ing about 1$ c.f .s« The water temperature was $h F, at the confluence 

 with the Powder River. The gradient is moderate, with niimerous excel- 

 lent shallow riffles, '^here are few resting pools in this section. 

 The stream bed is composed chiefly of medium and small rubble, and it 

 is estimated that 75 percent of the bottom constitutes suitable salmon 

 spawning area. In the uppermost section the stream has a fairly steep 

 gradient, and extends for about U mi les through a narrow, forested 

 valleyo McCully Fork has some good potential value for salmon, although 

 it is at present wholly inaccessible because of obstructions in the 

 Powder River. 



7o Burnt River, — (September 27-30, 19Ul, and June 28 - July 1, 

 19i;2; Parkhurst and Zimmer,) Burnt River joins the Snake River near 

 Huntington, Oregon, 326 miles above the Columbia River confluence. Its 

 drainage basin covers an area of approximately 1200 square miles. The 

 main stream extends for a distance of 78 miles to the Unity Reservoir, 

 Above the impassible Unity Dam several tributaries extend for a total 

 distance of about 65 miles to the headwaters. 



The climate of the Burnt River region is semi-arid in character, 

 making irrigation essential to crop production. The predominant type 

 of farming is range livestock. Practically all cropland acreage is in 

 ej.ther past\ire, hay, or grain. 



Reports from old settlers indicate that Burnt River once sup- 

 ported a good run of chinook salmon. This ran has been greatly depleted 

 for majiy years. One of the causes of this depletion has been that before 

 the construction of the Unity Storaj^e Rgservoir the stream volume became 

 very low during the irrigation season beca\ise of the extensive use of 

 water for agricultural purposes. Because of the present ample reservoir 

 storage facilities, such extreme low water conditions no longer occur. 

 However, the Unity Reserv^oir Dam and another upper storage dam now render 

 some spawning area inaccessible to migratory fish. There are 39 direct 

 irrigation diversions between the mouth of Burnt River and Unity Dam, 

 and U6 irrigation diversions on the tributaries that flow into the re- 

 servoir above the dam. None of these are equipped with any fish-pro- 

 tective devices, ALcost all of the diversions occur through open ditches, 

 without headgates, the flow being regulated by alteration of the dams. 

 Most of the ditches have good returns to the river, and the water is 

 used repeatedly. Almost all of the diversion dams are of a temporary 

 nature, and are constructed of logs, loose rock, pD.anks, and timbers. 

 Few of them are more than ^h feet high, and since the construction of 

 Wiity Dam, none of those below that point are barriers to salir.on, all 

 having a good spill over their crests when in use. This is because the 

 members of the irrigation district sponsor a policy of allowing a dis- 

 charge from the reservoir considerably in excess of their water needs, 

 in order that all the water users may be easily supplied. 



8U 



