Extreme variation exists in the spawning potential of the streams of 
Southeast Alaska. One important factor is the great variation in 
stability of streamflow. Streams with relatively large watersheds tend 
to have higher salmon productivity than streams with smaller watersheds, 
probably because of greater streamflow stability.©& For this reason, 
streams whose watersheds contain lakes tend to be better producers of 
salmon than streams of approximately equal drainages without lakes. 
DESCRIPTION OF WATERSHEDS AND STREAMS 
Harris River and Maybeso Creek are study streams whose watersheds are 
to be logged. The watersheds of Indian Creek and Old Tom Creek will 
not be logged. Location of these streams is shown in fig. 4. A 
typical watershed map is shown in fig. 5. 
Details of area and cover type are summarized as follows: 
Maybeso Harris Indian Old Tom 
Creek River Creek Creek 
Acres of sawtimber, 
hemlock and spruce 2,229 35622 294 1,420 
Acres of sawtimber, 
western redcedar 1,294 D203 670 -- 
Acres of young growth, 
seedlings and saplings 82 3)/ -- 1,266 
Acres of scrub, nonforest 
and non-conmercial 6,123 14,470 4,540 2,040 
Total acreage of watershed 9,728 205 352 5,504 4,726 
Percent of total watershed 
in merchantable timber 36 29 18 30 
Volume of merchantable timber, Not 
M board feet 131,400 220 73s 28,3547 cruised 
Stream gradients vary but are gentle. Maybeso Creek from its mouth 
to the lower falls (2,500 feet) has a 0.42 percent grade, from there 
to the upper falls (500 feet) is 4.66 percent and from the upper falls 
for 3.5 miles up the creek is 0.82 percent. Harris River with no falls 
has an average gradient of 0.30 percent for 3.3 miles. Indian Creek's 
average gradient for 1.8 miles is 1.0 percent. Old Tom Creek from 
the mouth to the lake on the north fork has a gradient of 0.85 
6/ H. E. Andersen, Watershed management practice and research on 
salmon streams of Southeast Alaska. Mimeo. 4 pp., 1956. 
