Fraser River Flows

The mean discharge (m3 s-1) of the Fraser River measured at Hope station. Presented as the mean discharge for an annual year (January through December) and for a flow year (April present year through March next year).

Abstract from Richard et al. (1994)
We identified years of anomalously high and low discharge from the Fraser River and compared these years with indices of anomalously high and low production of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi). For chinook (O. tshawytscha) and coho salmon (O. kisutch), we found that brood years that went to sea in a year when the Fraser River discharge was very high compared with the previous year virtually never had an index of production that was higher than the previous year. Similarly, brood years that went to sea in a year when the Fraser River discharge was very low compared with the previous year almost never had an index of productivity that was lower than the previous year. The analysis identified a weaker association between extreme discharge anomalies and chum salmon (O. keta) production. A close association was not found between extreme discharge anomalies and pink salmon (O. gorbuscha), sockeye salmon (O. nerka), or herring production. The relationships identify a connection between annual fluctuations in river flow and production of some marine fishes and may be of use in forecasting abundance changes

Organization: Fisheries and Oceans Canada | Pêches et Océans Canada

Last modified: 2026-04-09T11:12:21.088979