DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRANKLIN K. LANE, Secretary UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 372 ATER-POWER RECONNAISSANCE IN SOUTH-CENTRAL ALASKA BY ( C. E. ELLSWORTH AND E. W. DAVENPORT i WITH i SECTION ON SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA BY J. C. HOYT WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFIOX 1915 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRANKLIN K. LANE, Secretary UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 372 A WATER-POWER RECONNAISSANCE IN SOUTH-CENTRAL ALASKA BY C. E. ELLSWOETH AND E. W. DAVENPOET WITH A SECTION ON SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA BY J. C. HOYT Recces WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT FEINTING OFFICE 1916 CONTENTS. Preface, by A. H. Brooks................................................ 1. 9 Introduction.............................................................. 11 Methods of investigation.................................................... 12 Definition of terms................................................_......... 13 Convenient equivalents.................................................... 14 Water-power rights........................................................ 15 Climate.................................................................... 15 General conditions...................................................... 15 Precipitation........................................................... 17 Temperature........................................................... 32 Controller Bay region..........................;............................ 34 General features....................................................... 34 Measuring points....................................................... 35 Bering River drainage basin............................................ 35 General features................................................... 35 Canyon Creek...................................................... 37 Stillwater Creek................................................... 38 General features............................................... 38 Discharge measurements....................................... 38 Katalla River......................................................... 39 Water-power sites.......................................r.............. 39 Copper River drainage basin............................................... 39 General features....................................................... 39 Mineral resources...................................................... 43 Timber............................................................... 44 Gaging stations and measuring points................................... 45 Copper River near Copper Center........................................ 45 Copper River at Miles Glacier............................................ 47 Klutina River basin................................................... 50 General features................................................... 50 Klutina River at Copper Center..................................... 51 Kotsina River basin.................................................... 53 Chitina River basin................................................... 53 General features................................................... 53 Nizina River basin................................................. 55 General features............................................... 55 McCarthy Creek near McCarthy................................. 58 Miscellaneous measurements.................................... 60 Lakina River basin................................................ 60 General features............................................... 60 Miscellaneous measurements.................................... 61 Gilahina River basin.............................................. 61 General features............................................... 61 Miscellaneous measurements.................................... 62 3 4 CONTENTS. Copper River drainage basin Continued. Chitina River basin Continued. Page. Kuskulana River basin............................................ 62 General features............................................... 62 Miscellaneous measurements.................................... 63 Tiekel River basin. ..................................................... 64 General features................................................... 64 Miscellaneous measurements........................................ 66 Water-power sites....................................................... 66 McKinley Lake district..................................................... 68 Power Creek basin......................................................... 69 General features....................................................... 69 Power Creek near Cordova............................................. 70 Prince William Sound region............................................... 72 General features....................................................... 72 Mineral resources...................................................... 73 Timber................................................................. 74 Gaging stations and measuring points................................... 74 Orca Bay.............................................................. 75 General features................................................... 75 Humpback Creek near Cordova..................................... 76 Miscellaneous measurements........................................ 78 Sheep Bay............................................................ 78 Port Fidalgo.......................................................... 78 Landlocked Bay...................................................... 80 General features. ..............--.............-*.................... 80 Miscellaneous measurements........................................ 81 Gladhaugh Creek...................................................... 81 General features................................................... 81 Gladhaugh Creek at elevation 250 feet............................... 82 Gladhaugh Creek at elevation 125 feet............................... 82 Galena Bay........................................................... 83 General features................................................... 83 Bottle Creek....................................................... 83 General features............................................... 83 Bottle Creek at Galena Bay..................................... 84 Duck River....................................................... 85 General features............................................... 85 Duck River at Galena Bay..................................... 87 PortValdez........................................................... 89 General features................................................... 89 Solomon Gulch................................................... 89 Lowe River...................................................... 90 Mineral Creek...................................................... 91 Gold Creek....................................................... 93 General features............................................... 93 Gold Creek near Valdez....................................... 93 Shoup Bay........................................................ 94 General features............................................... 94 Uno Creek at Shoup Bay....................................... 95 Miscellaneous measurements........................................ 97 Eaglek Bay........................................................... 97 CONTENTS. 5 Prince William Sound region Continued. page. Port Wells district..................................................... 98 General features................................................... 98 Davis Creek....................................................... 99 General features............................................... 99 Davis Creek at Golden......................................... 99 Avery River..................................................... 100 General features............................................... 100 Avery River near Golden......................... r ........... 101 Harrison Lagoon.... .r ............................................. 102 Hobo Bay and Creek. ............................................. 103 General features............................................... 103 Hobo Creek near Golden...................................... 103 Hummer Bay.................................................... 104 Miscellaneous measurements........................................ 104 Developed water power. .............................................. 105 General conditions................................................. 105 Cordova........................................................... 105 Orca.............................................................. 106 Landlocked Bay.................................................. 107 Galena Bay....................................................... 107 Port Valdez....................................................... 107 Solomon Gulch.............. I................................ 107 Glacier Creek................................................. 108 Uno Creek.................................................... 109 Water-power sites..................................................... 109 Kenai Peninsula........................................................... 110 General features....................................................... 110 Mineral resources....................................................... Ill Timber..............................................................