THE LIMITED WATER SUPPLY OF THE ARID REGION 441 



a dam of reasonable size and cost can ])e built; but here, unfortu- 

 natei}', the catchment area tributar}' to the site is small, and in ordi- 

 nar}^ seasons the reservoir can not be filled. In such a case as this it 

 may be practicable to bring water by ditches, tunnels, and flumes 

 from some other catchment area, adding to the natural volume. 



Occasionally there are found among the mountains small lakes, 

 mainl}' of glacial origin, whose outlet can be closed at moderate cost, 

 and a considerable quantity of water otherwise escaping during the 

 spring can be held for use later in the year. Such opportunities are, 

 unfortunatel\% more often found on the headwaters of streams already 

 furnishing an abundant supi)]y than on those whose volume is 

 deficient. 



The surveys of reservoir sites inaugurated during 1888 were pushed 

 with considerable vigor during 1889 and 1890, resulting in the exam- 

 ination of several hundred, mainly in the States of California, Ne- 

 vada, Utah, Colorado, and ^^^yoming. Without going into tlie details 

 of these surveys, it may be said that the results were, as a whole, dis- 

 appointing, particularh^ to professional promoters, who had in con- 

 templation schemes involving gigantic enterj)rises, whose stocks and 

 Ijonds might be manipulated. These men seemed to feel a ])ersonal 

 animosit}' toward the organization conducting the surveys, because 

 glowing accounts of wonderful wealth were not supplied to stimulate 

 the waning interest in Western development. 



It was found, too, that the construction of these reservoirs not only 

 involved large expenditures, but that the conditions of ownership were 

 such that they could not be considered {laying propositions. There 

 was no question as to the benefits that would result to the country 

 at large from their construction, l)ut there seemed to be little oppor- 

 tunity for {jrivate profit. Of the reservoirs surveyed, few have 

 actuall}' been constructed. Coiiperative enterprise has in a few cases 

 brought them to completion, and in other instances cori)orations own- 

 ing large canals have been compelled by circumstances to build 

 storage works. The great reservoirs, for the most part located in 

 California, have been l)uilt b}' corporations, mainly through some 

 extraordinary combination of circumstances or through a misa[)pre- 

 hension of the actual conditions. 



'I'he investigations that have been made were carried on for the 

 j»urj)Ose of ascertaining the extent to which the arid lands could be 

 redeeme<l l)y irrigation. The ol)ject was to bi'ing out the broad facts 

 concerning tlie j)robal»iliti('s of tin; ultimate development of the arid 



