DRY-FARMING 

 THE COLUMBIA BASIN UPLANDS 



DURING the past few years there has 

 been a rapid development in dry-farming 

 in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington or in 

 other words on the wheat lands of the 

 Columbia Basin. This region is almost 

 entirely surrounded by mountains. The 

 Cascade Mountains lie to the west; the 

 Bitter Root and Coeur d'Alene Moun- 

 tains to the east; the Okanogan High- 

 lands to the north; and the Blue 

 Mountains to the southeast. The eleva- 

 tion varies from a few hundred feet along 

 the Columbia to as much as 3000 feet in 

 the eastern portion of this region; while 

 the average annual rainfall varies from 

 6 to 24 inches. Near the Columbia 

 River, where the rainfall is lighter, the 

 dry season extends from March until 

 October. Near the Blue and Bitter Root 

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