50 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



were seen entering the latter. Algse covered the foot of the lake and the origin 

 of the stream. Just inside the lake, to the right, a small stream enters, com- 

 ing from a spring pool 100 yards away. This cold pool contained many fry 

 but no adults. In some seasons Creek 35 probably receives many salmon. 



Creek 36. — July 27, 1909. This is a little stream 2 feet wide at its mouth 

 emptying into the south side of the lagoon at the foot of the lake. It was not 

 seen in 1908 and carried no salmon in 1909. It bifurcates soon and branches 

 again, having various sources in boggy seepage in and about the sparse woods 

 near the lagoon. It evidently does not drain any of the small lagoon-like 

 waters lying south of the foot of the lalve which were seen on July 21 from 

 the top of the mountain near the village. One of the branches of this creek 

 rises in an irregular seepage pool in which a number of young trout 7 or 8 

 inches long were seen. These were probably Dolly Vardens. A number of 

 adults of this species were seen in the creek itself. Not a single salmon was 

 seen in the creek, though the bottom is favorable and many pass near its mouth. 



THE LARGE ESCAPEMENT OF 1008. 



CJertain comparable observations in 1908 and 1909 tend to throw light on the 

 size of the escapement of 1908 as related to the preceding and succeeding 

 years. 



In 1909 the abundance of redfish fry about the shores of the lagoon and in 

 the small shore pockets of the upper river was frequently noted and appeared 

 to be greatly in excess of that seen in 1908. The escapement for 1907 is of 

 course unknown, but this confirms the presumption arising on other grounds 

 that it was a small one. In Creek 6, the whole of which was explored in both 

 seasons, there had entered In 1908 on and before August 7 eight times as many 

 salmon as had entered in 1909 on and before August 8. This is consonant 

 with the records for the escapement of 1908 and 1909, which were roundly 

 2,600,000 and 890,000, respectively. There is thus, outside the actual figures 

 from the tally rack, some confirmation of 1908 as a year with a very much 

 higher escapement than that whicli preceded and followed it. 



Unlike lakes in Alaska on which hatcheries have been establislied. in Lake 

 Aleknagik the salmon do not all resort for spawning to one or two, or at most 

 very few creeks, but spread through a wide territory I'epresented by many 

 creeks. Moreover, a large number of the salmon entering the lake proceed 

 through it to the upper lakes, of which there are said to be three. What the 

 proportion is between the numbers spawning about Lake Aleknagik and in the 

 basins of the upper lalves is unknown but it is certain that many salmon ascend 

 the main inlet of Aleknagik apparently bound for the upper series of lakes. 

 There is little evidence tliat any great amount of spawning takes place in 

 the inlet. 



From the numbers of salmon seen in the different creeks of Aleknagik during 

 the seasons of 1908 and 1909 up to August 9 it does not appear certain that 

 any one creek contained enough salmon to supply a large hatchery with eggs. 

 However, as many fish may have already passed to the xipper portions of the 

 streams, and as more were to enter before the end of tlie season, it is not im- 

 probable that a barricade would show from any one of several streams a quota 

 large enough to fill a liatchery. If the supply were short, it would not be 

 difficult to take eggs from streams at a distance from the hatchery. 



Since red salmon have been successfully impounded at the Baker Lake 

 station in Washington, the question arises whether this metlaod can be ap- 

 plied to Lake Aleknagik. The temperature of the water is favorable to hold- 

 ing the salmon in this way. It is not likely that this method will be found 

 expedient in this region. If gravity water supply is to be depended upon, 

 this will control the location of the hatchery and probably place it so far up 

 the lake that the eggs may be taken fi-om the streams. Reports should be 

 obtained on the condition of streams in the winter with respect to freezing 

 and volume of flow. 



KUSKOKWIM RIVER. 



As conditions seemed to warrant a special investigation of the fish- 

 ing and salmon-run conditions on the Kuskokwim River, Bering Sea 

 district, Alaska, Assistant Agent L. G. Wingard was sent to the 

 region in 1922, leaving Seattle for those waters May 30 on the steamer 



