24 
SEEPAGE OR RETURN WATERS FROM IRRIGATION. 
TABLE III. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRECEDING TABLES, SHOWING GAIN IN SEEPAGE 
OF CACHE A LA POUDRE RIVER. 
(In cubic feet per second.) 
1885. 
1889. 
1890. 
1891. 
Mar. 
1892. 
Got. 
1892. 
1893. 
Mar. 
1894. 
Aug. 
1894. 
1895. 
Canon to Larimer & Weld canal.. 
11.9 
11.3 
25.8 
18.3 
15.4 
31.3 
1 6 
0 8 
19 61 
Larimer & Weld to No. 2 canal... 
25.5 
36.8 
13.7 
8.7 
12.0 
11.9 
30.67 
17.4 
13.6 
No. 2 canal to Ogilvy ditch. 
49.5 
44.5 
38.1 
38.3 
45 1 
38 0 
29 8 
72 0 
55 Q 
Ogilvy ditch to Mouth of Poudre. 
6.4 
23.2 
19.4 
29.2 
17.5 
20.4 
28.0 
46.4. 
Total Gain. 
86.9 
99.0 
100.8 
84.6 
96.1 
101.6 
98.7 
82.3 
118.2 
164.4 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATTE. 
§ 16. The portion of the Platte river which was subjected to- 
measorement consisted of that portion below the junction of the 
Poudre river with the Platte, to the State line between Colorado and 
Nebraska, at the point where the Platte enters the western extension 
of Nebraska. The country traversed by the Platte has still the 
main characteristics of that nearer the mountains. From the junc¬ 
tion with the Cache a la Poudre, the Platte leaves the general north¬ 
erly course which it has traveled since leaving the foothills above 
Denver, bends abruptly eastward and crosses the ridges which run 
approximately parallel to the mountains. The effect of these ridges- 
in guiding the drainage of the plains is shown by the long lateral 
channels. On the south these extend nearly parallel to the Platte 
for 90 miles, extending to the divide between the Platte and Arkan¬ 
sas rivers, east of Colorado Springs. For a portion of the distance,, 
the Box Elder is within a short distance of the Platte, but, confined 
by these ridges, it does not meet the Platte until the latter cuts 
through these ridges. These are drainage channels rather than 
tributaries, for, except in times of freshets or storms, they do not 
contain water. Near the heads they are living streams. The 
last drainage channel from the south of any consequence enters the 
Platte east of Fort Morgan; for the rest of the distance the drain¬ 
age of the country on the south side is collected by branches of the 
Republican river. 
§ 17. On the north the Platte takes the drainage of the 
country as far north as Wyoming. The three principal lines of 
drainage—Lone Tree, Crow, and Lodge Pole creeks—each head 
near Cheyenne, the first two entering the Platte near Greeley, the 
last passing nearly eastward for 150 miles, forming the line followed 
by the main line of the Union Pacific Railway between Julesburg 
and Cheyenne, and enters the Platte 150 miles farther east, just 
above Julesburg. 
. None of these, nor any of the other channels to which the 
name creek is applied, can be spoken of as tributaries. It is rare 
