SHAD FISHERIES OF THE ATLANTIC COAST. 145 



no villages nor considerable collections of houses along the river, the 

 banks being lined with extensive swamps and forests. 



On account of the lack of transportation facilities and tlie limited 

 population in the vicinity, the fishery resources of the Santee have 

 never been developed. The planters and woodsmen along the banks of 

 the stream catch a few shad with bow nets and set gill nets for local use, 

 and near the crossing of the Northeastern Kaihoad at St. Stephen there 

 is some fishing for distant markets, but the business is inconsiderable. 

 During the year 1896 the shad taken on the river below Wright Bluif, 

 120 miles from the ocean, numbered 7,309, of which 5,244 were taken 

 by bow nets and 2,065 by gill nets. The small extent of the fisheries 

 did not warrant ascending tlie river above Wright Bluff, and no 

 reliable account exists of the small catch between that point and tlie 

 junction of Congaree and Wateree rivers. 



Wateree or Cataivba. — This river, the principal tributary of tne 

 Santee, rises among the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and 

 follows a winding course of over 400 miles before its union with the 

 Congaree. Shad ascend the Wateree in some numbers as far as Cam- 

 den, 232 miles from the ocean, and a few are at times taken at the foot 

 of Great Falls, 20 miles farther up, where, in a distance of 8 miles, the 

 foil of the river aggregates L73 feet. It does not appear that shad ever 

 passed above Great Falls in large numbers, if at all. The steep slope 

 of the Wateree above that point, its comparatively small volume of 

 water, and its numerous falls and shoals would seriously impede the 

 progress of shad even if j)rovision were made for their passage above 

 that obstruction. 



Congaree River. — The Congaree is formed by the junction of Broad 

 and Saluda rivers, 49 miles above its union with the Wateree. Shad 

 were formerly taken on this river in considerable numbers in the shoals 

 near Columbia, and some^ ascended each of the main tributaries many 

 miles farther. On Broad River a few stragglers ascended as far as 

 Green River, 141 miles above Columbia and 28 miles above the boundary 

 line between North and South Carolina, or 374 miles from the ocean. 

 The elevation of the mouth of Green River is about 758 feet above sea 

 level, and of the Congaree at Columbia about 135 feet. At present the 

 dam at Columbia appears to be the upper limit of the shad run. No 

 reliable data exists as to the number of shad taken on Wateree and 

 Congaree rivers in 1896, but it was probably less than 2,000. 



In 1883 a fishway was constructed over the Columbia dam, consist- 

 ing of 3A sections, 36 feet long, with a total rise otf 9 feet. It is sub- 

 stantially built and is of the type known as the McDonald Fishway, 

 consisting of two sets of buckets, straight- wooden buckets to receive 

 the water in its downward flow and curved-iron buckets to direct this 

 water back up stream, thus atibrding a comparatively quiet waterway. 

 It is fairly efficient for certain species when kept free of trash, but 

 shad do not appear to use it. 

 F. R. 98 10 



