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Show Water Supply Average Shown In Engineer's Report The report is based on information informa-tion received from water commissioners commis-sioners and other cooperative observers ob-servers throughout the state. Irrigated crops are about 15 percent per-cent better than those of last yeai and about 20 percent below those of a normal year, according to the report. The water supply over the state so far this year has averaged from 40 to 100 percent of normal in natural na-tural stream flow and about 90 percent per-cent of that for the same period last year, a report issued Thursday by State Engineer T. H. Humpherys, shows. Damage resulting from drouth is not great in any of the irrigated areas over the state, Mr. Humpherys said, however, the range lands are beginning to suffer. Unless rain comes soon to the higher grazing areas, sheep and cattle will have to be moved to lower levels earlier than usual. On July 1 the principal reservoirs of the state contained 472,000 acre feet less storage water than at the same time last year. However, it Is expected an ample supply will be available to finish out the season in all but Echo and Moon Lake reservoirs, neither of which was filled at the beginning of the year. Unusually heavy drawing o n storage water throughout the state this summer is caused from abnormally ab-normally high temperatures and lack of precipitation. This condition condi-tion reduces the possibility for storage stor-age water holdover for next summer. sum-mer. Stream flow of Beaver, Millard, Sanpete and Carbon counties is larger than a year ago and 80 to 90 percent of an average year, according ac-cording to the report. Streams of other counties are 75 to 90 percent of a year ago and generally about 60 percent of normal. Iron county streams were as low as 40 percent of normal. "Lack of precipitation, accompanied accomp-anied by high temperatures and severe se-vere attacks by pests, are contributing contrib-uting toward lowered crop yields of peas, tomatoes and beets," the report states. Lack of water is affecting af-fecting some areas which depend solely on natural flow. Sixty to 70 percent of normal crops are expected in Rich, Uintah, Wasatch and Utah counties, and 80 to 100 percent are anticipated in Cache, Boxelder, Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, Duchesne, Sanpete, Sevier, Millard and Beaver counties. |