Lae precipitation is much less, and its contribution to the water supply is substantially lower. Power resources are great, totalling more than 3,000,000 horse-power. The resources of the Fraser and its principal tributaries are described more particularly hereunder. Fraser River From its source to its junction with the Chilcotin River, the Fraser has a descent of some 2,500 feet. Head for power development would have to be concentrated by the construction of dams. Water Supply.—The water supply of the Fraser is characteristic of mountain drainage. Runoff is reduced to a minimum in the winter months, and the maximum is experienced normally in June. Although the lakes within the upper Fraser system lie near the sources of the tribu- taries and have only a minor natural regulatory effect, they are capable of development as important storage basins. Discharge records of the upper Fraser were obtained at two locations as follows: Fraser River at Prince George (Drainage area 31,000 sq. mi.) June, 1927, to December, 1930, except for winter months of January, February, March: Fraser River at Quesnel (Drainage area 38,000 sq- mi.) May, 1929, to date except for some breaks in winter periods; mean annual flow about 47,000 c-f.s., minimum 9,100 c.f.s., maximum 202,000 c.f.s. Power Resources.—There are no developed powers on the Fraser River, but possibilities for development exist at several locations. Near the headwaters, there are eight miles of almost continuous rapids in which the river falls about 500 feet, and near the junction with Swift Current River there is a descent of 200 feet in four miles. The potentialities of these two reaches total 8,630 horse-power at ordinary minimum flow, or 25,900 horse-power at ordinary six months flow. At Grand Canyon below Torpy River, the Fraser falls about 25 feet in a mile and a half of rapids, representing about 3,640 horse-power at ordinary minimum flow, or 11,000 horse-power at ordinary six months flow. Below Prince George, Fort George and Cottonwood Canyons offer possibilities for concentration of head. Assuming heads of 20 feet at each site, the power would total 20,210 horse-power at ordinary minimum flow, or 66,800 horse- power at ordinary six months flow. At Soda Creek, Canyon power surveys made by the provincial authorities indicate power possibilities of 108,000 horsepower at ordinary minimum flow, or 386,000 horse- power at ordinary six months flow. Power development on the Fraser: River would be complicated by the effect it would have on salmon migration. Nechako River The Nechako River, which joins the Fraser from the west at Prince George, drains a total area of 17,900 square miles. Its tributaries rise on the eastern slopes of the Coast Mountains, and its upper watershed is notable for the 174 | occurrence of many lakes, the areas of which total more than 1,000 square miles. The principal tributary is the Stuart River. . Water Supply.—Annual precipitation over the Nechako River watershed varies from about 25 inches at its mouth to about 50 inches at the headwaters of its tributaries. Low flow is experienced in the winter months and high flow normally in June. Discharge records of the Nechako and its tributaries were obtained at the following locations: Nechako River near Ootsa Lake (Drainage area 1,390 sq. mi.) occasional records February, 1932, to September, 1936; Nechako River at Fort Fraser (Drainage area 6,700 sq. mi.) July to Sep- tember, 1915, August, 1929, to date, except for breaks in winter periods; Nechako River at Vanderhoof (Drainage area 9,500 sq. mi.) July to November, 1915; Ootsa River at Ootsa Lake (Drainage area 1,560 sq. mi.) September, 1929, to date; Tahtsa River 3 miles below Tahtsa Lake (Drainage area 280 sq. mi.) intermittently from June, 1930, to date; Tahtsa River above confluence Whitesail River (Drainage area 570 sq. mi.) May, 1930, to date; Whitesail River below Whitesail Lake (Drainage area 380 sq. mi.) May, 1930, to date; Tetachuck River below Tetachuck Falls (Drainage area 1,360 sq. mi.) May, 1930, to date; Stellako River at Glenannan, July, 1929, to September, 1930; Stuart River below Stuart Lake (Drainage area 5,400 sq. mi.) July, 1929, to October, 1931, June, 1933, to date. Power Resources.—No power developments have been made in the Nechako watershed. On the Nechako itself and’ on its tributaries, the Teta- chuck, Stellako, and Stuart Rivers, there are several power sites, as shown in the attached list, the estimated capacities of which total 90,000 horse-power at ordinary minimum flow or 127,000 horse-power at ordinary six months flow. The great significance of the Nechako from a power standpoint, however, is the proposal to dam and store its upper waters in headwater lakes and to divert these waters by tunnels through the Coastal Divide to power sites on or near tidewater. One of these diversion proposals, known as the Eutsuk-Kimsquit project, would make available 764,000 horse-power under a head of 2,160 feet at a power site on Kimsquit River, about 17 miles from tidewater at Dean Channel. The other proposal, known as the Tahtsa- Kemano project, would provide 698,000 horse-power under a head of 2,560 feet on Kemano River, about nine miles from Gardner Canal. Preliminary surveys of these projects by the provincial authorities indicate the feasibility of developing power at low cost if markets could be found for power in large blocks. Bowron, Willow, and Quesnel Rivers The Bowron, Willow, and Quesnel Rivers, tributary to the Fraser from the south and east, rise in the Cariboo Range of mountains and flow through the Central Plateau.