Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-01-27
FARMS INTO SWAMPS
Many lCras Of Land IN Salt Like
County B.ins Rendered Useless
WATER RUINS FRUITFUL FIELDS.
Former Dry Farms Converted Into
Suamps.-Draluage May Reclaim
Them Tor Meadows.

Since the bringing out Of the canals
from Jordan river for irrigating pur.
potes, tue use OF the water on bench
landa has caused many tracts lower
down 10 become No moist that where
formerly irrigation was required u
raise crops on them Il is now un.
necessary. In many instances on the
east side Of the river land which was
formerly cultivated has been converted
by irrigation above Into moaIowlaui.
On tho west aide Of the river, how
over, the changes from this cause have
boon more marked and Ia many cases
more ruinous in their effects.
While instances Of the kind noted are
generally TO bo found Ia this cultivated
section between tine oquirrh mountains
aud this jordan, the peculiar condition
Is TO DO witnessed Ia ~ strongest
sapooi Ia Granger precinct, eight to
ten nilos souihwes! OF the city. A
few yoaB ago that whole stretch Of
county was entirely devoid OF water
Tor maiy feet below the surface VI the
gr0unI and 10 dry that even dry iatm.
Ing Was failure. With the bringing
out Of the canals, however, The s0il
could be irrigated, AMI whom thus
treated was capable OF raising large
Crops. THIS cnuset many tuacls Uf
what was soon regarded ~ choice laud
10 be brought under cultivation, and r.
great part OF tbs district became a. a
fruitful field. The good appearance OF
the country there was taken advantage
VI during tho boom, anu real estate
men sold for cxOrbiiaut prices large
quantities Of comparatively worthless
iAnd located northwafd down the
slope.
In time land farther up the
slope OF tho snndriigo thsu the
earliest settled part OF Gran 3cr
was taken up aud reclaimed, aud Ia u
title while trouble began. Suddenly n
farmer wouil nnI MS scasot's crop
unusually heavy because OF tlu b0un-
tiiul supply Of moisture Ia tho ground,
| but experience soon tRught that this
| WAS anything hut n welcome c0ndi.
/ ti1u, f0t the next season the llud would
/ lcc0mo worthless, dangerous uwnmp.
! The reason for this 10 that Ia ,ne par'
/ ucular section referred % there u, a
/ few feet below the surface, q ntlata OF
"uard PAM through which the water
will not pctcllatr. AZ Irrigation goes
on In tue more elevated sections the
water, hOluiug alkaline compounds In
solution, gA,4crs beneath the lower
fields aud finally converts thoa Into
6wamps,
Iu many Instances drainage was TO.
sorted 10, win the tiiugt OF partially
| preventing the land being ruined Tor
iaTmiug IurpyEe1. n CIumOn plan
which IL followed h described by q
Granger iand owner. 10 ig ~
drive ShOu pirra veitIcaily ia,0 the
grDunI, the water that rites In thcsC
bsing carried OF though ultehes. la
sJmn plaola where the iaug became
swAmpy, drainage WAS res0ri9l 60,
with ths result that no water, which
IL strongly impfelnatel with miaerll,
~ partly drawn rui ami uHadywiaul
fUlmeJ,On which tuero COME liberal
growth VI buuuh staas.
No general hystnm VI drainage hat
been adopted, bul - being urged by
some inlere6ted parties, There IN /
natural basin In the white aairratu.
lakrG for the surplus water, AMI II n
urged that the expunse Of q good dIaiu
Ngu eyslom would be- amply repaid by
the reclamation Of the land which Il
| now COmparAtoly valuoltss anu by
preventing other farms fr0m heinl
ruined ty tho excess OF bracsish water