22 SURVEYS OP FOREST RESERVES. 



The mercliantable timber in the Montana portion of the reserve is 

 comparatively easy of access and can all be readily logged. At the 

 present rate of cutting the standing timber will, in a tew years, be 

 exhausted. 



Forest fires. — Fires upon the Montana side of the reserve have prob- 

 ably been as extensive as elsewhere in the West, but have done far less 

 damage to the merchantable timber, owing to the fact that yellow 

 pine and Douglas fir offer greater resistance to fires than do trees of 

 other species. Probably not more than 5 per cent of the forests of 

 these species have been destroyed. Higher up, in the subalpine zone, 

 however, fires have been more disastrous, and it is estimated that fully 

 80 per cent of the wooded portion of this zone has been visited by fires 

 within the last twenty-five or thirty years. While the destruction of 

 merchantable timber by these fires has been slight, their effect upon 

 the stream flow has, in all probability, been serious. The streams flow- 

 ing eastward from the Bitterroot Mountains into Bitterroot River have 

 very short, straight courses and an extremely steep descent. The 

 clearing of the forests from their headwaters can not fail to change their 

 regimen in such wise as to produce disastrous floods at one time of the 

 year and low water during the remainder, thus inflicting double injury 

 upon the agricultural interests in the valley. 



The above description of the forest conditions of the eastern ijortion 

 of the Bitterroot Eeserve is derived from a report made by Mr. Leiberg, 

 who devoted the last half of the season to its examination. 



PRIEST RIVER FOREST RESERVE. 



The following are the limits, as described in the Executive order estab- 

 lishing the reserve: 



Bounded on the east by the summit of the ridges dividing the waters tributary to 

 the Kootenai River and Priest Lake and River; on the west by the summit of the 

 ridges dividing the waters tributary to the Pend d'Oreille River or Clarkes Fork of 

 the Columbia River and Priest Lake and River; on the north by the international 

 boundary line between the States of Idaho and Washington and the British posses- 

 sions, connecting the east and west boundaries above described; on the south by the 

 township line between townships fifty six (56) and iifty-seven (57) north of the base 

 line, Idaho, projected to connect the east and west boundaries above described. 



Surveys. — ISo surveys of any kind, except a small amount of land 

 subdivision, had been made in this area. It was therefore decided to 

 extend the township lines, to establish lines of level, and to arrange 

 for triangulation, so that detailed mapping could follow during the 

 next field season. 



The thirteenth standard parallel north of the Boise meridian was 

 extended westward from the existing termination, which was 3 miles 

 west of the Boise meridian, to the State line between Idaho and Wash- 

 ington, a distance of about 27 miles, and a connection was made with 

 one of the mileposts of the latter line. From this standard parallel a 

 guide meridian was projected northward from a point 24 miles west of 

 the Boise meridian to the location of the international boundary, as well 

 as could be determined, there being no surface mark to indicate the 

 exact location. In addition, information was secured to prepare a 

 reconnaissance map of the entire reserve, and level lines were carried 

 from Priest Eiver station to Priest Lake, and from the northern end of 

 Priest Lake to the Upper Lake, the connection between the stages of 

 water at the lower and upper extremity of Priest Lake being deter- 

 mined by a series of synchronous observations. Priest Lake was care- 



