356 WATER MAKES A GARDEN OF THE DESERT 



is a second river, the Gunnison, which has a supply of water 

 more than sufficient for its own valley. But a range of hills 

 2000 feet high separates the two rivers. Engineers of the 

 Reclamation Service blasted a tunnel through these mountains, 

 turned the water of the Gunnison through the tunnel, 



FIG. 223. The orchard is irrigated by turning water into the furrows. 



and allowed it to flow down into the Uncompahgre. This 

 gave the Uncompahgre the water necessary to irrigate its whole 

 valley, and to-day thousands of fertile acres replace the desolate 

 waste of a few years ago (Fig. 223). 



When all the streams in the arid West have been made use 

 of for irrigation, millions of acres of useless arid land will have 

 been converted into rich farms. 



