The Clackamas River: critical fish habitat

The Clackamas is a special place for salmonids, supporting a significant population of winter steelhead, cutthroat trout and native lamprey. The River is home to one of the last two significant runs of wild late winter coho in the lower Columbia Basin, and has one of only two remaining runs of spring chinook in the Willamette Basin. This run was federally listed as threatened in 2005. Lower Columbia steelhead and Chinook were listed as threatened under the federal ESA in 1998 and 1999. The federal caucus also listed the Clackamas as a high priority for Salmon Recovery in their “All H” report.

In 1877 Livingston Stone, employed by the US Fish Commission to explore potential fish hatchery sites throughout the Columbia River Basin, declared upon viewing the Clackamas:

"Probably no tributary of the Columbia has abounded so profusely with salmon in past years as this river."

Today the Clackamas River Basin still supports regionally significant fish runs. However, fish populations in the basin and the lower Columbia River have declined from historic levels, with some fish runs diminished to the point of being federally listed as endangered species. For more detailed information on fish in the Clackamas check our Basin Summary Report on Fish Populations and Aquatic Riparian Habitat here

So, when is salmon season? Where can I find them?
The wild late run Coho generally spawn on the mainstem of the Clackamas above the North Fork Reservoir. Clear Creek, which drains into the mainstem at Carver is important to Coho, spring chinook and steelhead and is a critical stronghold for fish in the lower watershed.

Spring Chinook salmon begin the annual spawning migration, followed by fall Chinook, coho salmon, and winter steelhead trout. Migratory runs of lamprey and sea-run cutthroat trout also move between the Pacific Ocean and lower Columbia River and the Clackamas River. Historically, the basin supported some of the most diverse and productive fish populations in the Columbia River system.

For more information on where fish can be found in the Clackamas, please visit our Basin Action Plan.