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Puget Sound Salmon Health

Nisqually River Basin

Salmon health indicators and environmental conditions for the Nisqually River watershed in South Sound. Area: 1,979 km².

Stable

Chinook Returns (2024)

—fish
→stable

All Species (2024)

0fish

Watershed Area

1,979km²

Chinook Returns — Nisqually River

2015 – 2024 · Annual estimated spawner counts

From 2010 to 2023, estimates decreased by 45%. Most recent (2023): 1k fish. Range across period: 392–2k fish.

Estimated Chinook salmon returning to spawn each year based on WDFW spawner surveys. Chinook are the primary focus of recovery efforts and the species most important for tribal subsistence and cultural practices.

Source: WDFW Salmonid Population Indicators (SPI) — data.wa.gov · Refreshed Feb 21, 2026

View data as table
Chinook Returns — Nisqually River — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
20102k
20112k
20122k
20132k
20141k
20152k
2016964
20172k
2018606
2019392
2020572
2021699
20221k
20231k

Returns by Species

Chinook

From 2010 to 2023, estimates decreased by 45%. Most recent (2023): 1k fish. Range across period: 392–2k fish.
View data as table
Chinook Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
20102k
20112k
20122k
20132k
20141k
20152k
2016964
20172k
2018606
2019392
2020572
2021699
20221k
20231k

Coho

From 2010 to 2016, estimates increased by 1118%. Most recent (2016): 2k fish. Range across period: 57–4k fish.
View data as table
Coho Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
2010151
2011220
20124k
20132k
201457
201559
20162k

Chum

From 2010 to 2018, estimates decreased by 54%. Most recent (2018): 29k fish. Range across period: 14k–64k fish.
View data as table
Chum Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
201064k
201157k
201215k
201316k
201438k
201520k
201614k
201754k
201829k

Pink

From 2011 to 2019, estimates decreased by 37%. Most recent (2019): 417k fish. Range across period: 38k–764k fish.
View data as table
Pink Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
2011657k
2013764k
2015222k
201738k
2019417k

Sockeye

No data available for this selection.

Steelhead

No data available for this selection.

Environmental Conditions

Annual Water Temperature

From 2015 to 2024, estimates decreased by 9%. Most recent (2024): 8.3 °C. Range across period: 7.3–9.1 °C.

Annual median water temperature across active USGS monitoring stations in Puget Sound. Temperatures above 18°C cause physiological stress for adult salmon.

Source: USGS NWIS Statistics Service — annual median across 4 stations

View data as table
Annual Water Temperature — tabular data
YearValue (°C)
20159.1
20169
20177.7
20188.4
20198.4
20208.3
20218.3
20227.3
20238.8
20248.3

Annual Stream Discharge

From 2015 to 2024, estimates decreased by 22%. Most recent (2024): 287 cfs. Range across period: 279–480 cfs.

Annual median stream discharge across active USGS gauging stations in Puget Sound. Low flow years reduce spawning habitat and concentrate contaminants.

Source: USGS NWIS Statistics Service — annual median across 5 stations

View data as table
Annual Stream Discharge — tabular data
YearValue (cfs)
2015368
2016480
2017445
2018362
2019279
2020462
2021408
2022357
2023282
2024287

Restoration & Stewardship

Habitat restoration, hatchery programs, and monitoring projects are active across the Nisqually River watershed. Tribal nations hold treaty-protected fishing rights and co-manage salmon populations under the Boldt Decision.

View Stewardship Projects →
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