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Show UTAH'S SOIL STUDIED BY U. S. RECLAMATION BUREAU Surveys Will Show If State's Acres Can Benefit I5y Upper Colorado Hiver Water Projects i would benefit from such a project will he determined. Preliminary estimates es-timates place the laud in this classification class-ification at (iOn.000 acres approximately approxi-mately ei ii a I to the area now under irrigation in the state. "This figure alone," Mr. Richardson Richard-son s;iid, "presents an idea of the benefit such a project would bring our state. With the Western states constantly Increasing in population, there will continue to be an Increasing Increas-ing market for agricultural products pro-ducts grown In the West. The only way we can produce more goods from the farms is to increase the acreage on which they can be produced." pro-duced." Great Importance SALT LAKE CITY With the U. S. Kiireau of Ueclamal ion pushing to completion Its soil surveys In Utah and continuing a serifs of surveys on the Green and upper Colorado rivers to determine possible pos-sible location of dam sites for wa i ter anil power development, Utah ' should know shortly whether the Colorado Hiver-dreat Basin project offers the opportunity to secure these needad resources for this state. This l the comment of F. II. Richardson,, secretary of the Colorado Colo-rado itlver-Oreat Dasin Water Users , Association following assurance from Commissioner John C. Page I that both surveys are being has- tened by his department. ' "The department has been active making soil surveys In our state for nearly a year," Mr. Richardson pointed out. "Under the direction ( of Edwin G. Nielsen, associate en-Kineer en-Kineer In charge of U. S. Bureau of Reclamation investigations, much of this work already has been completed. com-pleted. I understand that it is Quite possible Mr. Nielsen and his taff will finish this survey before I the end of the current year." The soil survey and the survey planned on the Colorado and Green rivers have been ordered in connection con-nection with the program to determine deter-mine the possible developments of water and power resources for the ; oenefit of the, upper basin states. Far-Roichlng Importance Under Mr. Nielsen's direction, approximately ap-proximately 150 men were engaged In making soil surveys last summer. sum-mer. It is understood that a similar force will be placed in the field in an attempt to complete this work this year. In addition to this survey, reconnaissance recon-naissance surveys have been conducted con-ducted to determine probable routes for bringing water from the Colorado Colo-rado River basin to Utah acres. Preliminary lines, for instance, have been run to two of the discussed dam sites. One of these is at Echo Park at the Colorado-Utah line. Another Is at Minnie Maud where the Green River separates Carbon and Uintah counties. The geology of the possible tunnel tun-nel sites through the Wasatch range has been studied. The foundation found-ation possibilities of the various dam sites have been and are being explored -with drill rigs, and the capacity of the various reservoirs is being determined. The history of the streams flow, since records have been kept, Is being plotted to determine the amount of storage capacity needed to assure an ample water supply. "Our association is pleased that the Bureau of Reclamation is going forward with this work," Mr We believe," Mr. Richardson aid. "that If there Is a possibility of more water for Utah acres and mare power for Utah industries, we must discover it and then take teps to develop it. v . "Many of the major developments I of recent years were once thought I '"Possible and impractical. There 1 are those who say that damming 1 S n. wpreen RIVer for Instance. . Bpllt Mountain, Echo Park" or Flain-, Flain-, ing Gorge and' conducting water to ' areas west of the Wasatch moun-tains moun-tains would be a project too tremen-I tremen-I dons to undertake. But when we realize that such a project if it can be accomplished will benefit more than half our counties directly direct-ly and the entire state indirectly 1 feel that we owe it to ourselves to find out if such a plan can be put into action." . Apparently the bureau of reclamation re-clamation agrees with the associa- ! tlon. for the survey work already is assured. The entire reaches of the Green and upper Colorado Rivers i are to be explored for water-and-power possibilities. The soil survey work now under way throughout the state under Mr Nielsen's direction is of far-reach-tag importance, Mr. Richardson Pointed out. Through this survey i ' tha amount of irrigable land which I nicnarason said. Representatives J. W. Robinson and a member of the House irrigation committee as well as the entire Utah congressional congression-al delegation have done a consistently consis-tently fine job in Congress to help push this work along." Mr. Richardson also expressed the hope that all citizens of the state of Utah would "realize the tremendous importance of such a project to them." "In my mind, this without a question of doubt, would be the greatest single factor in Utah s permanent growth that could ever happen," he said. "I sincerely hope that the surveys will prove the projects economically feasible. If they do, Utah must assure itself that it can and will protect its rights to the water of the upper Colorado river basin necessary for this development". |
