THE IRRIGATION PROBLEMS AND 



POSSIBILITIES OF NORTHERN 



WYOMING. 



WATER SUPPLY. 



BY CLARENCE T. JOHNSON. 



The regions in which large streams have their source generally 

 afford an interesting study. The Mississippi river and Red river of 

 the North rise within a few miles of each other in a region abounding 

 in lakes, from which one flows north and the other south. The St. 

 Lawrence river begins in Lake Ontario above which the chain of 

 Great Lakes furnish an endless and varied scenery regarding which 

 the tourist wonders and the scientist speculates. Between Lake 

 Ontario and Erie is Niagara, and in the same system lie the scenic 

 features of Lake Huron, The St. Mary's river and Lake Superior. 



The largest rivers of Europe and Asia begin in the highest 

 mountains and are fed by glaciers or the perpetual snow of unknown 

 altitudes and in such localities is almost invariably found the leading 

 scenery of a continent. 



In the North-western portion of Wyoming, among the Wind 

 river and Absaraka ranges, is found the birthplace of three of the 

 largest rivers of Western United States. The Colorado, Columbia 

 and Missouri rivers here have their tributaries which begin where 

 chance only determines whether the drainage goes to the Gulf of 

 Mexico, the Gulf of California, or Puget Sound. That this region 

 should abound in geysers, water- falls, canons, inaccessible peaks and 

 rugged mountain chains is not surprising. 



Among the tributary streams emanating from this portion of the 

 Rocky Mountains is the Big Horn river, whose two most important 

 tributaries Wind river and the Shoshone river rise within a few 

 miles of each other. Wind river from its source flows south, thence 

 east through the Shoshone Indian Reservation, after which it is 

 called the Big Horn. The Shoshone river flows north, then turns 

 north-easterly through the northern part of Wyoming and joins the 

 Big Horn river near the mountain line. These two streams cut off 

 from the high mountains all other tributaries to the Big Horn 

 between them, except the Grey Bull river which heads near the 

 source of the other two. 



