The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-24
LOOKING UP WATER SUPPLIES
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TO GO
THROUGH UTAH.
7. H. Newell of the Department of
hydrography Talks About the
Work He Is Doing.

T. II. Newell, who is in charge of the
division of photography of the United
States geographical survey, reached
the city from the west last evening and
is stopping at the Knutsford. Mr..
Newell is also secretary of the Ameri-
can Forestry association, and Of the
National Geographical society.
He has during the past three months
been inspecting the field work IF meas
uring the principal rivers of the west
ern states, and the survey OF reserv OR
sites for water storage. His trip has
taken him through Colorado New
Mexico. California and Nevada. hav-
ing come from the latter state TO Utah.
Il shall remain in Utah the balance
of this month, if not longer said Mr..
Newell last evening, and shall be
busily engaged in investigating tile
water supply of this state and the
necessity for its storage. and 10 ascer-
tain desirable reservoir sites. The
water supply question is serious one
in all of the western states, and the
question of federal storage of water
in the arid sections OF the west Will
probably be tile subject Of extensive
discussion in the next congress.
THE construction of vast reservoirs
for water storage is too expensive an
undertaking for private capital, unless
there is a land scheme attached, to it,
and no adequate returns could be OBJ
tanned from such an investment. In
dividual states are hardly in position
to take the matter up, and it is the
concensus of opinion that the govern
ment should undertake the storage of
water so as to benefit the lands when
the flow in the rivers and streams is
slow. The government owns the great
bulk of the lands to be benefited but,
aside from that fact, it should control
and regulate, for the benefit of all, the
water supply.
In the state of Utah the Bear, Og-
den, Weber, Provo. and other import
ant streams have been systematically
studied. While it has been ascertained
that the water supply from these
streams fiuctuateS from year to year
there has been no material elimination
of the flow. The department has given
careful study for the past ten years to
the water resources of the United
States and figures have been obtained
of the daily flow of the various streams
in most of the western states and ter
ritoris, and very valuable data and re-
suits have been gathered by the geo.
graphical survey.
The forest question enters largely in
to consideration of the water supply.
and it is~surprising how deeply i'm
pressed with this fact most of the
western people are L ney are Degln-
ming to learn and realize the urgent
necessity for the protection of forests.
In California it is especially noticeable.
That state has suffered the past two
years with serious droughts. and in the
southern portion of the state the peo-
pie attribute it TO the forest fires that
have denuded the mountains of tim
ber."
Asked as to sheep being an injury TO
forests, Mr.. Newell was very decided
in expressing the opinion that they
were very destructive.
''Sheep Craze very close said he,
land eat the grass and small brush
down to the roots. entirely devouring
any new growth that may be starting
up. Then their small hoofs cut up the
soil and pack Il down so hard as they
patter back and forth over it, that it
puts an end to all vegeta-
ton where they have been. 1t has been
that the total destruction of
forests fifty per cent may be attributed
to fires, about three per cent to cattle
and the balance to sheep