116 Kansas Academy of Science. 



STREAMS. 



The principal streams of the region are the Fraser and Nook- 

 sack rivers, and the Dakota, California and Terrell creeks, and their 

 tributaries. 



The California and Dakota creeks are both flat-bottomed, wide- 

 mouthed, mud-flat streams that are practically dry when the tide 

 is out. They both have their source on the low divide between 

 the Bay of Georgia and the Nooksack valley at this point. In fact, 

 they have cut their channels back till they rise in the Nooksack 

 valley. At one time they seem to have been channels leading out 

 from the Nooksack estuary. They both pour their muddy waters 

 into Semiahmoo bay. 



The creek that drains Lake Judson flows out of the Nooksack 

 valley proper, through a gorge in the glacial deposits, to the Fra- 

 ser, at Mission. 



The Fraser river descends from the mountains and crosses the 

 Sumas valley and then passes through granite walls to the flats be- 

 yond, through which it flows to Georgian Bay. It is a large river, 

 of rapid current, and is navigable to the foot-hills. 



The Nooksack, a much smaller stream than the Fraser, flows 

 from the foot-hills in a northwest direction to Lynden. At this 

 point it turns abruptly southwestward, which direction it keeps till 

 it reaches the point where it forms its delta. Here it divides and 

 subdivides. The main branch empties into Bellingham bay ; the 

 minor branch into the Bay of Lummi, on the opposite side of the 

 Lummi peninsula. On leaving the mountains it has a very rapid 

 current, but below Lynden the stream is so near base-level that its 

 rate of flow is much reduced. In its lower course its channels are 

 very changeable. A change in the main channel in the '80's washed 

 away most of the Indian village of Lummi and compelled the gov- 

 ernment to move its school buildings to save them ; the site of the 

 schoolhouse then is now in the center of the main channel of the 

 river. A jam in the river some years ago flooded the whole coun- 

 try and did great damage to property. Had it not been removed 

 by the government it would have ruined all the delta farm lands 

 and in the end would have changed the main channel of the river 

 to the Lummi bay side of the peninsula. This would have ruined 

 the fishing industry of the Indians and of the white people at Mari- 

 etta. The river is navigable for small boats to Lynden. 



