101-31 CHECATS CREEK K 38 
NSS 29F WiL3Z055 23 Previous No. 34 
KETCHIKAN, BEHM CANAL, CHECATS COVE, S.E. corner of cove 
MAJOR SPECIES Pink OTHER SPECIES Red, trout, chum 
ESCAPEMENT TIMING Middle. Aug. -Sep. ESCAPEMENT MAGNITUDE 
SPAWNING FACILITIES | Fairly good, though limited in lower stream to riffle areas and by impassable falls on 
the two major tributaries to the lake. 
STREAM TEMPERATURES Warm range. Observed temperatures: 55°F. , 9/18/47; 61°F. , 7/16/49; 61°F. ,7/27/49. 
VALLEY DESCRIPTION Stream cut in lower yalley, glacial above. Wooded throughout except for the upper 
elevations. Some muskeg areas. Valley over 7 miles to headwaters. 
DRAINAGE 15 square miles. The lower lake, .7 miles upstream, has 250 acres at 50' elevation. The upper lake, 
2.5 miles upstream, has 950 acres at 350' elevation. A few early small snow fields in the headwaters, but 
primarily precipitation fed. 
STREAM MOUTH IDENTIFICATION A large piling lies off mouth near S. shore of cove. Deserted cabin on 
N. shore of cove. Forest Service trail marker visible on E. shore by stream mouth. Remnants of Indian fish trap 
(stone) in intertidal zone. 
ANCHORAGE Off delta in cove. Piling may be used. 
TRAILS AND SURVEY ROUTES Trail to lake and the two major tributaries on the E. shore of the lake (K 38-1 
and K 38-2). Walking downstream easy, survey time from lake to mouth about 20 minutes. 
AERIAL SURVEY NOTES Not surveyed by air, visibility restricted. 
INTERTIDAL ZONE 
LENGTH .3 miles AVERAGE WIDTH/DEPTH 40-60'/24" 
GRADIENT AND VELOCITIES 2° at 2-3" per second 
BOTTOM _ Gravel, small rocks and scattered boulders. 
HIGH TIDE LOCATION At the upper constriction of the intertidal grass flats. Swift current area through large 
rocks just above. 
SCHOOLING AREAS Upper tidal area. 
SPAWNING AREAS _ Good spawning facilities from the lower constriction to high tide mark in area of the Indian 
stone trap. 
GENERAL NOTES The intertidal zone has slightly more available spawning area than the stream to the first lake. 
UPSTREAM 
LENGTH ACCESSIBLE >.7 miles AVERAGE WIDTH/DEPTH 40-60'/24-36" 
GRADIENT AND VELOCITIES  1-2° at 2-4' per second 
BOTTOM Boulders, rocks, considerable moss on bottom, limited gravel areas. 
MARKER DISTANCE  .7 miles. 
MARKER IDENTIFICATION Outlet of lower Checats Lake. 
BARRIERS None in lower stream. The two major tributaries to the lower lake have impassable falls short distances 
from their mouths. 
TRIBUTARIES K 38-1, first tributary from outlet on E. shore, 30'/12", has barrier falls . 2 miles upstream. 
K 38-2 enters lower Checats Lake on a large point of gravel delta half-way down the E. shore. Numerous splits. 
Has barrier falls short distance upstream. 
SCHOOLING AREAS Inall pools in stream and in lower Checats Lake. 
SPAWNING AREAS Best facilities are about .4 miles upstream above the small tributary entering from the N. 
Another riffle area is just below the outlet to the lake. 
GENERAL NOTES It appears likely that the short distances accessible in the two tributaries are important to 
the productivity of this stream. This is a small red salmon system and has good trout populations of cutthroat, 
resident rainbow, steelhead and dolly varden. 
