626 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



river contracts itself iuto quite a narrow channel, flowing over a gentle 

 inclination, sufiflcient to cause a slight ripple in the water, and thus leaves 

 no doubt of its river character. 



St. John's is the head of navigation on Lake Champlain, and it is at 

 this point where a ship-canal begins and from here extends twelve miles 

 northerly to Chambly, wliere it terminates in the river again. 



The Richelieu from St. John's to Oliambly is quite a rapid stream, 

 running at an average rate of speed of four miles per hour. 



At Chambly, the river widens into a large basin or small lake, and 

 from this point to the Saint Lawrence it is navigable for the largest 

 class of vessels. 



The character of the river between St. John's and Chambly is such 

 as to admit of the passage of all the migratory fishes coming from the 

 sea, and they will find an easy ascent into the lake. There are just 

 below St. John's three eel-weirs, the first being of stone and the second 

 and third of wood. 



I am told it is quite a successful weir or trap for catching eels, as also 

 for occasionally impounding fish. This whole structure, however, is 

 measurably destroyed every spring by the ice in the river, and has to 

 be rebuilt every season. I was assured by the Canadian government 

 that these obstructions should be removed if they offered any hinder 

 auce to the free passage of the migratory fishes. They would doubtless 

 afford no serious objection to the early run of sahnon ; but fur the late 

 run of shad or salmon, they would prove a great barrier, 



I am of the opinion that an order should issue from the Government 

 at Washington asking that these obstructions be removed, or that they 

 should not be rebuilt after the summer of 1874 or of 1875, so that the 

 shad and salmon placed in Lake Champlain in the years 1872 and 1873 

 may find an easy and safe descent to the Saint Lawrence. 



The authorities at Ottawa gave me the most positive assurance that 

 nothing should be wanting on their part to insure success to the project 

 which our Government has in hand of restoring to Lake Champlain and 

 its tributaries the migratory fishes. It is the opinion of some, however, 

 that these weirs offer no serious objection to the ascent and descent of 

 fish, as the smelt surmount them every year on their return to the lake. 

 And if smelt can successfully pass them, why not the shad and salmon! 

 Perhaps this may all be true, yet I should regard them as dangerous 

 traps to the descending fish. 



Farther down the river, there exists an occasional dam extending into' 

 the river about midway, but which offers no obstruction to the free pas- 

 sage of fish. 



At Chambly, just before the river debouches into the basin before 

 mentioned, there exists what are called the Chambly Eapids; these 

 rapids extend up the river a distance of from one to two hundred rods, 

 the river being quite wide and shallow at this point. They are never 

 known to freeze over during winter, and it is here that the smelt may 



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