OCR Text |
Show Desert Reaches Critical Stage Hear Black Rock The livestock industry in the area around Black Rock is faced with a critical shortage of feed and no water. The lack of water necessitates the trailing of sheep to the various var-ious troughs to which water is hauled. This seriously curtails the area in which the sheep may graze and is resulting in overgrazing in certain areas already in a serious condition due to the lack of feed which is caused by the extended drought this summer and fall. It is estimated that each sheep will drink approximately 2 gallons of water at one watering and they are now being watered every other day. The amount of water hauled from Black Rock can only be appreciated ap-preciated when it is known that six herds of around 2000 sheep each are dependent upon this water. wa-ter. This means transporting of about 24,000 gallons of water every other day. Farther west in Wah Wah valley in an area centering around the Black Rock-Garrison road, are five herds that require over 20,000 gal- Ions o'f water every other day. This water is hauled from a govern ment well about 25 miles west of Black Rock. Taken together the water hauling haul-ing amounts to around 44,000 gallons gal-lons of water every other day. This will continue until sufficient storm blankets the area with moisture. But should too much snow fall, the sheep industry would again be in a dangerous position because of the lack of winter feed, and would in all probability cause the feeding of concentrated foods. This danger is anticipated by some as is evidenced by the trucks and trailers that are now hauling concentrates con-centrates to - various deposits on the rangje. |