CM -
My point was that the habitat changes had simplified the habitat. Historically we would typically find Chinook spawning in deeper, faster waters with large substrate. The pinks more typically along the stream edges and up on the bars in shallower waters with slower flows. With the massive bed load inputs common on the Stillaguamish that sort of selection for separate spawning areas/habitat types between the two species is reduced.

My other point was the massive pink spawning with the Chinook alter the female Chinooks behavior and significantly reduced the time she guarded her redd site. Typically changes from the normal behavior has some associated survival reduction. Something similar was seen on the Cedar river in the Chinook/sockeye interactions. It may not be an accident that as the sockeye numbers decreased the Chinook production increased.

Curt