Show Basin Planning Panning League Listens To Report On Blue Bench Soil Survey Large Attendance at Roosevelt Meeting Discusses Possibilities of Rehabilitation For Approximately Acres Final Outcome Still Depends On Water Vater Surveys Final reports on the soil survey survey survey sur sur- vey recently completed on the Blue Bench were released d to the Uintah Basin Planning League ata ata at ata a meeting held for the purpose in Roosevelt Wednesday evening J. J Howard Maughan Land Use Specialist for the Administration Professor David Jennings professor of soils at the Utah State A Agricultural college collect Professor Preston B. B Thomas head of the d department of agricultural agricultural agri agri- cultural economics at the college and DeM DeMoyne Wilson who is making th the surveys in the field were present at the meeting to present the reports and participate participate participate pate in lit the discussions following The meeting was opened by B. B 0 O. O Colton chairman of the league and water commissioner for the ithe Duchesne and Moon Lake water users associations It had been called for the express purpose of hearing results on the soil surveys surveys surveys sur sur- veys of the Blue Bench he stat stat- ed Ouray Valley Being Surveyed Mr presented maps V sho showing g the soil classifications indifferent in indifferent indifferent different colors and explained them to the thirty odd members present He explained that the surveys had been started l lat t fall halted during the winter and were completed in June His crew is now working in the Ouray valley valley val vat ley on a similar survey there All land or possible agricultural agricultural agricultural agri agri- cultural land in the Uintah Basin west of the Uintah Special MerIdian Meridian Meri Men dian has now been surveyed he said with the exception of a few small strips along the Duchesne river Of the acres classified on the Blue Bench acres are usable as agricultural ral land Of this amount acres are classed as fair agricultural land with acres falling into the marginal classification The larger per cent of ot fair land is found on the Upper Blue Bench or above the old I Knight canal the survey shows Water Vater possibilities Discussed Following the discussion on the maps and soil soU classifications considerable considerable considerable con con- discussion cent centered on possibilities of pro pro fc prong ng for the entire area Canal routes have been surveyed last f flail ali ll and this spring by the Bureau of Reclamation Rec Rec- but to date no r reports ports have been made of these surveys Mr Maughan the league that it was vas his understanding that reports on these surveys are about complete and assured those present that he would bend his efforts toward hastening the completion of these reports Succeeding discussion centered on the feasibility of perfecting a aplan aplan aplan plan for transferring agricultural activities from some of the pes- pes ent sub-marginal sub areas now being be be- ing irig to the Blue Bench area and utilizing utilizing- the su m areas as pasture land Mr Maughan Maughan Maug Maug- han ban emphasized the fact as he has done in the past that if such sucha a plan materializes it must be from the people o. o and d with their wholehearted cooperation Because Because Be Be- e- e cause of present unsettled affairs in Washington D. D C. C he could make no promise promis he stated as asto asto to the extent of ot possible government government government govern govern- ment participation explaining that legislation now developing may tend to either curtail or expand expand ex ex- tl this s type of government ac ac- ac- ac He assured the league Continued on Page 8 Basin Planning League Hears Report On Soil Survey Continued from page 1 however of the fullest cooperation cooperation cooperation tion of his office within the limits limits limits lim lim- its set upon it Attitude Great The attitude shown in to the Uintah Basin is great Mr Maughan said and I believe you will make good use of the information information information mation resulting from these surveys surveys surveys sur sur- veys regardless of the extent of federal participation He point point- pointed pointed ed out that thal first of all a definite program should be det determined taking Into consideration all of the possibilities and resources and that 11 future activities should then be directed according to this program |