101-22 KING SALMON CREEK Kear) 
N55°50.6 W130°50 Previous No. 40- 
KETCHIKAN, BEHM CANAL, CHICKAMIN RIVER, S. side 3.6 miles above Chickamin delta 
MAJOR SPECIES Pink, chum, king OTHER SPECIES Coho, trout 
ESCAPEMENT TIMING Early. July-Aug. ESCAPEMENT MAGNITUDE _ >50,000 
SPAWNING FACILITIES Excellent for over 6 miles. Spawning riffles are nearly continuous beyond the first 
1 mile of lower stream. 
STREAM TEMPERATURES Normal range. Observed ranges: 49-54°F., 1950; 48-53°F., 1951; 
48-57°F., 1952; 50-53°F., 1953. The higher temperatures observed during the spawning period were of 
short duration. These were observed during the latter part of a long, sunny period in August. 
VALLEY DESCRIPTION Glacial. The stream lies at the base of a high vertical cliff visible from Behm Canal. 
Muskeg and alder throughout valley. Valley runs N. -S. with an exceptionally straight ridge to the W. separating 
the King Salmon Creek and Coho Creek drainages. Valley terminates just N. of the head of Walker Cove in 
cirques. 
DRAINAGE _ 25-30 square miles (estimated). Snowfields in upper eastern part of system, some small high lakes, 
ground waters. Main valley drainage heads N. of Walker Cove head. Smaller valley enters from E. 5 miles 
upstream. Small tributaries enter from the high ridges on each side of valley. Clear water, muddy during floods. 
STREAM MOUTH IDENTIFICATION At base of high cliff visible from Behm Canal. Stream enters river 
at middle of first major bend N. A bedrock point causes the main river to boil just below stream mouth, clear 
water pool just inside creek mouth out of river current. A silt bar is on the N. side of the mouth. 
TRAILS AND SURVEY ROUTES Stream reached by skiff and outboard. Lower stream navigable through 
lower .8 miles of deep, slower current. Walking above is slow and requires normal or lower water levels. Stream 
may be covered for 4 miles by lining skiff over riffles and running in deeper sections. This is grizzly bear 
country and caution is advised for foot surveyors. 
AERIAL SURVEY NOTES A wide valley with no obstructions, has low gradient and may be run upstream and 
downstream. Clear water and light colored bottom offers optimum visibility from the air. Aerial terminal is 
at upper limits of maximum migration. This is above the one major tributary at the 4 mile mark. Stream gradient 
increases and becomes rapids and small falls at a moraine which rises to an upper valley. 
UPSTREAM 
LENGTH ACCESSIBLE 6 miles AVERAGE WIDTH/DEPTH  30-50'/18-30" 
GRADIENT AND VELOCITIES Less than 1° at 2' per second 
BOTTOM _ Sand predominantly in lower stream, excellent gravels above. 
MARKER DISTANCE 6 miles. 
MARKER IDENTIFICATION Rapids and series of small falls as stream rises on to moraine below upper valley. 
This moraine is 1 mile above tributary valley, entering from the E. Coarse moraine debris in stream bed. 
BARRIERS None below moraine. 
TRIBUTARIES Small tributaries enter from ridges. Major tributary 5 miles upstream on E. side has only short 
section by main stream with low gradient. 
SCHOOLING AREAS First 2 miles of stream has number of deep holes which are used by schooling salmon. 
Several large holes next to W. valley wall used by schooling king salmon. 
SPAWNING AREAS Nearly continuous spawning riffles above 2 mile mark to 6 mile termination of accessible 
stream. Optimum spawning gravels throughout. Smaller gravels from 2 to 4 mile marks used by pinks predom- 
inantly, larger gravels above used by chum and king salmon. 
GENERAL NOTES This is the most extensive spawning tributary in the Chickamin River system. The greatest 
numbers of spawning king salmon have been observed here and may be the major spawning stream for this species. 
