Salmo g. -
Has the Skagit Flow group been able to explain why in the last 15 years the portion of the wild winter steelhead using the main stem Skagit above the Sauk for spawning has declined in comparison to the rest of the basin? The last time I look the decline in steelhead production in that reach relative to the rest of the basin was shocking.

Any new insights in to how flow management by the Seattle City Light dams might be affecting the over-winter habitat of the steelhead parr in that reach of the river? How about how the daily flow flucations may be affecting the insect produciton in that reach of the river?

Our river systems are complicated ecosystems and it does not seem far fetched to me that if we alter flow regimens to favor a specific life history or rearing strategy (fry production) that such regimen might be less than favorable to alternate rearing strategies (yearling or older smolts).

In other words flow management strategies that favor Chinook could easily be less than favorable for steelhead. I'm not say that such decisions are necessarioly wrong but it would be refreshing to acknowledge that there maybe resource costs to such decisions.

Tight lines
Curt