SALMON INVESTIGATIONS IN COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN IN 1896. 
61 
deep as the estuary, and each supports a rich growth of Potamogeton , Myriophyllum , 
aud Elodea. These water-plants are also more or less abundant along the water’s 
edge just inside the tules, but are scarce in the main body of the estuary. The water 
in Pelican Creek and estuary is very clear, aud when it is not disturbed the bottom 
can be plainly seen everywhere. The bottom of the creek and estuary is composed 
of a light fluffy mud, varying in color from dark grayish to black. 
The water in the lake when we saw it was not clear. The fine sediment held in 
suspension was no doubt picked up from the bottom duriug rough weather. 
The northern portion of Upper Klamath Lake contains many tule islands, and is 
evidently very shallow. Its shores north of Bare Island are very marshy. The main 
portion of the lake, or its middle half, is bordered on each side by mountains which 
rise from the water’s edge to an altitude of 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the lake. Toward 
its southern end the lake becomes narrow. Its shores are mostly marshy and bordered 
by tules and willows. It also contains considerable water vegetation, the same as at 
its north end. There are two islands in the lake, Bare Island and Buck Island, each 
about 500 feet high. 
North of the upper end of Upper Klamath Lake is a large area of tule marshes, 
6 to 10 miles wide aud 10 to 12 miles long. Lying in this marsh is a small lake which 
has sometimes been improperly called the Upper Klamath Lake. It is now regarded 
as being only a part of Upper Klamath Lake. It is about 2 miles from the main lake 
and is about 3 miles wide and 6 miles long. Through this marsh flow several small 
streams, the principal ones being Seven-mile Creek aud Wood River. Williamson 
River, the principal stream flowing into Upper Klamath Lake, is of considerable size 
and much importance in its relations to the fishes of the lake. About 10 miles above 
its mouth it receives from the east a large tributary known as Sprague River. About 
half a mile above its mouth it is 125 feet wide and 10 feet deep. It flows before 
entering the lake through a low, flat, marshy plain covered with tules and swamp grass. 
On the banks of the river is a rich growth of willows. The current is very moderate. 
We rowed about 2 miles or more up the river and noticed no important change in it. 
The water in the river was very dark, evidently stained to some extent by vegetation. 
The small lake just below Klamath Falls is about £ mile wide and 2 miles long. 
This lake is surrounded by a rich growth of tules and some willows. The depth about 
half a mile below Klamath Falls was 15 feet. On November 9 the surface temperature 
was 42J°; bottom temperature in 15 feet of water, 42J°. We set one large and two 
small gill nets in this lake on November 9 and took them up on November 11, obtaining 
4 chubs ( Leuciscus bicolor) and 2 trout. 
The outlet of Upper Klamath Lake is Link River, a short stream not over 1£ 
miles long, consisting of a series of rapids and falls. 
Upper Klamath Lake is a rather shallow body of water. The creek and estuary 
at Pelican Bay are from 2 to 8 feet deep in the upper part aud from 6 to 17 feet in the 
lower portion. A line of soundiugs was run across the mouth of the estuary and the 
depth was found to be about 5£ feet. 
Pelican Bay and the north end of the lake are very shallow. A line of soundings 
was run from the mouth of the estuary of Pelican Creek to the mouth of Williamson 
River, and 8 feet was the greatest depth found, while the average was not more than 
feet. The bottom could be easily seen anywhere when the surface of the water 
was smooth. It seemed to be composed of loose, decaying vegetation, into which the 
