus 32.2 NA

2217 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 86 Cispus 32.3 NA

1127 Cispus CIS HOR F 61 NF Cispus 32.3 0.0

1403 Cispus CIS HOR F 67 NF Cispus 32.3 0.0

1415 Cispus CIS HOR M 61 NF Cispus 32.3 0.0

1426 Cispus CIS HOR M 66 NF Cispus 32.3 0.0

2093 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 78 NF Cispus 32.3 0.0

1407 Cispus CIS HOR M 69 NF Cispus 32.3 1.6

2137 Cispus CIS NOR F 63 NF Cispus 32.3 1.6

2191 Cispus CIS HOR M 67 NF Cispus 32.3 1.6

1227 Cispus CIS HOR F 64 NF Cispus 32.3 3.2

1311 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 68 NF Cispus 32.3 3.2

1413 Cispus CIS HOR M 64 NF Cispus 32.3 4.8

2085 Cispus CIS HOR M 67 NF Cispus 32.3 4.8

2433 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 69 NF Cispus 32.3 4.8

2434 Cispus CIS HOR M 70 NF Cispus 32.3 4.8

1269 Cispus CIS HOR M 65 NF Cispus 32.3 9.7

1319 Cispus CIS HOR M 66 NF Cispus 32.3 12.9

1245 Cispus CIS HOR F 66 Cispus 34.3 NA

1422 Cispus CIS NOR M 49 Cispus 34.3 NA

2025 Cispus CIS HOR M 67 Cispus 34.3 NA

1136 Cispus CIS NOR F 67 Cispus 35.4 NA

2436 Cispus CIS NOR F 68 Cispus 35.4 NA

2437 Cispus CIS NOR F 66 Cispus 35.4 NA

2452 Cispus CIS HOR M 56 Cispus 35.4 NA

2458 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 73 Cispus 38.6 NA

2462 Cispus CIS HOR M 65 Cispus 38.6 NA

1185 Cispus CIS NOR F 85 Cispus 40.2 NA

1273 Cispus CIS NOR M 75 Cispus 40.2 NA

1295 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 66 Cispus 40.2 NA

2065 Cispus CIS NOR M 75 Cispus 40.2 NA
32

Tag code Release site Fate Origin Sex Length Spawning location

River Rkm main Rkm tributary

2451 Cispus CIS NOR F 79 Cispus 41.8 NA

1221 Cispus CIS HOR M 66 Cispus 43.5 NA

1239 Cispus CIS NOR M 74 Cispus 43.5 NA

1417 Cispus CIS NOR F 63 Cispus 43.5 NA

1430 Cispus CIS HOR M 63 Cispus 45.1 NA

2163 Cispus CIS NOR F 72 Cispus 45.1 NA

1412 Cispus CIS HOR F 61 Prospect 46.5 0.0

2249 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 72 Prospect 46.5 0.0

2442 Cispus CIS HOR M 64 Prospect 46.5 0.0

1171 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 69 Cispus 46.7 NA

1401 Cispus CIS NOR F 67 Cispus 46.7 NA

2438 Cispus CIS NOR F 71 Cispus 46.7 NA

2455 Cispus CIS NOR M 73 Cispus 46.7 NA

1257 Cispus CIS HOR F 62 Cispus 48.3 NA

1281 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 73 Cispus 48.3 NA

1425 Cispus CIS NOR M 80 Cispus 48.3 NA

2031 Cispus CIS HOR M 66 Cispus 48.3 NA

2081 Cispus CIS NOR F 69 Cispus 48.3 NA

2233 Cispus CIS NOR M 81 Cispus 48.3 NA

2439 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR M 71 Cispus 48.3 NA

2453 Cispus CIS HOR M 66 Cispus 48.3 NA

1293 Cispus COW HOR F 72 Lambert 147.7 0.0

1404 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 66 Kiona 161.4 1.6

1423 Lake Scanewa CIS NOR F 71 Cowlitz 162.2 NA

1428 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 71 Cowlitz 162.2 NA

2069 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 82 Miller 165.4 0.0

1406 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 58 Silver 169.8 1.6

1408 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 68 Silver 169.8 1.6

1419 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 73 Silver 169.8 1.6

1267 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 70 Cowlitz 181.2 NA

1309 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 63 Cowlitz 181.2 NA

1325 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 78 Cowlitz 188.3 NA

1402 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 81 Cowlitz 188.3 NA

1429 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 72 Cowlitz 188.3 NA

2283 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 81 Cowlitz 188.3 NA

2303 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 73 Cowlitz 188.3 NA

2454 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 71 Cowlitz 188.3 NA

1405 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 77 Cowlitz 189.9 NA

2023 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 61 Cowlitz 189.9 NA

1414 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 83 Cowlitz 196.3 NA

2199 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 71 Cowlitz 196.3 NA
33

Tag code Release site Fate Origin Sex Length Spawning location

River Rkm main Rkm tributary

2251 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 74 Cowlitz 196.3 NA

1416 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 85 Smith 196.7 0.0

2460 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 66 Smith 196.7 0.0

1285 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 77 Smith 196.7 1.6

1261 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 69 Smith 196.7 1.6

1261 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 69 Johnson 197.5 1.6

1418 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 79 Johnson 197.5 1.6

1432 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 74 Johnson 197.5 1.6

2089 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 80 Johnson 197.5 1.6

1323 Lake Scanewa COW HOR M 87 Johnson 197.5 3.2

1323 Lake Scanewa COW HOR M 87 Skate 202.3 3.2

1201 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 90 Skate 202.3 3.2

1247 Cispus COW NOR F 77 Skate 202.3 3.2

2119 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 78 Skate 202.3 3.2

2073 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 77 Skate 202.3 4.8

1131 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 70 Cowlitz 203.6 NA

1141 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 61 Cowlitz 203.6 NA

1157 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 71 Cowlitz 203.6 NA

1409 Cispus COW NOR F 73 Cowlitz 203.6 NA

1431 Cispus COW NOR F 70 Cowlitz 203.6 NA

2057 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 81 Cowlitz 203.6 NA

2103 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 62 Cowlitz 203.6 NA

2456 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 64 Cowlitz 207.6 NA

2448 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 69 Lake 208.1 0.0

1134 Lake Scanewa COW NOR M 76 Cowlitz 209.2 NA

2145 Lake Scanewa COW NOR F 74 Ohanapecosh 215.7 1.6
34

Figure 1.1. Image showing locations of adult radio-tagged steelhead spawning in the upper Cowlitz River 

Basin, Washington, by origin (NOR, natural origin; HOR, hatchery origin) in 2017. Map image is the 

intellectual property of Esri and is used herein under license. Copyright © 2020 Esri and its licensors. All 

rights reserved. >, greater than; <, less than.
35

Figure 1.2. Image showing locations of adult radio-tagged steelhead spawning in the upper Cowlitz River 

Basin, Washington, by origin (NOR, natural origin; HOR, hatchery origin) in 2018. Map image is the 

intellectual property of Esri and is used herein under license. Copyright © 2020 Esri and its licensors. All 

rights reserved. >, greater than; <, less than.

Publishing support provided by the U.S. Geological Survey

Science Publishing Network, Tacoma Publishing Service Center

For more information concerning the research in this report, contact the

Director, Western Fisheries Research Center

U.S. Geological Survey

6505 NE 65th Street

Seattle, Washington 98115-5016

https://www.usgs.gov/centers/wfrc
Liedtke and Others—Behavior and Movement of Adult Winter Steelhead in the Upper Cowlitz River Basin, Washington, 2017–18—Open-File Report 2020–1054

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201054