Auke_Creek_Weir

Sylvie's offspring will incubate throughout the winter in the flowing water and gravel of their Montana Creek home. When they have had enough temperature units to become alevin, fry, and eventually smolt, they will outmigrate along the route traveled by their mother, but in the reverse direction. Anne Post, of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, gave us information on Auke Creek Weir, a research station in the riparian zone right here in Juneau. Ms. Post supplied the information that follows.

The Auke Creek weir is run cooperatively by the Sport Fish Division of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

A weir has been operated at Auke Creek since 1963, and the present permanent structure was installed during the spring of 1980. It is a two-way structure that has the ability to capture all fish returning to and leaving from Auke Lake. It is operated from March 1 through June 30 to intercept all fish leaving the lake including: juvenile pink, chum, coho, and sockeye salmon, steelhead, cutthroat trout, and Dolly Varden. The weir is converted every year in late June to count upstream migrant adult salmon and trout. It is operated through November to count the late returning coho salmon.

The information gathered at Auke Creek is important for several research projects and is used as an indicator of some local wild stocks. The counts from the weir are also used to monitor and guide fisheries management decisions for the Juneau area. Studies initiated at Auke Creek weir have provided important insights into life history strategies, age composition, maturity, timing, and growth. Additional information obtained from the collection of coded wire tagged coho salmon is used to monitor the exploitation and contribution of coho from Auke Lake and other nearby streams to various commercial and sport fisheries.

For daily counts at the weir please check here: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/region1/escapement/auke-creek.cfm

For pictures of the weir please visit here: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/region1/escapement/aukephoto.cfm