IRRIGABLE LANDS OF THE SALT LAKE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. 125 
It will be observed that in these estimates the available water above 
Utah Lake is regarded as insufticient for the available land, while below the 
lake there is a superabundance of water, and yet the lower stream is only a 
continuation of the upper streams. The difference arises from the function 
of the lake as a reservoir. Below the reservoir the whole of the annual 
supply can be controlled, but above it I have assumed that irrigation will 
merely make use for the irrigating season of the quantity which flows at 
the critical period. If artificial reservoirs can be constructed so as to 
store water for use in Utah Valley, a greater area can be cultivated. With 
adequate storage facilities the streams tributary to the lake can irrigate in 
Kamas Prairie 28 miles; in Provo Valley and vicinity 40 miles; in Thistle 
Valley 6 miles; on Salt Creek 16 miles, and in Utah Valley 225 miles, 
making a total of 815 miles; and there will still escape to the Jordan enough 
water to serve all the land assigned to that stream. IH such storage is 
practicable, the estimate tabulated above should show 542 instead of 473 
miles of cultivable land. ‘The region most likely to afford storage facilities 
lies in the mountains where the waters rise. I did not visit it, and until it 
has been examined I shall not venture to increase the estimate. 
The following table gives a summary for the Great Salt Lake river 
system : 
Areas, in square miles. 
Districts. 
Whole district. | SPeUL SP CUGRE® ee be reclaimed] Total cultiva- 
| tionin1877. in the future. | ble. 
Rear Riverssac=so-6~ 2 2.)0 522 taco ee vk Gewetac sewennwe 3, 620 | 89.3 462.7 
Weber River 2, 450 1Hbs2 137.8 
Jordan River 4,010 192. 2 } 280. 8 
Totals sec eee ttose ceases ae Piiyesavanedinesce tet: 10, 080 | 396.7 881.3 1, 278.0 | 
Ota ON meinen aan senate nineess sicomueieaacam sec eke 1, 000 | - 039 | - 088 . 127 
This region includes an eighth part of the land area of the Territory, 
and more than one-half the agricultural land. It is the richest section of 
Utah. Nearly one-third of its available land is already in use. The cost 
of the canals by which its cultivated lands have been furnished with water 
has been about 52,000,000. To complete its system of irrigation will 
probably cost $5,000,000 more. 
