Show watersheds water sheds aind forest resources s of the uintah basin 0 t j 1 by CHARLES demoisy jr the past year lias has boon seen many disasters and much damage done 40 0 o farming land roads bridges and other improvements through floods theeo these aro are invariably caused by tho the treeless mountains and slopes and denuded watersheds surrounding our tributary to tho the areas where the damages occurred local citizens contributed to the rollet relief oc at sufferers from ono one or of tholo disasters within our own state thia this year jand and owners in tho the vicinity of canyons and streams where erosion ie serious aro are being forced io to resort to 0 artificial moans means of at control of floods thia this consists con alata of building of chock check dama at intervals Int along tho streams to bold hold the rock and gravel that la Is carried down by spring high water and eummer summer storms it ie to an immediate remedy but expensive la in many cases tho the expense makes it prohibitive such efforts aro are closely correlated with tho work of tho the forest service in thia this part of at utah there la Is thia this difference that jho the forest service applies tho the long time permanent preventative through proper protection of tho the by nature natures own method tho the watersheds surrounding tho the uintah basin have boon r richly endowed with timber ana anci vegetative covering given proper protection from tiro fire destructive cutting of umber timber and overgrazing tho the plentiful supply of water for irrigation with which tho the basin la to favored will continue indefinitely it should flow fairly regular without tho the destructive floods and corresponding periods of shortage this loads leads to a consideration of the watershed values of tho the moun balna and forests of the uintah basin they bave have generally gon orally been con as an intangible values im poa elble of stating in dollars and cents destroy tho the watersheds and you destroy farming Is a generality that has boon oft repeated following tho the method of ono one enthusiastic thusia but reputable conserva tio wo we got get an appraisal something like this a thoro there Is acres of Irrig irrigable ablo and tillable land in the uintah basin in its raw state producing little but sagebrush it is worth probably per acre put water on the land nothing but water in little streams coming coining from the distant mountains and tho the land jumps in value to 30 at least A lot of it with a little additional improvement add favorably situated climbs to or oven even 1 per der aero acre so it r is tho the belief that 30 is a fair av f arago credit water with increase ins ing values 25 per acre or 2 thoro thare are am acres of na lional forest land that send down most of this water the water 4 frota from the 0 o early molting snow in tho the T valleys and lower foot hille hills outside of tho the forest forests hag has little to do with tho the supply for irrigation ono mil lion acres created and one half million nill llon dollars in values or per aero acre this can bo be called tho the value of tho the mountain watersheds por per aero acre not tho the value of tho the protection of thorn them that ie to in tho the custody of tho the forest service lot cho obe trees bo be cut down without regard for or a future crop let area burn unquenched and insect enemies riddle away tho the surviving trees allow unregulated and unrestricted grazing crazing by horses cat alo sheep goats and pigs until tho the vegetation ie Is all gono gone and grubbed out by tho the roote roots what will bo be tho the ortho watersheds true tho the mountains would still send down some water mostly in tho the form ot at floods doing much destruction tho the later flow of water so necessary for maturing the crops would bo be very canty scanty expense of maintaining reservoirs and irrigation ditches would bo be greater gro ator crops smaller sm allor land values and prosperity would go down dowin and bottlers settlers would bo be leaving for more favored sections maybo the country would go back to where it wae was before it IC was bottled settled mismanagement of tho the watersheds could then be charged with the ruin of tho the whole country la Is it not reasonable then to gay say that protection of tho the water ghods Is worth half halt of theeo created values or 62 por par acre it must bo be admitted that it la Is easily worth that to tho the water user usen this method Is taken to show tho the value of but ono one of tho the natural resources sources ot of tibia section tho the united states Is tho the greatest wood using country in the world and tho the abundance of its timber supplies llos Is partly responsible for tho the remarkable growth and wealth it has enjoyed however the umber resources aro are diminishing the area where trees once grew in tho the united states but where nothing now grows Is in As largo large as an tine the states of at new now york pennsylvania new jersey delaware and maryland combined the distance that lumber and wood Dro products ducts aro are transported between forests and places where it la Is used is in getting greater and greater lumber prices aro are soaring and will continue to soar fortunate indeed is tho the section of tho the country that still has a timber supply near at hand and does cot not have to pay freight on its lumber and wood from distant forests tho the basin is ono one of those sections so fortunately located in tho the ashley national forest aro are found tap large timber bodies in the tle state these are aro close at band hand and will supply local demand since under forest service regulation regul atlon only mature timber umber will bo be cut and a growing stock will al at way ways bo be loft for this thin reason th tho a loc local a price of lumber should not increase but on an tho the other hand should go down as local mills become moro efficient and our mountain roads arc improved hn another forest resource that la Is being used mare fully at the proa prea oat cat timo time than any other la Is tho the summer sura pasturage ruBo for livestock ilo II 11 cattle and hor horace and nearly shoop are crazed annually on an the ashley forest theeo these aro are owned by over local and settlers this resource also Is used on a permanent por manent sustained basis baste properly handled these numbers of stock can bo be grazed year after year deterioration of tho the range or domago damage to the water sheds tho the scenic and recreational pos von of the uintah mountains have been realized and taken advantage of at by only a email small part of tho the local people so tar far distant places place 08 that have boon been advertised extensively but do not possess the natural attractions that our own mountains do have made a stronger appeal to many who visit our own camping places and fishing and hunting grounds first nowhere can better fishing bo be found than in our own mountain streams and lakes upwards of 1300 2300 deer find summer range on the ashley forest unexcelled camping places and summer home altes are innumerable the highest and most scenic mountain ceaba in tho the sate aro are found hero here our forest resources sources ro will contribute conerl buto more and more to the development and advancement of at this great inland empire markets transportation and the other phases of artificial tiff etal development are bound to follow these natural advantages Jus soon will depend largely upon the character and energy of at our citizens the natural resources are here and waiting to Zer perform form their part |