160 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1919. 



number of salmon could successfully conceal their eggs in the narrow 

 sand intervals between the rocks. As a matter of fact, loose eggs 

 were seen passing down the current to the lake. 



The eastern shore of the lake in its lower portion has long stretches 

 of sandy and gravelly beaches, which seem well suited to serve as 

 spawning beds, so far as the nature of the sediment was concerned. 

 But the salmon did not congregate along this shore except at the 

 entrance of larger or smaller creeks, and there was no evidence that 

 these beach gravels were availed of to any considerable extent. 



(Jne of the lowest streams to enter on the eastern or right shore of 

 the lake had a very different character from the others. It was a 

 short stream, apparently not more than a mile in total length, and 

 was spring-fed. Near the upper end it expanded to cover a basin 

 which contained several acres, and at that time was 2 or 3 feet deep. 

 Below this so-called lake, the channel was gently inclined, with a 

 series of pools connected by gently-flowing stretches. Near the 

 mouth the slope became steeper, but the stream was never turbulent. 



This creek has certain characteristics that on cursory examination 

 seem to fit it for hatchery purposes. Natives aflirmed that it does 

 not freeze in winter, being unUke all the other creeks in this respect. 

 It contained but few spawning salmon, however, fewer than any 

 other stream examined, a circumstance that can not be accounted 

 for, unless possibly the temperature of the spring-fed stream was lower 

 than is found in the other tributaries of the lake. 



The salmon seen near the outlet of the lake, those around the 

 shores, and those hving, dead, and dying in and about the streams, 

 are estimated at 5,000 or 6,000. It is impossible to give any opinion as 

 to the adequacy of the escape to the lake during the present season. 



On the way down the river, especially in the very rapid portion 

 below the point where the trail makes ofl' to Larsen Bay, many fresh- 

 run red salmon were seen working their way up against the current, 

 or resting under the lee of the coarse bowlders, which almost every- 

 where form the bottom of this portion of the river. There were no 

 eddies of consequence along the oanks, and the salmon were distrib- 

 uted throughout the width of the river. It was impossible to form 

 any estimate of the numbers present, but there must have been many 

 hundreds of them in the river. 



The writers were impressed with the unfavorable nature of the 

 grounds examined, by their small extent, and by the unbroken suc- 

 cession of spawning fish which continue to occupy these small creeks 

 during the long season. Enormous waste of eggs must accompany 

 this condition, and as the test of the efficiency of any hatchery lies in 

 its advantage over natural propagation, under the local conditions in 

 which it operates, it is believed that a red-salmon hatchery on Karluk 

 Lake would operate to the very material advantage of the salmon run. 



It is recommended that a tjiorough survey be made of the lake and 

 river during the fishing season of 1920 by a party of two, one member 

 being a practical hatchery man and the other a scientist. A survey 

 should be made of a transportation route from Larsen Bay to the 

 lake, a hatchery site should be selected with full knowledge of the 

 conditions throughout the year, and the distributibn of the salmon 

 should be studied throughout the lake spawning beds. As accurate 

 a census as possible should be made of the spawning fish. 



