60 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



SMITH RIVER 



During the winter of 1927 and spring of 1928 surveys were made for 

 a site for an egg collecting station and hatchery in Del Norte County 

 on a tributary of Smith River. It was found that Mill Creek was the 

 most favorable stream on which to operate. Owing to the narrow 

 canons of the other tributaries and the tremendous floods in the spring 

 months, it is a very difficult and costly engineering problem to install 

 traps in any of the tributaries or the main Smith River during the 

 spring at the time when the steelhead trout are running, except in Mill 

 Creek. 



We were prepared to install racks, traps, holding pens or live cars 

 on Mill Creek, tributary to Smith River, but could not get a permit or 

 lease owing to complications arising over the transfer of the property 

 on which we had selected the only suitable site. 



Application was first made for a site to the John S. Owen Co., Eau 

 Claire, Wisconsin, during the latter part of November, 1927. We 

 received a letter from J. S. Oaker, secretary of the Del Norte Company, 

 stating: "Your letter addressed to J. S. Owen Co. received. It is a 

 matter that they are interested in only as stockholders, and the land 

 has been sold, but not deeded. It is to be taken over as a memorial 

 for F. D. Stout and his son. Mr. Stout died suddenly, but it was all 

 agreed on at our last meeting. I am sending your letter to Mr. Lind- 

 say, who is looking after Mr. Stout's matters, and you may hear from 

 him." 



Mr. J. R. Lindsay replied that no lease or permit would be granted, 

 without giving us any especial reason. Since then we have written and 

 received no reply. We have failed so far to get a lease, but will try 

 again to obtain one. 



Mill Creek affords the only place on any of the tributaries of Smith 

 River that can be trapped for fish in the spring months. The main 

 river below the South and Middle Forks carries such a large amount of 

 water during the spring freshets that it would cost from $10,000 to 

 $15,000 to install the racks and traps alone, not mentioning anything 

 about the cost of the hatchery, cottages for the help, and equipment. 

 The other branches are not favorable for spawning fish, as the narrow 

 flume-like canyons have such a rapid flow of water that great diffi- 

 culties would be encountered in trapping these streams, except prob- 

 ably in the upper reaches, and there are no roads to these points. Per- 

 sons not familiar with this region who may be on Smith River during 

 the fall do not realize the amount of water that descends this river when 

 the winter and spring freshets are on. 



During January, 1912, according to the U. S. Geological Survey 

 Reports, the flow in the North Fork was 17,000 second-feet, South Fork 

 33,000 second-feet. The average maximum flow below the junction of 

 these different streams would be approximately 30,000 second-feet. 

 Even if concrete piers and steel bar traps were installed, the fish could 

 not be handled in such a stream. 



The matter has been taken up with the Redwood Empire Association 

 and the Sportsmen's Association of Crescent City, asking these organi- 

 zations to use their influence with J. R. Lindsay, administrator or 

 manager of the Stout estate, to assist us in getting a permit or lease for 

 a site on Mill Creek. . ' - " 



