The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-11-23
Water Storage.

The one great drawback in the reclama-
ton of the vast uncultivated acreage in
Utah is the lack of water for irrigation.
Thousands upon thousands OF excellent
land lie untitled in the south as well as
I the north. and in both the east and the
west. Much of this might be redeemed If
more attention was paid to the storage OF
water, which has not yet been attempted
in this territory except in few instances.
Greater care in outstanding our water re-
sources and in utilizing every drop and pre-
venting it from running TO waste in the
lrrigating season, must be supplemented by
practical plans to lay by in winter some at
least OF what will be needed in summer.
Scientific methods OF dividing up streams
according TO the respective rights of the
owners OF its use, are coming into vogue,
and these help to prevent difficulties
among claimants and to secure every man
his proper share. A little more science
employed in the selection of places where
water can be stored in safety, appears to
| be one of the needs of the times.
The danger attending the reservoir sys-
TENS adopted in many parts of the country
for water works for cities, has perhaps
prevented their use in this territory to any
great extent. But there are many places
where natural depressions can be found,
of large extent. and adjacent tc streams
which might be diverted in the fall of the
year to MI up these hollows and provide a
big supply for the following years irri-
gaton.
We believe there are many spots now
covered with sage and rabbit brush of lux
uriant growth, indicating the adaptability
of the soil for cultivation, which might oe
made to raise grain and fruit and fodder,
if the natural depressions to be found near
the foothills were filed WITH water at g
time when the sources of supply are not
utilized by the primal owners. Some of
these natural storages need little work to
make them capable of holding a consider
able quantity, or 10 render them perfectly
secure. The needful labor for this would
| be well repaid in in the reclamation of the
! land below and the returns TO the toll Of
the tiler.
The rains and the melting SHOWS of
spring could be made to contribute 10 these
storages, AMI springs that appear insig-
nlhcant in volume. by cleaning out and
boring may be used to I'LL up depressions
of the kind to which we refer, and thus a
great deal of the precious fluid now al
lowed to run to waste could be brought
into valuable use.
Another thing we would advise our
farmers to think about is fall and winter
irrigation. Land that is now IDLE might be
soaked in the season when the water is not
ordinarily used and dry farming" be
greatly assisted. Trees, too, will be helped
BY fail irrigation if it is not made too late
in the season. Farmers should awake to
the fact that irrigation need not entirely
cease when the crops are gathered.
The utilization of all our water supplies
deserves the attention of the practical
minds of Utah. More water is the great
need OF the territory. Our population is
to be largely increased. More land must
be orough, under cultivation to supply
their needs and provide labor for hands
that should be set to work, and the water
problem is one that must be solved or
there win be great lsck both CT labor and
of food for man and for beast