RUSSELL.] LAKES. 2tf 
MALHEUR AND HARNEY LAKES. 
These two water bodies, situated in the central part of Harney 
County, present several features of geographical interest. Harney 
Valley is situated in an arid climate and is one of the many valleys 
in the region of interior drainage termed the Great Basin which now 
fail to send streams to the ocean. Malheur Lake is flat bottomed, 
with low, indefinite shores, and although fluctuating greatly in area 
with seasonable changes in precipitation and the rate of melting of 
snow on the neighboring mountains, is probably at no time over 10 
feet deep in its deepest part. When most broadly expanded it is 
about 23 miles long by 5 or 6 miles wide and has an area of approxi- 
mately 135 square miles, but as it is bordered on nearty all sides with 
swamps, and large areas even in its central parts are occupied by 
rank growths of tules and other aquatic plants, its precise area would 
be difficult of determination even if surveys were made for that pur- 
pose. Its water supply conies mainly from Silvies River, which rises 
in the forest-covered mountains to the northwest and has a length, 
not including its minor bends, of about 75 miles, and from Donner 
and Blitzen River, the sources of which are on Stein Mountain, 50 or 
60 miles to the southeast. Before their waters were utilized for irri- 
gation these streams probably never failed, even in summer, to send 
a large volume of water to the lake. In addition, t lie re are several 
streams which reach the lake only in winter, and a few springs, which 
add in a small way to the lake's resources. 
Harney Lake, situated southwest of Malheur Lake, is rudely circu- 
lar, with a diameter of about 10 miles and an area of from 50 to 60 
square miles. Its northern and western shores are low and gently 
sloping, but the water line is well defined, and swamps are absent. 
On the southeast side of the lake cliffs rise precipitously from its 
margin during high-water stages, and near the shore the waters have 
a considerable though as yet unmeasured depth. Judging from the 
appearance of the lake when seen .from adjacent hills, and from the 
ineffectual attempts to sound it made by fishermen, it is to be expected 
that a depth varying from 50 to 100 feet throughout a large portion of 
its central and southwest portions will be discovered when an accu- 
rate survey is made. A large volume of water is contributed to the 
lake by Silver Creek, which in midsummer, when its supply comes 
entirely from springs in the lower portion of its course, discharges 
about 10 cubic feet of water per second. In winter and spring Silver 
Creek is greatly extended headwards and becomes a drainage channel 
for a region 80 or 100 square miles in area. At such times it is a 
veritable river with a broad, swift current, and discharges a great 
volume of water into the lake at its mouth. There are also ephemeral 
streams which flow to Harney Lake during the rain}^ season, and hot 
springs on its border make some contribution to its water supply. 
