OCR Text |
Show Conservation f W tj-r In rerriun like this which dt-maodi bo much water as a fertilizer, would it not be well to provide, in the canyons, compensating reservoirs? The waste waters of spring and summer could be thus controlled, and instead of running into Salt Lake and other sheets of water, wa-ter, be distributed over the alluvial benches; and eventually, having fulfilled fulfill-ed their mission in irrigating, find their way to the great evaporating panB, like Great Salt, Utah, Bear, and the smaller lakes. From the evaporation of theee basins we are supposed to get back our rainfall. Facts show, however, how-ever, that the moisture taken up by evaporation from these sources gives to our neighbors more than we receive ourselves. Rain clouds (from instrumental instru-mental observations here) go eastward; as the improved condition of the country coun-try east shows. As so much of the water is thus taken away, would it not be wise to dam certain portions of the canyons, which can be done in narrow points for a moderate expense, and thus obtain water power to irrigate grounds heretofore barren, and by increased in-creased vegetation increase our resources? resour-ces? Every spring there is water enough flowing to waste that would irrigate nearly the whole of our agricultural agri-cultural lands if properly conserved. When we are obliged to import produce from the west and east, it is proper to suggest a remedy that will enable our agricultural resources to keep pace with the mineral developments. |