FOREST EESERVES IN IDAHO. 45 



Practically all of the heachvaters of the Middle and South Payette 

 rivers and their tributaries, and the Xorth and ^liddle Boise rivers, 

 with a small portion of the lieadAvaters of the South Boise and Wood 

 rivers, is included. 



The proposed area for reservation is rough, and ranges in altitude 

 from 4,000 feet in the lower valleys on the west to over 10,500 feet in 

 the main range of the Sawtooth. There are two main watersheds 

 within the proposed boundaries. On the east side of the mountains 

 a narrow strip makes up a portion of the headwaters of the Middle 

 and South Forks of the Salmon Kiver, which flows northward and 

 eastward to the Snake River. Within this area lie the several lakes 

 known as the '' Redfish Lakes.'' From the standpoint of irrigation 

 the waters from this watershed are of no value, as they are not used 

 at any point for irrigation purposes. 



On the western slope of the mountains several streams have their 



rise, which are very important because of the large areas along their 



lower courses irrigated by their waters. To the nortliAvard several 



I important tributaries of the Xorth Payette River have their source. 



In the southern portion almost the entire basins of the Middle and 



South Pa^^ette rivers are included, while in the central and extreme 



! southern parts all of the basins of the Middle and Xorth Boise 



I rivers above their juncture and a large part of the headwaters of 



i the South Boise River. Of the entire area approximately 36 per 



cent is drained by the several forks of the Payette River, and 58 



per cent by the Boise and its tributaries. These streams are used 



within the proposed reserve only for placer mining. 



There is a great variety of the pine tree, and the forests of the 

 SaAvtooth region can be classified under more than twenty heads, 

 besides such trees and shrubs as cottonwood, alder, Avillow, birch, 

 hawthorne, and plum. The really important commercial tree of this 

 region, however, is the bull pine, and immense quantities of it have 

 been cut for timber, fuel, and for the development of the mining 

 industry. The trees are often from 4 to G feet in diameter and from 

 70 to 90 feet in height. Thev ijrow at an altitude from 4.000 to 

 7,000 feet. ' " * 



Because of the value of bull pine for lumber, ties, and mining tim- 

 bers, much of the best growth accessible to Boise, Idaho City, and 

 smaller towns has been removed. From 3 to 4 per cent of the entire 

 area of the proposed reserve has been removed of its timber to supply 

 the toAvns and mining camps. Reproduction of the bull pine is 

 entirely feasible in regions protected from fire and sheep. Such 

 protection will be given under the management of a reserve. There 

 can be no assurance of a rej^roduction and future supply of timber 

 so much needed for the proper development of the mining and agri- 

 cultural industries if this section is left in its present condition. " 



The lands in this reserve can be classified as follows : 



Acres. 



Comiiiei'cial forest 1,315,380 



Woodland (second-growth worthless or stunted species) 354, GGO 



Cut-over -forests 85, 280 



Burned over 90,100 



Brush land 1,080 



Open parks ^ 20,500 



Barren rock or snow 48.440 



Cultivated land „ ^, 2,320 



