Class Book__. JJlS OFFKJXAL UOIs'AXION. ^.^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/seepagewaterofnoOOfort DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WATER-SUPPLY AND lEKIGATION PAPEKS OP THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY N"o. 7 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH.— Fortier WASHINGTON aOVEENMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1897 IRRIGATION REPORTS. The following list contains the titles and brief descriptions of the principal reports relating to water supply and irrigation prepared by the United States Geological Survey since 1890: 1S90. First Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1890, octavo, 123 pp. Printed as Part II, Irrigation, of the Tenth Acnual Reporb of the United States Geolog- ical Survey, 1888-89. Contains a statement of the origin of the Irrigation Survey, a pre- liminary report on the organization and prosecution of the survey of the arid lands for purposes of irrigation, and report of work done during 189U. 1S91. Second Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1891, octavo, 395 pp. Published as Part II, Irrigation, of the Eleventh Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1889-90. Contains a description of the hydrography of the arid region and of the engineering operations carried on by the Irrigation Survey during 1890; alr,o the statement of the Director of the Survey to the House Committee on Irrigation, and other papers, including a bibliography of irrigation literature. Illustrated by 29 plates and 4 figures. Third xinnual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1891, octavo, 576 pp. Printed as Part II of the Twelfth Annual Report of the United States Geological Sur- vey, 1890-91. Contains a report upon the location and survey of reservoir sites during tho fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, by A. H. Thompson; "Hydrography of the arid regions," by F. H. Newell; "Irrigation in India," by Herbert M. Wilson. Illustrated by 93 plates and 190 figures. Bulletins of the Eleventh Census of the United States upon irrigation, prepared by F. H. Newell, quarto. No. 35, Irrigation in Arizona; No. 60, Irrigation in New Mexico; No. 85, Irrigation in Utah; No. 107, Irrigation in Wyoming: No. 153, Irrigation in Montana; No. 157, Irrigation in Idaho; No. 163. Irrigation in Nevada; No. 178, Irrigation in Oregon; No. 193, Artesian wells for irrigation; No. 198, Irrigation in Washington. 1N93. Irrigation of western United States, by F. H. Newell; extra census bulletin No. 23, September 9, 1892, quarto, 22 pp. Contains tabulations showing the total number, average size, etc., of irrigated holdings, the total area and average size of irrigated farms in the subhumid regions, the percentage of number of farms irrigated, character of crops, value of irrigated lands, the average cost of irrigation, the investment and profits, together with a resume of the water supply and a desci'iption of irrigation by artesian wells. Illustrated by colored maps showing the location and relative extent of the irrigated areas. 189.3. Thirteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1891-92, Part III, Irrigation, 1893, octavo, 480 pp. Consists of three papers: "Water supply for irrigation," by F. H. Newell* "American engineering and engineering results of the Irrigation Survey," by Herben M. Wilson; "Construction of topographic maps and selection and survey of reservoir sites," by A. H. Thompson. Illustrated by 77 plates and 119 figures. A geological reconnoissance in central Washington, by Israel Cook Russell, 1803. octavo, 103 pp., 15 plates. Bulletin No. 108 of the United States Geological Survey; price, 15 cents. Contains a description of the examination of the geologic structure in and ad.iacent to the drainage basin of Yakima River and the great plains of the Columbia to the east of this area, with special reference to the occurrence of artesian waters. 1S94. Report on agriculture by irrigation in the western part of the United States at the Eleventh Census, 1890, by F. H. Newell, 1894, quarto, 283 pp. Consists of a general description of the condition of irrigation in the United States, the area irrigated, cost of works, their value and profits; also describes the water supply, the value of water, of artesian wells, reservoirs, and other details; then takes up each State and Territory in order, giving a general description of the condition of agriculture by irri- gation, and discusses the physical condition and local peculiarities in each county. Fourteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1892-93, in two parts. Part II, Accompanying papers, 1894, octavo, 597 pp. Contains papers on "Potable waters of the eastern United States," by W J McGee; "Natural mineral waters of the United States," by A. C. Peale; "Results of stream measurements," by F. H. Newell. Illustrated by maps and diagrams. (Continued on third page of cover.) DEPARTMENT OF THE rNTERIOR WATER-SUPPLY IREIGATION PAPEES OF THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY I^o. 7 WASHINGTOJf . GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1897 % -C), UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY CHARLES 1). WALCOTT, DIKECTOR SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH /i' BY SAMUEL FORTIER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE • 189 7 58468 CONTENTS. •• Page. Location and purpose of the investigation _ — 11 Origin of seepage water 13 Precipitation 15 Evaporation 17 Transpiration 24 Cache Valley and its water supply 27 Logan River _ 29 Blacksmith Fork River 33 Little Bear River 33 Cub River 35 High Creek. 37 Summit Creek . 38 Results of miscellaneous measurements 39 Results of stream measurements 41 Seepage waters in Ogden Valley 44 5 LLUSTRATIONS Plate I. Map of drainage basin of Bear River 12 II. Bear River Canyon, Utah 42 III. Map of principal ditches from Ogden River 46 Fig. 1 . Diagram showing mean monthly rainfall 15 2. Diagram showing mean annual rainfall 15 3. Evaporating pan and. scale 18 4. Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of Logan River - 29 5. Diagram showing apx)ropriated and unapi^ropriated waters of Blacksmith Fork River 33 6. Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of South Fork of Little Bear River 34 7. Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of East Fork of Little Bear River 34 8. Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated w^aters of Cub River 36 9. Diagram of water supply of Cache Valley, exclusive of Bear River. 41 10. Diagram of water supply of Cache Valley, inclusive of Bear River. 42 11. Bear River at Collinston, Utah .' 44 12. Narrows of Ogden River 45 13. Diagram illustrating inflow and outflow of Ogden Valley 46 7 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey, Division of Hydrography, Washington, April 13, 1897. Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a paper entitled Seepage Waters of Northern Utah, b}^ Samuel Fortier, professor of irrigation engineering at the Agricultural College at Logan, Utah. The facts herein presented are based upon field work carried on mainl}^ during the summer of 1806, and have special value in illustrating conditions which prevail to a greater or less degree throughout all irrigated lands, especiall}^ within inclosed valle3\s or on long, narrow drainage systems. One of. the matters which most complicate and embarrass the adjudication of water rights and the strict enforcement of priorities of appropriation arises from the fact that a considerable volume of water available for irrigation during the critical season of the j^ear, when the crops are maturing, comes from the seepage from lands higher upstream to which water has been applied earlier in the year. In some cases these lands have been irrigated in defiance of a strict construction of the law regarding the i3riorit3'' of right to use water, but it has been claimed that sucli use, instead of being a detriment to the lands below, has been a benefit, and, in fact, that there has been more water available in consequence of this use than could other- wise be had. The determination of these matters requires careful measurement and study in each case, but the work of Professor For- tier serves to indicate what may be expected under similar conditions and illustrates methods applicable to this examination. Very respectfully, F. H. Newell, Hydrograplier in Charge. Hon. Charles D. Walcott, Director United States Geological Survey. 9 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH: By Samuel Fortier. LOCATION AND PURPOSE OF TIIF INVESTIGATION. The term " seepage water" is used by tiie irrigators of the West to designate the water which reaches the lowest grounds or the stream channels, swelling the latter by imperceptible degrees and keeping up the flow long after the rains have ceased and the snow has melted. The word "seepage" is applied particularlj^ to the water which begins to appear in spots below irrigation canals and cultivated fields, usuallj^ some months or even years after irrigation has been introduced, and which tends to convert the lowlands into marshes and gives rise to springs, which in turn may be employed in watering other fields. The importance of a thorough knowledge of the behavior of seep- age water is obvious when consideration is given to the close relation- ship whicli exists between the available water suj^ptyand the material prosperity of the arid region where irrigation is practiced. This is particularly true of Utah, where every readily available source of supply has long since been utilized and Avhere the rapidly increasing- agricultural population necessitates the complete utilization of all fresh waters. The measurements and investigations of seepage water described in this paper have been confined mainly to Cache Valley, being included within three counties in northern Utah, Weber, Boxelder, and Cache, and one count}^, Oneida, in Idaho. The conditions may be taken as fairly typical of those in the entire State, and to a less extent of those of adjacent States. A full knowledge of the seepage water Avill be of inestimable value in the development of Cache Valle}- , owing to the conditions now existing. The towns and farming communities were settled for the most part from 30 to 40 years ago. The tribu- taries of Bear River have supplied all irrigating waters, and many of the ditches and canals have water rights extending over a period of 30 years. These early ditches were the first built to divert water from Bear River and its tributaries, and according to the law of prior appropriation which j^re vails in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho, the three States through which Bear River flows, the early canals of Cache Valley have water rights prior to all others. Boxelder Countj^ has 11 12 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. at least a quarter of a million acres of fertile irrigable land, and with tlie exception of Boxelder Creek, Willard Creek, and other small streams whose aggregate summer flow does not exceed 40 second-feet, it is entirely dependent uj^on Bear River for the water necessary to irrigate its extensive area. The time is not far distant when conflicts over water rights must arise between the irrigators of these counties, and it is therefore highh^ imjDortant to collect and record now all the i^hj^sical data pos- sible pertaining to the capacities of the irrigating ditches, the areas watered b}^ each, and the general behavior of all sources of supply. To put off the collection of such facts until litigation has begun, and to attempt to render court decisions uj)on the conflicting testimony of interested witnesses only, is full of danger. Moreover, a stud}^ of the hydrography^ of Bear River and its tributaries is complicated, owing to the fact that three States obtain water from this one source. Dur- ing the next drought mau}^ of the irrigators of northern Utah are liable to suffer serious loss from a scarcity of water in Bear River, caused by its diversion through canals in Wyoming and Idaho. If the law of prior appropriation is to be accepted for interstate priorities, it is of the utmost importance that all existing water rights be clearly deflned. There is still another important question which such work maj^ aid in solving. It may be stated thus: Hoav much of the water diverted and utilized in the upper valleys returns to the river channel in time to be diverted by lower irrigators? On account of variations in climate, soil, and topography, the results obtained in one section may be worthless when applied to others, and the only way to determine the behavior of irrigating waters is to make the necessary measure- ments in each valley. Until this work is at least partially accom- plished there can be neither a just nor a permanent apportionment of appropriated waters. The facts upon which this paper is based were obtained during investigations made in the summer of 189G. In this work the writer was ably assisted by Messrs. J. L. Rhead, Tliomas 11. Humj)hreys, and John S. Baker. The expenses were borne jointlj^ bj^ the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, tlie Division of Hydrography of the United States Geological Survej^ and the board of count}^ commis- sioners of Cache County, Utah. Owing to the large cost of transporta- tion, it was necessary to conflne the greater part of tlie work to Cache County, Utah. In Cache Valley, which comprises the cultivated por- tions of this county and the southeastern part of Oneida Count}^, Idaho, the field operations consisted in the measurement of every stream flowing into the valley at three different times during the season ; also the determination of the capacitj^ of every ditch and canal in the same valley at least three times, and accurate current-meter measurements and daily records of the outflow of the valley through " The Narrows" on Bear River. While this work was in progress an attemi)t was also U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURV EY AGE BASIN O FORTiKH] ORIGIN OF SEEPAGE WATERS. 13 made to locate the head gate aud determine approximately tlie route of each ditch and canal. The results of such surveys are reproduced in the accompanjang map (PL I). The progress of the lield Avork throughout the season is fairly well shown by the number of streams and canals measured each montli. From June 15 to 30, 1890, there were 58 measurements ; in July, 131; in August, 112; in September, 106; and in October, 19; nuiking a total of 420. The chief object which the writer liad in mind in jnaking a i^artial hj^drographic survey of Cache Valley was to determine, if possible, by daily and semi weekly gagings, the ratio existing between the inflow (diminished by the volumes used in irrigation) and tlie outflow. This ratio being known for a continuous period of three months, an ox^por- tunity is afforded to comi^are the loss of Avater due to evaporation with the gain due to seepage. Other objects held in view, of minor importance to the student of hydrography but possessing great value to the irrigator, were the average flow of the various ditches and canals, the amount of the surplus waters of the larger streams, and the duty of the irrigating waters. There are several hundred natural and artificial water channels in Cache Valley if the main laterals are included. It is safe to assert that prior to June 15, 1896, less than six measurements had been made of these canals and streams. This record does not include the work done since 1889 by the United States Geological Survey, which perhaps comprises fifty stream measurements in Cache Valley alone. It was thought that if each canal and small stream were meas- ured first in June, then during the latter part of July, and lastly about September 1, the results of the three measurements Avould repre- sent, with some exceptions, the greatest, medium, and least flow dur- ing the season, and that the average of the three results might be taken as tlie average flow of such canal or creek. ORIGIN OF SEEPAGK WATERS. The water contained in the open spaces occurring in clay, sand, gravel, and other materials of which soils and subsoils are composed, is known by various names, such as soil moisture, ground water, ground storage, sul)surface supply, and the like. When this ground water moves down an inclined stratum of i)orous materials, the term seepage water seems to be more appropriate than that of ground flow, which many Avriters have recently used. Seepage water convej^s the idea of lateral motion, but when one uses the terms '"soil moisture," "ground water," or "underground water," this concei)tion is usually not implied. The water content in dry soils may be so small as to admit of only a slight vertical movement due to the forces of capillarity and evap- oration. On the other hand, portions of soils and subsoils may be completely saturated, but so located that the water confined therein 14 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. is stagnant. In sncli cases tliere can l!)e no lateral flow. Seepage waters as herein defined may be regarded as coming from three sources, which, however, are not always distinct: (1) from nnculti- vated hillsides and mountain slopes; (2) from irrigated land; (3) from the beds and side slopes of Abater channels. It will be readily understood that a comijlete determination of the quantity of water which comes from that which is stored in the ground, on any particular drainage basin, involves more than a lyuowledge of the results of the stream measurements made in such basin. It is pos- sible, for example, to ascertain with considerable accuracy the amount of surface Avater which flovrs into a vallej^, the volume used in irriga- tion, and the outflow, but Avithout knoAvledge of the losses occasioned by CA^aporation, the problem of seex)age Avaters is indeterminable. For the Avant of much necessary information in relation to the pre- cipitation and evai)oration of northern Utah, there is herewith intro- duced in outline some of the more recent observations made elseAvhere in connection AAith the quantities of Avater evaporated from Avater surfaces and from ground surfaces or transjjired from plant foliage. In examining the Avater supply of any section, such as Cache Yalley, it is desirable to begin Avitli a study of the rainfall. If the complete history of each raindroj) or snowflake Avere knoAvn from the time it falls to the ground until it again returns, in the form of A^apor, to the atmosphere, Avater problems could be readily solved. The total a^oI- ume of Avater Avhich falls as rain or snoAv on any particular watershed may be subdivided into four parts, Avliich A^ary Avidely in accordance with local conditions. Of these, one i^ortion runs off the surface and fills the streams, especially during the spring months; a second sinks into the soils and subsoils, enters the fissures of rocks, is absorbed by ijorous strata, such as sandstones, and is the chief source from Avhicli Avells and springs derive their supplies and streams their late summer and autumn discharges; a third part of the annual i^re- cipitation is CA^aporated from ground and water surfaces; and tlie fourth part develops plant groAvth. From the standpoint of the farmer, that portion utilized in dcA^eloping plant groAvth is the most important. Cultivated i^lants are chiefly dependent on the Avater Avhich sinks into the ground; hence the importance of the latter to the irrigator. RelatiA^ely too mucli attention has been given to the surplus flow in springtime and too little to that deriA'ed from ground storage. A reference to Logan River may serve to illustrate the diiference between that portion of the rainfall which rushes off the surface of drainage basins, either Avhen snoAv melts in spring or Avhen cloud-bursts occur in summer, and that Avhich sinks into the porous coA^ering of the mountain slopes to issue later as the Aoav from the ground storage, maintaining the streams during the late summer and autumn months. During Jujie, July, and August of 1S1):>, the rainfall as measured at rOKTlER.] PRECIPITATION. 15 L06AN DlIiJI 2or the Exx)erinieut Statiou on the basin of Logan River was only one- fourth inch. The snow on the mountain ranges had all melted before the end of July, yet on the 3d of SeiJtember there was a flow in Logan River of 250 second-feet. Where did this supply come from? The slight rainfall need not be taken into ac- count, for it is safe to assume that an amount man}^ times greater than the rainfall was evaporated. It could not have come from melted sikjw, because the snow had disai3- peared as vapor, had run off, 18 16 14 SALT LAKE liHI III in 3| HEBER : ILlilll 2CQttt>:z^oth>0 FiG.l or had sunk into the ground long before the expiration of the time named. The only available source was the flow from the ground storage; in other words, the seepage from the mountain slopes. PRECIPITATION. The records from a number of important localities where the observations are most reli- able have been tabulated by Mr. James Dry den, meteor- ologist of the Utah Experi- ment Station. These records extend over past i:)eriods var}"- ing from three to thirty- three years, and represent quite accurately the precii)itation on the' valleys and table lands. The diagi-ams and tables herein given are compiled principally from information obtained from Mr. Drj^den. Fig. 1 is a graphic represe^n- 12 10 Diagram showing mean monthly rainfall in inches at stations in tatiou of the precipitation f or Utah. -, ^r^ . ^t each month of the j^ear at each of five northern stations. At Corinne, Boxelder County, the month of greatest rainfall for twenty-five years has been December, I E3456 789IOJI!2i Fig . 3.— Diagram showing mean annual rainfall in inches at 1^ stations in Utah. 16 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. averaging 1.8 inclies. January, February, March, April, and May have remained nearly constant at about 1.25 inches each, while the dry months have been June, July, August, and September, which have not averaged one-half inch each. This distribution of the annual precipitation is typical of nearly every section of Utah. A glance at the diagrams of fig. 1 is sufficient to show that June, July, August, and September are the dry months, and as these constitute the greater part of the period between seed time and harvest, the rain evidently falls at the Avrong time. Salt Lake County, as represented by the rainfall of the city of Salt Lake, has averaged during the past thirty years 16.53 inches, but during the four summer months, beginning June 1, the total average rainfall has been less than 3 inches. From 1870 to 1895, AYeber County, as rei)resented by the station at Ogden, has had an average annual precipitation of 14.02 inches, but the four summer months have not averaged one-half inch. The diagram at the bottom of fig. 1 gives the mean monthly precipitation foi- the State as obtained by averaging the results of the more important stations scattered in vari- ous parts and located at different altitudes. This exhibits the deficient rainfall during June and the gradual increase through July, August, and September. Fig. 2 gives the average annual precii3itation at twelve important stations, these being arranged in a general geo- graphic order from north to south, the most northerly being Logan, in Cache County, and the most southerly St. George, in Washington County, in the southwestern corner of the State. The numbers at the bottom of the figure refer to the stations named in the table below. The following table gives for the 12 selected stations the approxi- mate elevation above sea level, the length of the record in years, and the mean annual rainfall during this time : 3Iea7i annual rainfall at 12 stations in Utah. O be Place. County. Above sea level. Length of record in years. Mean an- nual rain- fall. Logan Corinne Ogden Salt Lake Heber Fort Duchesne Levan Fillmore Moab Loa Parowan St. George Cache Boxelder Weber _ Salt Lake Wasatch ... _ . Uinta Juab Millard Grand Wayne . Iron Washington... Feet. 4,500 4,332 4,340 4,354 5,500 4,941 5, 100 5,100 3,900 6.900 5,970 2,880 5 26 26 33 3 8 7 Inches. 13.81 11.73 14.02 16. 53 16. 97 6.35 18.45 13.60 6.95 6.28 12.55 6.31 FOKTIKK.] EVAPORATION. 17 Below is given the mean monthly rainfall for tlie same period : Mean monthly precipitation at tivelve stations in Utah. Place. Logan Corinne -- Ogden. --- Salt Lake City Hebei* Fort Duchesne — Levan Fillmore Moab Loa Parowan St. George Jan. 1.55 1.27 1.65 1.46 3.89 .38 1.63 1.47 .68 .57 1.37 1.01 Feb. 1.53 1.36 1.51 1.31 3.16 .50 L83 L68 .73 .74 1.56 .91 Mar. 2.05 1.29 1.57 3.01 2 15 .71 2.33 L65 .86 .63 2.03 .60 Apr. 1.12 1.12 1.47 2 24 1.01 77 2 33 3.35 .33 .15 1 35 .37 May. 3.06 1.12 1.49 1.76 .95 .79 2.07 1.11 .33 .;« , 95 .33 June. .78 .58 .58 .78 .35 .25 .69 .5:3 .08 .08 .17 .03 July. .44 .35 .55 .75 .48 .40 .51 .64 .87 L,09 .33 Aug. .31 .31 .40 .75 .61 .63 .77 .83 .51 1.08 1.06 .39 Sept. 1.60 .63 .91 .60 .49 1.04 .41 Oct. .36 .84 1.42 1.60 .94 .24 1.04 .45 .43 .46 .71 .31 Nov. Dec. 1.55 1.80 1.88 1.68 3.28 .77 3.32 1.41 1.07 .45 1.00 1.38 More than the usual amount of rain fell in Cache Valley during 1896, as shown by the following table, which gives tlie precipitation for June, July, August, and September of that year, and also the averages of all past records for the same months: Precipitatio}i at Logan, Utah, for four months. June July August September . Total 1896. Inches. 0.46 1.40 1.49 0.91 4.26 Prior to 1896. Inches. 0.78 0.27 0.21 1.60 2.86 EVAPORATION. Many tests have been made in different parts of the world to ascer- tain the amount of water evaporated from water surfaces. The util- ization of this information is, however, limited chiefly to hydraulic engineers who wish to determine the losses from reservoir and lake surfaces. A knowledge of the actual volumes of water evaporated from such surfaces is of little direct value to Western irrigators, for the reasons that the operating^iorces are entirel}^ beyond their control and the evaporated water is borne away b}^ the prevailing winds. It might be some satisfaction to know that the evaporation from the sur- face of Great Salt Lake was onl}^ GO inches yearly Instead of 80 inches, as some would have us believe; but that knowledge alone might not enable us to reclaim an additional acre of land in Utah, although the difference of 20 inches yearly over the entire surface of the lake would IRR 7 2 1 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [NO. comprise a volume of water sufficient to irrigate a million acres. There is good reason to believe that little of the moisture withdrawn from the Utah lakes returns in the form of rain or snow within the confines of the State. Tooele County borders on Great Salt Lake, but with a probable annual evaporation of 6 feet near its shore line, the parched soil receives yearly on an average only about 6 inches from rainfall. Comparatively few measurements of evaporation have been made in Utah. The most important were those carried on at the reservoir in the rear of Fort Douglas, immediately east of the city of Salt Lake. Fig. ;?.— Evaporating pan and .scale. These observations are mentioned in the Eleventh Annual Report of the L'nited States Geological Survey, Part IT, on pages 'SO to '34:, and the I'esults are given briefly in the Fourteenth Annual Report, page 154. Similar measurements were made for a few months at Provo and Nephi. The apparatus u.sed by the Geological Survey in making observa- tions of evaporation consists of a galvanized-iron pan 3 feet square and 10 inches deep, immersed in water and kept from sinking by means of floats of wood or hollow metal. Into this pan water is poured until the surface is within from 1 to 2 inches of the top, the attempt being FORTiEK] EVAPORATION. 19 made to keep the pan as full as possible without spilling over the edge. The temperature of tlie water inside the i)an has been found by experience to be practically uniform with that of the surrounding water in the ditch or pond in which the pan is placed, varying from it usually not more than 1 or 2 degrees. If the pan is kept full, so that the edge or rim does not offer an obstruction to the wind, the evaporation from the surface inside the pan should be approximately the same as that from the surface of the water outside. The amount of water evaporated is determined by measuring the decrease in height of water, observations being usually taken once or sometimes twice a da}^ These are made by means of a brass scale hung in the middle of the pan and provided with diagonal bars upon which the reading is magnified about three times. ' By the use of this scale it is i;)ossible to read differences in vertical height of one one-hun- dredth of an inch. This method of observing the height of water is probably not so good as that by means of a hook gage, but is some- what simj)ler and the apparatus is less exi^ensive. An improvement^ has been proposed, consisting of a rod fixed rigidly in the center of the pan and rising to within 1 or 2 inches of the top. Water is put into the pan until the point of this rod is about to be submerged, as shown by the meniscus. As the water evaporates more is added by means of a tin cup made of such capacity that one cupful is equivalent to a depth of one one-hundredth of an inch on the surface of the pan. The observer has only to record the number of times the cup is filled and emptied into the i^an. The following table gives the results of the measurements at Fort Douglas, the observations beginning on August 23, 1889, and ending in May, 1893. They were made by a soldier, Charles M. Lowry, detailed for the purpose. Owing to numerous disturbing influences, such as heavy wind splashing Avater into the pan or rainfall adding to the quantity, or, during winter, the freezing of the surface, it was rarely possible to continue observations consecutively for more than a few days at a time. The table gives, therefore, the number of days in eacli month during which fairly reliable results were obtained, and also the average of these daily observations. This average is assumed to be that for all the days of the month, and is therefore multiplied by the number of these to obtain the approximate monthly total. 1 Physical data and statistics of California, 1886, p 373. 20 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. Evaporation at Fort Douglas, Utah, in inches. [NO. 7. Month. 1889. 1890. 1891. 1892. 1893. 1 II 3 o 1 11 1 o 13 1 CO >> IS 1 02 IS 1 March 15 14 25 26 10 25 15 10 .087 .075 .132 :2n .235 .174 .068 .055 2.1 2.3 4.1 5.3 6.5 7.3 5.2 2.1 1.6 April j 123 .133 .170 .240 .210 .153 068 041 3.7 4.1 5,1 7 6 6.5 4.6 2.1 1.2 19 15 22 10 20 17 15 15 .107 .153 .174 .246 .210 .174 .081 .047 3.2 4.8 5.2 7.6 6.5 5.2 2.5 1.4 3 8 .083 .169 2.5 5.2 May June July 16 20 23 21 18 August September _ . . October November _ . . 11 18 3 .340 .190 .1.57 .035 10.5 5.7 4.9 1.0 Observations were f^onducted in a similar manner at Provo during a portion of the month of October, 1880, giving an average daily evap- oration of 0.10 inch, and at Nephi, at intervals during a part of the same year, giving a mean daily evaporation for June of 0.13 inch; for July, 0.16 inch; for August, 0.15 inch, and for September, 0.10 inch. Similar fragmentary results have been obtained for localities in other parts of the West.^ The longest series, however, is that begun in 1887 by Prof. L. G. Carpenter at the Experiment Station at Fort Collins, Colorado. The evaporating pan at this place is 3 feet square and 3 feet deep, sunk into the ground, the height of Avater being measured by means of a hook gage. The results have been published only up to the end of 1891.^ Monthly evaporation it Fort Collins, Colorado in inches Year. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. Jniy. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total. 1887 2.46 3.23 4.60 5. 55 5.19 4.45 3.72 4.32 5.03 5.75 7.70 4.34 5.71 4.97 5.« 7.00 5.20 5.44 5.72 4.24 4.06 5.15 5.76 4.90 4.13 3.94 5.19 3.69 4.12 3.26 2.17 3.28 2.71 3.62 1.48 1.35 0.62 1.32 1.73 1.60 0.99 1.42 1.10 0. 75 46.71 1888 1889 1.09 0.86 1.20 1.03 2.36 2.79 2 75 3.48 2.23 4.06 3.50 2 24 37.83 40.24 39.12 1890 1891 At the experiment station located at Laramie, Wyoming, Prof. J. D. Conley noted a total evaporation from April 17 to October 22, 1895, of 37.02 inches, distributed as follows: April 17-30, 2.53; May, 7.33; June, 6.24; July, 7.20; August, 6.07; September, 4.91; October 1-22, 2.62 inches. In this test the evaporation Avas measured by means of a hook gage within a tank lined with galvanized iron, and holding when full a cubic meter of water, ^ Prof. T. Russell, in the Monthly Weather Review for September, • Eleventh Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Part II, p. 34. 2 Fourth Ann. Rept State Agricultural Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colorado, 1891, p. 53. ^ University of Wyoming Experiment Station Bulletin No. 27, March, 1896, Meteorology for 1895, p. 15. FOKTIER.] EVAPORATION. 21 1888, gives the results of one year's observations, from July 1, 1887, to June 30, 1888, of the Piclie evaporonieter. From tliis article are obtained the following- figures, wliieh give the computed evaporation in inches at several points: Estimated depth of evaporation in incheti. Station. Jan. Feb. March. April. May. June. July. Salt Lake, Utah ..- Boise City, Idaho Winneiniacca, Nev Denver, Colo 1.8 1.6 0.9 3.8 3.3 1.1 3.0 4.4 3.7 3.5 3.8 11 3.G 3.4 5. 3 3.6 3.8 6.3 3.5 4.0 3.1 4.3 6.6 7.3 6.1 9.1 7.6 8.3 6.1 6.8 9.6 6.9 6.5 9.3 5.8 5.3 4.3 8.8 9.6 8.9 6.6 10.1 10. 5 10.4 5.5 13.9 13.6 9.2 10.0 n.5 8.3 8.0 7.3 9.3 11,0 Cheyenne, Wy o Helena Mont Santa Fe, N. Mex Station. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 12 mos. evapo- ration. Precipi- tation in 1888. Salt Lake, Utah . Boise City. Waho. Winnemucca, Nev 10.7 9.3 13.0 8.5 7.7 7.7 9.8 10.3 9.6 7.4 9.9 6.1 8.6 6.4 6.6 8.3 6.5 5.3 6.6 4.9 5.8 4.3 6.7 8.3 5.0 3.3 3.7 4.3 6.1 3.0 5.7 5. 5 3.3 1.8 1.8 3.1 3.5 3.1 3.7 4.6 74.4 63.9 83.9 69.0 76.5 53.4 79.8 95.7 13.63 11.09 4.89 9.51 14.51 10.14 13. as 3. 95 Cheyenne, .Wyo Helena, Mont Santa Fe,N.Mex An estimate of the total amount of yearl}^ evaporation from Av^ater surfaces in this State, based on the foregoing facts, would vary from 3 to 6 feet in depth, depending upon the temperature, frequency, and velocit}^ of the winds, dryness of the atmosphere, and like conditions. From the same data w^e may conclude that, generall}^ speaking, the evaporation during the four months of May, June, Jul}^, and August, or, in other words, the irrigation period of this section, is equal to that of the remaining eight months. The comparative! j^ large loss b}' the j^earlj^ evaporation from wet ground surfaces of the Western States is of far greater importance than the evaporation Avhich takes place at water surfaces, for the rea- son that, in a measure, it can be controlled by man. Such conserva- tion of the obtainable water supply results in having available a balance which can be utilized in reclaiming desert land and in increas- ing the productions of land now cultivated. One of the cheapest and most effective methods of cliecking excess- ive evaporation is cultivation. In this regard Utah irrigators have an important lesson j^et to learn. The custom of the majority is to apply large quantities of water to growing crops, making a paste of the top soil. In less than twentj-four hours the water in this top layer is evaporated, leaving the ground hard and baked. Under such 22 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. conditions it is astonishing how rapidly the soil moisture is evapo- rated. If this top crust is left undisturbed for a few days, the soil becomes parched, the crops apparently suffer for lack of moisture, and the unskilled irrigator fancies the only remedy is to apply more water. With the most careful attention while irrigating, it is not possible always to X3reveut the formation of paste by the mixture of fine soil and water and the subsequent baking ; but the robbing the soil of its moisture through excessive evaporation can be avoided hy breaking up the surface crust as soon as it forms and by keeping the surface laj^er thoroughly pulverized, thus effectivel}' checking evaporation in even the hottest weather. Recent experiments have shown that evaporation from the surface of soil can be greatly decreased bj" mulching. The effect, for example, of a 3-incli layer of broken, compacted oat straw, spread evenly over the surface of a strawberry field in Minnesota, was to decrease the evaporation by 005 barrels per acre, and the gain in moisture to the soil of a vineyard by a similar treatment was 1,600 barrels per acre, sufficient to cover the entire surface to a depth of nearly 2 inches.^ It has been repeatedly demonstrated that wind is a jDrime factor in increasing evaporation from both ground and water surfaces. While it is true that the frequency, course, and velocity of the winds lie beyond the control of tlie agriculturist, yet by planting suitable trees to form wind-breaks within and around cultivated fields, much bene- fit maj^ be gained. The foliage of the trees will decrease the temi3era- ture, increase the humidity of the air, and break the force of the w^ind. Perhaps the most complete test of the amount of water evaporated from soil and water surfaces was made in England by Charles Greaves,^ M. Inst. Civ. Eng. His results are summarized bj^ Fanning as follows: The raean annual rainfall during the time (1860 to 1873) was 27.7 inches. The annual evaporations from soil were — minimum, 12.07 inches; maximum, 25.14 inches, and mean, 19.53 inches; from sand — minimum, 1.43 inches; maximum, 9.10 inches, and mean, 4.G5 inches; from water — minimum, 17.33 inches; maximum, 26.93 inches, and mean, 22.2 inches. ^^ The climatic conditions of arid America are so unlike those of England that the above results do not in the least apply. They show, however, that, other conditions being equal, the amount of evaporation from ground surfaces is somewhat less than from water surfaces. Dr. E. WoUnj^ of Munich confirms tliis view when, in summarizing tlie work of three years on evaporation from land surfaces, he con- cludes:'^ (1) That the quantity of moisture evaporated from the soil into the atmosphere is considerably smaller than that evaporated from a free surface of water. 1 Bulletin No. 32, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. ■^ Trans. Inst. Civ. Eng., Vol. XLV, pp. -3-29. » A Treatise on Hydraulic and Water-Supply Engineering, by J. T. Panning, 18S9, p. 90. 4 Prof. E. Wollny, Forscliungen, Vol. XVIII, p. 480. Abstracted in the Monthly Weather Review, Department of Agricultui-e, November, 189."). ]>. 4:i2. FORTiER] EVAPORATION. 23 (2) That tlie evaporation is smallest from naked sand, and largest from naked clay, -vvhereas naked turf and humus or vegetable mold have a medium value. (3) That the evaporation is increased to a considerable extent by covering the ground with living plants. (4) Evaporation is a process that depends upon both the meteorological condi- tions and on the quantity of moisture contained by the substratum of soil. (5) Among the external circumstances, temperature is of the greatest impor- tance, inasmuch as, in general, evaporation increases and diminishes with it; but this effect is modified according as the remaining factors come into play and in proportion to the quantity of water supplied b}^ the substratum. (6) The influence of higher temperature is diminished more or less by higher relative humidity, greater cloudiness, feebler motion of the wind, and a diminished quantity of moisture within the soil, whereas its influence increases under oppo- site conditions. On the other hand, low temperatures can bring about greater effects than high temperatures, if the air is dry, or the cloudiness small, or the wind very strong, or if a greater quantity of water is present within the evaporating substance. (7) For the evaporation of a free surface of water, or for earth that is com- pletely saturated with water, the important elements are, flrst, the temperature; next, the relative humidity of the air, and then the cloudiness and the direction and velocity of the wind; whereas, for the ordinary moist earth, no matter whether the surface is naked or covered with living plants, it is the quantity of rain upon which the soil depends for its moisture that is the important additional consid- eration. The effects of the external elements on evaporation become less important, as explained in paragraph 5, in proportion as the precipitation is less and as the soil is more completely dried out by the previous favorable weather, and vice versa. For these reasons the rate of evaporation from a free surface of water not infrequently differs largely from that from the respective kinds of soil. (8) Free surfaces of water and soils that are continuously saturated evax)orate into the atmosphere on the average more water under otherwise similar circum- stances than soils whether naked or covered with plants and whether watered artificially or naturally. Only at special times, viz, when the influence of the factors that favor evaporation is most intense, when the plants are in the most active period of growth, and when the soil contains a large percentage of water, can the land that is covered with plants show larger evaporating power than the free water surface. (9) When a soil that is not irrigated is covered with plants, it evaporates a far greater quantity of moisture than when the surface is bare. In the former case the evaporation can not exceed the quantity received by the soil from the atmos- phere before or during the period of growth. Swampy lands and those that are well irrigated, as also free surfaces of water, can, under circumstances favorable to evaporation, sometimes give to the atmosphere a greater quantitj^ of water than corresponds to the precipitation that occurs during the same time. (10) The evaporating power of the soil is, in itself, dependent upon its own physical properties; the less its permeability for water, or the larger its capacity for water and the easier it is able to restore by capillarity the moisture that has been lost, by so much the more intensive is the evaporation. For this reason the quantity evaporated increases with the percentage of clay and humus in the soil, whereas it diminishes in proportion as the soil is richer in sandy and coarse-grained materials. (11) Soil that is covered with plants loses by evaporation so much more water in proportion as the plants are better developed, or- stand thicker together, or have a longer period of vegetation, and vice versa. 24 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. In the above summary Dr. Wolluy tonclies upon various phases of evaporation which have an important bearing on Western irrigation. At present there is little data to enable its to compare intelligently the results obtaiiiecl in Germany with those in this countrj^ How- ever, some of the Agricultural Ex]3eriment Stations are taking up this work, and in a few years we may hope to know much more of the behavior of soil moisture and ground waters and their relation to plant life. The main object to be attained in the artificial application of water to soil is to develop plant life, and as this can be accomplished only by creating a moist soil and subsoil, it is necessary that we endeavor to ascertain the greatest possible percentage of the total precipitation that can be used for this purpose. In this State evap- oration from both water and land surfaces must be regarded as one of the chief sources of waste, and as such deserving of careful study. TRANSPIRATION. In arid America agricultural products are almost entirely depend- ent upon the water supply. As a rule, the soil is fertile, containing in abundance the elements necessary for the development of plants; but if the water supply be either deficient or applied at the wrong time, a partial growth will result. The portions of a wheat field that are missed at the first irrigation seldom yield one-third of a crop. These dry places may be irrigated subsequently', but the second water- ing can not restore the shrunken cellular tissues nor the lost vigor. The skilled horticulturist has learned by experience and observation how and when to irrigate his fruit trees. AYhen the trees are j^oung, water Is conveyed in two furrows only, one on each side the row of trees and at some little distance beyond the fartliest roots. As the tree grows, the roots thrust themselves farther into the soil, but chieflj^ in the direction of the water sui)ply, and in the following season the two furroAvs may be increased to four, until finallj^ in well-matured trees, all the space of 20 feet or moi'e between the roAvs is thoroughly watered. By sucli a method water is not only provided for the soil, but is applied in such a waj' as to lead out the roots in quest of moisture and food. Much has been written recently on subirrigation, and many agri- cultural experiment stations liave gone so far as to i^ronounce this method superior to all others. By it Avater is couA^eyed through pipes buried in the ground and is discharged through a large number of small holes located opposite each tree. This mode of irrigation has not been successful. In the first place, it is an impossibility to cause water to discharge equallj^ through so manj^ orifices; and in the second place, the Avater is deposited at j^articular i)oints in the soil, around Avhicli the roots of i)lants are sooner or later massed. The few advantages to be gained by applying the Avater beneath the sur- FORTIER.l TRANSPIRATION. 25 face can not be compared to the disadvantages dne to the difficulties in the way of its distribution and to tlie concentration of the roots at particular places. The injurious effects upon vegetation caused bj^ either too little water or too much are clearly illustrated by the results of experiments made by Dr. E. AVollny^ on summer rape, as given in the following table. In this, the first column gives the per cent of water in the soil as compared to the total water-holding capacity. The second column gives the number of pods produced, and the following columns give the weight of the various parts: Effect of excess and deficiency of moisture. Per cent of water in the soil. Number of pods. Weight of plants air-dried. Seed, in gra!tn.s. Straw, in grams. Chaff, in grams. Total, in grams. 10 43 1.4 2.8 1.4 5.6 20 61 2.4 4.4 2.6 9.7 40 142 6.9 10.4 6.7 24.0 60 97 4.3 8.1 4.4 16.8 80 95 3.9 7.3 3.9 15. 1 100 19 0.3 2.0 O.G 2.9 In growing plants in pots it is i^ossible to appl}' just the right amount of moisture, but on the irrigated field it is somewhat different. At each watering the ground is for a time nearly saturated. Part of this excess water is soon evaporated, either from the ground or indi- rectly through the foliage. Another part sinks into the subsoil, and the remainder keeps the soil moist. If this soil moisture can be maintained in the right proportion, or, in other words, if the amount drawn from the subsoil by capillarity equals the loss b}^ evapora- tion until the next watering, the crop will grow under the most favorable conditions as regards moisture. If too little water is applied to the surface and the subsoil water for some cause is inacces- sible, the crop will suffer and become more or less dwarfed. On the other hand, too much water may keep the soil near the extreme of complete saturation and j)roduce upon vegetation as harmful eft'ects as too diy a soil. A cubic foot of average soil when thoroughly sat- urated will contain from 25 to oO pounds of water. According to AVollny's exi3eriment, the ])est results were obtained on summer I'ape when about 40 i^er cent of the empt}^ space in the soil was filled, which would be equivalent to from 10 to 12 pounds of water in every cubic foot of soil. We may thus classify productive soils under three heads in relation 1 Experiment Station Record, Vol. IV, p. 'hi2. 26 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [NO. to the percentage of moisture which each contains, a^z, as cby soils, moist soils, and wet soils. It may also be said that in each of these classes the amount of water drawn uj) by the roots and transpired by the leaves differs. Tlie magnitude of this transpiration of vapor through the foliage of plants has been investigated b}^ Messrs. King, WoUnj^, Hellriegel, and others, the results of whose labors are briefly summarized in the following tables: Amount of water required for a pound of dry matter in Wiscom^in.^ Crop. Year. Water per pound of dry matter. Yield per acre, pounds. Water per acre, inches. Barley 1891 402 7,441 13 Do 1892 375 14,196 23 Oats 1891 501 8,861 20 Do..: 1892 525 8,189 19 Corn 1891 301 19, 845 26 Do... 1892 316 19, 184 25 Clover 1892 564 12,486 30 Pease 1892 477 8,017 17 Ratio of water evaporated to tceiglit of crop harvested, as shown by experiments of Hellriegel and Wollny.^ Crop (Helh-iegel). Water evaporated. Crop iWollny ). Water evaporated. Horse beans Pease 262 292 310 330 359 371 373 377 402 Maize 233 416 447 490 ; 646 665 774 843 912 Millet - Barley Pease Clover Spring wheat Buckwheat Lupine Spring rye Oats Sunflower Buckwheat Oats Barley Mustard Rape According to Hellriegel, as shown by the above table, 330 tons of water would be absorbed b}^ the roots of clover, drawn up through the stems, and evaporated from the breathing pores of the leaves, for each ton of clover harvested. If the jaeld be estimated at 3 tons per acre, the quantity of Avater per acre is 9!)0 tons, or a volume sufSclent to cover the surface to a depth of nearlj^ 9 inches. So far as has been ascertained, no tests have been made in the Rocky Mountain i-egion ' F. H. King, Apricultiaral Experiment Station, TTniversity of Wisconsin, Ninth Annual Report, 1892. p. 94. '^ Department of Agriculture, Experiment Station Record, Vol. IV, p. M2. FORTTKH. I TRANSPIRATION. 27 of the amount of water actuall}^ consumed by the various agricultural crops between tlie time of germination and the harvest, but obsei'ved facts seem to indicate that this amount varies with the conditious of soil moisture. In sections of northern Utah, where water can not be readily or cheaply conveyed to irrigate the land, the fields are usuall}^ sown in wheat and cultivated "dry," tlie annual yield being from 12 to 25 bushels per acre. Dui'ing the period of growth the rainfall is occa- sionally less than 1 inch, and the soil and subsoil apparently are very dry. If the quantity of water consumed b,y the wheat was even one- third of that given by Pref. F. II. King for barley and oats, which averaged a depth of nearly 10 inches over the entire surface culti- vated, it is difficult to conjecture where the supply could come from. On irrigated lands tlie case is quite different. The proper amount of moisture is maintained in the soil, the plant is kept in a health}^, vigorous condition, and the normal amount of water x)asses through its tissues, bearing the necessarj^ mineral food furnished hy the soil. It is not unusual to irrigate alfalfa every other week, and to spread an amount of water over the surface during its x:>eriod of growth suffi- cient to cover the ground to a depth of 6 feet. A part of the water used in irrigating usually sinks into the subsoil and flows off as seep- age water, a second part is evaporated, and the third part, possibly one-third of the whole suppl}^, passes through the tissues of the plant and is mostly transformed into vai)or at the leaves. The sagebrush and grasses indigenous to the uncultivated lands of the Rocky Mountain region require but little moisture to maintain their slow growth. In the vicinity of Corinne, Boxelder Countj^ Utah, the average annual rainfall for the i^ast twenty-five years has been less than 12 (11.73) inches. Little snow remains for any length of time on the ground; tlie evai:)oration in summer is excessive on all moist ground and water surfaces; and yet sagebrush flourishes, grow- ing to a height of from 3 to 5 feet. If we deduct from the total j^earlj^ precipitation the probable amount of moisture evaporated, very little will remain for the use of the plants. It is possible that the total quantity of water absorbed by the roots of the plants that grow on uncultivated lands and transpired li}^ their foliage does not exceed one-tenth of the annual precipitation, which in this State Avould be about 1:^ inches over the surface of unreclaimed arable lands. On the preceding estimates, based on observed facts, we majr therefore con- clude that in this State the amount of water evaporated from the foli- age of plants ranges from a surface depth of 1 inch for buffalo grass and sagebrush to a surface depth of 20 inches for well-irrigated alfalfa. CACIIF. VALLEY. This beautiful valley is nearly surrounded by mountains. A spur of the Wasatch Range forms the elevated divide between it and Bear Lake Valley, in Rich ('Ounty, to the east, and another spur of the 28 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [vo.T. same range forms the lower divide between it and Great Salt Lake and Malad River valleys to the west. The average elevation of the cultivated portion of the valley is about 4,500 feet. Its length from north to south varies from 40 to 50 miles, and its Avidth from east to Avest from 10 to 15 miles. Tlie fii'st wliite men who wintered in the valley were the Garr brothers. They Avere engaged by the authorities of the Mormon Church during the Avinter of 1855-56 to look after the range cattle owned by tliat church, and they built a rude log hut in the vicinity of what is noAv the church farm. In the summer of 1858 scA^eral families from Brigham reached the valley through Boxelder Canyon and made a permanent settlement in Avhat is now AYellsAille. According to the latest report of the Utah statistician, the poi)ula- tion of Cache Count}^ in March of 1895 Avas 18,28(3. The principal towns and cities in the order of population are: Hyde Park, 647 inhabitants; ProA-idence, 944; LcAAiston, 969; Richmond, 1,295; WellsA^ille, 1,390; Smithfield, 1,448; Logan, 5,756; total, 14,249. Cache County contains an area of 697,600 acres, of Avhich 30,923^ acres were irrigated in 1889, and 38,430 ^ acres in 1894. From infor- mation collected during the j)ast season, sui3i)lemented by the records obtained by C. D. AV. Fullmer, countj^ statistician, the folloAving table has been prepared, giAing the approximate number of acres irrigated for each kind of crop in 1896. Approximate area irrigated in 1896. Acres. Cereals... 20,000 Liicern, hay, etc . - - 1 15, 000 Potatoes, beets, etc 1, 500 Fruit trees 1 , 200 Small fruits •. 25 Other products '. 900 Total. 38,625 Tlie water utilized in irrigating the southern eud of the A^alley is di\^erted chiefly from New Canj'on, Little Bear, and Blacksmith Fork streams. Logan RiA'er, AA-ith Summit, High, and Clarkson creeks, fur- nish the sui^ply for the middle portion. Cub and Weston creeks are the chief sources of supply for the northern portion. SurA^eys for irri- gating canals haA^e been made to diA^ert AAater from Beai* RiAxr, in Cache Vallej^, but owing to the lengths of tlie proposed canals and the cost of construction, none has yet been built. The soil in the cultiA^ated portions of tlie southern end of the A^alley, and particularly in the A^cinity of the toAvns of Paradise, Ilj^rum, and Millville, consists for the most part of a rich, black, claj^ey loam. In the Avestern part clay, with occasional patches of alkali, predominates. 1 Eleventh Census, Agriculture by Irrigation, F. H. Newell. 2 First Triennial Report of the Bureau of Statistics of Utah. FORTIEH.] LOGAN RIVER. 29 The soil in the northern and northwestern portion of the valley varies from coarse gravel to fine sand and cla}'. On the whole, it may be designated as a soil well adapted for the i:)r()duction of wheat. LOGAN RIVER. The greater i)art of the drainage basin of Logan River lies in the mountain range east of Cache Valley. The main source of the stream is quite small, and heads high on the range about 40 miles within the mountains; but as it flows down a steep channel toward the west its June, 1896. July, 1896. August, 1896. Sept., 1896 15 10 15 20 25 30 10 15 20 25 30 10 \ ' ' 1 \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ ^ \ \^ ■». >. ■..^ " ~~ -^^ UN APP ?OPf riAT ;d WAT ERS "■ ^ ^ -'' ".^ — ^ " ^ A ='PR )Pf?l ATE ,w ATEI fS 1600 15(J0 1100 1300 1200 IKXJ 1000 ^ o r 900 g 5 800 5 w H 700 o 2 O 600 500 400 300 200 la) Fig. 4.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of Logan River. waters mingle with those from Temple Fork, Boss Canyon Creek, Spring Creek, Ricks Spring, and Right Hand Fork Creek, which, when united, form one of the most imx^ortant rivers in the State. From its head waters to where it unites with Bear River is some 50 miles, only 10 of which lie outside rugged canyons. About the 1st of June, 1890, a permanent gaging station was estab- lished on this river a short distance below the mouth of the canvon 30 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. and above all the canals save one, the Logan, Hyde Park and Smith- field. From daily river-height observations and several current meter measurements the flow has been accurately determined throughout the season. The waters used for beneficial purposes have also been determined by a series of measurements of each canal, and both results are represented graphically in fig. 4. The aggregate volume of all the canals is nearly 200 second-feet ; and as the discharge of the river at the mouth of Logan Canyon during a dry season may be less than that amount, the apparent large surplus of last summer, Avhich averaged during the month of August, 1896, 222 second-feet, is not to be depended upon. Irrigating canals diverting icater from Logan River. Name of canal or ditch. June. Dis- charge in sec. ft. Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield Canal- --- - --- Logan and Richmond Canal Providence Canal.. \ 12 Logan, Hyde Park, and Thatcher j Canal - - -i 1^ Nursery Canal ,--- Logan and Benson Ward Canal 1 12 West Field or Little Ditch L - - 34.5 60.4 5.4 «48.9 July. Dis- charge in sec. ft. «25.0 47.5 69.1 8.2 ^27.0 2.4 23.9 11.6 August. Dis- charge in sec. ft. 31 September. Dis- charge in sec. ft. 30.1 50.1 27.5 a Estimated. The Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield Canal was completed in June, 1882. Its head gate is located about 1^ miles above the mouth of the canyon, and at an elevation of 326 feet above the business cen- ter of Logan City. In July, 1892, the writer, as the consulting engi- neer of the city corporation, advised the abandonment of tlie old source of supply, and recommended that the future source be the Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield Canal, until funds were available to extend the conduit to the river. Logan City now gets its domestic water supply from that canal, and owns 26f per cent of its paid-up capital stock. The canyon portion of the canal was never properly constructed, and the loss through leakage is very great. On August 31, 1893, the discharg(^ at the head gates, as measured by the writer, was 18 second-feet. At a point 7,000 feet lower down the volume had been decreased, on account of waste, to 26.7 second-feet, a loss of 21.3 second-feet, or 11 i)er cent of the volume diverted. The area irri- gated since 1892 has not varied to any appreciable extent, and the following table gives the figures for the three preceding years: FOKTiEK.] LOGAN RIVER. Area irrigated by Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield Canal. 31 Year. Farm lands. City lots. Total. 1890. Acres. 2,184 2,409 2,785 JSumber. a 63 163 169 Acres. 2, 310 2, 735 3, 123 1891 1892... :... rf A city lot is equivalent to 2 acres of farm land. The Logan and Richmond Irrigating Oouiijany was organized in November, 1864, and the canal was built in 1865-18G7. The records of the company show that the land irrigated by tliis canal in 1878 was 1,400 acres of farm lands and 195 city lots, but the capacity of the canal was considerably increased in 1881, and more lamd was reclaimed at its lower terminus in the vicinity of the town of Smithfield. The areas irrigated by this canal in 1895 are as given below: Area irrigated by Logan and Richmond Canal. Precinct. Logan Hyde Park Smithfield. Total Farm lands. City lots. Total. Acres. Number. Acres. 897 214 1,325 610 50 711 1,240 1,239 2,747 264 3,275 Providence Canal is the only irrigating s^^stem of any considerable size which diverts w^ater from the south or left bank of Logan River. It was begun in 1866, but owing to the fact that the locating engineer set pegs on an ascending grade from the proposed i^lace of diversion, and the water would not flow uiohill, the enterprise was abandoned until 1883, when the necessary changes in the elevations were made and the canal completed. The cost of maintenance has always been high, owing to faulty location and steep hillsides, averaging about 1250 per annum, and the area irrigated since 188o has not varied far from 300 acres. Logan, Hyde Park, and Thatcher Canal was begun in the spring of 1860. It is the oldest in Cache Valley, and was the first to divert water from Bear River or its tributaries. The primary object held in view bj^the original projectors was to irrigate wheat lands, but several mill owners obtained j)ermission to widen the canal sufficiently to furnish them with a supply for power purposes. A portion of the flow has been so employed ever since, but the tail water from the mills 32 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [no. 7. is nearly all subsequently used in irrigation. The canal branches at Sixth street, the upper branch extending to Hyde Park, the lower to a portion of Logan City. The acreage irrigated in 18(30 was about 700 acres, and there has been a nearly uniform increase from that time to the present. Of late years the total number of acres irrigated by both branches of the canal has averaged about 2,115, of which 1,215 acres are located in Hyde Park and the remainder in Logan. Logan and Benson Ward Canal has its headgates near the business center of Logan. The date of its w^ater appropriation extends back to 1861. The extent of land at jjresent irrigated by this canal includes 856 acres in Benson AVard and 2,150 acres in Logan precinct. West Field, or Little Ditch, takes its supply from the tailraces of the mills and from Logan River at the city park. The first branch was made in the sirring of 1860. The ditch flows into Spring Creek pond and receives a portion of its supply from this last source. The area irrigated in late years is 1,100 acres. The average combined capacity of the 6 canals enumerated above was, for June, 1896, 188.8 second-feet; for July, 183.3 second-feet; for August, 157.6 second-feet; and for September, 131.5 second-feet. Comparing this with the aggregate area irrigated — 12,920 acres— it appears that the duty of Avater per second-foot in June was 68.4 acres; in July, 70.1 acres; in August, 81.9 acres; and in September, 98.3 acres. BLACKSMITH FORK RIVER. This stream rises in a range of the Wasatch Mountains which sepa- rates Cache Valley from Rich County, flows in a northwesterly direc- tion, and empties into Logan River. Its total length is about 35 miles. The average depth of compacted snow near the sources of this stream in February and March is about 4^ feet, and as the greater part of this snow melts during the month of May and the early part of June, the spring floods are excessive in proi)ortion to the comjiara- tively small area drained. The discharge of this stream at a point a short distance below the mouth of Blacksmith Fork Canyon from June 15 to September 15, 1896, and the combined flow of all the irrigating canals diverting water therefrom are represented graphically in fig 5. The maximum volume of water appropriated and utilized is therein shoAvn to be 180 second-feet, while the discharge of the sti-eam may be said, if we except a few days in September, not to fall below that amount during the irrigating period. As shown by the following table, six canals divert water from this source and vary in carrying capacity from 4 to 70 second-feet. The Hyrum Canal is the largest and is divided near its head gates, the upper branch supplying water to a i^ortion of Hyrum City, and the lower being used on the fields adjacent to Millville. Solveson c^ Co.'s rORTIER.] LOGAN RIVER. 33 ditch is one of small capacity, and waters the lands on tlie vivev bot- toms. The remaining four canals extend to the town of Millville and its vicinity, two being taken out on the east side of the I'i^'er and two on the west. June, 1896. July, 1896. August. 1896. Sept., 1896 15 20 25 30 5 If ) 1. > 2t 2: 30 5 n lo 2(J 25 3C 5 10 \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ N \ \ \ "" "•>>».^_ — ■^--. ^^- ^^.^ .^ - L NAP 'ROI 'f?IA TED WAl ERS ^^ -^^ ^>^ •^. A »PR( )PRI VTEC W/ TER S ^ y>o 32;) ;3(X) 275 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 Fio. 5.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of Blacksmith Fork River. Irrigating canals diverting ivater from Blacksmith Fork River. Name of canal or ditch. June. { July. j August. September. -2 Dis- charge in sec. ft. 6 Is Dis- charge in sec. ft. 05 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. a3 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. Solverson & Co. 's ditch No 1 canal 18 fl8 \29 18 18 3.9 27.8 32.9 48.7 70.6 9 }. 10 10 9 9 0.8 17.4 63.6 51.7 16.4 13.5 5 4 2.2 -22.8 65.9 •26.1 6.7 1.1 15 15 15 15 15 15 Dry. 4.3 22.8 11.2 3.4 Hyrum canal No 2 canal No. 4 canal Dry. LITTLE BEAR RIVER. Little Bear River, Littl-e Muddy River, or Boxelder Creek, as it is variously termed, is a tributarj^ of Logan River. It is formed by two main streams which unite near the town of Paradise, in the southern IRR 7 3 34 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [NO. 7. part of the valley. One of these tributaries is called the East Fork of Little Bear River, and has a total length from its head waters to its mouth in Logan River of 33 miles. The general trend of its course within the mountains is easterly, but after joining the South Fork the June, 1896. Julv. 1896. August, 1896. ISept., 1896 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 30 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 1 \ \ V \ V \ V \ V \ \ s UN PR1A1 ■CR ED ^ ■--- ^.^^ ^ -''■ X V " AFPRt PRIA1 EO WA PER * ^ ] -....^ 1 " 250 200 1-5 o d 150 i 125 2 O 100 I 75 H 1^ 50 Fig. 6.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of South Fork of Little Bear River. combined waters flow in a northerly direction to Logan River. The South Fork is fed by numerous springs and rivulets which flow from the south side of the divide lying between Cache Valley and Ogden Valley, and its greatest length from its source to its confluence with the East Fork is 10 miles. The following table gives the names and June, 1896. July, 1896. 1 August, 1896. ISept., 1896 L5 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 35 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 1 ^ 'h inf K 75 [^ .>!l:iv .^_ 50 -'**** -^ :^:^ ^^=^ APPf OPRI. kTEO WATE :r ■^ 25 n Fig. 7.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of East Fork of Little Bear River. the capacities at stated periods of each ditch or canal diverting water from Little Bear River and its tributaries. A glance at figs. G and 7 shows that the waters of both forks were nearly all utilized during the past season. FORTIER.] LOGAN RIVER. 35 In this portion of the valley the gain due to seepage waters from irrigated areas and from the adjacent bench lands is of considerable value to the inhabitants of Wellsville. On July 15, 189G, the flow in the South Fork was 61 second-feet. On the same date Ilyrum Canal was diverting 55 second-feet, and a surplus of 24: second-feet remained in the river. These figures show a gain from seepage and deep-seated springs of 43 second-feet. Subsequently the springs were measured and aggregated nearly 20 second-feet, thus leaving a balance of 23 second-feet of seepage waters. Irrigating canals diverting icater from Little Bear River. Name of canal or ditch. June. July. August. September. 6 Dis- charge in sec. ft. 6 Dis- charge in sec. ft. i Dis- charge in sec. ft. 6 I Dis- charge in sec. ft. From East Fork. Jackson Surplus Ditch 19 19 19 19 3 1.6 6.8 50.2 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 u 14 14 2.3 Dry. 1.1 47.2 Dry. Dry. 57.4 3.7 2.5 2.8 26.1 6 Dry. Frank Law Ditch Facer Ditch 6 6 Dry. 35.1 Paradise Irrigation and Reservoir Company's Canal 15 22.5 From South Fork. Nichols Ditch Davis & Co.'s Ditch Hyrum Canal 6 6 7 7 40.1 Dry. o 1.4 ' 4.9 15 12.8 From main stream. South Field Ditch Paradise Hollow Ditch 15 15 12 Dry. Dry. 2.6 Miller Ditch Wellsville East Field Ditch CUB RIVER. Cub River, the main source of supply for the northern portion of Cache Valley, rises in Idaho, flows in a southwesterly direction for a distance of 28 miles, and empties into Bear River. The six ditches which head on this stream were each measured three times last sum- mer, with results as stated in the following table. The highest is the Cub River and Worm Creek Irrigation Company's canal, which sup- plies with water the towm of Preston, Idaho. It is taken out on the north side of the river, and convej^ed through a pass in the ridge into Worm Creek channel, which is used to convey the canal water to a low^er elevation, where it is again diverted into several ditches that distribute irrigating water to the various precincts of Preston, The next canal of any considerable importance is that of the Cub River and Middle Ditch Irrigation Company, which on June 25 carried 50.7 second-feet. By far the largest canal on this stream 36 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [xo. was begun in 18G0, for the purpose of watering bench lands located north of Franklin, on the right bank of Cub River. Owing, however, to a grave error in the grade, the project was temporarily abandoned, and it was not until after the settlement of Lewiston that a resurvey was made and the canal completed. It is now known as the Lewiston Ditch, or canal. The lowest canal, but the first to divert water from Cub River, if one excepts the Perkins Ditch, which is now practically abandoned, is the Franklin City Ditch, which was built in 1864 by Messrs. Parkinson, Smart, AVoodward, and others. The accompanying diagram (fig. 8) shoAving the appropriated and unappropriated waters of Cub River, indicates a large surplus during the months of June, but after July 10 the flow is nearly all utilized by the various canals. June, 1896. .July. 189G. August, 1896. Sept., 1896, 15 20 25 30 10 15 20 25 30 10 15 25 30 10 N \ ■ \ \ \ \ \ UNA] »PRO »f?IAl A \ VAT! R \ V /' \ ^ / / \ \ \ V. \ - >r^^ APP ROP ?IAT ■D V VATI f" ""■^ ^— =^^ :^i^ --^ jOO 450 400 350 o r c 300 I 250 200 150 100 50 Fig. 8.— Diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of Cub River. Irrigating cancds diverting water from Cub River in Oneida County, Idaho. Name of canal or ditch. June. 1 July- August. 1 1 September. 6 1 Dis- 1 . Dis charge in ^ charge in sec. ft. g sec. ft. Dis- charge in sec. ft. 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. Cub River and Worm Creek Irri- gation Company's canal . - 25 25 25 25 25 26 42. 5 4.8 50.7 Dry. 122.1 5.6 27 26 27 27 27 28 31.8 1.5 15.9 2.1 51.0 2.4 7 7 7 8.4 Dry. 12.0 Dry. 30.2 Dry. Morehead, Taylor, and Kent Ditch. Cub River and Middle Ditch Irri- Taylor ditch Lewiston ditch Franklin City ditch ^ FORTIER.] LOGAN RIVER. 37 HIGH CREEK. High Creek is a tributary of Cub River. It rises near the bound- ary line between Utah and Idaho and flows in a southwest course for a distance of about 9 miles. Numerous ditclies, as may be seen by the following table, take water from this comparatively small stream, but, with the exception of the two Richmond canals, their discharges during July and August are small. The Richmond Irri- gation Canal, increased by a j^ortion of the flow from Cherry Creek, waters the sloping bench lands lying between High Creek and Rich- mond. This canal, when augmented by the flow from City Creek, also furnishes water for the uj^per portion of the town of Richmond. The lower portion of this town and the farm lands adjacent thereto are watered by the Richmond City Canal. Irrigating canals diverting water from High Creek, in Cache County, Utah. Name of canal or ditch. June. July. August. September. 1 ce P Dis- charge in sec. ft. Dis- charge in sec. ft. P Dis- charge in sec, ft. 1 Dis- charge in .sec. ft. Williams and Derney Ditch Upper High Bair Ditch 28 28 28 28 28 % '>8 1.3 2.9 7.8 43.2 3.6 0.7 25.5 8.7 (5.8 8.9 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 Dry. Dry. Dry. 2.5 Dry, Dry. 16.4 0.9 1,2 2.8 Upper Co ve ville Ditch Richmond Irrigation Company's Canal 9 1.0 Williams Bros., Eckelson and Day Ditch Xorman Dny Ditch Richmond City or Irrigation Canal. Two Eleventh Ditch 9 9 9 9 3.8 1.0 2.1 0.6 "i Lower Coveville Ditch 28 28 1 J. Bright Ditch. 1 ""1 38 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [NO. SUMMIT CREEK. Summit Creek lias its source near the head waters of Logan River, and after flowing in a sonthwestei'ly course for a distance of 13 miles empties into Bear River. The summer flow of this creek is diverted through A'arious canals, a list of which is given in the order of eleva- tion in the following table, and is used to irrigate the town lots of Smithfield and the farm lands adjacent thereto. A portion of the flow is first used for mechanical purposes, but is subsequently diverted for irrigation purposes. Irrigating canals diverting water from Summit and Birch creeks in CacheCoiinty, Utah. Name of canal or ditch. .June. July. August. September. 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. 6 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. Dis- charge in sec. ft. Roskelly Ditch 3 3 3 31 3 31 3 31 3 31 3 31 3 31 3 31 Dry. Dry. 13.0' 3.9 3.6 14.1 5.0 1.0 0.3 0.7 0.2 11.9 . 3.6 21.8 6.7 Peterson Ditch 1 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 2.8 0.8 3.1 0.2 0.1 1.6 4.8 Union Milling Company's Ditch 1 Mack's Old Mill Race Ditch City Ditch Levy Ditch Big Ditch f I FORTIER.] LOGAN RIVER. MISCELLANEOUS MEASUREMENTS. 39 The following table gives the results of measurements made of the flow of canals and ditches from other streams within Cache Valley other than those before described : Results of measurements of irrigation canals and ditches. Name of canal or ditch. Fron Clarkston Creek. Birch Creek ditch Upper Dam ditch Lower Dam ditch From Sugar Creek\ Oneida County, Idaho. Upper Wheeler ditch Taylor and Perkins ditch Lower Wheeler ditch From Cherry Creek, in Cache County, Utah. Upper Cherr 5^ ditch Cherry Creek Water Section canal. From Maple Creek and tributaries, Crooked Creek and Deep Canyon, in Oneida County, Idaho. Crooked Canyon Creek ditch J. Chatterton and J. Lowe ditch... J. Lowe ditch Silver Point ditch Maple Creek or Franklin City ditch stalker and Woodward ditch Woodward ditch stalker and Flack ditch From Spring Creek, at Providence, in Cache County, Utah. Bullock ditch Bear ditch South Bench ditch Upper ditch Town ditch. Accommodation ditch June. . I Dis B [Charge in ^ sec. ft 26 From Weston Creek, in Oneida County, Idaho. Lapray and Norton and Coburn ditches No. 1 ditch Georgson ditch Weston Town ditch East ditch South Field ditch... 10.7 7.5 0.3 2 7 0.4 11.6 1.7 3.5 4.6 July, Dis- charge in sec. ft, 0.2 0.9 0.9 6.2 0.9 0.4 Dry. 1.0 Dry. 5.0 2.9 Dry. 1.7 0.7 2.2 10.6 9.5 6.7 0.9 2.6 3.6 2.3 2.4 2.5 4.3 August. Dis- charge in sec. ft. 3.6 1.9 1.5 1.3 3.9 11.7 3.5 3.4 Dry. 1.4 1.5 1.8 1.4 1.0 3.9 September. Dis- charge in .sec. ft. 3.0 1.4 2.0 Dry. 0.4 Dry. 1.1 1.0 Dry, Dry. 3.1 0.6 Dry 0.4 Dry. 4.2 6.8 2.9 0.2 0.8 1.6 1.4 2.1 1.0 3.0 40 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [NO. r. Smaller creeks and springs of Cache irrigati Valley from ivhich icater is diverted for ng purposes. Name. June. July. August. September, j October. _ ____J 1 1 Dis charge in sec. ft. i 5 Dis- charge in sec. ft. i eg Dis- charge in sec. ft. 6 I Dis- charge in sec. ft. 6 Dis- charge in sec. ft. City Creek (Richmond) . City Creek (Clarkston) 1 17 16 2.6 0.9 1.4 1 12 12 5 Dry. 0.8 1.5 0.8 . 3 11 15 15 0.7 1.2 Dry. Dry. Deep Canyon Creek Dry Canyon Creek (Avon) Dry Creek ("Weston) . . 18 28 31 0.5 Dry. Dry. Flat Canyon Creek Green Canyon Creek Hyrum Dry Canyon 27 13 0.9 5.9 1 6 4 12 8 30 0.4 4.3 0.4 4.9 Dry. 15 14 3 12 Dry. 4.5 0.4 4.5 Mill ville Creek 9 17 15 1 98 3.9 0.3 4.5 0.6 Dry. Myler Creek .. New Canyon Creek Nebo Creek Ox Killer Creek 27 0.4 Pole Canyon Creek 6 1.5 Spring Creek (Rich 30 1.3 29 0.3 9 11 11 Dry. Dry. 1.2 Three Mile Creek 12 13 0.1 L6 Twin Creek 16 26 1.1 Dry. 24 1.7 4 12 0.6 L6 15 1.8 8 1.9 22 10.2 15 5.0 8 4.3 12 3.5 Gibson et al. springs. 22 6.5 16 0.4 3.6 0.6 13 5 13 7 0.5 3.2 . 0.5 10.2 12 14 11 0.4 3.1 Garr Spring Graveyard Spring . 0.4 Hyrum Field Seepage springs Halverson Spring 30 0.5 ;:::l::::::::i J. Stone and T. Lowe Spring 27 1.5 8 0.2 3.6 Mill ville Creamery Spring Marks et al. springs ! 22 3.8 Michelson Spring " ■" 3 0.3 Merrill et al. springs ' 1 22 5.8 New Dam Spring 15 4.0 7.0 4.0 LI 8 8 8 12 4.3 7.5 3.6 0.9 North Field Dam Spring No.l 15 • 15 16 North Field Dam Spring No.2 Pond Spring (Mendon).. i 11 11 11 LI 7.5 0.3 Pond Spring (Logan) i Rocky Point Spring 16 15 1 6 1 12 0.5 Wellsville City Spring 3.0 Wm. Cunningham's Spring ... 12 0.15 "Wm. Hugh's Spi'ing Newton Reservoir. 26 0.17 17 8.6 12 4.9 2 1.9 Hopkins's Slough 'K\ 6.5 r 1 II 1 ; FORTiER.] LOGAN RIVER. 41 Sources of loater supply in Cache Valley not used in irrigation in Cache County. Name of source. June. July. August. September. October. Dis- chai-ge in sec. ft. Dis- charge in sec. ft. 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. 6 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. 1 Dis- charge in sec. ft. Bear River at Battle Creek Do 23 3,954.1 25 25 25 1,187.3 1,198.8 1,197.9 5 28 872. G 820.7 1 1 Spring Creek (Mendon). Spring Creek (Millville). Spring Creek (Franklin) 20 27 23 -I 66.4 4.4 1.4 1 1 r'T'" "■" RESULTS OF STREAM MEASUREMENTS. June, 1896. July, 1896. August, 1896. Sept. 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 35 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 I 3500 3000 2.500 < o d 2000 H ^^ft^^ to. 1500 /fffriGATipAf ^ffrLoh ' 1000 500 «..,^ .A'. ^^SlG. Z'^'i-0 -Pe/h iir/. OuTFLCfr'^ r -ISSLG. l^UOA/ Fig. 9.— Diagram of water supply of Cache Valley, exclusive of Bear River. For purposes of comi^arisoii some of the results of the stream and canal measurements made iti Cache Valle}' during the summer of 189G are summarized in the diagrams of figs. 9 and 10. Fig. 9 shows tlie inflow, outflow, and irrigating waters of the valle}^ exclusive of Bear River, while fig. 10 includes both the infloAv and outflow of Bear River. As has been stated, no water is diverted fi-om this river in Cache Valley, all the water now utilized being obtained from the various 42 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [NO. tributaries. The aggregate discharge of all these tributaries, includ- ing wells and springs, is shown by the curved line termed "inflow" in fig. 9. This diagram also shows the total amount of the inflow which was used for irrigation purposes and the surplus which was discharged into Bear RiA^er. It will be seen that the volume used for irrigation on any one day does not represent the difference between the inflow and the outflow on the same da3\ On every day from June 15 to September 15, 1896, 19000 8000 •000 6000 5000 ^ 5 40002 3000 >000 1000 1 June, 1896. July. 1896. Aiigust, 1896. Sept., 1 '^96 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 10 15 20 25 30 5 1 \ \ \ \ V \ '. \ '• \ \ \ *• \ '• \ \ \ V \ -^ *^« \ \ ^% ••••... //F/ ?/0>^ T/O^ / ... --. '-., •--. — — 0^7 V — - """^ — — //?/ r/6A T!Oi ( Fig. 10.— Diagi'am of water supply of Cache Valley, inclusive of Bear River. excepting a few days in August, there was a gain due to seepage waters. This gain during the latter half of June averaged a contin- uous flow of 500 second-feet, or 18 per cent of the inflow, but it decreased rapidly until the 20th of August, when it began to increase gradually to September 15. In the following table are given, in cubic feet per second, the volume flowing into the vallej^ Bear River excepted, FORTIER ] LOGAN RIVER. 43 the volume diverted for irrigation, and the outflow, besides the average monthly gain, resulting from seei)age waters. Water supply of Cache Valley, exclusive of Bear River, in second-feet. Date. 1896. June 15 June 20 June 25 June 30. July 5- July 10 July 15 July20 July25.. JulySO Augusts August 10 August 15. August 20 August 25 AiigustSO September 5 September 10... September 15. . . Inflow. ,275.8 00<) 537. 5 107. G 805. 9 SIl.t .552. 5 ,341.3 244 2 224 4 U8.2 a36.9 998. 6 997.7* 938. 4. 905.2 813.2 938.9 864.6 Irrigation. Outflow Average monthly gain from seepage. 1. 1()3. 1 2,659 1,162.9 1,1.59 1 2,029 1,884 .500. 4 1,136 1,739 1,081.9 1,149 1,020.2 849 925. 5 860 684 674 > 1816 755. 6 554 731 9 554 (S2. 2 .5;-)7 573. 4 .562 .547 5 512. 3 462 417 34 470.5 4^58 442.8 .553 394. 7 .508 352.7 508 61.5 a34.7 6a3 The rainfall from June 15 to September 15 on the 450 square miles lying within the area bounded by the locations of the stream meas- urements in Cache Valley was 3.58 inches, or an equivalent of 85,920 acre-feet of water. Assuming, for the present, that the amount of water evaporated from the surface of the irrigated area, together with that transpired \>y the leaves of cultivated plants, would aggre- gate a depth of 12 inches during the three months from June 15 to September 15, the loss due to evaporation over an irrigated area of 38,625 acres would equal 38,625 acre-feet. Again, if we assume that the water evaporated from the surface of the uncultivated portions of the valley was 4 inches during the same time, this loss over an area of 450 square miles, less 38,625 acres, or 249,375 acres, would equal 83,125 acre-feet. Comparing the losses due to evaporation with the gain from rainfall, the former is the greater by 35,830 acre-feet, which would maintain a stream of 200 second-feet for nearly three months. If we assume that the rainfall just balances the evaporation, tlien the gain due to seepage would be so given in the above table. In this case the amount evaporated from the surface of the uncultivated por- tion of the valle}" in three montlis would be less than 2^ inches, an amount apparently too small. 44 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. Irrigating duty of water in Cache Valley in 1896. [NO. 7. Month. 1896 June July August September .. .. Average . Duty of water in acres per sec. ft. 52 67 113 166 99.5 The figures given above include all the waste arising from absorp- tion, seepage, and evaporation in the conveyance of the water as well as all waste caused by imperfect methods of irrigating. Fig. 11.— Bear River at Collinston Utah. SEEPAGE \VATERS IN OGDEN VALLEY. This valley comprises the highest irrigated land in Weber County. It is separated from Great Salt Lake Valley by a narrow spur of the AVasatc^h JMountains and is watered by the South, INIiddle, and North forks of Ogden River and several small creeks. The three main trib- utaries meet near tlie lowei* part of the valley and form Ogden River, FORTIER.] LOGAN RIVER. 45 which traverses the mountain range througli a canyon over 5 miles long, having an average fall in that distance of 80 feet to the mile. The torrential character of the river in this portion is illustrated in fig. 12. All of the water flowing from the upper valley must pass through this narrow gorge. The irrigators of Ogden Valley supply annually 5,000 acres with water diverted from Ogden River and its tributaries, as shown by the small map, PI. III. This diversion is, however, illegal during times FiCx. ]2,— Narrows of Offden River. of scarcity, since all the summer flow belongs to prior appropriators whose canals are situated in the lower portions of the county, the relative location being shown on the left half of PI. III. Manj^ dis- putes have arisen between the irrigators of the two sections, and to prevent costly litigation, the writer sought to determine, if j^ossible, whether water could be diverted and applied to the land in the ui^per vallej" without lessening materially the su^^pl}^ to the legal owners below. 46 SEEPAGE WATER OF NORTHERN UTAH. [xo. The results of measurements made in 1894 are given in the follow- ing table : Ogden Valley inflow and outflow in 1894. Date. Inflow, in second-feet. Volume used in irri- gation. Outflow, in second-feet. Seepage waters and private springs. July 10 15 20 25 30 154.0 129.8 127.2 118.6 107.1 96.0 88.5 81.2 76.5 75.0 73.1 80.2 79.0 140.0 121.0 104.7 93.5 85.0 77.5 74.0 71.4 66.0 56.5 44.0 31.0 27.0 156.5 140.7 119.2 105. 4 106.8 99.7 106.8 100,5 106.8 110.4 113.0 121.2 119.2 142.5 131.9 96.7 80.3 84.7 81.2 92.3 90.7 96.3 91.9 83.9 72.0 67.2 Aug. 5 10 15 20 25 30 Sept. 5. 10 July. 10 175 % 150 125 August. 25 10 15 20 September 10 ^ ^■% ■^^ N, ^\, ^ ^^ ^^ ^ Outi oiv > ^'■^i (y^^~^~. ^ ^-- ^'^eo /'n /rr> ?'^''/a /nf/o V "-.^^ «= 100 g 75 ^ 50 Fig. 13.— Diagram illustrating inflow and outflow of Ogden Valley. A more detailed description of the measurements is to be found in a preliminary report on seepage water and the underflow of rivers/ published in 1895. The general facts are illustrated by the accompa- nying diagram, fig. 13, illustrating the inflow and outflow of Ogden 1 Utah Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 38, by Samuel Fortier, hydraulic engi" neer, February, 1895. ^ ^^. tt' s >^^i|i ^P :0 :0 ^^"^ y^A/y jdqdM % ^^^ 3= Z 7 Q Q Q lis <«^^^ii< ^^' ^jd/OA/ ^•^^^^ UJ UJ I I -J J Z) J T^' FORTIEK.] LOGAN RIVER. 47 Valley, and by the dotted line the amount used in irrigation. If no water returned by seepage or was added by percolation from tlie adja- cent mountain lands, the outflow would be represented by the vertical distance between the dotted line representing the amount used in irri- gation and the light line representing the inflow; but, as sliown by the heavy line, the actual outflow is far greater than tliis, being larger at times than the inflow upon the corresponding dates. ^ To be more certain that the ratio existing between the inflow and outflow of this valley was correctly determined in 1894, the writer sent Messrs. Rhead and Humphreys with a different current meter to make a similar test during 1896. The results obtained by them, given below, corroborate the records of 1894: Results of measurements in Ogden Valley in 1896. Date-1896. Inflow in second- feet. Volume used in ir- rigation . Outflow in second- feet. Seepage waters and private springs. Aug. 20 . - 91.6 86.0 78.7 70.0 62.8 55.3 50.4 106.5 99.2 89.4 79.2 70.2 60.7 51.6 101.1 99.5 97.4 95.0 93.0 90.0 89.1 116.0 112.7 108.1 104.2 100.4 95.4 90.7 25 30 Sept. 5 10 15 20.- --- Some of the Ogden Valley canals, such as the Eden Canal, obtain a portion of their discharge from seepage waters, and this accounts for the fact that the aggregate volume used in irrigation exceeds the inflow. > The public lands and their water supply, by F. H. Newell: Sixteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, Part II, 1895, p. 529. INDEX. Page. Baker, John S., aid given by 13 Bear River, water for irrigation supplied by... - 11 view of --- 44 Blacksmith Fork River, water for irriga- tion furnished by 28 description of 33 discharge of - 33 •irrigating canals diverting water from -- 33 maximum volume of water appropri- ated and utilized from 33 diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of 33 Boxelder County, area of irrigable land in 13 Cache County, investigation of seepage water in 11,12 aid furnished by board of county com- missioners of l3 approximate area irrigated in 1896 in. 28 population of -.- 28 principal towns and cities of 38 Cache Valley, investigation of seepage water in 11,13 priority of water rights in 13 object of hydrographic survey of 13 •description of 27-38 character of soil in 28-29 source of water supply for northern portion of 35 results of measurements of various canals and ditches in 39-40 sources of water supply in 41 irrigation duty of water in 44 diagram showing water supply of 41,42 gain from seepage water in. 42 water supply of 43 rainfall in 43 evaporation in 43 Canals, Logan, Hyde Park, and Smith- field 30 Logan and Richmond. 30,31-32 Providence... 30,31,32 Logan, Hyde Park, and Thatcher. 30,31,32 Nursery 30 Logan and Benson Ward 30,33 West Field or Little Ditch 30,33 average combined capacity of 32-33 Carpenter, L. G., evaporation measured by 20 Clover, amount of water absorbed by 26 Collinston, view of Bear River at 44 Page. Conley , J. D. , evaporation measured by . . 30 Corinne, diagram showing mean monthly rainfall at 15 average annual rainfall at 27 Crops, amount of water required per pound of , 26 Cub River, water for irrigation furnished by. 28 description of ;J5 irrigating canals diverting water from 35,36 Cub River and Middle Ditch Irrigation Company, canal of 35 Cub River and Work Creek Irrigation Company, water supplied to town of Preston by 35 Duty of water in Cache Valley 44 Evaporation, apparatus and methods for measurement of. 17-19 figure of pan and scales for measuring . 18 tables giving results of measurement of. 20-21 methods of checking 21 estimated depth of 21 from soil, sand, and water surfaces, amount of 33 summary of results, Dr. Wollny's work on 33-23 ratio between weight of crop har- vested and 36 relation between rainfall and 43 Fort Collins, table showing monthly evap- oration at 30 Fort Douglas, evaporation measurements at reservoir near 18 table giving results of measurements of evaporation at 30 Fullmer, C. D. W., cited 28 Greaves, Charles, cited 22 Heber, diagram showing mean monthly rainfall at 15 Hellriegel, cited 26 High Creek, description of 37 irrigating canals diverting water from .37 Humphreys, Thomas H. , aid given by 12 cited 47 Hyrum, character of soil in vicinity of . . . 28 Idaho, investigations of seepage water in . 11 King, F.H., cited 26,27 Laramie, Wyoming, evaporation meas- urements at 20 49 50 INDEX. Page. Little Bear River, water for irrigation furnished hy _ 28 description of.- 33-34 diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of South Fork of-- - ---- 34 diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of East Fork of 34 irrigating canals diverting water from .- -- 35 Little Ditch (West BMeld Canal), area irri- gated by - 33 Logan, diagram showing mean monthly rainfall at-.- 15 table of rainfall at 17 water supply of 30 Logan River, rainfall in basin of 14-15 flow of .- -. 15 water for irrigation furnished by 28 description of- 29 diagram showing appropriated and unappropriated waters of - 29 establishment of gaging station on. _ - 29 irrigating canals diverting water from .- 30 Logan and Benson Ward Canal, area irri- gated by --_ - -. 32 Logan and Richmond Irrigating Com- pany's canal, area irrigated by 31-32 Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfleld Canal, area irrigated by .- -- 30-31 Logan, Hyde Park, and Thatcher Canal, area irrigated by- -. 32 Millville, character of soil in vicinity of. - 28 Moisture, effects of excess and deficiency of- - - 25 Mulching, evaporation from soil surface checked by. -... 22 New Canyon Creek, water for irrigation furnished by _ 28 Newell, F. H., letter of transmittal by--- 9 Ogden, diagram showing mean monthly rainfall at 15 Ogden River, description of 45 view of narrows of 45 diversion of water from --. 45 Ogden Valley, seepage waters in -.- 44-47 description of..- 44-45 inflow and outflow of water in 1894. - - 46 diagram illustrating inflow and out- flow of-- - 40 results of measurement in 47 Oneida County, Idaho, investigation of seepage water in -- 11,12 Paradise, character of soil in vicinity of. 28 Page. Preston, distribution of irrigating water to- 35 Providence Canal, area irrigated by 32 Provo, evaporation measurements at 20 Rainfall, diagrams showing monthly and annual means for stations in Utah. . 15 tables of monthly and annual means. 16-17 at Logan, table showing 17 relation between evaporation and 43 Rhead, J. L., aid given by 12 cited 1 47 Richmond City Canal, lands watered by_ 37 Richmond Irrigation Canal, lands watered by .- 37 Russell, T., evaporation observed by 20-21 Salt Lake, diagram showing mean monthly rainfall at 15 Seepage water, definition of term 11 method of investigating--- 12-13 origin of 13-15 in Ogden valley 44r-47 Smithfield, irrigation of town lots of and farm lands near - 38 Soil, water-holding capacity of - . - 25 Stream measurements, results of 41 Subirrigation, value of - 24-25 Summit Creek, irrigating canals divert- ing water from. 38 Transpiration through foliage of plants, magnitude of.. - -. 26 Utah, diagrams showing mean monthly rainfall in 15 estimated annual evaporation from water surfaces in _ 21 Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, aid furnished by - - 12 Vegetation, injurious effects of excess or deficiency of moisture on - - 25 Water, source of supply of, for irriga- tion-. -- 11 method of investigating seepage of - . 12-15 proper application of-- 24 capacity of soil for holding 25 injurious effects of excess or defi- ciency of 25 amount required per pound of dry matter 26 ratio of weight of crop harvested to. _ 26 Wellsville, first permanent settlement in Cache Valley at-.- 28 value of seepage waters at 35 West Field Canal (Little Ditch), area irri- gated by -- 32 Western Creek, water for irrigation fur- nished by 28 Wollny, E., cited 22,25,26 1895. Sixteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1894r-95, Part II, Papers of an economic character, 189."), octavo, 598 yg. Contains a paper on the public lands and their water supply, by F. H. Nowell, illustrated by a large map showing the relative extent and location ot the vacant ])ublic lauds; also a report on the water resources of a portion of the Great Plains, by Robert Ha A geological reconnoissance of northwestern Wyoming, by George H. Eldridge, 1894, octavo, 72 pp. Bulletin No. 119 of the United States Geological Survey; price, 10 cents. Contains a description of the geologic structure of portions of the Big Horn Range and Big Horn Basin, especially with reference to the coal fields, and remarks upon the wat',ir supply and agricultural possibilities. Report of progress of the division of hydrography for the calendar year 1893-94, by F. H. Newell, 1895, octavo, 176 pp. Bulletin No. 131 of the United States Geological Survey; price, 15 cents. Contains results of stream measurementsat various points, mainly within the arid region, and records of wells in a number of counties in western Nebraska, western Kansas, and eastern Colorado. 1896. Seventeenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1895-96, Part II, Economic geology and hydrography, 1896, octavo, 804 pp. . Contains papers by G. K. Gilbert on the underground water of the Arkansas Valley in eastern Colorado; by Frank Leverett on the water resources of Illinois; and by N. H. Dar- ton on a reconnoissance of the artesian areas of a portion of the Dakotas. Artesian-well prospects in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region, by N. H. Darton, 1896, octavo, 230 pp.. 19 plates. Bulletin No. 138 of the United States Geolog- ical Survey; price, 20 cents. Gives a description of the geologic conditions of the coastal region from Long Island, N. Y., to Georgia, and contains data relating to many of the deep wells. Report of nrogress of the division of hydrography for the calendar year 1895, by F. H. Newell, hydrographer in charge, 1896, octavo, 356 pp. Bulletin No. 140 of the United States Geological Survey; price, 25 cents. Contains a description of the instruments and methods employed in measuring streams and the results of hydrographic investigations in various parts of the United States. i89r. Eighteenth Annual Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1896-97, Part IV, Hydrography, 1897, octavo, — pp. (In preparation.) Contains a progress report of stream measurements for the year 1896, by Arthur P. Davis, and four other papers relating to hydrogi'aphy. The first of these is by Frank Leverett. and relates to the water resources of Ohio and "Indiana, especially as obtained by wells; the next is by N. H. Darton, on the arte.sian waters of Soiith Dakota, being supplementary to his paper in the Seventeenth Annual; following this is a fully illustrated paper, by James D. Schuyler, on water storage, mainly for irrigation and the construction of dams; the la-^t paper, by Robert T. Hill, describes the artesian conditions of a portion of Texas in the vicinity of San Antonio. Water Supply and Irrigation Papers. This series of papers is designed to present in pamphlet form the results of stream mea-^- urements and of special investigations. A list of these, with other information, is given on the outside (or fourth) page of this cover. Survey bulletins can be obtained only by prepayment of cost as noted above. Postage stamps, checks, and drafts can not be accepted. Money should be trans- mitted by postal money order or express order, made payable to the Director of the United States Geological Survey. Correspondence relating to the publications of the Survey should be addressed to The Director, United States Geological Survey, Washington, D. C. ^ WATER-SUPPIiY AXD IRRIGATIOlSr PAPERS. 1. Pumping water for irrigation, by Herbert M. Wilson, 1896. 2. Irrigation near Phoenix, Arizona, by Arthur P. Davis, 1897. 3. Sewage irrigation, by George W. Rafter, 1897. 4. A reconnoissance in southeastern Washington, by Israel C. Russell, 1897. 5. Irrigation practice on the Great Plains, by E. B. Cowgill, 1897. 6. Underground waters of southwestern Kansas, by, Erasmus Haworth, 1897. 7. Seepage waters of northern Utah, by Samuel Fortier. 8. Windmills for irrigation, by E. C. Murphy. 9. Irrigation near Greeley, Colorado, by David Boyd. 10. Irrigation in Mesilla Valley, New Mexico, by F. C. Barker. 11. River heights for 1893, by Arthur P. Davis. 12. Water resources of southeastern Nebraska, by Nelson Horatio Darton. In addition to the above, there are in various stages of preparation other papers relating to the measurement of streams, the storage of water, the amount available from underground sources, the efficiency of windmills, the cost of pumping, and other details relating to the methods of utilizing the water resources of the coun- try. Provision has been made for printing these by the following clause in the sundry civil act making appropriations for the year 1896-97: Provided, That hereafter the reports of the Geological Survey in relation to the gauging of streams and to the methods of utilizing the water resources may be printed in octavo form, not to exceed 100 pages in length and 5,000 copies in num- ber; 1,000 copies of which shall be for the official use of the Geological Survej', 1,500 copies shall be delivered to the Senate, and 2,500 copies shall be delivered to the House of Representatives, for distribution. (Approved, June 11, 1896; Stat. L., vol. 29, p. 453.) The maximum number of copies available for the use of the Geological Survey is 1,000. This quantity falls far short of the demand, so that it is impossible to supply all requests. Attempts are made to send these pamphlets to persons who have rendered assistance in their preparation through replies to schedules or dona- tion of data. Requests specifying a certain paper and stating a reason for asking for it are attended to whenever practicable, but it is impossible to comply with general demands, such as to have all of the series sent indiscriminately. Application for these papers should be made either to Members of Congress or to The Director, United States Geological Survey, Washington, D. C. G. p. 0., Apr., '05.