348 



THE IRBIGATION AGE. 



IRRIGATION IN THE SHOSHONE INDIAN RES- 

 ERVATION, WYOMING. 



There are several sources of large water supply 

 in the ceded portion of the Shoshone Indian Beserva- 

 tion, Wyoming, which will be thrown open for settle- 

 ment on August 15. What these are and how they may 

 be utilized for the irrigation of extensive areas is told 



agri- 



age of land that is immediately valuable for 

 c ulture. 



With a mean average rainfall of about 13 inches a 

 year, the climate is too arid for the raising of crops with- 

 out irrigation, but a large amount of water in the two 

 principal rivers is available for this use. Along the 

 bottom lands bordering the rivers the water can be 

 taken out in small ditches, though, owing to the spring 

 floods, there will be difficulty in maintaining these 

 ditches and especially their headgates, and the amount 



Red Fish Lake, near Hailey. 



in a recent report by Mr. N. H. Barton, of the United 

 States Geological Survey, on the geology of -the Owl 

 Creek mountains and adjoining region, which has been 

 printed as Senate Document No. 219. 



The ceded portion of the Shoshone Indian Eeserr 

 vatipn is the area lying north of Wind Eiver and east 

 of Popo Agie and Bighorn rivers. It lies in the north- 

 ern central portion of Fremont county, Wyoming, and 

 includes also a small corner of Bighorn county, ad- 



of land that can be irrigated by this means is small. 

 By the construction of irrigation canals, however, wide 

 areas of the basin land could' be brought under culti- 

 vation, especially if the flood waters of the mountain 

 slopes were stored for use during the dry season. The 

 greater part of the region is well adapted for graz- 

 ing and this undoubtedly will be its principal use. 

 Fully two-thirds of the land bears a fair growth of 

 nutritious grasses, and water for stock is within reach, 



AltuTas Lake, near Hailey, Idaho. 



joining Bighorn canyon south of Thermopolis. -The 

 total area is about 2,000 square miles. The northern 

 third of this area lies in the Owl Creek and Shoshone 

 mountains and the southern portion comprises a wide 

 region of rolling plains in the Wind River basin. The 

 area is bordered on the south by Wind Eiver and its 

 eastern margin is crossed by Bighorn river. These 

 streams carry a large volume of water and flow in flat- 

 bottomed valleys, along which there is a moderate acre- 



except in a few districts. 



The only settlers now in the ceded area are a 

 few Indians and white men who have married squaws. 

 The ranches of these people are widely scattered along 

 the rivers and on the creeks near the foot of the moun- 

 tains. 



Persons desirous of obtaining a copy of this re- 

 port should make application for it through members 

 of the Senate or House of Eepresentatives. 



