62 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
sounding lead would usually sink several inches. We were unable to take any sound- 
ings in the middle of the lake between Bare and Buck islands. While this is doubtless 
the deepest portion, we were informed that the water even here probably does not 
exceed 30 or 40 feet in depth. The south end of the lake is a little deeper than the 
upper portion. The greatest depth was found near the outlet and was 20 feet. The 
portion south of Buck Island will not average more than 12 or 13 feet deep. 
The temperature observations made at Upper Klamath Lake are given in the table 
which follows. All the water temperatures except those at the surface were taken at 
the bottom. Owing to the shallowness of the lake the temperature of its water is 
everywhere affected by that of the air. 
Date. 
Hour. 
Station. 
Tem- 
per- 
ature of 
air. 
Depth 
of water. 
Tem- 
per- 
ature of 
water. 
°F. 
o jr. 
Nov. 2 
9 a. m 
Near mouth of Pelican Creek 
38 
Surface. 
42 
2 
9.20 a, m 
North end of Pelican Estuary 
do ... 
40 
2 
9.20 a. m 
Pelican Bay 
5£ feet . . 
41£ 
2 
9 20 a m 
do 
5§ feet . . 
39J 
2 
9.20 a. m 
do 
5£ feet . . 
39£ 
3 
8.45 a. m 
Pelican Creek near spring 
Surface . 
44 
3 
10.45 a. m 
Pelican Estuary 
do ... 
41 
3 
2.30 p. m 
Pelican Creek near spring 
41 
do ... 
44 
3 
2.30 p. m 
Pelican Estuary 
do ... 
42£ 
4 
9 a. m 
Pelican Creek near spring 
42 
do ... 
44 
5 
9 a. m 
Pelican Creek 
42J 
do ... 
431 
5 
10 a. m 
Northwest part of Pelican Estuary 
do ... 
40f 
5 
10 a. m 
do 
16 feet . . 
41J 
5 
Noon 
Klamath Lake between Pelican Bay and Wil- 
Surface . 
42£ 
liamson River. 
5 
Noon ......... 
do 
7 feet . . . 
43 
5 
12.30 p. m 
do 
Surface . 
42J 
5 
32.30 p.m 
do 
8 feet . . . 
43 
5 
1 p. m 
do 
Surface . 
42§ 
5 
1 p. in 
do 
8 feet . . . 
42 
5 
4p.m 
Kear mouth of Williamson River 
Surface . 
42£ 
5 
4 p. m 
do 
10 feet 
42 
5 
4.30 p. m 
Two miles above mouth of Williamson River. . . 
Surface . 
421 
5 
4.30 j). m 
do 
10 feet .. 
42 
4.30 p. m 
A t. mouth of Pelican Estuary 
Surface - 
39£ 
6 
4.30 p. in 
do 
5ft feet . . 
404 
9 
9 a. m 
Small Lake below Klamath Falls 
44 
Surface . 
421 
g 
. do 
15 feet 
42^ 
10 
3.30 p. m 
South end of Klamath Lake 
10 
3.30 p.m 
do 
13 feet . . 
4lf 
Character of bottom . — The large area of tule and marshy lands surrounding the 
lake has doubtless had much to do in determining the character of the bottom of Upper 
Klamath Lake. The lake is very shallow, and the vast amounts of decaying vegeta- 
tion carried into it and the ever-increasing area of tule lands render it more shallow 
year by year. The bottom, where we examined it, was composed of loose, disintegrat- 
ing vegetable material, with no sandy or gravelly bottom. 
Fishes . — Gill nets of suitable mesh were set in this lake in various places, chiefly in 
Pelican Bay and in the lower end of the lake. A good many trout and chubs and a 
few suckers were taken, but no whiteflsh were caught and none was seen anywhere. 
Inquiry among people at Klamath Palls and elsewhere about the lake failed to elicit 
evidence that whiteflsh have ever been seen there since the plant was made. It is 
to be regretted that nets could not have been set in the middle portion of the lake, 
as it is there that fish would be found if any have survived. But when it is consid- 
ered how shallow the lake is, how warm the water probably becomes in summer, and 
how difficult it would be for whiteflsh to find suitable spawning-beds, it is doubtful if 
the eastern whiteflsh would thrive in such a lake. 
