Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-30

boards wish to assure you that inc
forest service will be very glad lnueeo'
to recognize such associations, proViu-
ed they represent majority OF tne
woolgrowers using each forest, ana we
solicit yonr cooperation In bringing
| about a better use of the national Tor
est ranges In this state.
MANTi FOREST RESERVE.
an conclusion desire to discuss
briefly q question that / know Is OF con .
/ siderable interest to many OF the WOOL WOO,
growers present at this meeting. RMS
is the reduction In the number OF Sheep
| that is proposed on the Mhnti natio'lal
forest Title many disastrous iloods
that have occurred in the vicinity OF The
Mant Forest, and originating Oh me
| forest itself, is. believe, matter Oh
common knowledge to the WOOL grow
| ers us well as other residents OF this
! state. Petitions signed by thousands
| Of people in that locality have repcated-.
| IN been sent to the Forest service, ASK
| ing for more adequate watershed pro-
| lection. AS result of these petitions
| Mr.. Henry s. Graves. Mr.. Plnchot
successor, made II special trip 10
Ephraim, Utah. last May in order tt
meet the people and learn their views,
not only on this point, but others, re-
garding the national forest adminiStra-
ton and regulations. AT the meeting
held at Ephranl. which was attended
by Mr. Graves and other members OF
the service. there were some SUI people
present. Many questions were DfouSht
To his attention. including that oil more
adequate watershed protection. THINK
perhaps the constant recurrence OF
floods and consequent damage to roads
and bridges. irrigation systems, and
the towns adjacent to the forest, ap-
penlcd to Mr.. Graves more strongly
than any other The result was
that he directed an invcstlEn-
tion of the conditions on the
forest, Will, a view, If possible,
OF taking such steps as lay within
the power of the forest service to
remedy tho situation one of those
who was directed by Mr. Graves to
make the investigation was myself.
During the months of May and June
spent 81 days on the Manti forest
and rode between five and six hundred
miles, covering. believe. almost
every water shed Of any extent OIL the
forest. will give you briefly the con-
illusions ! reached not only from o.
servation but from consultation with |
many of those who are familiar with |
the situation on the Manti forest.
VAST PLATEAU.
"'rhc mountain range included with
in the forest, as YOU of course Know.
rs - part OF the Wasatch range. II was
once a vast plateau. with an altitude
of approximately 5000 feet Time ana
the action of the elements mas re-
duced this great plateau until at the
present the mesa on the top of the
extending north and south.
varies in width from few hundred
yards to several miles.
The streams having their sources on
the mountain extend out into the val
leys on either side. usually through
narrow box canyons Above the can
rons they spread out in numerous forks
into broad fan-ike basins until within
a mile or so of the top of the noun
tain, when n very steep ascent begins
md extends to the mesa above. The
aver of soil on the mesa and steep
slopes on either side is very thin, run
hing from six inches to two and three /
'eet. This thin layer of soil is under
aid by n broken limestone formation.
tfter carefully going over the entire
crest, l found that wherever the
,round cover, consisting of grass and
shrubs, had been depleted by over
,razing, the soil was being rapidly
blown and washed away, and it was on
;uch areas. in my Judgment. that most
# the floods originated. us is evidenced
~ the innumerable gullies and washes
It the heads of the streams. While
he result was not apparent until the y
'olumc OF water carried from the fan
ike basins and steep slopes had con-
entrated in the narrow box canyons
till there is absolutely no doubt in my
mind that these floods had their origin
n the steep slopes just below the mesa,
nd can be presented by the proper pro-
cction and rcvegetation of these areas.
iani canyon is an example of /
'hat may be done. In 1903 ana 9
or number of years previous to
hat time, floods occurred With about !,
he same frequency In Manti canyon Q
$ elsewhere. Tho last food. which 8
ccurred in 1903, so l have been ad I
ised, caused damage of some $4,000 9
l the City of Manti. When the Manti
,rest was created. all stock were cX
uded from Manti canyon Since that
ate there have been no floods. al :,
Tough they have frequently occurred
the canyons both north, south and
lst OF Manti. People will tell YOU
lat the reason there have been no
pods in Manti canyon IL that it has a
Ut rained there as much rs elsewhere "
1T think that If you will make an +.
iamination you will be convinced II
lat the reason is that all the washes II,
I'd gulles In the heads of the numer- M
IS forks OF the canyon are being re- III
othed with shrubs and grasses. Ma m
re is doing her best to heal the
ound caused by mans mprovidence. e
lie installation of three rain CAGES. :
e in Mlnti canyon and two elsewhere
the forest. has convinced tho mem-
RS of the forest service that AEnti
nyon is as frequently visited by To-
| and general storms as any other I'M
TT of the mountain. su
HEAVIER RAINFALL. ,,,ii
The rain cages have actually shown tn,
1t during the past four months the cia
nfall in Manti canyon has been wa
chilly in excess of that at other points soI
ere tho rain cages have been placed. To
is Is probably due, however, to local sto
rms and should not be accepted as Il \
'manent condition One year with to
other, the annual rainfall Will likely 'Th,
about the same. During my trip on of
Mnnti forest the flood situation was
stantly called to my attention. At
point ! was met by II committee -
lposcd of one sheepman. one cattle
n. and one business man, represent
the towns of Orangeville and Cas-
ialc. This committee advised me
t Emery county had found n bond
10 of $4,000 necessary In order to re-
/ the damage that had been done to
DIS and bridges by floods originating
tI,.. IN, f.r Il |