The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-10-14

L lie iiOI IllClh PclS VI oNhi NNohbJ
lies within the Payette National for
est. This part includes the headwat-
ers of Squaw creek and is 60,544 acres
in area. The country is rough and
mountainous and situated on the west
slope of West Mountain. This noun
tain was given its name by the early
settlers in Long valley, which lies to
the east of it.
West Mountain is continuous
ridge extending north and south from
Tripod Peak to the Meadows Valley.
In places it reaches an altitude of
nearly 5000 feet above sea level, and
is destined to play an important part
in the future of the new county. Tow
ering above it's neighbors, it inter
cepts the misunderstanding west winds
from the Pacific and wrings from
them its toll of life-giving water,
storing it up in springs and great
banks of snow as large as your gla-
ciers, to be doled out in steady flow
through Squaw Creek for irrigation
purposes during the dry season.
In the summer months over ten
thousand head of sheep, cattle and
horses belonging to the ranchers of
Squaw Creek and Payette Valleys are
pastured on the mountain within the
boundaries of the new county. Its
forests furnish the settlers with the
wood, fencing and lumber necessary
to build and maintain home.
Much of the valuable timber has
been destroyed by fires. The slopes
are scattered with these burns which
vary in extent from few to hun
dreds of acres. Many claim these
fires were set by the stockmen for
revenge on each other and to make
new range. This was in years past
before there was any Forest Service
or other authority to take them to
account for the wanton destruction OF
public property. That some OF these
fires started in this manner or by
carelessness of the stockmen is prob
ably true. However, the records OF
the Forest Service show that more
than fifty per cent Of the fires orig
mating in the timbered areas during
the dry season are caused by light
ming. At the present time these burn
ed areas are tangles of brush and
down timber unfit for grazing or any
purpose except protection against
erosion and to act as a nurse cover
for another crop of trees. The com
munity lost the use of the range and
the timber destroyed which will be
needed in the development of the new
county.
It takes about 200 years to grow
tree of merchantable size in this To-
calitv. The Forest Service is reseed-
ing these old burns as fast as possible
and preventing new ones from occur
ring. 1t regulates the grazing to
prevent the filling up of the streams
and springs by erosion and trampllng
and to insure a maximum of pasture
for each succeeding year. 1t plans
the cutting and removal of the ma
tured timber in such way as to in
sure a future crop and not injure the
forest for watershed protection.
One of the greatest concerns OF an
arid country is its source of water
supply. Any condition that effects
the amount of water available for lr-
rigation purposes during the growing
season means dollars and cents to the
citizens.
The country at the head of Squaw
Creek is made up of steep slopes with
a thin covering of loose soil held in
place by the roots of the plants,
grasses. shrubs and timber which 1t
supports. Destroy this root crop and
the soil is rapidly washed off the
slopes by the heavy precipitation that
occurs on the mountain tops. The
foliage of the plant crop breaks the
force of the winds, rains and snow
upon the soil surface and allows the
water to sink into the soil gradually
where it slowly works its way into the
springs and streams insuring steady
flow. Once the soil cover is removed
leaving the bedrock bare and exposed,
the precipitation runs rapidly off the
smooth, hard surface in freshets that
sometimes do considerable damage to
property and leaves no supply OF
water at the stream heads to be grad
ually released for use during the dry
season.
The influence of forests upon eli
mate is a question upon which scien-
lists are more or less divided. AS to
their effect upon stream flow there
can be no question. 1t is well known
fact that snow melts and moisture
evaporates less rapidly in the shady
than in the open exposed places. The
foliage that falls adds volume and
richness to the soil and acts as a
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