i8o 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



April 



for a short distance, then returns to the 

 United States. 



The plan finally provides for the use 

 of this water to irrigate the great bodies 

 of public land in northern Montana, 

 between the Milk and Missouri Rivers. 

 In round numbers the amount of land 

 that can be reclaimed by this venture is 

 about 200,000 acres. 



To show fulh r the conditions in this 

 region some description of the topog- 

 raphy is necessary. Where the Rocky 

 Mountains cross Montana west of the 

 center, just south of the boundary be- 



small amount of water obtained from 

 local rainfall on the high plains. 



The most important of the lakes near 

 the international boundary line are at 

 the head of St. Mary's River. This 

 stream, collecting the mountain drain- 

 age, flows north into Hudson Bay. 



For many years the people of Mon- 

 tana have wanted to use this waste 

 water, conducting it from the outlet of 

 St. Mary's Lake eastward across the 

 rolling divide to the lands on the Great 

 Plains. Preliminary examinations have 

 shown this to be feasible. 







; 



DEVILS GAP, WYOMING ; PROPOSED RESERVOIR SITE OF SWEETWATER PROJECT. 



tween the United States and Canada, 

 there are a number of snow-capped 

 peaks, from which a number of streams 

 issue, flowing eastward to the foot of 

 the mountains, where their course is 

 checked by great glacial deposits of 

 gravel and debris. Lakes have been 

 formed, and the rivers which once may 

 have flowed east across the plains are 

 turned north. The result of this is that 

 the channels extending far to the east 

 receive none of the water from the high 

 but must be content with the 



The greater part of the water that 

 flows from the rolling country east of the 

 mountains gathers in channels which 

 form the Milk River. This stream flows 

 northeast across the line into Canada, 

 continues in a course parallel to the 

 boundary, then returns to Montana, 

 and finally flows into the Missouri River. 

 The Milk River in Montana is flanked 

 by a broad valley, consisting of gently 

 rolling country, well adapted to irriga- 

 tion. The water supply of the river 

 for irrigating this valuable land is in- 



