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Puget Sound Salmon Health

Skokomish River Basin

Salmon health indicators and environmental conditions for the Skokomish River watershed in Hood Canal. Area: 623 km².

Stable

Chinook Returns (2024)

3.3kfish
down

All Species (2024)

20.7kfish

Watershed Area

623km²

Chinook Returns — Skokomish River

2015 – 2024 · Annual estimated spawner counts

From 2010 to 2025, estimates decreased by 86%. Most recent (2025): 176 fish. Range across period: 176–5k 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 — Skokomish River — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
20101k
20111k
20122k
20132k
2014849
2015432
20161k
20174k
20181k
20192k
20201k
2021993
20225k
20235k
20243k
2025176

Returns by Species

Chinook

From 2010 to 2025, estimates decreased by 86%. Most recent (2025): 176 fish. Range across period: 176–5k fish.
View data as table
Chinook Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
20101k
20111k
20122k
20132k
2014849
2015432
20161k
20174k
20181k
20192k
20201k
2021993
20225k
20235k
20243k
2025176

Coho

No data available for this selection.

Chum

From 2010 to 2024, estimates increased by 889%. Most recent (2024): 17k fish. Range across period: 528–18k fish.
View data as table
Chum Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
20102k
20119k
20128k
201318k
20149k
20156k
20168k
20174k
20183k
2019528
20203k
202113k
20226k
20236k
202417k

Pink

No data available for this selection.

Sockeye

No data available for this selection.

Steelhead

From 2010 to 2025, estimates decreased by 25%. Most recent (2025): 238 fish. Range across period: 238–1k fish.
View data as table
Steelhead Returns — tabular data
YearValue (fish)
2010319
2011424
2012499
20131k
2014614
20151k
20161k
2017619
2018903
2019867
2020526
2021499
2022340
2023363
2024335
2025238

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 Skokomish River watershed. Tribal nations hold treaty-protected fishing rights and co-manage salmon populations under the Boldt Decision.

View Stewardship Projects →