
139 
the northern and southern sections during this season is greater than 
during the summer. The snow-fall is small in amount, and seldom 
remains on the ground longer than a few hours. The rains fall prin- 
cipally during the months of July, August, and September, but their 
annual amount is small, seldom exceeding a few inches. When there 
are heavy snows in the mountains during the winter there will be 
good crops the following summer, the supply of water being more 
abundant, and the quantity of sediment carried down greater than 
when the snows are light.” 
As a general statement, it may be said that the semi-arid conditions 
which prevail in Colorado and the northern Territories of the Rocky 
Mountain region, are intensified in New Mexico. The more southern 
situation, and the comparative absence of high mountain ranges, forests 
and streams all contribute to the aridity of this region. Hon. Edmund 
G. Ross, governor of New Mexico, in bis annual reports for 1885 and 
1886 to the Secretary of the Interior, very justly urges the pressing 
need of constructing, in or adjacent to the mountains of that Territory, 
reservoirs for the storage of water. He refers to the droughts and 
floods with which this, in common with other parts of the West, has 
been afflicted, and suggests that a system of storage basins, near the 
head-waters of the various streams, would not only prevent destruc- 
tive floods, insure supplies of water for irrigation and reclaim millions 
of acres now barren, but that the resulting increase in vegetable growth 
and conservation of moisture would also greatly modify the climatic 
conditions; that an increased degree of evaporation would be estab- 
lished, and the annual rain-fall regulated and equalized. In this con- 
nection the aid of the General Governmentis invoked. 1most earnestly 
concur in the foregoing. There is urgent necessity for the systematic 
storage of water in most parts of the Rocky Mountain region, and 
especially in the southwestern Territories. Had the mountain forests 
been maintained the need of artificial reservoirs would not now be so 
great. 
“ The average rain-fall from 1870 to 1885, inclusive, has been as fol- 
lows, at the points named, to wit: 
Inches 
POMOr eavard. An the southwest -...2...--. ne0e-o05 -oneo--e 15. 30 
See eet GO TIOTGD oe Foo onc sao nian meee enwe = 16, 74 
Panes yes ATTN WERE ff 22 pane = nee wine enw ance oes 15. 52 
“At Fort Stanton, in the southeast, the average has been about the 
same.” 
Although the principal forests of New Mexico are confined to the 
mountain chains, other parts of the Territory are more or less wooded. 
Upon the wide mesas, which form so prominent a feature of the south- 
west and western portions, are found scattering growths of Cedar, 
extent to those of Utah, irrigation having been practiced in a rude way in this Terri- 
tory long before it came into the possession of the United States. Two Jarge irrigat- 
___ ing canals are now projected, one on each side of the Rio Grande, capable of watering 
___ from 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 acres. 

