Water Powers of the Cascade Range
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATEB-SUPPLY PAPER 313 WATER POWERS OF THE CASCADE RANGE PART II.-COWLITZ, NISQUALLY, PUYALLUP, WHITE, GREEN, AND CEDAR DRAINAGE BASINS BY FRED F. HENSHAW AND GLENN L. PARKER PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH THE WASHINGTON STATE BOARD OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1913 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SurpiiY PAPER 313 WATER POWERS OF THE CASCADE RANGE PART IL-COWLITZ, NISQUALLY, PUYALLUP, WHITE, GREEN, AND CEDAR DRAINAGE BASINS BY FRED F. HENSHAW AND GLENN L. PARKER PEBPARBD IN COOPERATION WITH THE WASHINGTON STATE BOARD OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1913 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction............................................................ 7 Cooperation and acknowledgments......................................... 8 Conditions affecting stream flow........................................... 9 Variations in stream flow.................................................. 10 Kelation of irrigation to power development................................ 11 Physiography «f the drainage basins, by E. J. Saunders. .................... 12 Geology. ............................................................. 12 General features. ................................................ 12 Geologic history. ................................................. 13 Topography and drainage.............................. r ........ t . 15 Soils and vegetation.............................................. 17 Climate.............................................................. 19 General conditions................................................ 19 Precipitation..................................................... 20 Temperature..................................................... 23 Frost............................................................ 24 Summary........................................................ 24 Cowlitz River drainage basin............................................. 24 General features..................................................... 24 Water supply........................................................ 27 Records available................................................ 27 Ohanapecosh River above Clear Fork, near Lewis, Wash............ 28 Cowlitz River at Lewis ferry, Wash................................. 30 Cowlitz River at Randle, Wash.................................... 30 Cowlitz River at Mayfield, Wash.................................. 31 Clear Fork at mouth, near Lewis, Wash............................ 31 Coal Creek at mouth, near Lewis, Wash........................... 33 Lake Creek at outlet of Packwood Lake, near Lewis, Wash......... 33 Lake Creek at mouth, near Lewis, Wash........................... 33 Hagar Creek above North Fork, near Lewis, Wash................... 35 North Fork of Hagar Creek near Lewis, Wash....................... 35 Johnson Creek below West Fork, near Lewis, Wash.................. 35 Johnson Creek -at mouth, near Lewis, Wash........................ 36 Glacier Creek above mouth, near Lewis, Wash...................... 37 Cispus River below McCoy Creek, near Randle, Wash............... 37 Miscellaneous measurements...................................... 38 Summary of minimum flow. ...................................... 38 Water powers........................................................ 39 Development.................................................... 39 Power sites....................................................... 42 Nisqually River drainage basin............................................ 55 General features...................................................... 55 Water supply........................................................ 57 Records available................................................ 57 Nisqually River near Ashford, Wash............................... 57 64204° 13 3 4 CONTENTS. Nisqually River drainage basin Continued. Water supply Continued. Page. Nisqually River near Lagrande, Wash.............................. 58 Miscellaneous measurements...................................... 59 Summary of minimum flow....................................... 59 Water powers..."..................................................... 60 General conditions................................................ 60 Tacoma municipal plant. ... ^ .................................... 61 Power sites. ..................i................................... 62 Puyallup River drainage basin. ........................................... 66 General features..................................................... 66 Water supply........................................................ 68 Records available................................................ 68 Puyallup River at headworks, near Electron, Wash................. 68 Carbon River at Fairfax, Wash.................................... 70 Miscellaneous measurements...................................... 71 Summary of minimum flow....................................... 71 Water powers........................................................ 71 Development.................................................... 71 Power sites....................................................... 73 White River basin........................................................ 79 General features..................................................... 79 Water supply........................................................ 81 Records available................................................ 81 White River below the forks, near Enumclaw, Wash.................. 82 White River at Buckley, Wash..................................... 83 Greenwater River at mouth, near Enumclaw, Wash................... 86 Miscellaneous measurements....................................... 86 Summary of minimum flow........................................ 87 Water powers......................................................... 87 Prospect of development............................................ 87 Developed powers................................................. 87 Undeveloped powers............................................... 90 Green River drainage basin................................................. 95 General features........................................................ 95 Hydraulic development............................................... 96 Cedar River drainage basin................................................ 98 General features........................................................ 98 Water supply......................................................... 99 Cedar River at Vaughn Bridge, near North Bend,Wash.............. 99 Cedar River at Cedar Lake, near North Bend, Wash................. 100 Cedar River at Clifford Bridge, near Ravensdale, Wash................ 101 Cedar River near Ravensdale, Wash ................................ 103 Cedar River at Renton, Wash....................................... 105 Summary......................................................... 106 Water powers......................................................... 108 Development..................................................... 108 Cedar Lake storage................................................. 110 Power sites........................................................ 118 Market conditions in the Puget Sound region................................ 121 Growth of central electric stations in United States and Pacific coast States. 121 Natural resources and harbor facilities of the Pacific coast States ......... 125 Industrial development of Washington.................................. 126 Population of Pacific coast States....................................... 130 CONTENTS. 5 Market conditions in the Puget Sound region Continued. Page. Power utilization in Washington........................................ 132 Central section of Puget Sound region..................................... 133 Urban population................................................. 133 Power and distribution companies................................... 134 Generation and. distribution of electric energy...................... 136 Comparison of utilization of electric energy in Puget Sound and Wil- lamette Valley regions........................................... 140 Variation in demand.............................................. 143 General conditions............................................. 143 Daily fluctuation................... 1.......................... 143 Weekly fluctuation............................................. 145 Seasonal fluctuation............................................. 147 Load factors.................................................. 151 Steam power...................................................... 152 Auxiliary steam power.......................................... 152 Coal.......................................................... 153 oa............................................................ 153 Coal versus oil................................................. 154 Rates............................................................. 155 Methods of establishment....................................... 155 Seattle........................................................ 155 Residence lighting......................................... 155 Commercial lighting........................................ 156 Power.................................................... 156 Tacoma......................................................