The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1912-03-07

One OF the most interesting remnants Of prehistoric lake
in the United States according the United States Geoog
cal Survey is that now known Esanca Valley which lies
south OF Santa Fe and east of Albuquerque n NJ AT its per
iod of greatest extension the lake that occupied the central
portion OF the valley about 80 miles long and % miles
wide and had of about $50 square miles From
animation of the deposits in this section biologists of the
opinion that this lake existed at the time Lake Bon
neville in Utah. and other ancient lakes of the arid west dur
ing the cold humid glacial period If this lake in
existence the villages Of Esanca and Willard would be 100
feet under water and other towns the valley would also be
submerged The higher ground which surrounded the lake
has been explored everywhere but outlet channel has been
found and therefore concluded that the lake had out
let and it's water salt.
based the presence Of shore features and lake sed
ments Sea cliffs terraces beaches, beach ridges splits and
bars found all of the lake flat at attitudes between 6O
and 5000 feet above sea level.
In the opinion of biologists these shore features
not formed at the time but record levels at which
the lake stood at different periods The level of lake with
outlet constantly fucuang being raised by rainfall
the hand and lowered by evaporation the other AS
an instance of this cited Lake Sewer Utah. which when
explored in 1872 covered of about 1873 square miles
but which in 1880 had nearly dried that could walk
it's bed although recent examination shows that has
reled until is again lake of considerable size Similar
fluctuations have taken place the level of Great Salt Lake
Estancia Valley is now, however, covered by deposits
which originally from the highlands that border it and
which the product of thousands of years of weaherng
and denudation. These sediments derived from the
tans chiefly washed by storm waters into the valley
where they lodged form the deposits of the auvia slopes
or were carried the ancient lake. All these deposits
geoogicaly young In general the oldest are the alva
deposits the the lake deposits and the youngest the
wind deposits and salt beds.
Estancia Valley has long supported sparse population
the inhabitants most of whom Mexcans depending for
livelihood their focks of sheep But within the last de-
cade great change has taken place result of the building
of two railroads the valley Hundreds of homestead
have take of the land and eight villages
have sprung up along the railways.
During the recent years insufficient rainfall has caused
failures and has created urgent demand for nvest
cation of the feasibility Of rrgang with ground water In
response to this demand the valley examined 1909 by
Oscar Menzer of the United States Geological Survey and
report the subject has been issued by the Survey Wa
ter Supply Paper 275.
In spite of the high cost of fuel pumping under fav
orabe conditions be made profitable according to Mr. Men
Though the underground supply not large enough to
rgae all the arabic land is sufficient to add greatly to the
agricultural product of the valley The water will be put to
it's best when employed to supplement dry farming and
stock raising it's value at critical times Of drought being out
of all proportion that of its ordinary crop producing
Even where the depth of the water great farmer
should obtain supply sufficient to rrgate few shade trees
small orchard small grass lawn, and garden for vege
tables shrubs and flowers. These things will contribute
much the comfort of farm life and the garden will be Of
substantial value in supplying food for the household
copy of this report may be obtained without cost on
application to the director Of the Geological Survey Wash
ngton, D. c.
Nrw cupvrvc TN NATIVE