Report on the lands of the arid region of the United States, with a more detailed account of the lands of UtahPowell, John Wesley
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Report on the lands of the arid region of the United States, with a more detailed account of the lands of Utah
Powell, John Wesley
Irrigation -- Utah; Irrigation -- West (U.S.); Public lands -- United States; Rain and rainfall -- West (U.S.)
This is the largest tributary emptying into the main drainage channel
from the west. It rises in the Uinta Mountains, and has a southerly
course for 65 miles. The Duchesne River, its western branch, rises in
the same mountains, and the two streams unite only a few miles before
the Uinta joins the Green. The drainage basin of the Uinta has an
area of 1,300 square miles, lying between the altitudes of 4,500 and
7,000 feet above the sea. It has, generally speaking, a regular slope
from the foot of the Uinta Mountains to the mouth of the streams,
or in a direction toward the southeast. The surface of the basin is
greatly diversified, consisting of broad reaches of bottom lands along
the rivers; elevated, level, or gently sloping benches, sometimes
partially arable, but oftener gravelly barrens; broken, rock-faced
terraces; and low cliffs and ridges. It is difficult to estimate the
amount of arable land. All the bottom lands are such, and can be easily
irrigated. The streams have a rapid fall, but flow near the surface,
and no deep cañons are found anywhere in the basin. This renders it
possible to conduct the water over considerable areas of bench land,
and wherever the soil of these is sufficiently fertile, selections
of good farming land can be made. Above the limit in altitude for
successful cultivation, large tracts of meadow lands can be irrigated.
Those best acquainted with the extent of these classes of land place
the arable, including irrigable natural meadow lands, at 40 per cent.
of the whole basin. This would give an area of 520 square miles, and
I do not think it is an overestimate. The volume of water flowing in
the Duchesne River above its junction with Lake Fork was measured in
August, 1877, and found to be 1,011 cubic feet per second. The Uinta
was measured above its junction with the Duchesne in October, 1877,
and then flowed 214 cubic feet per second. These streams all rise in
high mountains, from whose summits the snow is never completely melted.
The line of highest water is usually in June, but the flow is well
sustained through July. After that the volume rapidly decreases, and
lowest water occurs in October. The critical period in the irrigation
of this basin would occur in August. I think it may safely be assumed
that the measurements of the Duchesne and the Uinta represent the flow
at the critical period, but that Lake Fork should be doubled. This
would give 1,825 cubic feet per second, or enough to irrigate, at the
assumed standard, 285 square miles, or 22 per cent. of the whole area
of the basin, and indicates the Uinta drainage as one of the best, if
not the best, agricultural valley in Utah.
ASHLEY FORK.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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