channelSs ons less than 200 feet wide and the other 40 feet 

 wide<> The huge whirlpool found below where the two channels 

 came together was one of the most violent on the entire 

 Columbia, for it swallowed whole logs and trees vrhich later 

 appeared nearly a mile below rounded and scoured smooth. 



Except for one or two shallow bars, there was deep, swift 

 water for the next 30 miles to Rock Island Rapids, located 2 

 miles below Trail, BoC, which were similar to, but not quite 

 as bad, as The Little Dalles o Freeman averaged 9 miles per hour 

 in his boat for the 19 miles between Castlegar and Trail, B.C., 

 there being a steamer channel between the gravel islands of 

 China Bar. The latter may possibly have afforded spawning areas 

 for salmon. Kootenay Rapids, just below Castlegar, were l/2 mile 

 of white water with a multitude of black rocks. 



The Arrow Lakes occupy former deep, glaciated river valleys 

 and together are about 100 miles in length and 2 l/2 to 3 miles 

 wide. A narrow 16-mile long channel connects the two lakes, and 

 steamers run from one end of the lakes to the other. The lake 

 shores are often precipitous, although there are occasional bays 

 suid smooth shores on which dairy and fruit ranches are located, 

 most of these being on the slightly less rugged, lower lake shores. 

 The lower lake has moderately high mountains bordering it; the upper 

 lake has the snowcapped mountain banks of the Monachee Range on the 

 wast, and the Slocan C/roup of the Selkirks on the east. The Selkirk 

 Range has a greater snowfall than do the Rockies. At Glacier it 

 averages 35 feet, and usually lies at least 4 to 8 feet deep from 

 October to April. Therefore, althoygh most of the streams have a 

 plentiful supply of water throughout the year, they are pften 

 cloudy with glacial silt. It is evident that few of the cascading 

 tributary streams in this mountainous section could be ascended for 

 any distance by salmon. Blueback salmon are said formerly to have 

 ascended to the Arrow Lakes region, but no data have been obtained 

 as to any spawning areas that they may have used in this section. 



The river is broad and there is no fast water in the 30 miles 

 from upper Arrovr Lake to the town of Revelstoke, but in the next 

 55 miles to Death Rapids and Goldstream confluence there are 3 

 very turbulent rapids. Revelstoke Canyon, at the lower end of this 

 latter stretch, is a deep gorge, the walls being about 100 feet aparto 

 The river in the canyon is at least 150 feet deep, and the current 

 has a great velocity. Sand Slide Uapids at the heed of the canyon is 

 a fast rolling stretch of water. There are broader and quieter stretches 

 of deep water between Rock Point, Priest and Death Rapids. The Canadian 

 Priest Rapids are said to be the fastest on the main Columbia, v;ith a 

 current of over 20 miles per hour, but they are straight and the water 

 is deepe Death Rapids are very rougb,v/ith rolling waves 12 to 15 feet 

 high and abundant boils and whirlpools. 



101 



