Burnt River is of little value as a salmon producer at present. 

 No salmon were seen during the sui^'ey, although there are reports that 

 a few salmon fingerlings have been captured in recent years, and a 

 few spavners may still enter the stream. B\imt River has some potential 

 value for salmon, although the large number of unscreened irrigation 

 diversions are a definite hazard to downstream migrants. The main stream 

 is usually txirbid, due to returns from the irrigation ditches, and also 

 due to gold mining activi-ty. The amount of available spawning area 

 would be slightly increased by the construction of fishways over Unity 

 Dam. The South Fork is the most suitable tributary for salmon above 

 Unity Dam, but in order for it to be made fully available the Whited 

 Reservoir Dam 6 miles above the Unity Reservoir would likewise have to 

 be provided with fishways© It is extremely doubtful if the amount of 

 potential spawning area on the South Fork would justify the expense 

 for the construction of fishways over these two dams. This is espec- 

 ially true since the run is so depleted that a restocking program would 

 have to be devised in any attempt to reestablish saLnon in Burnt River. 



Topographically the Burnt River drainage basin may be divided 

 into six sections: (1) Huntington Valley; (2) Durkee Valley; (3) 

 Burnt River Canyon; (U) Bridgeport Vedley; (5) Hereford Valley; and 

 (6) Unity Valley and headwater areas* 



Section (1) - Huntington Valley: 



Burnt River extends through the Huntington Valley for a distance 

 of 23 miles above the mouth* The valley varies generally in width from 

 100 yards to UOO, yards. The stream had an average width of 18 feet in 

 this section, and was discharging Ihz c,f .s» at its confluence with the 

 Snake River. The water temperature at the mouth was 76,5 F. The grad- 

 ient is moderate, being 25 feet per mile, with numerous good shallow 

 riffles. There are few good resting pools. The stream bed is composed 

 chiefly of medium and small rubble, and it is estimated that 30 percent 

 of the bottom constitutes suitable salmon spawning area. There are 9 

 irrigation ditches, with a total water diversion of slightly more than 

 1$ c.f.s. 



Section (2) - Durkee Valley t 



Above Huntington Valley the stream extends for a distance of 

 6| miles through the Durkee Valley. The valley has an average width 

 of about three-fourths of a mile. The stream had an average width 

 of 2)4 feet in this section, and was discharging slightly more than 

 22 c.f.s. The water temperature was 75 F. at the lower end of the 

 valley. The gradient is l5 feet per mile* There are few shallow 

 riffles, but numerous pools. The stream bed is composed chiefly of 

 mud and sand, and there is practically no svii table salmon spawning area. 

 There are 7 irrigation ditches, with a total water diversion of almost 

 32 c.f.s. 



Section (3) - Burnt River Canyon : 



This section of the river extends for a distance of about 

 lit miles through a narrow, steep, rocky gorge. Several large-scale 



85 



