The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-08-23

that a new channel viii have to be
constructed. Such a channel would be
fourteen and a half miles long, but
would run through meadows and
swamp lands. and the construction
would be very simple. IL is also con-
templated that a canal nine and a half
miles long will be necessary to divert
into the lake the full volume of upper
Bear river
Lands Available For Reclamation.
The report continues:
Bear river occupies a unique posi-
ton in the arid land reclamation of
northern Utah and southern Idaho Al
ready its normal flow in the irrigation
months is entirely appropriated, and
there yet remains thousands of acres
of valuable lands undeveloped and arid,
dependent primarily upon Bear river
and its tributaries for water supply.
Salt Lake. Weber, Davis and Box Elder
counties in northern Utah are all short
of water. Southeastern Idaho has
thousands of acres without water. Bear
river is the natural source of supply for
all these shortages. The expense of
development from other sources, such
as small reservoirs on small mountain
streams. is so great as to make sucn
plans prOhibitive, while if the water
supply of Bear river can be regulated
properly the elevation of the river ia
vOrs the construction Of canals on such
a scale as to make reclamation not only
possible but profitable"
1t is estimated that there is 1.45S.000
acre feet of water available for storage
on Bear river each year, which is suf-
| fcient to irrigate more than 500, 600
acres of fertile land.
Duchesne River Diversion.
Duchesne river is the principal
stream Of northeastern Utah. Through
! a considere Sic part of its course it
flows through valley lands which,
] though arid, contain tracts of great
fertility when irrigated. Near its head
is Strawberry valley, containing large
areas of nearly level land at an aver
| age elevation of $500 feet. The altitude
| is rather high for general agricultural
/ purposes, but the land is adapted 10
| grazing. The water supply of this
/ valley is excellent, the streams having
| their heads in the Wasatch mountains,
whose canyons sometimes contain snow
| throughout the year. For number Of
| seasons this area, to the extent of 615,-
/ 600 acres. has been leased to certain
| cattle companies for grazing purposes.
/ The large extent of excellent farm
/ ing lands along Duchesne river. taken
! in connection with the good facilities
/ for grazing in the principal valleys
| and on the mountain slopes, makes this
l tract of land one of the most valuable
Il potentially in the future prosperity OF
| Utah. The country is now held for
1 the use of a comparatively few Indians,
| but the time is not far distant when
these must be settled upon definite al
! lotments and the remaining lands util-
| lied for the growing needs of a white
| population.
At the present time Duchesne river
and its tributaries carry large volumes
of water through the year. only q
| small portion being utilized. the re-
mainder running to waste. Within re-
| cent years efforts have been made By
| various persons and corporations to
| obtain permission to divert this water
/ from the reservation to adjacent arid
lands. These efforts have led to inves-
| LEGATIONS as to the amount of water
available, some reports stating thai
| there is more than enough 70 water
the Indian lands, and others alleging
that if an attempt is made to bring al
the irrigable lands on the reservation
under cultivation there win be short
age Of water. To gather final and thor
Oughly reliable information on these
points Mr.. Cyrus G. Babb has beer
and is still making careful examina-
l a
/ tons have been established where reg
ular measurements are being made tC
determine the amount of water in the
various streams.
A large proportion of the Uintah In
dams are now settled on lands irrigated
from Uintah river on the bench LAND
between Fort Duchesne and the Whit'
Rocks agency, and west Of the Ouray
school, their lands being Watered By
several canals drawing from Uintat
river. Mr.. Newell states that the bes
method for the irrigation of the Uintai
area is by the enlargement OF the
present canal system. Increasing tn,
carrying capacity Of canal No. 1 would
enable it to supply sufficient water Il
the mesa west of Uintah river
There is an area covering $500 acres
just east Of the reservation, in wha
is known as the Strip, which 1t is pos
Sible to irrigate. East of the Oural
school is a large tract of agriculture
land bounded on the west by the res
ervation boundary and on the east b,
Green river. being in the form Of
triangle, and comprising 1000 acres.
canal could be constructed at a mod
crate cost sufficient to reclaim this en-
tire tract.
! Lake Creek Agricultural Lands.
. There has been more or less discus
, SION regarding the IeaSlDillty or tn
diversion of the waters of the LAX
creek to irrigate lands adjoining Uintal
river on the west, and It has been de
termined to investigate further as {
the possibilities of this stream for irri
CATION The Lake creek agriculture
area is divided into four portions. TIL
first comprises $4,000 acres Of bencl
, land extending from the junction of tn
two forks southwark about fourtee
miles, whsn it brOadens out into tn
second division, or 1850 acres, drain
! ing into Dry Gulch creek The thir
: area is the mesa between the latte
and Duchesne river, and contains $3.50
acres The fourth section comprisin
an area of 500 acres, is west of tn
lower course of Lake creek, in a tri
angular strip Immediately north Of Du
/ cheSOR river