LOCATION OF TROUGHS 



299 



(Forest Service. ) 



Fig. 112.- THIS SPRING ON A SHEEP RANGE WAS 

 OF LITTLE VALUE IN ITS NATURAL STATE. 



After it was "cleaned out," curbed, and fenced, and a trough 

 was provided, it furnished an abundance of clear, fresh 

 water for the band of sheep. The value of the range was 

 greatly enhanced thereby. 



As the flow from a seep is small, it is necessary to dig out a basin 



in order to secure all 

 the water which the 

 seep will yield. This 

 is done by making 

 open cuts across the 

 wet spot, or by "drift- 

 ing " into the side of 

 the hill where there 

 is evidence of water. 

 Although the devel- 

 opment of a seep is 

 considerably more a 

 matter of chance than 

 is that of a small 

 spring, a slight dribble 

 of water may often 

 be developed into a fairly large, reliable source of supply. As 

 the flow is small, it is necessary to accumulate and store the water. 

 Swamps. — Swales, or more or less swampy depressions, may 

 often be so developed as to furnish considerable water for stock. 

 The spring or seep from which the water flows is carefully cleaned 

 out and a channel cut across the swamp of sufl&cient length to 

 allow the flow to drain into a pool or specially constructed reser- 

 voir. The channel collects the water which before was unavail- 

 able to stock. The practical use of swamp water in this way 

 not only increases the utilization of the forage but also does 

 away with dangerous and annoying bog holes. 



Location of Troughs. — FoUowing the improvement of a 

 spring, seep, or bog, the next step is to trough the water. In 

 many places the water is piped for a mile or more from the spring, 

 but ordinarily it is not profitable to pipe water very great dis- 

 tances. Often the trough is not located farther from the spring 

 than the length of an ordinary pipe; sometimes it is not more 

 than 2 to 3 yards from the source of supply. 



It is important, wherever possible, to locate the trough on 

 ground that has sufficient fall to carry off the waste and surface 



