DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY

GEORGE OTI8 SMITH, DIBECTOE

WATER- STJPJPLY PAPER 377

PROFILE SURVEYS

IN

SPOKANE RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON

AND

JOHN DAY RIVER BASIN, OREGON

PEEPAEED UNDER THE DIRECTION OE

R. B. MARSHALL, CHIEF GEOGRAPHER

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1915
CONTENTS.

Page.

Introduction _________________________________ 3

Spokane River basin, Washington_________________________ 3

General features_______________________________ 3

Gaging stations__________________________________ 5

John Day River basin, Oregon___________________________ 6

General features_______________________________ 6

Gaging stations__________________________________ 6

Publications____________________________________ 7

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PLATES I-III. Plan and profile of Spokane River from mouth to Chamo- * 

kane Creek, Wash. (3 sheets, A-C) ______ At end of volume. 

IV-X. Reconnaissance plan and profile of John Day River from

mouth to Middle Fork, Oreg. (7 sheets, A-G)_ At end of volume.

98107° 15

2
PROFILE SURVEYS IN SPOKANE RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON, AND JOHN DAY RIVER BASIN, OREGON.

Prepared under the direction of K. B. MARSHALL, Chief Geographer.

INTRODUCTION.

In order to determine the location of undeveloped water powers 

on the rivers of the United States, the United States Geological Survey has from time to time made surveys and profiles of some of the 

streams adapted to the development of power by low or medium 

heads of 20 to 100 feet.

The surveys are made by means of plane table and stadia. Elevations are based on heights derived from primary or precise levels of 

the United States Geological Survey. The maps are made in the 

field and show not only the outlines of the river banks, the islands, 

the positions of rapids, falls, shoals, and existing dams, and the 

crossings of all ferries and roads but the contours of banks to an 

elevation high enough to indicate the possibility of using the stream. 

The elevations of the bench marks left are noted on the field sheets 

in their proper positions. All gaging stations are shown on the 

maps, and the elevation of the zero of the gage is given.

SPOKANE RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON. 

GENERAL FEATURES.

Spokane Kiver rises in. Cceur d'Alene Lake in western Idaho, flows 

west and northwest, and discharges into Columbia Kiver near Fort 

Spokane, Wash.

Cceur d'Alene Lake, which receives the drainage from the western 

slope of the Bitterroot Mountains, occupies a wide valley. Its upper 

end is within the area formerly reserved for the Cceur d'Alene 

Indians. The lands bordering it are for the most part low and 

swampy, and the lake itself is being gradually filled by sediment 

brought in by St. Joe and Cceur d'Alene rivers, its principal tributaries. Undoubtedly the lake once extended a considerable distance 

up the valleys of these streams, and for 15 or 20 miles above their 

mouths the bottom lands are subject annually to overflow, except

3
4 PROFILE SURVEYS, SPOKANE AND JOHN DAY RIVERS.

where the rivers are artificially confined in their channels. Along 

the immediate banks of the streams the land is relatively higher 

than that nearer the hills. The channels of the lower sections of the 

rivers are comparatively deep and are favorable for navigation. 

The valleys are used more or less for agriculture.

The principal tributaries received by Spokane Elver between the 

lake and the Columbia are Latah or Hangman Creek, which enters the 

stream from the south near Spokane, Wash.; Little Spokane Kiver, 

which comes in from the north about 12 miles below Spokane; and 

Chamokane Creek, which is tributary from the north and forms the 

eastern boundary of the Spokane Indian Reservation. Its drainage 

area comprises about 5,880 square miles. Nearly all of the upper 

portion is heavily forested and a large area is included in the Cceur 

d'Alene National Forest.

The topography of the country is rugged and broken. The valley's 

sides are very steep and many of the peaks rise to regions of perpetual snow.

The mean annual rainfall at Spokane is 17 inches; at St. Maries, 

20 inches; and on the summit of the Bitterroot Mountains it is 

probably 50 inches or more. A large portion of the precipitation, 

particularly at the higher altitudes, is in the form of snow whose 

gradual melting helps to feed the streams during the summer season. 

Occasionally the snow banks are melted suddenly by chinook winds, 

and when these winds are accompanied by heavy rainfall the flood 

damage is sometimes great, although its severity is mitigated to a 

large extent by the natural storage in Cceur d'Alene Lake.

The lands bordering Spokane River are for the most part agricultural. Above Spokane the valley is comparatively wide and level 

and is underlain throughout with coarse gravel that affords ample 

ground-water storage from which a liberal supply for irrigation can 

be drawn. A gravity ditch system diverts water from the right bank 

of Spokane River at Post Falls. Below Spokane, where the river 

enters a comparatively deep canyon, the agricultural lands consist of 

narrow strips along the liver banks and are irrigated for the most 

part by pumping from the river. The lands flanking the canyon of 

Spokane River are high and are used extensively for wheat raising. 

The chief products of the region, however, are from its mines.

The Spokane affords a large amount of power. At Post Falls, 8 

miles below the outlet of Coeur d'Alene Lake, the Washington Water 

Power Co. has constructed a dam and power plant. The crest of 

this dam is at elevation 2,116.5 feet above sea level and is provided 

with a bear-trap dam 100 feet long, by means of which the water 

can be raised 10 feet above the crest proper. There are also eight 

Tainter gates, which, when opened, afford an additional spillway 

length of 159 feet. The company's overflow privileges do not allow
PROFILE SURVEYS, SPOKANE AND JOHN DAY RIVERS. 5

them to raise the height of water in Coeur d'Alene Lake above an 

elevation of 2,126 feet. During floods, therefore, (.he Tainter gates 

are opened and the bear-trap dam is lowered in order to afford as 

large capacity of outflow as possible. When the water falls to an 

elevation of 2,126 feet in the lake the bear trap is raised and the 

Tainter gates are manipulated, to maintain the water at this point 

as nearly as possible. The waters so stored are released through 

the power houses. The Post Falls plant of the Washington Water 

Power Co. has a nominal capacity of 15,000 horsepower; the Spokane 

plant, 12,000 horsepower. The Ninemile plant of the Spokane & 

Inland Empire Railroad Co. has a capacity of 10.000 horsepower. 

The Washington Water Power Co. has completed a plant at Little 

Falls for a development of 20,000 horsepower and has partly completed a plant at Long Lake between Ninemile and Little Falls.

The Long Lake plant * * * constitutes the latest and one of the most 

interesting stations on the Pacific coast. It is situated about 24 miles northwest of the city of Spokane and 4.5 miles from the Little Falls station of the 

same company. At the site of the station Spokane River makes a complete 

horseshoe bend and passes through a box canyon of granite formation rising 

to a height of 350 feet above the water surface. There the power company has 

erected the highest spillway dam in existence, with the power station around 

the bend about 250 feet from the dam. The dam, which is thrown across the 

river, gives a fall of 170 feet at the power house and backs up the water for 

23 miles.1

Another plant is projected at a favorable point 14 miles below 

Little Falls, and still another at the Narrows at the mouth of the 

river near Fort Spokane. At both places plants of 20,000 horsepower 

capacity could be constructed.

The results of profile surveys in the Spokane River basin are 

given in Plates I-III (at end of volume).

GAGING STATIONS.

The Geological Survey has maintained in the basin of Spokane 

River the gaging stations indicated by the following list. The stations are arranged in downstream order, the position of tributaries 

being indicated by indention. A dash after the date indicates that 

the station was being maintained June 30, 1915. A period after the 

date indicates discontinuance.

Cceur d'Alene River, North Fork (head of Coeur d'Alene River and through 

Coeur d'Alene Lake of Spokane River) at Prichard, Idaho, 1911-15.

Coeur d'Alene River near Enaville, Idaho, 1911-12.

Coeur d'Alene River at Cataldo, Idaho, 1911-12.

Coeur d'Alene Lake at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 1903-

Spokane River near Trent, Wash., 1912-

Spokane River at Washington Water Power Co. dam at Spokane, Wash., 1891- 

1896.

1 Electrical World, vol. 65, No. 22, p. 1389, May 29, 1915.
6 PEOFILE SUBVEYS, SPOKANE AND JOHN ]>AY KIVERS.

Spokane Eiver at Spokane, Wash., 1896-

Spokane Valley Land & Water Co. canal near Post Falls, Wash., 1911- 

Spokane Eiver Bear Long Lake, Wash., 1912 

Little North Fork of Cceur d'Alene River near Bnaville, Idaho, 1911-12.

St. Joe River at A very, Idaho, 1911-

St. Joe River Bear Calder, Idaho, 1911-12.

St. Maries River at Lotus, Idaho, 1911-12.

Latah [Hangman] Cre.ek at Tekoa, Wash., 1904-05.

Latah Creek near Tekoa, Wash., 1904-05.

North Fork of Latah [Hangman] Creek at Tekoa, Wash., 1904-05.

Little Spokane River near Spokane, Wash., 1903-1905; 1911-

JOH1T DAY BIVEE, BASIN, OREGON. 

GENERAL FEATURES.

John I>ay River drains the country to the northwest of the Blue 

Mountains. The river rises on the divide between Grant and Baker 

counties, Oreg., flows westward and then northward, and joins 

Columbia River about 28 miles above The Dalles. Its principal 

tributaries are the North, Middle, and South forks. Its total drainage area is 7,800 square miles.

The general elevation of its headwaters is about 6,000 feet above 

sea level; at Fossil the elevation is 1,500 feet. The headwater region 

of the stream is forested. Except wheat, which is grown on the rolling uplands by "dry farming," no agricultural products of consequence can be raised without irrigation, and as the areas which 

admit of easy irrigation are confined to the immediate valleys of 

the streams comparatively little has been done in this direction. 

Several projects have been suggested under which, by means of storage reservoirs and high-line canals, large areas of very productive 

table-lands would be developed. The storage facilities are ample for 

this purpose.

The mean annual rainfall varies from 24 inches on the headwaters 

to 10 inches at the mouth. The winters are cold, and the streams are 

frequently icebound throughout the greater part of the winter.

The results of profile surveys in John Day River basin are given 

in Plates IV to X (at end of volume).

GAGING STATIONS.

The Geological Survey has maintained in the basin of John Day 

River the gaging stations indicated by the following list. The stations are arranged in downstream order, the position of tributaries 

being indicated by indention. A dash after the date indicates that 

the station was being maintained June 30, 1915. A period after the 

date indicates discontinuance.

John Day River Bear Dayville, Oreg., 1908-1914. 

John Day River at Clarno, Oreg., 1914-
PROFILE SURVEYS, SPOKANE AND JOHN DAY RIVERS. 7

John Day River at McDonald, Oreg., 1904-

South Fork of John Day River at Dayville, Oreg., 1908-1914.

Dayville ditch at Dayville, Oreg., 1910-1914. 

Rock Creek near Arlington, Oreg., 1905; 1911.

PUBLICATIONS.

The following publications of the Geological Survey contain the 

results of investigations of stream flow at the stations indicated in the 

preceding lists:

Spokane River basin:

Annual Reports: Eighteenth, Part IV; Nineteenth, Part IV; Twentieth,

Part IV; Twenty-first, Part IV; Twenty-second, Part IV. 

Water-Supply Papers: 11, 16, 28, 38, 39, 51, 66, 75, 85, 100, 135, 178, 214,

252, 272, 292, 312, 332-A, 362-A,1 392.1 

John Day River basin:

Water-Supply Papers: 135, 178, 214, 252, 272, 292, 312, 332-C, 362-C, 394.1 

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. The edition printed 

for free distribution is, however, small and is soon exhausted.

2. Copies may be purchased at nominal cost from the Superintendent 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 

principal 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.

Madison, Wis., Capitol Building.

Helena, Mont., Montana National Bank Building.

Denver, Colo., 302 Chamber of Commerce Building.

Salt Lake City, Utah, Federal Building.

Boise, Idaho, 615 Idaho Building.

Phoenix, Ariz., 417 Fleming Building.

Portland, Oreg., 416 Couch Building.

Tacoma, Wash., Federal Building.

San Francisco, CaL, 505 Customhouse.

Log Angeles, CaL, Federal Building.

Honolulu, Hawaii, Kapiolani Building.

A list of the Geological Survey's publications will be sent on application to the Director, United States Geological Survey, Washington, D. C.

1 In preparation.

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