134 Report of the Board of Slicll Fish Commissioner* 



found on Cheston Point and on High Island bar the bot- 

 tom was found to consist of coarse gravel to which an abundant 

 catch of spat was attached. The depth of water over the bars 

 ranged from six to twelve feet. Observations of the rate of 

 flow of the currents at the time when the water flows fastest 

 are lacking, but a velocity greater than .25 mile per hour is 

 probably not developed. Over the natural oyster bars in the 

 vicinity of the islands currents were observed having a velocity 

 of .047 to .09 mile per hour. 



Five parcels of surveyed bottom, aggregating an area of 14.5 

 acres, were thrown out as not sufficient in value to tongmen for 

 charting and buoying as natural oyster bars. The bottoms in 

 Rhode River which are available for lease are not recommended 

 for oyster culture. 



West River. 

 (Chart of Natural Oyster Bars, No. 3.) 



West River is also small, being 2.5 miles in length and .60 

 mile wide at its mouth. It receives seven tributaries, five of 

 which enter from the north and west. The natural oyster bars, 

 five in number, containing an area of 132 acres, are situated in 

 water varying in depth from four to twelve feet. The oyster- 

 bearing bottom is composed mainly of sand, although soft mud 

 is found near the off-shore limits of the bars. One small bar 

 near the mouth of the river has a soft muddy bottom and is 

 "lumpy." The currents in West River are very sluggish, no 

 velocity having been observed over oyster grounds greater than 

 .09 mile per hour. The density during October varied from 

 1.004 to 1.0078. 



Grounds, either containing oysters in quantities too small or 

 of .areas too small to be classed as natural bars, aggregating 

 nine acres, were found in the upper part of the river. In addi- 

 tion to this ground, there are about seventy-five acres of barren 

 bottom suitable for oyster culture. 



