Brewer,

Yes, I read the linked article. As OncyT points out, the estimates presented are questionable at best. Spawning gravel is not the limiting factor for any of the species considered, except possibly sockeye when the gravel area is small and the lake area is large. And there is ample gravel in the historical sockeye spawning tributaries relative to the size of the lakes the juveniles reared.

There is a lot more in those estimates that bear a critical analysis, but it's not worth going into without more habitat information, and not the kind used by the authors of the linked article.

The upshot is that the Yakima is doing pretty well in consideration of the severe limitations imposed by the many storage reservoirs, irrigation diversion dams, and the regulation of river flow to meet irrigation demands, irrespective of fisheries needs. And yes, I'm aware of the changes made around 20 years ago for "flip-flop" to protect spring Chinook redds in the Yakima.

Sg