Canadian and U. S. fisheries personnel have conducted surveys of annual sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) spawner abundance in the Okanagan River for more than 50 years. This report compiles escapement survey observations (1947-2001) gathered by date and location at the Okanagan River spawning grounds in British Columbia and at the Wells Dam fishway on the Columbia River, Washington. Data are presented in summary tables within this report and as raw observations recorded on Microsoft Excel worksheets on the accompanying CDROM. We obtained all escapement data from pre-existing documents, internet accessible databases, and personal contact with fishery observers.

The results reported here provide background support to the Okanagan Basin Technical Working Group, and the Fish and Water Management Tools project (FWMT). The aim of the FWMT project is to provide fisheries biologists and water managers with a set of decision support tools that will enable them to better balance water management practices (e.g. flood control) with fish protection and production objectives in the Okanagan basin.