The daily sentinel., 1908-02-17
When Waters Flow
The Acres Will Bloom
One Hundred Square Miles Rich Land Await Development Grand Vyhe
The High Line Canal and Its Purpose Discussed an Interesting
Way by Writer for Famous Mining Paper

senting topography characteristic
of the "badlands.' The arabic sec
ton of the valley is therefore limited
to the level portion situated south of
these hills, and lies.. roughly speak
ing, below the 4,S00-foot contour.
The soil of the valley is extremely
variable in composition, ranging
from adobe clays to light sandy
loans, with all possible intermediary
mixtures. In it's former desert state,
and as still may be seen where irri-
, CATION water has not been applied,
| the general appearance of the soil is
| light in color when dry, and the veg
| citation consists of scrubby grease
| wood. While at the first glance it
would appear to be but an inferior
grade of desert soil, it must be ad-
mitted that this soil when properly
handled is capable of producing
crops unsurpassed anywhere. The
| relatively low percentage of alkali
| renders the soil a safe one for the
irrigator, providing he exercises due
care in applying the water. So far
but little trouble from alkali has
| been experienced in the valley. In a
| general way it may be stated that
the lands nearest the river contain
the most clay, large areas consisting
| of adobe. Soil of this class takes up
water with difficulty and requires
much care in irrigating.
Grand river has it's source in
Grand county, Colo, in a mountain
GUS basin known as Middle Park.
surrounded on the north and east by
| the high peaks of the continental
divide. Its watershed is mountain
Gus region of high peaks and table
land, intersected by deep canyons,
n n n Nn1Orndn IN nf
290 square miles, or about 21 per
cent OF the total area of the state.
The flow of Grand river in Colo
RADIO is larger than that of any other
river in the state. For nearly its
entire length it passes through cam
yons, some of them of great depth.
At Palisades, in Mesa county, the
river emerges from the canyon and
enters the level valley known as the
Grand River Valley. through which
it flows, skirting the bluffs on the
| south side for distance of 80 miles.
and receiving opposite the town of
Grand Junction the waters of the
Gunnison. 1t then enters canyons
again, encased in which it finds its
way through Utah and into Green
river
| The high water season and tho r.
IfGaAng season occur at the same
time. Irrigation In the valley COM
mences in May and continues to the
last Of July, when the principal fruit
crops are ripe, and . canal carryins
2,OOO second feet can be kept fall
during this period.
In a region 80 exclusively aeri-
cultural as is Grand River Valley,
climate is as important a factor az
either soil or water supply.
The valley has mean elevation
\ of 400 feet above sea level and re-
| sembles in its climatic conditions the
desert plateaus of Utah. The sum
mers are hot and dry and the win
ters open, snowfall being Light and
minimum temperatures, falling at
times below zero. Weather bureau
observations made at Grand June
ton show an average relative hum
idity of A per cent and the number
of days of sunshine to be rs per
cent of the total. The conditions are
| by no means uniform throughout the
valley. The proximity of high mesas,
inclosing the valley on several sides.
and the canyon of Grand river at the
eastern extremity are no doubt re-
sponsible for local variations.