Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-04-29

Facts and Figures Regarding This
Important Development in
the Gem State.

information regarding irrigation in Ida
no:
/ 1daho's uperabnndant and certain
sources Of agricultural wealth are being
developed rapidly by irrigation which j.
being greatly extended throughout The
larger part Of the state. With the ex-
ception Of the Panhandle section, Il mar
row prolongalion which constitutes the
northern end, tie state lies in region
distinctly arid. in which the production
Of crops is almost impossible without ir-
rigatiou. Its most important topogra-
phic featur is tile Snake river Basin, a
broad. almost nubroken lava plain be-
ginning In the extreme eastern part and
extending entirely across the state. 1t
contains probably the largest area Of ir
rigabe' land in this country belonging to
one stream and its tributaries. On the
east. the elevation OF the plain exceeds
1900 feet, and here the cultivation OF
grain and forage crops is the the prin-
cipal agricultural industry. Itfals rap
idly towards the west, sir king to less
than 1000 feet near lie Oregon line.
This section, by reason Of It's mild eli
mate, is peculiarly adapted to the pro-
duction OF all The fruits Of the temper
nte zone, and contains large areas of
bearing orchards, the land so cultivated
having high value.
The progress Of irrigation since 1889, |
though not marked, shows healthy |
growth aud more than 100 900 acres have
been added to the producing area Of the
state. There has been heavy influx of |
and remarkable change |
has taken place In region winch in the |
census year Of 1850 was IA forbidding des-
ert. Towns and agricultural commune
ties have sprung up almost by magic
along the canals and. bitches ard the
population Of the older settled valleys
has been greatly augmented.
Idaho lies in the drainage BASIN of the
with the exec ption If about
800 square miles in the extreme south
eastern corner which belong to the
treat interior basin and are drained by
3 ar river. There are, therefore, but
wo distinct drainage basins in the state,
ret, for purposes OF review, the Column
lree headings, namely, Snake river and
other Columbia river trbu-
aries, comprising all that part of the
tate north Of parallel ". and the drain
ge basins of three or four Independent
treams.
Ilvdrographically, the arid portion of
IDAHO belongs mainly to the drainage
asin Of Snake river, one Of the most
Important streams Of the west, both for
g water supply aud for irrigabe land
djacenL to it. The Snake has its
ource in Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone {
ationa Park. 1t flows southwark
trough Jackson Lake. receiving from
ich side many important tributaries,
hich drain almost Inaccessible noun
lin ranges in western Wyoming. After t
aversing jackson Hole, a broad mum I
in Wiley $500 feet high, it passes into n
iaho through a canon and Il ,ws in i,
neral soulhwesterly and westerly Ill
elton entirely across The southern por- Vi
Oh OF the state. For long distances c.
e river has cut deep into the lava, and | b
lion, except in few small valleys in
e curves and bends Of the stream. "
lvorabla places for diversion occur at Je
any points on the stream. principally &C
the vicinity Of the numerous rapids. OF
.lerfalls and precipices for which the n,
cam is famous In the central part
southern laho the Snake receives no OF
rface drainage from the north, but its til
w is considerably augme ted along in
IS portion of its conrse by many large W,
rings, some OF which are the must re- er
lrkable in The countiv. The princi-
tributary Of Snake river in Idaho
, Boise. Pavette, North or Henry's
rk, South Fork, Weiser and Salmon Ut
ers. ia
II 1902 Snake river and tributaries Sc
! springs and wells within the drain 1 |
/, basin furnished water to 500 2S6 81
es belonging to TIP farms. The or
80 systems cost $500 .005, an average yo
1911 per irrigated acre. The aggre- al
lie length of main canals and bitches so
$ ,5eS miles. Thirty-four svstems. -
ting $5a3. 1876. heated directly in the CHI
in stream. There were "a $50 acres, lie
onying to 9I2 farms, irrigate, there 80.
NJ at ari average first cost of So 81 per :,
e. The tosaI length OF main canals 90
bitches was 226 miles. col
lev
Riverside Poultry Yard. No