DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DlRECTOB WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 218 R-SUPPLY LWESTIGATIONS IN ALASKA, 1906-1907 OME AND KOUGAROK REGIONS, SEWARD PENINSULA; FAIRBANKS DISTRICT, YUKON-TANANA REGION BY ^RED-F. HENSHAW AND C. C. COVERT | WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1908 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 218 WATER-SUPPLY INVESTIGATIONS IN ALASKA, 1906-1907 NOME AND KOUGAROK REGIONS, SEWARD PENINSULA; FAIRBANKS DISTRICT, YUKON-TANANA REGION BY FRED F. HENSHAW AND C. C. COVERT Water Resources Branch, Survey, Beat 3106, Capitol Statior City, Okfe. WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1908 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction.............................................................. 7 Scope of work. ......................................................... 7 Cooperation............................................................ 8 Explanation of data and methods....................................... 9 The Nome region, by Fred F. Henshaw...................................... 13 Description of area..................................................... 13 Conditions affecting water supply....................................... 15 Gaging stations........................................................ 18 Nome River drainage basin............................................. 18 General description............'..................................... 18 Nome River above Miocene intake................................. 19 Nome River at Pioneer intake and Pioneer ditch.................... 21 Buffalo Creek,..................................................... 22 David Creek....................................................... 22 Dorothy Creek.................................................... 23 Hobson Creek...................................................... 23 The Miocene ditch system.......................................... 24 General description............................................. 24 Jett Creek ditch............................................... 30 Grand Central ditch............................................ 31 David Creek ditch............................................. 32 Seepage measurements on Miocene ditch......................... 33 Miscellaneous measurements.................................... 35 Campion ditch at Black Point...................................... 35 Seward ditch...................................................... 36 Pioneer ditch..................................................... 37 Grand Central River drainage basin..................................... 38 General description................................................. 38 North Fork of Grand Central River.................................. 38 West Fork of Grand Central River.................................. 41 Crater Lake outlet...............................................^. 44 Grand Central River below the forks................................ 46 Grand Central River below Nugget Creek........................... 47 Gold Run.......................................................... 48 Thompson Creek.................................................. 49 Nugget and Copper creeks......................................... 49 Jett Creek.........................:............................... 50 Morning Call Creek................................................. 51 Storage possibilities................................................ 52 Salmon Lake........................................................... 53 Kruzgamepa River drainage basin below Salmon Lake................... 54 General description................................................. 54 Kruzgamepa River at outlet of Salmon Lake......................... 55 Crater Creek...................................................... 57 Iron Creek......................................................... 57 Miscellaneous measurements........................................ 59 Imuruk Basin drainage................................................ 59 3 4 CONTENTS. The Nome region Continued. Page. Sinuk River drainage basin............................................ 60 General description................................................. 60 Upper Sinuk River................................................ 60 Windy Creek...................................................... 61 North Star Creek.................................................. 62 Stewart River..................................................... 63 Slate Creek....................................................... 63 Other Sinuk River drainage........................................ 64 Cripple River drainage basin............................................ 64 General description................................................ 64 Cedric ditch....................................................... 64 General description............................................ 64 Cedric ditch above penstock................................... 65 Penny River drainage basin............................................ 66 General description................................................ 66 Penny River at Sutton intake and Sutton ditch...................... 66 Snake River drainage basin............................................ 68 General description................................................. 68 Snake River above Glacier Creek................................... 68 Flambeau and Eldorado River drainage basins.......................... 69 Solomon River drainage basin........................................... 69 Flow of ditches in Nome region........................................ 70 Available water supply during 1906 and 1907............................ 70 Ditch and pipe lines.................................................... 72 Water-power possibilities.............................................. 76 The Kougarok region, by Fred F. Henshaw................................. 77 Introduction.......................................................... 77 Description of area..................................................... 77 Conditions affecting water supply....................................... 78 Gaging stations........................................................ 79 Kougarok River drainage basin......................................... 79 Description of basin............................................... 79 Kougarok River below Washington Creek........................... 80 Kougarok River at Homestake intake and Homestake ditch.......... 80 Kougarok River above Taylor Creek................................ 82 Kougarok River above Coarse Gold Creek........................... 82 Irving ditch...................................................... 83 Homestake ditch.................................................. 83 Taylor Creek at North Star intake.................................. 84 Taylor Creek at Cascade intake..................................... 85 Taylor Creek at mouth............................................. 86 North Star ditch above siphon..................................... 86 Cascade ditch..................................................... 87 Henry Creek....................................................... 88 Coarse Gold Creek................................................. 88 North Fork........................................................ 89 Miscellaneous measurements........................................ 90 Total water supply in 1907......................................... 90 Noxapaga River drainage basin.......................................... 91 Serpentine River drainage basin......................................... 92 Schlitz and Reindeer creeks........................................ 92 Bryan and Dick creeks............................................. 92 Quartz and Bismarck creeks ....................................... 93 American River drainage basin......................................... 93 CONTENTS. 5 The Kougarok region Continued. Page. Hydraulic developments................................................. 94 Relative run-off of different areas......................................... 95 The Fairhaven precinct, by Fred F. Henshaw.............................. 99 Introduction.......................................................... 99 Fairhaven ditch....................................................... 99 Candle ditch........................................................... 100 Bear Creek ditch...................................................... 100 The Fairbanks district, by C. C. Covert..................................... 101 Description of area..................................................... 101 Conditions affecting water supply....................................... 103 Gaging stations........................................................ 106 Little Chena River drainage basin...................................... 106 General description................................................. 106 Chena Slough at Fairbanks.......................................... 108 Little Chena River above mouth of Elliott Creek.................... 109 Elliott Creek above mouth of Sorrels Creek .......................... 110 Sorrels Creek....................................................... 110 Fish Creek above mouth of Fairbanks Creek.......................... Ill Bear Creek........................................................ 112 Fairbanks Creek................................................... 112 Miller Creek....................................................... 113