Portland General Electric has recently been talking about above average returns of reintroduced spring chinook this year.  I first saw mention of this in their June newsletter, then there was this story on KTVZ, and then today’s story in the Bend Bulletin.  I hesitated to write about these returns but given the coverage, here’s my two cents.  Without a doubt this is good news but with a total of 46 adult fish so far this year returns remain dismal.  PGE is crediting the improvement to operational changes, specifically releasing hatchery reared smolts rather than fry along with nighttime operation of the Selective Water Withdrawal tower during out migration periods.  I certainly hope these are the reasons.  Time will tell, however, if this is an aberration, like the recent one year spike in Sockeye returns that has not repeated itself, or the beginning of a true recovery.  I’m hopeful, but cautious.