Restoration and protection projects found in this project folder are located in the Skagit River upstream of the confluence with the Sauk River. Those projects contributing to the recovery goals in the Skagit Chapter of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan have project numbers beginning with the number 10.05, a reference to the chapter and section in that document. All other projects either pre-date the recovery plan or benefit other species.

There is recent evidence of limited freshwater habitat rearing capacity for Chinook salmon in the Skagit- fish sampling efforts show an upper limit on the number of parr migrants the river basin produces (~1,300,000 annually), while the rest of the ocean type component head downstream as delta rearing or fry migrants. This appears to be a density-dependent migration response. Therefore, increasing the availability of freshwater rearing habitat should increase the number of parr migrants. The assumption here is that floodplain habitat is critical to the success of parr migrant and stream type life histories because of the length of their residency in freshwater and the growth that occurs during that time. Parr migrants spend several months in freshwater and grow to an average size of 75 mm fork length before migrating seaward. Stream type Chinook salmon spend over one year in freshwater habitat before migrating seaward at an average size of 120 mm fork length.