The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-07
PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE
GALLATIN FOREST RESERVE.
NOW CONTAINS 10000 ACRES
Effort Will Be Made to Extend Bound
aries to Include Madison. Jeffer-
son and West Gallatln
Watersheds.
(Special to Inter Mountain.)

the Gdllatln forest reserve, Wnlcu HOW
includes but 10000 acres to take in the
watershed OF the Tributaries OF the Mad
ison, Jefferson and West Gallatin rivers,
Superintendent Collins has written let
tiers to the leading men OF the territory
affected, asking Tor their opinions and
judgment upon the proposed extension.
Director Fortier of the state eXperl-
mental station has sent to Superlntend-
ent Collins the following:
Il have been requested by your forest
ranger, NJ. Langohr OF this city TO for
ward to you some expression as TO the
wisdom OF greatly increasing the area CT
the Gallatin forest reserve. This reserve
now includes about 10000 acres, covering
the headwaters of Bozeman. Middle and
Cottonwood creeks. and it is proposed to
extend the boundaries southwark to the
Yellowstone National park and the Idaho
state line, and westward SO as to include
the chief tributaries of the West Gallatln
and Madison rivers and TO some extent
those OF the Jefferson river.
II am not sufficiently familiar with
the Typographical physical conditions Of
the western portion of Madison county
to state the chief advantages that are
likely to follow if the southwest part Of
that county is included in the proposed
extension of the Galatn forest reserve
! can, however, from personal knowledge,
urge the necessity of reSerVing that tract
of land which now forms the southwest
ern portion of Park county, the southern
portion of GallatiH county and the SOUTH
eastern portion Of Madison county. This
tract embraces the Gallatin and Madison
ranges Of mountains, which furnish
almost all the water supply for the West
Galatin river and a large part OF the
flow OF the Madison river.
For the past two years the snowfall
on these ranges has been light and the
availab BILE water supply for irrigation in
the West Galatin river has been in con-
sequence insufficient for the needs of
the farmers diverting water from that
stream. For two successive irrigation
periods the farmers taking water from
the lower portion of this stream CLARA
that their crops have been much reduced
on account of the scarcity of water and
they are now effecting an organization
for the purpose of defending their rights
against the encroachment of the upper
irrigators. If this suit is begun and car
ried on until a decree is rendered 1t Will
involve a large part of the county and
will probably cost at least $4,000.
The area that may be brought UNI
der cultivation in Gallatin valley is
about 800 900 acres and deductinS % per
cent for waste lands and tracts that are
not susceptible Of irrigati ton, there re-
mains 800 acres of arabic and irri-
gated land. Not much more than one
half of this area is now irrigated and
water right owners contemplate inSti-
tuting court proceedings to secure a suf-
ficient water supply. These facts show
conclusively that unless something is
done to conserve the water supply for
this valuable tract of exceedingly fertile,
irrigabe land, large sums are likely to
be expended in litigation and under the
present system of distribution much Of
the land will have only an inferior wa
ter right.
There is no question that the flow
of the West Gallatin river can be great
ly increased during the months of July,
August and September by either stor-
age reservoirs or by the judicious care
of the forest tree and plant growth at
the headwaters of this stream l have
advocated the building of storage reser-
vors, and believe they will eventually
be the means of reclaiming large areas
of land now comparatively valueless
At the same time it is well to keep in
mind the fact that storage reservoirs
are always costly and sometimes dan
gerous.
1T seems to me, too. that the best
kind of a storage reservoir is the one
that nature provides, and when condi.
tons are as favorable as they are around
the headwaters of the West Gallatin
united effort should be made to conselv,
the water supply by protecting the for
ests.
1T rs not long, as one reckons the
past. since congress created the Yellow.
stone National park. During a large
part of its existence it has been bur
poorly guarded against forest fires ant
yet it is simply astonishing how large ;
volume of water flows from so small
protected area. The watershed of the
Yellowstone river within the park bOun
diaries is about equal to a square trac
OF land n miles along one side. l visite,
the park last August and estimated tn
flow from this small area to be abou
1000 cubic feet per second. At that tim,
all the principal streams of Montana
were very low. This volume of water
in its course to the Gulf of Mexico eithe
traVcrSes or flows past seven large coun
tisS Of Montana, and The time is not fal
distant when every gallon of this suppl.
will he used for the growth of vegeta bles
cereals and lesumes in the Yelowston
valley. According to Captain Chitten
den. about 81 per cent of the Nationa
park Is covered With forest trees, and
is reasonable to conclude that the larc
volume which flowed past Cinnabar las
August was largely due to the existenc
Of these forests.
Il believe That this Is the strongest a,
gumcnt that can be advanced in favor {
protecting the forest growth at the head
waters Of the Gailatin valley"
Attaronfa1 C,,;o