Show Irrigated and N L' L Non Irrigated on A summary of the land and water water wa wa- wa-I wa ter resources of the Uintah Basin Basin Ba Ba- sin ain developed and in use use and those still to be used is a big subject for several reasons to- to wit FIRST FIRST FIRST-A A complete survey of agricultural lands in use has never been made that will do for the thelast thelast thelast last decade except as herein noted SECOND SECOND SECOND-No No lD-No No accurate survey of the lands that may be economically economically economically econom econom- reclaimed has been made either twenty years ago or more recently For lands now reclaimed and for which there is sufficient water water water wa wa- wa- wa ter to produce crops in average years the only detailed summary published vias was compiled x several years yearn ago by the editor of of this paper It is Js the result of two attempts attempts at at- tempts tempt J. J that is is two lists were published possibly two years a- a part Many irrigation companies helped with valuable data Indian Irrigation office assisted and several veral private filings were noted ted ted-r from g good d data ia wh while e many I additional private filings were es es- es This information will appear in inthis inthis inthis this story atory or in this issue We Ve have made at least fifty typewritten typewritten typewritten type type- written copies in the last three years for tor people outside the baHin basin ba- ba sin Hin sin and have furnished many i copies likewise for Utah leaders hence we know it Is In demand But It is essential to give in information information information in- in formation on a 0 broader basis with more data from reliable sources and to place before the people an enlarged picture as ns it were of these thes resources That is the principal business of this story The Uintah Basin naturally includes in In- eludes a large area in Colorado not generally r regarded ns as a part of the tho basin and yet so made that it is and must always be he a apart apart apart part of it Taking the western Colorado sector as ns an essential part of the basin let us survey the entire field first as to the water second as to the land and third the elevation climate and soil conditions The Yampa river while arising in Colorado and a part coming from Wyoming and has a drainage drainage drainage drain drain- age basin of square miles It empties into the Green just east of the Utah line in Colorado Colorado Colorado Colo Colo- rado General elevation is feet The annual mean run off is over acre feet of water While much of this may and will willbe willbe willbe be used in Colorado no one should dispute the fact that there is a large surplus which may be used on land near Rangeley Colorado and westward across the state stateline stateline line Une on the Dead Mans Man's bench in Utah A relatively small portion of this annual discharge of water is used today Reservoir sites are arc numerous I with good rock bases and walls and the cost of bringing the water water wa wa- ter onto the lands that are arc from to ft in elevation is is' is not prohibitive For of ot the ri river vcr on lands near the Utah border and Just across the theline theline line In Colorado no complete or reliable survey has been made A government recon reconnaissance was made for the Utah lands dative to water for Dead Mans Man's bench country but Is Js not reliable or of any real value as we- we understand it I Duchesne river with three major major major ma ma- jor tributaries is tho the second largest water supply for the Uin- Uin Continued on last page LAND AND WATER VATER Continued from page 1 tah Basin Drainage basin is about about about a- a bout miles and the annual run-off run is approximately acre feet It is strictly a Utah stream and has a large volume of water yet to be beneficially used requiring reservoirs for late gation Average elevation of the agricultural lands Is about feet although good farming is progressing at altitudes as high as feet E. E C. C La Rue U. U S. S Engineer in his publication water supply paper No 1916 estimates the Duchesne's mean annual supply supply supply sup sup- ply at acre feet and he states that reservoirs are ample to take care of this total and assuming assuming as assuming as- as suming that the numerous basins may be utilized storage Mr La Rue states that the Duchesne river will irrigate additional additional additional addi addi- acres Ashley Creek is the principal supply for Ashley Valley It now irrigates about acres and will by storing the flood wates han handle Ue more acers White river coming from Colorado Colorado Colo Colorado Colo- Colo rado westward to Ouray Utah passes through about 45 miles of Utah's best farm land a white sage bench land about feet in elevation or lower as the mean average It drains water from miles La Rue estimates that by extending extending extending ex ex- tending a canal Into Utah to acres may be ir ir- ir Under this project the the main canal would be miles I long Over a period of years the mean or average annual run-off run Is acre feet At least 1500 0 acres not now reclaimed may be irrigated by this river White river Is for its volume elevation and character of lands the least used river in Utah and possibly in Colorado too Reservoir Reservoir Reservoir Reser- Reser Reser Reser- voir sites are ideal In Utah it does not irrigate over acres remember not over 1000 acres From 1902 to 1912 inclusive the river had a low annual discharge of and a high of acre feet Minor tributaries of Green river river river riv riv- er In the basin such as Willow WillowCreek WillowCreek Creek will irrigate acres of new land Green river by direct use from the river both by pumps and by canals will irrigate at least acres in the basin Taking these several streams according to La Rues Rue's tabulation before noted we give the following following follow follow- ing lug Stream Area Area yet et Irrigated to be Acres Acres White river Yampa Ashley Creek Bruch Creek Duchesne System I Willow Creek Creel not noted by La Rue 2000 Green River direct not by byLa byLa byLa La Rue for the Basin 2000 Totals I Reclaimed land added added added ad ad- ded to area that may be reclaimed Makes a grand total of But by deducting acres from Yampa and White rivers because of it being too far eastward eastward eastward east east- ward to be considered as commercially commercially commercially com com- Utah reclamation we westill westill still have acres of land for which we have water and inThe in inThe inThe The Uintah Basin hemmed In by mountains without a railroad and with slightly over people About half of Utah's part of Uintah Basin water has hIlS been beneficially beneficially beneficially ben ben- used Our tabulation of the projects and filings now being being being be be- ing classed as furnishing water for reclaimed land indicates this After a year such as 1931 many will regard these figures with a critical or skeptical attitude To all such we must note the following following following follow follow- ing important facts 1 1931 is th the driest year on record in Utah and in this basin It is the worst drouth since 1847 and should not be repeated for at least fifty years 2 Much land now reclaimed or classed as such represents bench benchland benchland benchland land that requires more water than good farming demands And Anda a large amount of such ground Is Indian land receiving receiving- first con con- As the years go on this class of land will be used for pasture land and the deep soils will get the water 3 3 The lands not yet reclaimed are the best because they have havethe havethe havethe the deepest soil and the longest growing rowing season Not only are these arid and acres favored by these two advantages but they take 1 less water because the soil retains the moisture better As more water vater is stored and used during warm weather rainfall rain- rain tall fall will increase in m the central area around Ouray now receiving the least rainfall At pr present our basin eastward from rom Duchesne is so relatively untouched untouched untouched un un- touched by water during the warm weather period that it acts like the top of a stove radiating heat with a force orce many may not ap ap- This radiation acts as asa asa a l fan would in lifting clouds up up- ward Every resident of the former former former for for- mer reservation knows that black heavy wet clouds appear near Duchesne often giving a light ligh t shower but as they go eastward the way they nearly all go the heat lifts them upward and dissipates dissipates dis dissipates dis- dis them scatters them and the sun shines at Randlett Soils are of many varieties but predominately sandy loam There is su sufficient sulphur lime-sulphur gyps gyp- gyp s slum um formation to lend end a clay covering over certain areas even evento evento evento to the extent of making heavy clay soils Gravel conditions are met with and now altogether too I much water is virtually wasted I on gravel bars bench lands that I were former river beds and glaciel drift moved only a few miles by water But But the ratio of the extra heavy heavy hea hea- vy soils solis Is low not over 5 per percent percent percent cent we estimate The relative amount of the gravel soil area is perhaps perhaps' 10 p per r cent of the whole but hut about 20 per cent of the amount amount amount a- a mount of land now reclaimed Soil depths are ample for high grade farming except on a 0 small part of the gravel-bar gravel land even evenI I though excessive water supply Is demanded This insures little trouble for present and future in drainage expense But along with this desirable soil depth we have the most Ideal lay of the land or slope of any irrigation section In Utah The fall over the agricultural ag belt will average fully 15 feet per mile rolle and up to 25 and 30 feet as the higher lands are reached In Utah to date per bureau of census 1930 damage c census October October October Oct Oct- ober 1931 has been spent on drainage of lands at an average cost for this added expense expense expense ex ex- pense of per acre The Uintah Basin will escape almost ill of such expense Even In the worst conditions a little powder will drop the water levels and the sodium compounds at not more than per acre Climatic conditions are ore peculiar for several reasons viz 1 Elevations of farming lands now used vary so much that seasonal seasonal seasonal sea sea- condi conditions likewise vary asto as asto asto to temperatures and growing per per- 2 The great Uintah range Utah's Ulah's highest and most scenic scenic scenic ic shuts out the northern winds so 30 well known in Wyoming in the north half of Utah west of the Wasatch range When cold weather weather weather wea wea- ther comes it remains a 0 dead cold hardly a breeze throughout the winter period However this dead cold as might be expected makes the lower elevations the coldest during during during dur dur- ing the extremely cold period because because because be be- cause the heavy air hangs down Uke like heavy helvy clouds The mountains mountains mountains mount mount- ains all around deny any opening for this cold to drift downward except the secondary Grand canyon But this nearly a half mile deep throughout Is Isso Isso isso so crooked and so nearly like a acut acut l cut in ill the mountain up lift that the heavy air passes down very slowly Hence we must endure the cold on the lower land until spring breaks Radia Radiation ion and wind from the westward in late February indicates indicates indicates indi indi- cates winter has passed and the plowing plO may begin At feet I plowing may be begun by February February February ary 20 in nine out of ten years By March 1 farming may be In full fuU operation on lands up to nearly feet while by y March all farming so far as frost Is a factor may be under way The lands in the lower elevations elevations elevations eleva eleva- near Ouray endure the most cold and yet have the most heat in summer and the longest growing period for crops And equally as unique is the fact that these lower lands have the least snow making the ideal sheep and ond cattle range for winter and the least rainfall In summer Bummer All crops produced In Utah at these elevations ate are are Inthe Inthe in inthe the basin By having due regard for cold air layers good fruit is grown to as high as 7 feet TI This Is tells more than many sen sen- |