INVESTIGATIONS IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN. 
179 
Owyhee Iliver. — The Owyhee River is a large stream rising in the raountaius of Nevada and flowing 
into the Snake at the boundary between Idaho and Oregon, south of Huntington, Oreg. The salmon 
are said to enter this in quantity, and are well known to the miners on the headwaters of the stream. 
This is a river of much importance, to which nearly all the streams of northern Nevada are tributary. 
Boise River . — Examined August 8, one mile west of Caldwell, Idaho. Width, 200 to 400 feet ; depth, 
2 to 5 feet; current, 2 feet; temperature of water at 10 a. m., 66°. The bed of this stream is mostly 
sandy, with occasional patches of gravel. There is a riprap dam about 2 miles above Caldwell, 
belonging to the Howard Sebree Company. The lower slope of this dam is about 6 feet, and there is 
no fishway. 
Dr. J. B. Wright, of Caldwell, tells us that he caught salmon in the Boise, near Caldwell, in 1864, 
and that they were very numerous then. In 1865 placer mining began on the Upper Boise and but 
few salmon have been caught since. Occasionally he catches one in the upper waters of the Boise, 
but they are very rare. He further says that salmon trout enter this river in the spring, when the 
waters are high, and that he has caught them full of eggs in July in the Upper Boise. The dam 
already mentioned has been in five years, but he does not think it has affected the run of fish. Dr. 
Wright says that the salmon run up Snake River in September, the run lasting until the middle of 
October. He has not noticed any decrease in recent years. We were also told that at Glen’s Ferry 
there is a run of salmon trout in April and May. 
Payette River. — Examined August 9, three-fourths of a mile southeast of Payette, Idaho, near its 
mouth. Average width 360 feet; depth, 3 feet; current, IJ feet; temperature of water, 63° at5 p. m. 
Water clear; bottom sand and gravel. Tlie Payette at this place is a rather shallow stream flowing 
rapidly over numerous shallows and much divided by gravelly islands. It flows over sand and coarse- 
waterworu gravel. The river seems to be suitable for salmon, but no one in the vicinity seemed 
able to give ns any notes of value as to their occurrence. 
Salmon River. — This is, except the Snake, the largest and most important but certainly the 
least known river of Idaho. It has its headwaters in the mountains forming the divide between 
Montana and Idaho, and enters the Snake where the latter is passing through its deep canon, near the 
northeast corner of Oregon. We were informed that the lower course of the Salmon River itself is 
through a deep narrow canon, which renders it difficult of access. It is claimed that salmon still 
ascend this stream in large numbers, and spawn in all the little creeks high in the mountains. Little, 
however, is known with certainty regarding the salmon or other fishes of this stream. 
Clearwater River. — Examined August 15 and 16 at various points from its mouth to 5 to 7-J- miles 
above Lewiston, Idaho, to the mouth of Potlatch Creek. It is there a clear, cold stream flowing over 
very large round bowlders. This kind of bottom makes it almost impossible to use a net, and salmon 
could not be obtained by this method if the stream were otherwise suitable for a hatchery. The tem- 
perature of the water was 83.5° when the air was 83.5° at 4 p. m., and 63.5° when the air was 63° at 10 
a. m. As in all of these larger, clear, cold streams, we found fishes very scarce. The smaller minnows 
and suckers could be obtained only at the rate of two or three to a haul. Fish may be more abundant 
in the deei)er parts of the stream, or the numbers may V)e kept down by the trout, which could easily 
pursue the smaller fishes in the clear water. 
Potlatch Creek. — This is a small stream flowing into the Clearwater, near Lewiston. It was 
examined August 16 near its mouth. 
Palou.se River. — This is a considerable stream rising in western Idaho and flowing westward 
through southeastern Washington to the Snake River north of Walla Walla about 45 miles. It was 
examined near Colfax, Wa.sh., August 17, At this place the stream was quite low, being reduced to 
pools. Temjierature of water 74°. 
Grande Ronde River . — This river rises in eastern Oregon, flows northeast, and joins Snake River 
near the forty-sixth i^arallel. It was examined near La Grande August 11. According to Mr. J. B. 
Foley, of La Grande, salmon are very numerous in this river in September and October, coming as far 
as the dam 1 mile above La Grande. They try to jump this, but do not succeed. They are speared 
in large numbers by the Indians and boys, but are so worn and cut up by their trip up the river that 
they are of little value as food-fish. The dam is of logs with two 4-foot stei>s on the lower side, and 
has no fishway. There are no dams below — that is, between La Grande and the Snake River. Plenty 
of salmon trout come in the spring in April and May. These can get over the dam in high water. 
Water lowest in Airgust and September. There is placer mining in the upper qiarts of the river, and 
the water is milky. Trout are plentiful at Meacham, in the upirer Grande Ronde River, and in the 
side streams. 
