Forecasts for a trio of Southwest Washington rivers were revealed today, and the news is improved if you’re a Cowlitz or Lewis River angler, not so good if you work the Kalama.

A statement from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, and forwarded by Joe Hymer of the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, reads:

2009 Returns and 2010 Forecasts

Overall

• The 2009 total return of adult spring Chinook to the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers were spot on with the pre-season forecasts though where the fish ended up was slightly off.
• A total of 7,200 adult spring Chinook were predicted to return to the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers in 2009; the actual return was 7,200.
• The three-year-old jack returns were improved and in some cases the highest in years.
• The 2010 pre-season forecast for all three rivers is 19,400 adults.

Cowlitz River

• 2009 actual adult return was 4,900; pre-season forecast 4,100.
• Largest three-year-old jack return since the early 1990s.
• The 2010 pre-season forecast is 12,500 adults.
• The 2010 return would be twice the recent five year average.

Kalama River

• 2009 actual adult return was 350; pre-season forecast 900.
• The 2009 return was the second lowest since at least 1980 (338 adults returned in 1985).
• 2004 and 2005 broods have performed poorly to date.
• Improved three-year-old jacks returns from the 2006 brood are expected to result in improved four year-old returns in 2010.
• The 2010 pre-season forecast is 900 adults.

Lewis River

• 2009 actual adult return was 1,900; pre-season forecast 2,200
• The 2009 return was the lowest of this decade.
• Largest return of three-year-old jacks since the early 1990s.
• The 2010 pre-season forecast is 6,000 adults.
• The 2010 return would be 20% greater than the recent ten-year average