840 THE EECLAMATION OF THE WEST. 



arid lands of the State of Washington is one which is ahnost impos- 

 sible for the present time. 



In the region of the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming- 

 are numerous small projects. Many streams flow outwardly from the 

 liills through narrow canyons. By closing these gaps it is possible to 

 hold water in various places around the Black Hills. Beyond are vast 

 stretches of rolling country susceptil)le of reclamation. In the north- 

 ern part of the region is one of the largest and best bodies of public 

 lands to which it is practicable to take water. Here on Belle Fourche 

 River are man}' thousand acres of public land which may be irrigated. 



In New Mexico the problems of reclamation are quite difficult, owing 

 to the character of water supplv and the large extent of the old 

 Spanish land grants, taking in much of the best land of the Territory. 

 The principal stream is the Rio Grande, a perennial river in the north- 

 ern part of the Territory, but in the southern part a dr}', sandy channel 

 throughout much of the 3"ear. Its waters must be stored, and to do 

 this pro))lems of silt must be successfully solved. In the eastern part 

 of the Territory is Pecos River, a stream flowing through a vast extent 

 of country underlaid in part b}^ soluble gj^psum, and here the con- 

 struction of storage reservoirs is rendered difficult bv the waters per- 

 colating through the gypsum and finding channels of escape through 

 underground passages. 



In Utah the central State of the arid region where irrigation devel- 

 opment has proceeded vevy rapidh', the problems are extensive and 

 far-reaching. The well-distributed streams coming from the moun- 

 tains have enabled the Mormon farmers to build up extensive commu- 

 nities, but the small irrigating systems are not always economical of 

 water, and there remains to put in practice a large, comprehensive 

 system which, through better water conservation and distribution, will 

 enable an extension of the irrigable area. Utah Lake seems to offer the 

 greatest opportunity, for here, in this broad, shallow depression, four 

 or live times as much water is lost hy evaporation as is utilized in culti- 

 vating the soil. By reducing the area of this lake the extent of culti- 

 vated lands may be accordingh' increased. Bear Lake, also on the 

 northern boundary of the State, affords similar opportunities for 

 conserving water. 



In the far northern part of the arid region, in Montana, in the broad 

 valley of Milk River, are opportunities of storing the short, intermit- 

 tent floods of that stream. It is proposed toreenforce these, if practi- 

 cable, b}' water held in the glacial lakes at the foot of the Rocky 

 Mountains and put to use the streams which now flow northerly into 

 Canada. 



In Oregon, the Umatilla River, which flows into Columbia River, 

 may be utilized by the construction of a large canal, catching its floods 



