Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1910-05-13
U. S. GOVERNMENT ISSUES VERY
INTERESTING DATA
POSSIBILITIES ARE GIVEN
Rogue River Power Sites are Given
Good Boost by the Geological
Survey.

The United States Geological sur
vey has issued very interesting
paper on surface water supply of the
north Pacific Coast in which much
space Is devoted to Rogue river and
It's tributaries. Aside from some very
complete tables, the following de-
scriptive matter is offered:
Rogue River Drainage Basin.
observation-disclosures river drains
the southwestern corner Of the state
of Oregon, its basin extending from
the extreme western part of Klam-
ath county, across Jackson and Jose
phine counties, and including the
northern half OF Curry county. On
its north the Rogue River noun
tains and on the east are the Cas-
cades, while In the southern part OF
the area Is spur OF the Siskiyou
mountains. In all the basin COM
prises $3.50 square miles.
The river is formed by three prin-
cipal forks-the north, middle and
south-which rise among the peaks
Of the Cascade range and unite near
Prospect, in Jackson. From this
point the Rogue river winds In a gen.
eral westerly direction to the ocean
which II enters near the town of Gold
Beach, in Curry county. In the low.
er half OF Its course the stream hugs
closely the base OF the Rogue River
range. and II principal tributaries
are from the south, as Is shown by
the following:
Principal Tributaries of Rogue River
Elk creek, Stewart creek, Evans
creek, Leland creek
From the north and west-North
fork
From the east and south--Middle
fork, South fork, Big Butte creek
drainage area, 26S square miles) 4;
Little Butte creek drainage area
36l square mlles); Bear creek
(Stewart creek) drainage area, 3S1
square miles); Applegate creel,
drainage area, SOC square miles)
Illinois river.
lac North fork, or main stream,
derives It's water from springs. prob
ably supplied from Crater Lake
which lies to the east In the center
OF Crater Lake national park at an
elevation Of 6240 feet above sea
level. This lake occupies the crater
Of an ancient volcanic mountain, TO
which the name Mount Mazama has
been applied. The lake has no
visible outlet nor any other reaching
within a few miles. The walls en-
closing the lake are made up Of al
ternating sheets OF lava, dipping
awav from the lake practically in all
directions, and are so porous as to
afford on easy passage for much
wator. Springs are abundant and
remarkable in size. Little and Big
Butte creeks drain the southern por-
tlon Of the Cascade forest reserve,
Bear creek, formerely called Stewart
creek, drains the famous fruit sec
tIon OF Rogue River valley; Apple
gate creek drains the sIskiyou noun.
tains, and Illinois river the territory
10 the south OF the main stream near
the coast.
The drainage area Is in general
mountainous, elevations ranging
from sea level at Gold Beach To
076O feet at the summit Of Mount
Mclaughlin formerly known a'
Mount Pltt), n snow-capped peak
dividing the drainage OF Big and
Little Butte creeks. The general
elevation OF the mountain range nj
the head Of the Rogue is 5000 feet
Prospect Is 1000 feet. Ashland II
1898 feet and Grants Pass 9G5 feet
above the sea level.
The area Is almost completely tim
bered, but the stand is not so heavy
as on the area TO the north drained
by the Umpqua river, as the preclpl
tatlon is lighter. The mean annua
CONTINUED on Page 81