Henrichs, B., LeMoine, M. and Beamer, E., 2021. zis a ba 2019 Post-Restoration Fish Monitoring Technical Report. Skagit River System Cooperative, La Conner, WA. pp. 23.

In 2019, fish sampling was conducted following methods of the zis a ba Monitoring and
Adaptive Management Plan (Beamer et al. 2019). We caught 37,170 fish from 18 species
between March and early August. We documented juvenile Chinook salmon and juvenile chum
salmon use in the newly restored habitat the first year after restoration occurred. Juvenile salmon
were widespread within the restoration area and were observed in the smaller channels. In 2019,
salmon densities were similar between restoration and reference sites. Physical water parameters
(dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity) were also similar between restoration and reference
sites. Salinity gradient did exist across the restored area where western sites closer to Port Susan
and Skagit Bay had higher salinities than eastern sites closer to Church Creek. Fish communities
had higher numbers of marine species in western sites and higher numbers of freshwater species
in eastern sites. This report provides results from 2019 and some preliminary conclusions to help
inform future evaluations. Additional post restoration monitoring is needed to numerically
calculate the treatment effect of restoration on juvenile salmon abundance and will be compared
with the two years of pre-restoration monitoring.