9 



themselves, are very suggestive as to the means by which all of this 

 area might be reclaimed. 



As an illustration of the effect that elevating the water-table has 

 upon the accumulation of salt in the surface soil, take, for example, 

 the playas and all low ground where the water-table is within three 

 feet or less of the surface and we find that the surface portion of the 

 soil is almost invariably the most salty, and is very often covered by 

 a salt crust. 



The irrigated land south of the Twelfth street road has, for the 

 most part, good, natural drainage, and is generally quite free from 

 salts. There are a few areas, however, including the greater part 

 of the Jordan meadows, which form an exception. Here, owing to 

 poor, natural drainage, seepage water has accumulated from the ir- 

 rigation of lands above, and the injury is more from water than from 

 salt. In most cases, however, the seepage water is accompanied by 

 an accumulation of salts immediately at or near the surface. The 

 source of these salts is usually from the seepage water accompanied, 

 perhaps, by an upward movement of the original salts of the soil. 

 This accumulation at the surface is brought about by the excessive 

 evaporation from the wet surface of the soil. 



THE PROBLEMS OF THE AREA. 



The areas damaged by seepage and alkali would be less extensive 

 if there had been a more judicious management of the irrigation 

 water. Because of an abundance of water, it has at times been used 

 in excessive amounts, and, furthermore, waste or surplus water is 

 too often allowed to run on to vacant lands when the canal gates 

 should be closed. Each irrigation should be of sufficient quantity 

 to wet the ground to a considerable depth and yet cause little or no 

 drainage. The soil moisture should be conserved by the best means 

 of cultivation and cropping, thus making the intervals between irri- 

 gations as long as possible. It is true that lands are sometimes of 

 such a character that large areas cannot be irrigated without causing 

 seepage water to escape. Where damage is already done, the land 

 can sometimes be redeemed by warding off the seepage by means of 

 a drain along the upper side of the affected area. It will, however, 

 usually require a system of drains to affect this, and, if salts have 

 accumulated to a considerable extent, thorough drainage is the only 

 recourse. 



DRAINAGE. 



Of the one hundred and twenty-five square miles lying mostly 

 north of Twelfth street road and between Salt Lake City and the 

 lake, ninety square miles, or about fifty-eight thousand acres, are 



