The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-02-01

county, nevada, nave attempted &c
irrigate their lands with water
pumped from wells, but as the val.
ley is far from railroads and mark.
cts and the cost of pumping is high
the settlers are making an urgent
demand for a cheaper water supply
Accordingly, in cooperation with
the Humboldt County Farm Bureau
the United States Geological Survey
sent one of its members, Kirl
Bryan to examine the geology OF
Quinn River and Paradise valleys sc
far as it may affect the possibility
of obtaining supplies of artesiar
water.
The results of the investigation
indicate that flowing wells of suffi'
cient yield to be of value for irri.
CATION cannot be obtained in either
valley, though wells drilled into the
valley fill in the central parts OF
both valleys may obtain small flow,
suitable for watering stock, anC
wells drilled into the volcanic rocks
at isolated localities in or near the
mountains may also obtain artesiar
water. Flowing wells cannot be OBJ.
tanned from the shallower parts OF
the valley fill near Orovada, and
drilling into the deeper beds in
search Of artesian water is moi
recommended.
Location and Topography Of Region
Quinn River Valley is bordereo
on the east by the Santa Rosa anC
Buckskin mountains and on the
west by the Quinn River Noun
tains. 1t heads in Oregon about II
miles north of the Nevada line anc
extends southwark about 45 miles t.
the Slumbering Hills, which separate
1t from the broad valley Of Hum
boldt river. The valley is 10 to IL
miles wide and is drained by Quinn
river, which runs southwark through
It for about 40 miles, turns west
and, passing south Of the Quinn
River Mountains is lost in the Blacl
Rock Desert. The river is formed
about 4 miles south of the Oregon
line by the union of East Fork OF
Quinn FLYER and McDermitt, Wash
burn, and other creeks. Its drain.
age basin includes about l,164
square miles.
The valley floor thus consists OF
plains formed of beds of sand
gravel, and clay deposited by the
existing streams. A small part OF
the valley bounded by a line OF
Bluffs that extends from the Oregon
line east of McDermitt southeast.
ward to the National mine, differs
from the larger part in that the
streams flow in fat-bottomed val.
Ieys that lie so to 100 feet below
the level Of the sloping plains
formed by the same streams at an
earlier time, when they flowed al
higher level. In general, how
ever, each stream, on leaving the
mountains, wanders through circui-
tous and branching channels over
the alluvial slopes to the axial fiat,
where 1t joins in grassy meadows
the small meandering channel of
Quinn river.
The region is arid, none Of the
streams containing water through
out the year. The principal streams
carry considerable water or are in
flood in the spring, when the snow
On the mountains is melting. The
spring floods are not violent, and
the water, which may be almost
clear, is easily diverted into semi
permanent bitches to irrigate the
cultivated fields. In the axial flat
there are large fields that are ir-
rigated from Quinn river or from
its tributaries. Near the mouths of
the canyons of the principal noun
tain streams there are smaller fields,
many Of which are irrigated by the
water of streams that seldom reach
the lower, larger fields. About
$4,000 acres is irrigated. Native
grasses, which are used both for
pasture and for hay, form the prin-
cipal irrigated crops, but there are
also fields of alfalfa and small
grain.
Paradise Valley lies east of the
santa Rosa mountains and Is en-
closed on the north and northeast
by unnamed volcanic pleateaus and
mountains and on the east by the
mountain range that eliminates in
Hot Springs peak. 1t is drained by
Little Humboldt river, which is
formed by the union Of Indian,
Martin, and other creeks with the
east fork of Little Humboldt river.
The. Topography of this valley is
like that Of Quinn River valley,
though the central fats are wider
and the area irrigated is larger.
Agricultural Conditions
In both valleys communication
with centers Of population else
where is difficult. The distance
from some of the ranches to Win
nemucca, the nearest railroad sta
ton, Is more than 60 miles. Only
cattle on the hoof can be readily