INVESTIGATIONS IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN. 
173 
the stream itself. If it were considered desirable to ship spawn to such a hatchery, 
the Natchess might be favorably considered. 
In considering' the possibility of establishing a hatchery on the Yakima or its 
tributaries, it should be borne in mind that the stream liows through a wide valley, 
only partially under cultivation. Extensive canals are now being constructed with a 
view to irrigating the entire valley. Itecent litigation seems to show that more water 
has been claimed on behalf of these canals than the stream will be able to furnish. 
It seems probable, therefore, that the entire supply will be withdrawn from the river 
during the summer and fall. 
Toutle River . — The Toutle liiver is a tributary of the Cowlitz. Near its mouth, 
near Castle Rock, an excellent site for a salmon hatchei'y can be found. This is a 
beautiful, clear, and cold stream, fnrnislnng an abundance of water, which is never 
likely to be required for other purposes. The temperature of the water at 11 a. in. 
August 27 was 59.5°. The Toutle is a natural spawning-ground for the salmon, which 
still come into it in large numbers. They could be taken in the deeper pools in gill 
nets, and the character of the stream is such as to permit seining. The time at our 
disposal did not permit us to make a very thorough investigation of this stream and 
entirely prevented our visiting the Upper Cowlitz. From what we saw, however, we 
are inclined to recommend the Toutle River as being the best suited for hatchery 
imrposes of any stream in Wasliington. 
THE UPPER COLUMBIA. 
Year Kettle Falh, Waah . — The Colville River flows into the Columbia at the town 
of Kettle Falls, about 2 miles below the Kettle Falls of the Columbia. Aii abundance 
of excellent water can be obtained from the Colville River, and plenty of suitable land 
can probably be had for nothing, as the people there are much interested in securing 
the hatchery. This site is about 2 miles from Meyers Falls, a station on the Spokane 
and Northern Railroad. The only objection to it is the uncertainty of getting a suffi- 
cient number of spawning saluion conveniently near. 
As already stated, salmon were abundant in the Columbia at Kettle Falls as late 
as 1878. Since then there has been a great decrease. They have been scarce since about 
1882; since 1890 there have been scarcely any at Kettle Falls. The Meyers brothers 
say they have been almost unable to buy any salmon for their own table from the 
Indians for three years. Certain Indians with whom we talked at Kettle Falls said 
salmon were once very abundant there, but that very few are seen now. Other 
persons testified to the same effect. Essentially the same information was obtained 
regarding the decrease of salmon in other parts of the upper tributai'ies of the 
Columbia, viz, at Spokane, in both the Big and Little Spokane rivers, and in the 
Snake River and its various tributaries. 
On the Little Spohane Rirer, near Spohane., W((sh . — This river, as elsewhere stated 
in this report, ijossesses all the natural conditions necessary for this purpose; and 
it has the advantage of having excellent shi]>ping facilities in the numerous railroads 
centering at Spokane. The uncertainty of being able to obtain spawning salmon in 
sufficient numbers is, however, a fatal objection to this point, unless shipping the 
eggs from the Lower Colundiia might be regarded as feasible. 
