REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 41 



height ; the third is about 6 feet high, and the fourth 4 feet high, while 

 the lower one, quite near the mouth of Salmon Eiver, has a total 

 descent of about 10 feet. In Dr. Gorham's opinion none of these raj)ids, 

 unless it might be the lower one, would serve to obstruct the ascent of 

 salmon even during low water, while at times of high water it is quite 

 certain that all difficulties in that respect would disappear. 



Below the mouth of the Salmon Eiver the Pend d'Oreille flows 

 through a narrow gorge and forms a succession of rapids, after which 

 it widens out and continues less turbulent for some distance; but the 

 last 5 miles of its course are coufined within another canyon. At its 

 mouth it is from 150 to 200 feet wide, and before emf)tying into the 

 Columbia it passes over a fall from 4 to 10 feet high, depending upon 

 the stage of water in tlie Columbia Eiver. Ordinarily salmon would 

 have no trouble in passing over this obstruction. 



Kettle Falls, the only important obstruction in the Upper Columbia 

 Eiver, located about 9 miles from Colville, Wash., and 40 or more miles 

 south of the mouth of the Pend d'Oreille, were not visited by the party, 

 but from information obtained from others it is evident that they do 

 not constitute a serious impediment to the ascent of salmon, which for- 

 merly were said to have passed over them in greater or less numbers, 

 although they do not at present. 



No positive information was obtained respecting the occurrence of 

 the true salmon ( Oncorliynclms chouicha) in the Pend d'Oreil'le Eiver, 

 and it is said that none go farther upstream than the falls at the mouth 

 of Salmon Eiver. The evidence secured points to the fact that the 

 salmon (so called) of both those rivers is the steelhead {Salmo galrdneri), 

 and specimens of this species were observed. There was not, however, 

 sufficient opportunity to study this question satisfactorily, and a pro- 

 longed series of observations may be necessary to determine the range 

 and relative abundance of these two species in the ujiper waters of the 

 Columbia Eiver. Until conclusive evidence is obtained that the true 

 salmon is prevented from ascending to the ujDper part of this river 

 system because of the presence of natural barriers and not from other 

 causes, it should not be considered advisable or Judicious to expend 

 money iai the removal of any supx)osed obstructions to their passage. 

 There are many conditions which require careful study and considera- 

 tion before any definite steps are taken in that direction, and it is 

 intended next year to begiji upon a careful and detailed investigation 

 of the subject throughout the entire course of the Columbia Eiver and 

 its tributaries. 



Inquiries relative to a site for the establishment of a salmon -hatching 

 station in eastern Washington were confined chiefly to Little Spokane 

 Eiver and Colville Eiver. ]^o success was met with, however, as no 

 local itj^ was found convenient of access and at the same time aftbrding 

 the means for securing an abundance of breeding fish. This subject 

 will also be covered by the proposed general survey above referred to. 



