RECLAMATION OF ARID LANDS NEWELL. 191 



dam is also planned to be constructed at Guernse}^ Wyo., for divert- 

 ing water into a canal to cover lands in Goshen Hole, in eastern 

 Wyoming and western Nebraska, which are now withdrawn from 

 entry. 



Nevada^ Truchee- Carson project. — This work in western Nevada 

 is located in Churchill, Lyon, and Storey Counties. The first unit 

 Avas opened in 1907, and lands are now subject to homestead entry. 

 In addition to the land office filing fee each settler is required to pay 

 $3 per acre annually for 10 years, without interest on deferred pay- 

 ments. An annual maintenance fee of 60 cents per acre is charged 

 in addition. The first payment of $3.00 per acre must be paid at the 

 time of filing on the land. The farm unit is 80 acres. 



A dam has been built on Truckee Elver, near Wadsworth, to turn 

 the flow of the stream into a canal 31 miles long (pi. 8, fig. 1), which 

 carries the waters to Carson Elver. Here a diversion dam turns the 

 waters as needed into two main canals. The first unit of this project 

 includes more than 600 miles of canals and laterals, 50,000 feet of 

 dikes, and the dams on the Truckee and Carson Eivers. The project 

 in its entirety will irrigate about 260,000 acres of land and will in- 

 volve the construction of several storage reservoirs and the develop- 

 ment of power. 



■ The climate in this valley is mild : the elevation above sea level is 

 about 4,000 feet, and the temperature ranges from zero to 105° above. 

 It is so dry, however, that the extremes, which seldom occur, are not 

 injurious. The average rainfall on the irrigable area is 4 inches per 

 annum. The soil is loam and volcanic ash, requiring 3 acre-feet of 

 water per annum for each acre. The valley will produce the varie- 

 ties of crops grown in the north temperate zone. Alfalfa, wheat, 

 barley, and oats grow luxuriantly, and corn is also profitable. Pota- 

 toes and garden vegetables do well and find a ready market in the 

 near-by mining towns. 



The watershed area is 3,450 square miles, the annual rainfall on 

 the watershed 25 inches, and the estimated run-off 1,000,000 acre-feet. 



New Mexico^ Carhha<l project. — The principal works here include 

 the reconstruction of canals and storage reservoirs on Pecos Eiver, in 

 Eddy County, built to irrigate about 20,000 acres of land. These 

 lands are in private ownership, but several thousand acres are in- 

 cluded in excess holdings. The price of these lands varies from $20 

 to $60 per acre. The cost of water right is $31 per acre, payable in 

 10 annual installments, and the annual maintenance and operation 

 fee is $1.35 per acre. 



The general elevation is 3,100 feet above sea level, and the tempera- 

 ture ranges from zero to 110° above. The soil is light and sandy. 

 The principal crops in the valley are peaches, pears, apples, cherries, 

 small fruits, alfalfa, cotton, sweet potatoes, celery, and garden truck. 



