St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-08-14
MILLIONS FOR WATER
Farms for One Hundred Thou.
sand People Where Once
Was Desert.
CONSERVATION OF RAINFALL
Progress OF the Reclamation OF Semi
Arid Lands in the West-How
the National Domain Is
aa~. Being Developed.

The term desert in it's common
usage does not mean absolute desert,
but rather those parts of the world
where the rainfall is insufficient for
the common crops. OF such desert
lands there are millions Of acres in
the United States. In the midst of
this American desert, or semi-arid
region, are the Rocky Mountains. In
the winter these mountains are the
scene of frequent heavy storms and
the snow accumulates many feet deep
on the tops Of the ranges and in the
innumerable canyons. These iTmense
snow banks furnish the water for the
great rivers, which flow easterly,
westerly and southerly to the great
oceans and the Cuffs OF California and
Mexico.
From the rivers of the Rocky
Mountain country and their tribu
tarles the waters are now being d.
verified to make the desert country
more habitable and to furnish new
opportunities for people who wish to
engage in farming and fruit culture.
Irrigation is not a new thing but
has been practiced since before the
dawn Of history in mahy of the old
est countries. The prehistoric inhab-
itants of the Americas were irrigating
farmers. But the Caucasian race IN
North America is learning anew the
art Of irrigation and applying the
waters most happily to the parched
plains of many states.
One of the largest enterprises ever
undertaken by private capital in irri-
cation is the system which will furnish
homes and a living for at least 1OO,-
600 people in the country between
Denver and Greeley, in Colorado. IT.
rigation has long been practiced in
this region, but the canals have been
small, the storage capacity meager
and much Of the water has been al
lowed to run to waste. The purpose
of the new project is to correct the
faults of the past and to save and
distribute the water so as to bring
the greatest benefit to all. Some eight
or nine old canals and nine reservoirs
have been combined under the man,
agement of the Denver Reservoir IT.
rigating company and now the crown
tno 10 IN ha N.
struction of the largest dam in the
world
The building of this reservoir Is
necessary in order to increase the
water storage capacity Of the system
| A small valley about three miles lone
| in which are now about dozen farm
buildings ana a school house, will II
two years be the bottom Of lake
The lower end of the valley will b.
stopped by an artificial barrier IA.
feet high and a mile and quartz
long. Through the base the dam vii
be $50 feet thick and at the top 2
feet across. In order that the founda
ton may be secure and to prevent tn
seepage Of water, a core-wall Q
cement will be constructed. This wi
be sunk through the earth and sane
stone which underlie the valley, to
layer of impervious shale. This corr
wall will be nine feet thick and wi
be carried well above the natural SUI
face of the ground, so as to suppl
the necessary anchorage for the dan
The construction of this dam wi
engage the attention of one Of tt
largest contracting firms in the On
ted States, J. G. White & Co., of Ne
York. For months the engineers hay
been on the ground making measur
ments OF every sort. Test boring
were made to the number Of 125
learn the depth at which rock w
, to be found and to ascertain the cha
acter of the foundation beneath t
proposed lake. Stream measurement
| have been made on all the creeks tn
, will contribute to the waters Of t
new lake and plans made for their {
version.
e Several streams of large flow W
$ supply the water for the system. 0
of these is Clear Creek, famous
the stream on which gold was &