DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIEECTOE WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 368 PEOFILE SURVEYS IN WENATCHEE RIVER BASIN WASHINGTON PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF R. B. MARSHALL, CHIEF GEOGRAPHER Prepared in cooperation with the State of Washington WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1914 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOKGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER- SUPPLY PAPER 368 PROFILE SURVEYS IN WENATCHEE RIVER BASIN WASHINGTON PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 'R. B. MARSHALL, CHIEF GEOGRAPHER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1914 CONTENTS. Page. General features of Wenatchee River basin__________________ 5 Gaging stations __________________________________ 5 Publications ____________________________________ 6 ILLUSTRATIONS. PI.ATE I. A-K. Plan and profile of Wenatchee Lake, Wenatchee River, and certain tributaries_________A.t end of volume. 49604° WSP 368 14 9 PROFILE SURVEYS IN WENATCHEE RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON. Prepared under the direction of R. B. MARSHALL, Chief Geographer. GENERAL FEATURES OF WENATCHEE RIVER BASIN. Wenatchee River rises in Cady Pass, in the Cascade Range, Wash­ ington, at an elevation of 4,500 feet, flows southeastward, passing through Wenatchee Lake at an elevation of 1,870 feet, and empties into Columbia River at the town of Wenatchee. With its tributaries it drains a stretch of the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains about 40 miles long and the territory north of the Yakima River drainage basin, from which it is separated by the Wenatchee Mountains. The river has a number of tributaries, among which may be men­ tioned White River, which flows into Wenatchee Lake near its head, and Chiwawa, Nason, Chumstick, Icicle, Peshastin, and Mission creeks. The upper part of the drainage area is heavily forested, but the extreme lower part consists of timberless hills and ridges, in most places covered with sagebrush. The mean annual precipitation at Wenatchee is 16 inches, a large part of it being in the form of snow. During portions of the winter the streams are icebound. The water is used for irrigation and the development of water power. The Great Northern Railway has built a hydroelectric plant at Leavenworth, where about 7,000 horsepower is developed to operate trains through the Cascade Tunnel. GAGING STATIONS. The Survey has maintained in the basin of Wenatchee River the gaging stations shown by the following list. The stations are arranged in downstream order, the main stem of the river being de­ termined by measuring or estimating its drainage area that is, the headwater stream draining the largest area is considered the continuation of the. main stream, and all stations from source to 5 6 PROFILE SURVEYS IN WENATCHEE RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON. mouth are presented first; stations on the tributaries, in regular order from source to mouth, follow. Relations of tributaries are indicated by indention. A dash following a date indicates that the station was being maintained June 30, 1913. A period after a date indicates discontinuance. Wenatchee Kiver near Chiwaukum, Wash., 1911-1912. Wenatchee Kiver near Leavenworth, Wash., 1910- Wenatchee Kiver at Dryden, Wash., 1911- Valley Canal at Dryden, Wash., 1911- Wenatchee Kiver at Sherman Spur, above Cashmere, Wash., 1904-1910. Wenatchee Kiver near Cashmere, Wash., 1904-1911. Wenatchee Kiver at Wenatchee, Wash., 1897. White Kiver near Chiwaukum, Wash., -1912. Nason Creek near Chiwaukum, Wash., -1912. Chiwaukum Creek near Chiwaukum, Wash., -1911. Chiawa Creek near Leavenworth, Wash., -1912. Icicle Creek near Leavenworth, Wash., 1911- Peshastin Creek near Blewett, Wash., 1911. Peshastfn Creek near Leavenworth, Wash., 1911. PUBLICATIONS. Information concerning stream flow at the stations listed in the preceding table has been published by the Survey in the following reports: Annual report: Nineteenth, pt. 4. Water-supply papers: 16, 135, 178, 214, 252, 272, 292, 312,1 332,2 362.2 Water-supply papers and other publications of the United States Geological Survey containing data in regard to the water resources of the United States may be obtained or consulted as indicated below. 1. Copies may be obtained free of charge by applying to the Director of the Geological Survey, Washington, D. C., but the edition printed for free distribution is small.and is soon exhausted. 2. Copies may be purchased at nominal cost from the Superin­ tendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., who will on application furnish lists giving prices. 3. Sets of the reports may be consulted in the libraries of the prin­ cipal cities in the United States. 4. Complete sets are available for consultation in the local offices of the water-resources branch of the Geological Survey, as follows: Albany, N. Y., Room 18, Federal Building. Atlanta, Ga., Post Office Building. St. Paul, Minn., Old Capitol Building. Helena, Mont., Montana National Bank Building. Denver, Colo., 302 Chamber of Commerce Building. Salt Lake City, Utah, Federal Building. 1 In press June, 1914. 2 In preparation June, 1914. PROFILE SURVEYS IN WENATCHEE RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON. 7 Boise, Idaho, 615 Idaho Building. Portland, Oreg,, 416 Couch Building. Tacoma, Wash., Federal Building. San Francisco, Cal., 328 Customhouse. Los Angeles, Cal., Federal Building. Santa Fe, N. Mex., Capitol Building. Honolulu, Hawaii, Kapiolani Building. A list of the Geological Survey's publications will be sent on appli­ cation to the Director of the United States Geological Survey, Washington, D. C. O . U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PLAN AND PROFILE OF GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR WENATCHEE LAKE. WENATCHEE RIVER, STATE OF WASHINGTON M. E. HAY. GOVERNOR AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES I HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST WASHINGTON WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 368 PLATE I A NOTE: TMESIH-W-SHEETS ARE ALL W/TMIN CHELAN COUNTY, AND ABOVE LEAVC.NWORTH ARC ALSO WITHIN THE WENATCHEE NATIONAL FOREST IYf/fATCfft F L. C H E LA N C WENATCHEE NATIONAL FOREST I WENA TCHEE NATIONAL FOREST R. B. Marshall, Chief Geographer Subject to adjustment 8 SHEETS T. G. Gerdine, Geographer in charge Topography by Chas. Hartmann, Jr. Surveyed in 1911 SURVEYED IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATE OF WASHINGTON 2 Kilometers Vertical scale 1 inch = 40 feet Contour interval on land 25 feet APPROXIMATE MEAN Contour interval on river surface 5 feet DECLINATION 1911 Datum is mean sea, level 1914 U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PLAN AND PROFILE OF GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WENATCHEE LAKE. WENATCHEE RIVER, STATE OF WASHINGTON AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES Nl. E. HAY, GOVERNOR ENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST WASHINGTON WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 368 PLATE I B F & 'e/- ^i^ T 34 ,E>M 1882 I 4-7 Miles 44- 44 M/'/es 43 1730 4O 38 1650 I64C > /63C) \ /t>20 \ I6IO /44O \ /60C \ v37 o /42O \\ ^ I4OO 6 /390 ^x A ~JP /380 O £- \^ I37O \ /360 X^ 1350 ^ 31 30 /o/a 22 WE N A T C H E E ! FORES T S/XTH STANDARD 29 Miles R. B. Marshall, Chief Geographer Scale sr,m Subject to adjustment 8 SHEETS 2 Miles T. G. Gerdine, Geographer in charge DIAGRAM OFTOWNSHIP Topography by Clias. Harttnann, Jr., and T. H. Moncure 615 !A- 3 2 I Surveyed in 1911 7 8 9 10 II 12 4,000 2,000 4,000 8,000 Feet SURVEYED IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATE OF WASHINGTON l8!l7M6 15 IVI3 19 2O 21:22 23 2^ 0 2 Kilometers 30129128:27 26 25 Vertical scale 1 inch = 40 feet Contour interval on land 25 feet APPROXIMATE: MEAN Contour interval on river surface 5 feet DECLINATION 1911 Datum is mean sea level 1914 U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PLAN AND PROFILE OF GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR STATE OF WASHINGTON WENATCHEE LAKE. WENATCHEE RIVER, M. E. HAY, GOVERNOR AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 368 PLATE I D p HENRY LANDES. STATE GEOLOGIST WASHINGTON R. B. Marshall, Chief Geographer T. G. Gerdine, Geographer in charge Topography by Wm. C. Tutts and T. H. Moncure Surveyed in 1911 -1912 7:8 !J llO II :I SURVEYED IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATE OF WASHINGTON iailT'F fl5jl4-jl 19 2O 2 t22 23 24. 3OI29 21 27 26;25 Vertical scale 1 inch - 40 feet Contour interval 10 feet APPROXIMATE MEAN Datum, is mean sea level DECLINATION 1911 1914 5 8 § S § 8.8 S 88 m D. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PLAN AND PROFILE OF GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR WENATCHEE LAKE. WENATCHEE RIVER, STATE OF WASHINGTON AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES M. E. HAY. GOVERNOR HENRY LANDES STATE GEOLOGIST WASHINGTON WATER-SUPPLY^ PAPER 368 PLATE R. B. Marshall, Chief Geographer 8 SHEETS T. G. Gerdine, Geographer in charge DIAGRAM Or7OWN8HIP Topography by T. H. Moncure Surveyed in 1911 4,000 2,000 4,000 8,000 Feet SURVEYED IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATE OF WASHINGTON 0 1 2 Kilometers Vertical scale 1 inch = 40 feet Contour interval on land 25 feet APPROXIMATE MEAN Contour interval on river surface 5 feet DECLINATION 1911 Datum, is mean sea level 1914 U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PLAN AND PROFILE OF GEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR WENATCHEE LAKE. WENATCHEE RIVER, STATE OF WASHINGTON M. E. HAY, GOVERNOR AND CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES HENRY LANDES, STATE GEOLOGIST WASHINGTON WATER-SUPPLY PAPER ,368 PLATE I G 2//O 2/OO ^LEAVEN WORTH 2O90 2080 ^s. "\ 2070 II \^ it 206O ^\ 2050 20^0 \ . \ ° 2O30 \ ^ 2O20 I\2> \ L 20IO 2000 \ / \ /99O \ /980 \ /97O \ /96O \ /9£0 \ i r t /9t+O V 5 /930 , .... , V\ <: \VQ 'WC /920 \G 23 U.SJGAG/ 19 ,3,0 \ Miles Q / I /9°° \ tarn \ I93 -. / /83O \ m&®f* taao. \ /O -§ Miles, 0 ki \ \ 28 27 25 <\l Oj V \ \ V* *. -C I C L \ 1550 \ \ \ KEY MAP V /370 6 Miles IIOO O Miles R. B. Marshall, Chief Geographer Scale Subject to adjustment 8 SHEETS T. G. Gerdine, Geographer in charge 2 Miles 23*° Topography by Wm. O. Tufts DIAGRAM DFTOWN8HIP Surveyed in 1912 6 I 5 'A- ; 3 2 I 4,000 2,000 0 4,000 8,000 Feet SURVEYED IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATE OF WASHINGTON 7 8 : 9 10 II 12 I8|I7;I6 15 14.