46 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Fort Gaston and Substations, California (Capt. W.m. E. Dougherty, U. S. A., 



SUPERINTENDKNT) . 



During- July and August only routine work was performed at the 

 station and substation (Redwood). In September timbers were taken 

 out for the construction of piers at the substation, and in October 

 three piers were built in the bed of Redwood Creek Just above tlie 

 mouth of Minor Creek, and stringers and racks erected on the structure. 

 The greatest care was taken to make this barrier substantial, yet the 

 first high water that came (on December 1) undermined the pier and 

 disabled the structure for the remainder of the season. It is believed 

 that the pier system, or any system by wliich a considerable body of 

 water is displaced, can not be made successful as a means of stopping 

 the passage of fish in any of the streams of the Coast Range. The 

 causes of this are that the streams all run in synclinal axes, the bed 

 rock being from 80 to 200 feet beneath the bed of the stream (it is 

 about 80 feet at Redwood), and that the current is so rapid and the 

 volume of water so great during a rise that the undermining of the piers 

 by the displaced water is inevitable. This system is successful at the 

 Baird Station because McCloud River has a firm bottom. 



The salmon began to run early in December, but hardly any were 

 taken until the Avater was low enough to put a temporary dam in the 

 creek. Eggs were taken during the season as follows: Salmon (from 

 80 females), 221,000; steelhead (from 138 females), 557,500; Von Belir 

 trout (from 31 females), 20,800; rain])ow trout (from 33 females), 16,321. 

 Most of the salmon and steelhead eggs were taken at the substation, as 

 there was no run of either kind in Trinity River, all the fish having 

 been taken at the cannery at the mouth of Klamath River. Fishing 

 and spawn-taking were suspended on May 6. 



Fish and eggs were distributed during the year as follows: 



Eggs distributed. 



Consignee. 



Species. Number 



The consul of J.npan .it San Francisco, Cal. 



F.N. Clark, for JS'orthvillc Station 



S. P. Wires, for Biilutli Station 



J. W. Titcomb, for St. Jolinsbury Statiou — 



Total 



Steelhead . 



do .... 



do .... 



do .... 



30, ono 



91,850 

 100, UOi) 

 25, 000 



246, 850 



Fry distributed. 



