48 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Temperatures taken in Lake Union. 
Date. 
Time. 
Depth. 
Temperature. 
Date. 
Time. 
Depth. 
Tempe 
rature. 
Surface 
Bottom 
Surface 
Bottom. 
1896. 
Feet. 
°F. 
°F. 
1896. 
Feet. 
°F. 
°F ' 
Dec. 2. . . 
9.00 a. m 
6 
42 
44 
Dec 2.... 
4.20 p.m, 
24 
43 
42 
| 2.. . 
11.00 a. m 
21 
42 
44 
2.... 
4.45 p. m 
27 
42 
43 ' | 
2... 
3.20 p. m 
12 
42 
42 
3.... 
10.30 a. m 
48 
43 
42 
2... 
3.30 p. m 
48 
43 
42 
3.... 
12.15 p. m 
48 
43 
42 
2 
3.40 p. m 
36 
43 
42 
3..;. 
1.00 p.m 
9 
41 
42 
2... 
4.00 p. m 
24 
43 
42 
SIUSLAW RIVER, OREGON. 
In 1S94 the State of Oregon erected a building on the Siuslaw River at Mapleton, 
Oregon, with the intention of conducting salmon-cultural operations at that place. 
This building finally reverted to the original owner of the land upon which it was 
located. Believing that this station could be successfully and profitably operated, the 
owner, through Mr. L. E. Bean, of Mapleton, kindly offered its free use to the United 
States Eish Commission for that purpose. In response to this offer Dr. Meek and Mr. 
Alexander were instructed to visit the station and make such examination as would 
determine the i robability of its being operated advantageously. The preliminary 
inquiry, made early in September, showed that it would be necessary to catch the fish 
at the fishing-ground, several miles below the station, and retain them in boxes until 
ripe. It was thought that this could be done and that the boxes could be floated on the 
tide up to the station. This could be determined only through experimentation. Dr. 
Meek was therefore instructed to return to Mapleton and thoroughly test the matter. 
General description of Siuslaw River . — The Siuslaw River is one of the short 
coastal streams in Oregon whose basin is confined entirely to the western slope of the 
Coast Range. From its mouth to its source is a distance of about 100 miles. It drains 
a very broken country, which is quite heavily timbered. From the mouth of Wildcat 
Creek to near the mouth of North Fork the river flows through a-canyon £ to 3 miles 
in width. The hills or mountains on each side of the canyon are from 200 to over 1,000 
feet above the river and are very steep. At the mouth of North Fork is a large area 
which is covered by water only at high tide. This region, known as the mud flats, is 
on the north side of the river and includes most of the distance between Acme and 
Florence. At Florence the river turns nearly north and then curves slightly toward 
the west. The right-hand bank is, for the most part, a low bluff' of soft sandstone; 
the left is bordered by sand hills. 
The Siuslaw River above the mouth of Wildcat Creek was not visited, but from 
what we were able to learn that portion is quite similar in all respects to the part 
immediately below that creek, except that gravel bars become much more frequent as 
you ascend the river. From the mouth of Wildcat Creek to the head of tide, a distance 
of about 24 miles, the bottom of the river is sandstone in situ , over which, in many 
places, are scattered large, angular, somewhat water-worn, sandstone bowlders. The 
river above head of tide water is from 60 to 200 feet in width, and during the summer 
in many places the water is less than 2 feet in depth. 
The canyon is cut through sandstone, which in some places is nearly horizontal, 
while in others it is tilted more or less, seldom more than 30°. The only portion 
noticed which showed signs of being metamorphie is a bluff on the right hand of the 
river between Seaton and Mapleton. 
