My understanding is that the Chambers Creek winter stock is a composite stock with something like 8 different rivers contributing to the gene pool. Early in the hatchery program (late 1940s through 1980s) the use of the Chambers Creek hatchery and its warm water was key to the success of the hatchery fish. At least through the early 1980s the PS Chambers Creek fish typically spawned from late December to late March/Early April. That warmer water was key in accelerating the egg incubation and juvenile rearing to successfully produce yearling smolts that would be of sufficient size to assure decent smolt to adult survivals.

While like all hatchery stocks the Chambers Creek survived at lower rates than typical wild stocks. However at least through the 1980s in Puget Sound those hatchery fish were the backbone of the fishery. In the Quileute monitoring showed that the Chambers Creek survived at significantly higher rates than the wild brood stock Snider Creek steelhead.

Like all of Puget Sound steelhead stocks (hatchery and wild) beginning in the late 1980s the survival of those PS Chambers Creek stocks dropped dramatically. I suspect the issue was more with the Puget Sound ecosystem survival conditions than problems with the brood stock. In the last 40 years the data I have looked at shows that steelhead, coho and Chinook PS smolt to adult survivals have declined 80 to 90%.

Curt