The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-04-14
THE GREAT BASIN"
Vast Region Lying Between the Rockies
and Sierra Nevada.

Between the Rocky mountains and th
Sierra Nevada lies a great area of rela
lively low land, though portions of it ar
several thousand feet above sea level
This is designated by geographers as tn
Great Basin for the reason that few o
its rivers flow beyond these mountain
BARRIERS but lose themselves in the dies
ert sands or empty into lakes who's
waters are lost by evaporation.
Nearly all Of the country included il
the Great Basin is truly desert land
| though the aspect of some parts has
been radically changed by irrigation
Most OF the land is exceedingly pro-
ductive when water is supplied to il
as was demonstrated many years ago by
the Mormons. who settled in Utah and
founded strong and prosperous commu-
nifty that has since grown and branchcd
out in many directions.
Many thousand desert acres have been
reclaimed in the Great Basin and are
supporting prosperous homes and yield
ing large annual returns. The locations
of two irrigation projects OF the govern
ment-the Truekee-Carson project, in
Nevada. and the Strawberry valley pro-
jeet, in Utah. are in this area The new
water supply for the city of Los Angeles
is taken from the Great Basin through
long conduit, the conception and con-
struction OF which have been noteworthy
features in recent engineering develop
nent. Along certain edges of the basin,
where it aseends to mountain crests like
the Wasateh range in Utah and the Ser
ra in California, there are many valuable
sources of water power, some of which
have been profitably developed.
Naturally in such a region, the eco
monte development of which, so entirely
dependent on its water resources,
studies of the flow of streams can not
fail to be of the utmost Importance.
of this kind has been carried on by the
United States geological survey, and the
results are published annually in the
survey reports. Water supply paper
80, just issued, covers the result of
stream measurements made in the Great
basin in 1911. The work was done in
all parts of the basin and the report,
which contains 200 pages, includes zee.
5rds of flow obtained at 9S stations. 1t
IS made mp largely of tables giving
records of the flow of the streams at |
he gauging stations during the year that |
contains only such text as is necessary
% explain the tables. The report is in |
ENDED for use of engineers and Others
who desire information in regard to tie
quantity of water in the streams at va
.ious times in the year in connection
With the utilization of the streams Tor
arious types of hydraulic construction.
Great Salt Lake is the largest of the
water bodies of the Great Basin. 1t re-
elves and disposes of the discharge, eX-
ept that which is diverted for irrigation,
t number of rivers, the most inn
ortant being the Bear, the Weber, and
he Jordan. Other lakes are Owens
liver basin; Walker lake, into which is
ischarged the water from the Walker
ver basin; Carson sink, including Hum
oldt lake. into which flow the waters of
arson and Humboldt rivers; and Pyra-
lid and Winnemucca lakes, which ro-
1--WE the discharge of Truekee river. All
lese lakes are located in Nevada except '
ne Great Salt Lake. which is in eastern
alifornia. In the Oregon portion OF the
reat Basin there are number of lakes,
cluding Malheur, Harvey. and Warner.
axe Tahoe which lies partly in Califor-
"a and partly in Nevada, is a high
terra lake. which receives the waters
ON the surrounding mountain peaks |