URINGTON. 
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS. 
45 
jear in mind, however, that even if the water is at hand and the gravel 
leposit extensive, the attempt to work by the hydraulic method where 
i grade of 6 inches to 12 feet can not be obtained will probably fail. 
In the Fairbanks and Birch Creek districts the rainfall may be as- 
sumed to be no greater than that at Eagle. The catchment area that 
ies at an elevation sufficient to supply the placer ground with water 
it a proper head for hydraulic operations is insignificant. Even were 
jhe auriferous gravels in that district so situated as to be hydraulicked, 
water for that purpose could not be obtained. The small amount of 
water which runs in the creek bottoms is available at heads not ex- 
3eeding 25 feet, by means of ditches, for sluicing purposes. It is of 
variable quantity, however, and must be husbanded with the greatest 
jare. The promiscuous cutting of timber and stripping of moss, 
which are the inevitable accompaniments of the exploitation of the 
liberie-, 
Scale 
smiles 
Fig. 2.— Map of part of Birch Creek district. 
Dlacers, will tend to gradually diminish the supply of water. (See figs. 2 
i,nd 3.) 
Of the interior districts the Rampart and Fortymile appear to be 
post copiously supplied with water, and these are the only districts 
n the hitherto developed interior where considerable bench deposits 
iave been found. It seems not improbable that a survey with refer- 
nce to locating the larger catchment areas at sufficient elevation may 
esult in obtaining water for hydraulicking the bench gravels. 
No data are at hand with reference to the rainfall in Seward Penin- 
ula. It may be assumed to be larger than that of the interior, and 
s probably fairly represented by the figure given for St. Michael, 
8.1 inches, which fell during the summer of 1904. This amount, 
owever, was much less than that of the year before, and the gold 
roduct of the peninsula was thereby materially reduced. The facili- 
es for making use of the water for mining purposes are better on 
