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Show VOL. IV. NO. 36. ROOSEVELT, UTAH, AUGUST 15, 1927. ater rower PIETY CENTS PER YEAR moer am iVV.V.VAV,AVAWAW.WAV.V.VAVWA!AVAVAVV.V.WAV.VA,.V.VAVW.V.,.,.,AW.,.V.V1,.V.W.,.W.v' In the Basin, water power and timber are closely associated the timber grows where the water falls. Approximately 65 per cent of all Utahs timber is on the northern and western rims of this basin. There is more water power at hand in our two counties than our state is now uss, and, further, there more water power in the basin than there is in all our other countries that may ever be used. Hence the Lions share of Utahs timber and water ' power is here in two counties, otherwise known as the Uintah Basin. Excepting power developments on Green river in mammoth projects, huge dams in the minature Grand canyons on the north and south rims, our water power is near or in the canyons down which our many streams flow. Water and its uses have been regarded from the beginning as state property, but we are being introduced to a new development in federalization. For instance, our local light and power company, having plants at Upalco and at the mouth of Uintah canyon, may not obtain permission to Improve the service by putting in another unit and generate more power. Whether this peculiar handling of natures forces ty governmental agencies is all autocracy or whether it is all caticnal, or some of each, we lec"3 undecided. But by the way, it re, it is well to remind our TtLliiz that having all this water power x.a cannot get permission to use eccth for our modest requirements. Ill'tro-electrl- c energy as most esgt n express it, Is, for us, water p2v.cp. Our streams come from gr: t areas of high land, glacier-h- e . ;i I sins, and descend rapidly to the volleys. Hundreds of lakes, and nrv'r gorges cut, through the solid . , o, form natural reservoirs s and and these, wits vast field 3 cf ice and snow, furnish the power. C.ldom is the snow melted on th'. sruth sides of our higher catch b- - 'ns, and as this Is written, AUo t lit, snow may be plainly seen frera Roosevelt high up on cur Uintah mountains Utahs highest range, In which Timpanog-c- s would not reach the average height cf the summit, in fact would r : i i ! . i It, for seventy-fiv- e miles, c on these whose peaks, .ry t' i t 3 snow and Ice Is held for , cLs-nel- r , summers late heat, are much more than 13,000 feet. With these giant peaks, and an east west ridge averaging 12,000 feet, our water storage is provided in almost ideal fashion. Our water for irrigation purposes is not used in anything like the same manner which our state uses water on the west side of the basin, from Idaho to Arizona. Our use of irrigation water is with much prodi ity. Our utilization of water in the rivers and small streams is on an extravagent basis, because too many diversion points are permitted and too many major canals meander down oyer gravel beds with glaciers and rivers have dumped near the head of each river valley. About July 15 th one could see more water diverted into canals out of Lakefork than Provo river furnished on that date in 1926, yet Lakefork river, uses fifteen to twenty miles below were short and crying for water. There was ample water for all and then some, but main canals traversed too many miles over coarse gravel. The worse of this gravel may be cemented, and the river channel utilized for lower land levels rather than all on gravel-ba- r mileage. On the Uintah river, for Instance we have provided storage at about 510.00 per acre foot and on Lake-foras another sample, we have 39.000 acre feet, in Moon lake alone which we may use at not over but 510 per acre foot, there are of present cheap typical examples Btorage that provides against the years of drouth and which permit much larger areas to be reclaimed. If we include reservoir propects that reach up to 540.00 per acre foot we may store sufficient supply for double our percentage acreage of land. But we have made ho use thus far of Green river, and practically no use whatever is made of White river. White river Is likely the only stream large enough for a good farm which the Indian may not say The White Man he spoil. Yet this stream will furnish ample water, without reservoirs for 30,000 acreB of excellent land and we have thus far left It In Its primeval condition, untouched, unused, Green riv- for the five to fifteen foot lift andthe water never fails, and there is no er. irrigation cost other than pow- - Work on Myton-Roos-eve- lt State Highway Is Being Rushed But some day, perhaps not so far off into the future, a large dam in Progress on the completion of the canyon wTill store water for the state highway is progressing the farms while providing great power for commercial use, and then our rapidly under the direction of btaie vast Dead Mans bench, 350,000 Maintenance Engineer, E. C. Knowl-towho has opened an office in acres of good land, will be used and without storage in Colorado on Myton. The organization cf the the Yampa and White rivers. The force has been completed. Monday 700 and Yampa is, strictly speaking, not a cubic Tuesday, of approximately was gravel spread yards Utah river, because it empties on is road. It the that anticipated the Green river about a mile east and through grading graveling of the state line, but it then comes down as Utah property. White riv- Roosevelt will be started in about er begins near the Moffat tunnel and six weeks. runs into Green river at Ouray. These two streams, losing only eva- Senator Smoot Works poration, will reclaim all of Dead On Water Supply Mans bench, but that demands fedinter-state or eral activity. That he will make strong efforts Our forest reserve officials have to secure adequate water supply for just authorized a short road, about Fort conDouglas is the promise fourteen miles on the west side of tained a Sen. in letter from Reed Lakefork river, that taps for immediate use fifty million board feet Smoot to Edward M. Ashton, presiof good saw timber. Even our own dent of the chamber of commerce. The foresfs in the Uintah Basin, like Smoot letter declares that Senator anticipates that the war demany other features, are far away. We dont think anything of forty partment will not ask for an appropriation to increase the water miles thats just over there. Utah post, but In Is nearly thirty miles from supply at the of this he will endeavspite stand, Is even at not Roosevelt, and that to or the of obtainpush question and the mouth of the Lakefork, ing adequate a protection against quite a distance from the timber water possible shortage. referred to. There are many other The amount would have been big supplies of saw" timber locked and a reservoir could appropriated In the canyons and sequestered away been have under way had It not on vast table lands for back and been for act of Senator the fool above these fertile lands below the Walsh of Massachusetts in defeat5000 elevation mark, and they will in the last hours of ing the recent be used as demanded, and this supsession of congress the deficiency ply Is near, quite near, many thrivthe appropriation bill, letter said. communities. ing Utah will some day know much VISITS UINTAH BASIN more about these mighty forests and streams, and the glaciers and Albert II. Kneale, at one peaks a summer play ground as superintendent of the Uintah-Oura- y time, well as natural riches locked In Indian agency at Ft. Duchesne, is with grandeur that only water, a few days In the Basin spending water falls and great forests prohhndawith old friends. Mr. shaking duce. Until we have at least all of and Mrs. Kneale have a host of used friends the 300,000 acres of land here who will always rethat i3 now reclaimed (and that member them for the good work means double our' present populadid while in the Basin at the they tion) these treasures will not, may Indian agency! They are now locatnot, be properly appreciated by the ed at N. M. Shiprock, er water now may be economically Basin because of roads, bridges and used only for bottom lands, and time. But we have power that will and the timber will at the same that demands pumping. However, soon be needed to go along copper time play In harmony with Industhere are large tracts waiting only wires for mans use and the water try in thousands of new homes. n, Al-ton- ah . k, - . |