RANGE WATERING PLACES IN THE SOUTHWEST 9 
The overgrazed areas plus the moderately or closely grazed ones 
total 77 per cent for range | and 73 per cent for range 2, indicating that 
cattle on range 2, in spite of fewer waters and “bunched ” waters, ac- 
tually gr azed through necessity nearly as large a part of their range 
as did those on range 1, where waters were well scattered. The area 
overgrazed on range 2, however, was greatly increased as a result. 
Where the cattle of an entire range are forced on a few waters 
for several weeks each year the damaged adjacent areas are greater 
than the combined totals of the smaller similar areas around a 
larger number of waters. Figure 1 indicates graphically how a 
shortage of well-distributed waters is followed by a marked increase 
in overgrazing. Thus the sufficiency of water on a range can not 
be judged solely from the number of individual watering places. 
Their total number is a reliable index of adequacy only when they 
are fairly uniformly distributed. 
WATER SPACING RECOMMENDATIONS 
In practice some local damage may be unavoidable. Also a small 
yearly percentage of unused grass should be regarded as feed insur- 
ance for the unusual year rather than as waste. Considering all 
factors, the studies indicate that on southwestern cattle ranges fairly 
permanent and dependable watering places should not be farther 
apart than 4 to 5 miles on flat or undulating ranges (PI. III, fig. 1) ; 
about 3 miles on rolling ranges (PI. III, fie. 2) ; “and 1 to 2 miles on 
rough ranges. (PI. ILI, fig. 3.) 
The longer distances are Slee gely applicable on those ranges where 
hindrances to livestock travel are negligible, where good “handling 
and good salting of livestock aid their proper distribution, where 
resistant soils retard erosion, and where sod-forming grasses with- 
stand the heavy grazing and trampling about the water. 
The acreage of range within a given distance of running streams or 
large lakes will vary greatly. With wells, springs, and ‘small reser- 
voirs the above spacing distances may, however, be roughly corre- 
lated with the following acreages for each watering place: 14 to 24 
sections in flat country ; 6 to 12 sections in rolling country; and 
1 to 4 sections in rough country. 
For best results with these spacing allowances some temporary 
watering places in addition and good handling of stock are essential. 
Where practically total dependence must be ‘placed on storm-water 
reservoirs, more are needed than would be indicated by the above 
spacing fieures because each year a few do not fill. It is, further- 
more, not always practicable to provide enough watering places that 
will last through the exceptional and prolonged drought, because 
under such conditions many tanks and some springs go dry. In 
such years stock must be moved. 
Where climate, feed, and other factors are favorable for sheep or 
goats, certain areas having limited available water can be used to 
better advantage by these classes of animals than by cattle. In gen- 
eral, under favorable conditions and proper management the water- 
spacing hmits for cattle may be approximately doubled for sheep 
and goats. Again, it may be necessary to leave some range areas 
unwatered, as far as permanent supphes are concerned, and make 
only such use of them as is possible with temporary supplies. 
