30 SNAKE EIVER PLAINS OF IDAHO. [bull. 199. 
Although Snake River makes a sharp descent over lava at Idaho 
Falls, the stream a short distance below has again a low gradient and 
is upbuilding its channel. The gravel flood plain of the river and por- 
tions of former flood plains, now forming gravel terraces, are available 
for agriculture. Although to a considerable extent the soil is loose 
textured and requires much water to insure good crops, it is easily 
irrigated, and an abundance of water is available. Farms border the 
river on each side all the way to American Falls, where the canyon 
begins which extends to the Idaho-Oregon boundary. Projects have 
been matured looking toward the irrigation by means of canals, at 
higher levels than those now in use, of great areas of line land extend- 
ing from some distance above St. Anthony to the Salmon River. a 
Lower down, where the river is upgrading its channel and forming a 
flood plain, and the large canals are needed for irrigating the surface 
of the broad plains bordering Snake River Canyon, the most favorable 
localities for diverting the waters are at places where the canyon walls 
are not high and rapids or falls occur. In the canyon of Snake River 
in the vicinity of Hagerman the river makes a sharp turn to the 
south and west and then to the north, thus forming a conspicuous bend 
concave to the northeast. Here there is a precipice formed of soft 
clay and unconsolidated sand, about 600 feet high on its southern and 
western border, as is shown on PI. II. The land on the northeastern 
side of the river at this exception* 1 bend, about 10 square miles in 
area, slopes gently toward it, but is bordered to the northward by a 
lava rim rock, from beneath which issue large springs which are util- 
ized for irrigation. In addition to the natural springs tunnels or hori- 
zontal wells have been excavated in the basal portion of a lava sheet 
where it forms a rim rock and abundant water has been obtained. A 
large part of the land in the Hagerman Bend is now under cultivation, 
and much more of it can be utilized. This isolated area, sloping to the 
sun and sheltered on all sides by canyon walls, is one of the most prom- 
ising for agriculture in southern Idaho. Below Hagerman copious 
springs are of frequent occurrence on the right side of the river as far 
as Bliss, a distance of about 8 miles, and a narrow strip of land in the 
canyon's bottom is under irrigation. All of the land now under culti- 
vation from Shoshone Falls to Bliss, embracing by estimate about 
8,000 acres, is watered from springs. This is the most conspicuous 
example of the use of spring water for irrigation to be found in Idaho. 
A flourishing farming community exists on the borders of Bruneau 
River, near its mouth, where the stream has broadened its valley in 
soft beds. The Bruneau, near its mouth, cuts one of the lower sheets 
of basalt, which extends farther south than the surface sheets forming 
a Maps showing the lands which can be irrigated at a reasonable expense along the Snake in the 
portion of its course which crosses Idaho have been published by the State engineer of Idaho. See 
Biennial Report of the State Engineer, 1899-1900, Boise (1901). 
