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Puget Sound Salmon Health

Nooksack River Basin

Salmon health indicators and environmental conditions for the Nooksack River watershed in North Sound. Area: 2,145 km².

Threatened

Chinook Returns (2024)

—fish
→stable

All Species (2024)

0fish

Watershed Area

2,145km²

Chinook Returns — Nooksack River

2015 – 2024 · Annual estimated spawner counts

From 2010 to 2016, estimates decreased by 58%. Most recent (2016): 822 fish. Range across period: 570–2k 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 — Nooksack River — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
20102k
2011862
2012570
20131k
20141k
20151k
2016822

Returns by Species

Chinook

From 2010 to 2016, estimates decreased by 58%. Most recent (2016): 822 fish. Range across period: 570–2k fish.
View data as table
Chinook Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
20102k
2011862
2012570
20131k
20141k
20151k
2016822

Coho

From 2010 to 2012, estimates decreased by 40%. Most recent (2012): 1k fish. Range across period: 786–2k fish.
View data as table
Coho Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
20102k
2011786
20121k

Chum

From 2010 to 2019, estimates decreased by 42%. Most recent (2019): 13k fish. Range across period: 13k–94k fish.
View data as table
Chum Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
201022k
201194k
201217k
201334k
201443k
201549k
201642k
201722k
201814k
201913k

Pink

From 2011 to 2011, estimates increased by 0%. Most recent (2011): 54k fish. Range across period: 54k–54k fish.
View data as table
Pink Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
201154k

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 Nooksack 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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