Anadromous Fish Spawning Habitat. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has classified more than 20 streams in Port Valdez as anadromous fish streams (Stream Numbers 000-00-00000 to 221-60-11530). These streams provide spawning and rearing habitat for pink, chum, silver, and red salmon, as well as Xxxxx Xxxxxx. Counts of returning adult xxxxxx made during ground surveys of streams are shown in Figure 3-1. The steepness of the surrounding terrain tends to limit the amount of suitable spawning habitat available in many of the streams. Consequently, populations of wild salmon in the Port are relatively small (City of Xxxxxx, 1992). After salmon spawn, the eggs incubate in the gravel of the streambed until hatching in winter. The hatched alevins remain in the gravel until spring when they emerge as fry. During the winter, egg and alevin survival depend on adequate stream flows and proper water temperatures. Spring-fed streams provide a more consistent and warmer stream flow than runoff fed streams and are most often utilized for spawning (Xxxxxxx, 1973). During the spawning season four streams are regularly surveyed from the air for pink or chum salmon (pers. comm., Xxx Xxxxx, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1995). Spawning pink and chum salmon are prevalent in streams associated with Mineral Creek and the Duck Flats. Pink salmon are also common in the Robe and Xxxx River systems. Both species spawn at the intertidal mouth of the stream as well as further up the stream. Xxx emerge from late May through early June. Pink and chum fry spend little time in freshwater. They move quickly into the Port, form schools, and concentrate along the shoreline. Generally, these salmon fry migrate out of the Port within three weeks after emerging, although they may concentrate at the west end of the Port and feed before passing through the Narrows (Xxxxxx and Xxxxx, 1994). Chum salmon fry may feed in the Duck Flats for several weeks before moving out into the Port (Dames & Xxxxx, 1979a). Silver salmon spawn mostly in the Robe and Xxxx River systems. After emerging, the fry remain in freshwater streams for one or two years before migrating out of the Port. Red salmon spawn mostly in the Robe River system where the fry have access to Robe Lake for rearing. Red salmon fry remain in freshwater for two or three years before migrating out of the Port. Before the 1950s, the red salmon run in Port Valdez consisted of approximately 40,000 adults. At that time Xxxxxx Creek, a glacial stream draining into Robe Lake...
