RECENT CONDITIONS IN SALT RIVER 



VALLEY, ARIZONA 



BY 



GERARD H. MATTHES 



Engineer, United States Reclamation Service 



T" 1 HE unusual meteorological con- 

 ditions which have prevailed 

 throughout the United States during 

 the early part of the present year have 

 made themselves peculiarly felt in the 

 arid regions of the southwest. Weeks 



an unwonted aspect of verdure with 

 their luxuriant growths of grass, 

 weeds and cacti, and in places the once 

 barren desert soil is covered with a 

 vegetation so rank and prolific as to 

 savor of tropical conditions. My- 



View showing the remaining portion of the Arizona dam, which was washed away by the Flood 



of April 13. 



of continued rainfall, alternating with riads of wild flowers, among them 

 i cloudiness, have produced a change many a rare species, such as the lily 

 in the aspect of the desert lands, par- of the desert, covered the plains and 



ticularly at the lower levels, which is 

 ! the more remarkable, following: as it 



foothills during April and May, like 

 a brilliant carpet painting the land- 



does a series of exceedingly dry years, scape with the most gorgeous of hues. 

 The deserts of Arizona have assumed and causing the traveler gazing upon 



