Proceeding upstream, the Powder River extends for a distance 

 of about 8 miles to the lower end of Sumpter Valley, The discharge 

 in this section was about lUO c.f.s,, and the water temperature was 

 above 70 F* In the lower h miles the stream flows throu^ a narrow 

 valley. The gradient here is moderate, and there are nimerous good 

 shallow riffles and adeq\iate resting pools* The value of "Uiis por- 

 tion of the stream as salmon spawning area was discounted because of 

 the extensive deposition of mining silto It was estimated that less 

 than 10 percent of the stream bed should be classified as sviitable 

 spawning area. In the upper portion of this section the stream 

 gradually becomes confined in a narrow, rocky canyono The gradient 

 becomes fairly steep, and the bottom is composed chiefly of large 

 rubble and bedrock « There is less silting of the stream bed, but 

 very little spawning areao 



The Sumpter Canyon opens upstream into the wide, gently 

 sloping Sumpter Valley, through which the stream extends for a dis- 

 tance of about 12 miles o The stream had an average width of 30 

 feet and was flowing about 135 c.f.s. in this sectiono The water 

 temperature ranged from 65 F. to 68 F. The gradient here is generally 

 moderate, and there are numerous good riffle areas and adequate resting 

 pools. The stream bed is covered throughout with such a heavy layer of 

 silt that it is impossible to determine the underlying rubble composi- 

 tion, and this portion of the stream was adjudged to be of no value 

 as salmon spawning area under these conditions. The water was also 

 extremely turbid, and silt was being deposited continually. In the 

 upper half of this section, from McEwen upstream to Sumpter, a distance 

 of somewhat more than 6 miles, the stream bed was either torn up or in 

 the process of being torn up by gold dredges, which caused heavy silt- 

 ing downstream. The stream bed was transformed into conical mounds 

 of gravel tailings, and the banks were often dug away and denuded of 

 marginal vegetation. 



The Powder River is formed at Sumpter by the confluence of 

 Cracker Creek and McCully Fork, 



6A. Daly Creek, — (Ju3y 16, 19U2; Parkhurst,) Daly Creek enters 

 the powder River approximately 7 miles above the mouth. It is a small 

 stream, about 10 miles long, and was discharging about 5 c,f,s. The 

 water temperature was 75 F. at the mouth. The gradient is slight, 

 and the lower portion of the stream bed was heavily silted. Daly Creek 

 offers only slight attraction to salmon, and was considered to be of 

 little value. 



6B. Eagle Creek , — (July l6, 19ii2; Parkhurst.) Eagle Creek 

 enters the Powder River approximately 9 miles above the mouth, near 

 the town of Richland, The stream is about 36 miles long, and drains 

 the south slope of the \ininhabited, heavily forested Eagle Cap 

 Primitive Area of the Wallowa Mountains. A comparatively small 

 portion of its waters are diverted for agric\iltural use, and most 

 of the watershed remains practically untouched by man, thus assuring 

 a fairly constant flow of clear, cold water. 



7,6 



