russell.] CANYON SPRINGS. 163 
tion of the canyon springs occur in large numbers, and many of them 
are of great size. The astonishing volume of the springs which have 
led to the existence of Box, Little, and Malade canyons has already 
been referred to. From a locality about 1 mile up the canyon of 
Snake River, about the mouth of Box Canyon, numerous springs gush 
out at various elevations up to about 220 feet. It is probable that all 
of the water issues from a single pervious stratum beneath the rim 
rock which sharply defines the brink of the canyon, and in descending 
through the abundant talus appears and disappears perhaps several 
times. The position of the highest line of springs is plainly marked 
by the upper limit of vegetation. Half a mile below the mouth of 
Little Canyon, near the level of the river at its lowest stage, an 
immense spring of wonderfully clear water of a delicate bluish 
color rises through a bed of clear white sand, and for this reason is 
named Sand Spring. This great spring is situated in a slight reentrant 
of the canyon wall, which indicates the nature of the beginning of a 
spring-formed alcove. 
Opposite the mouth of Salmon River, springs which come to the 
surface from beneath a lava sheet which has been weathered back from 
the canyon wall about half a mile have been diverted and are now 
used to irrigate several small ranches. A picturesque fall which these 
waters make in descending into the canyon is known as the Snow Bank. 
This is the east end of the truly marvelous Thousand Springs, where 
in the space of about half a mile countless streams of water gush out 
from the canyon wall, in part at an elevation of 185 feet, but decreas 
ing when traced westward to about 75 feet. The aggregate discharge 
of these springs is estimated to be 20,000 cubic feet per second. The 
springs show no seasonal variation. Their temperature is 62° F. 
The water comes from the cellular basal portion of a lava sheet which, 
as previously explained, was in part shattered and in part wt shredded" 
by steam explosions, and descends over a cliff composed principally of 
compact volcanic lapilli. The immense water power that could be 
easily utilized here awaits development. Only a small fraction of the 
water pouring out and descending in picturesque, foaming cascades is 
now utilized for irrigation. 
A novel plan for raising a portion of the water to the plain above, 
where there is a great tract of fine land available for irrigation, has 
been attempted b}^ the Idaho Hydraulic and Pneumatic Irrigation 
Company, of which Mr. A. Ferguson, of Hagerman, Idaho, is chief 
engineer. The leading features of the plant, now nearing completion, 
is a large completely inclosed iron tank, or air separator, resembling 
a steam boiler, situated at the base of the cliff, into which, near its base, 
water is conducted from about 180 feet above by means of a large iron 
pipe or penstock. The water escapes from the tank in part through a 
standpipe connected with it near its bottom and rising to a height of 
