Altitude from 4,500 to 5,000 feet above the sea. Area of the miles or 3,264,000 acres. One-half undulating; good grazing. good farming. One-quarter high mountain; much snow. Yield per acre.-Wheat, 45 bushels, $27; Oats, 55 bushels, $17; acres.. 82, 000 .do.. 656, 400 ..miles.. 298 299 connty, 5,100 square One-quarter level; barley, 45 bushels, $15; Corn, 35 bushels, $13; potatoes, 250 bushels, $65; alfalfa, 6 tons, $36; timothy, 2 tons, $20. Fruits abundant and very fine. Salmon River Valley (average altitude 4,200 feet) has nearly 1,000,000 acres now desert. The land is very superior. CUSTER COUNTY. REPORT BY L. H. JOHNSTON. I am unable to give a correct description of the land in Custer County, Idaho, that could be made profitable for farming by having water conveyed upon it. The information I have obtained has been given me by the settlers of the different valleys. Pahsamaroi has the most agricultural land of any of the valleys, and is the best was tered of any by natural streams; but many of the streams emptying into this valley sink in a short distance after leaving the mountains, creating small sections of choice farming land where the streams sink; but there is a large part of the bench land which it is impossible to cultivate, unless the water is diverted from the present channels. Where the streams leave the mountains the cañons are narrow and steep, so that reservoirs at the mouth of the cañons would hold but small quantities of water. Lost River Valley, in the southern part of Custer County, is similar in its character to Pahsamaroi Valley, excepting that in ordinary seasons Lost River sinks in places and rises again lower down the valley. Antelope Valley has no stream of any size at the head of the valley. Salmon River passes through Round Valley, and carries sufficient water for irrigating all the land in the valley, even at the lowest of stage of water; but portions of the bench land lie so high that the taking out of the water costs more than individuals are able to expend. There are no sites where I could recommend the building of reservoirs, but I think some 10,000 acres of land could be reclaimed in Lost River Valley by the digging of a canal and diverting the water from the present channel, thus carrying it along the bench higher up the valley, and about the same quantity of land might be reclaimed in Pahsamaroi Valley, about 5,000 acres also in Round Valley. There is no county surveyor in Custer County, and I could not give any estimate as to what these canals would cost, but I am informed that a great portion of the work, in both Lost River and Pahsamaroi Valleys, could be done with plow and SIR: In answer to your circular of June 8 referring to irrigation and water supply, I would respectfully submit the following: Nearly all of Elmore County situated north of the "base line" is mountainous, the people devoted to mining pursuits, and the area adapted to agriculture limited. I have personally examined the country along the Big Smoky and South Boisé Rivers to the junction with the main Boisé, and find along said streams bottom and low bench land, the soil of which is well adapted to the growing of all agricultural products common to this altitude in Idaho. Twenty thousand acres can be irrigated from these streams at an estimated cost of $10,000. No practicable site for any storage reservoir was found, and the water supply is sufficient for all the land that can well be covered by canals or ditches from these streams. Could Government aid be obtained for constructing the main canal the expense connected with all lateral ditches could easily be borne by settlers. These lands would then become very valuable, as their close proximity to the mines insures a good and permanent market. I had intended making a report upon the lands adjacent to and bordering on Snake River, but I have been informed that E. C. Helfrich, esq., of Mountain Home, VOLUME, WIDTH, AND CAPACITY OF THE SNAKE RIVER. 345 has already made a report upon the same, and he being familiar with that section of the country (while I am not) would doubtless best understand its wants and require DEAR SIR: Your circular of June 15 received. I have conversed with many of our citizens in this county on the irrigation topic, and only one suggestion is made or offered, namely: The Great Snake River must be taken out from the eastern part of the Territory if the lands of southern Idaho are ever cultivated. The South Boisé River passes through part of Elmore County, but does very little benefit. The lands that are irrigated therefrom are located high in altitude, and only hay and a few vegetables can be raised, and to bring this river to cover the lands in this vicinity would cost an enormous amount of money. The area of land tributary to Snake River in this county is 450 square miles, and there are fully 210,000 acres of good farming land. To give you an idea of the Snake River in the very lowest, it is 550 feet wide and 30 feet deep on an average, and has a good steady fall; and at the same time when the water is the highest is the very time when the irrigation would be wanted, providing a canal were made and water thus taken from the river. As it now remains no one has any value from this stream, as its banks are high above the water. The land and climate of Snake River Valley can not be excelled anywhere. They will produce anything that can be raised in this country if water is brought thereon. Five years ago Mr. Frank Ake located on a one-fourth section 3 miles from here in the very heart of the sage brush. He cleared it off, set out fruit trees and berry and grape vines, as well as alfalfa. Being located near a creek he made a ditch and covered the spot with water, and to-day that ranch is a model place. The trees are loaded with fruit and his vines with grapes; but the creek is now dry, the first time that we can remember or can hear of. Other nice homes are near by, but are unable to have water, and this year being one of drouth makes it hard on all the persons who are not favored, and there are very, very few who can say they are amply supplied with water. Take the ranch of Charles Howetth, 18 miles from here; he has living springs on his place, and on 50 acres he cuts alfalfa four times a year and 2 tons at each cutting to each acre. This is the effect of plenty of water; and all our land is in the same condition if water could be had thereon. Also refer you to Frank R. Coe's ranch, where springs abound and there is hay in abundance. We have numerous ranches within a radius of 20 miles, but they depend upon the creeks that come from the mountains, and as no water came this spring all are suffering; not even a reservoir could be filled this past spring, so that all of our people look forward only to the great relief, and that is a canal from Snake River, where water never fails. Storage reservoirs will be uncertain, judging from the past winter, as far as Snake River Valley is interested and depending on them is concerned. We have no ditches or canals in this county, for we could not secure water from Snake River except by building 250 miles of canal, and that we are not able to do. This statement also applies to South Boisé River, where we would be obliged to tunnel through the mountain, although the river is not over 30 miles from us, with ample fall to cover miles of this valley. This connty is completely on the desert and our only hopes for the future are in the Government aiding us, for certainly the money is not here to do the work that is required; but the land is here to pay for it as soon as a canal is completed, even if theprice is made at $10 per acre with water. I remain, yours respectfully, JOSEPH C. STRAUGHAN, United States Surveyor-General for Idaho. E. C. HELFRICH. SUMMARY OF ELMER COUNTY REPORTS. [Compiled from reports of Elmer C. Towns, United States deputy miners! surveyor, and Hon. E. C. Helfrich.} In this county, about 12 miles southwest from Rocky Bar, there is found locations for five reservoirs, with a gross capacity of nearly 1,000,000,000 cubic feet of water. These reservoirs are tributary only to the South Fork of Boisé River and can not serve to irrigate any of the irrigable lands of this county. But they would abundantly re-enforce Boisé River and render it absolutely sufficient to irrigate the 900,000 acres in Ada County, if the plan should be found cheaper than by the extension of the great Snake River Canal. To Mr. A. D. Foote we are indebted for the discovery of these reservoir sites, and for the survey sufficient for an accurate estimate of their capacity and cost. Boisé River will some day be called upon not only to irrigate its half million acres of land, but also to wash out every extensive placer grounds near its mouth on Snake River. For this reason the following is extracted from Mr. Foote's report, viz: Discharge of Boisé River at Foot's Cañon; averaged for five years. January, 1,200, varying to 1,500, cubic feet per second. At the points selected for the reservoirs I found the peculiarities of a form er lava flow have rendered the contruction of enormous reservoirs a matter of trifling expense, compared with the cost usual for such structures elsewhere. The lava is in the form of immense dikes across the valleys, in some places resembling the work of man, through which the creeks have broken narrow channel-ways. It is only necessary to fill up these channels with earth, which is abundant and near at hand, thus raising the water until it shall flow over the lava walls for its indestructible waste-weirs. Table showing estimated capacity, cost, and value of reservoirs located on the upper waters of Boisé River. GRANGEVILLE, IDAHO, June 17, 1889. My DEAR GOVERNOR: Referring to yours of June 8, conferring appointment upon me to gather information relative to irrigation, etc., I beg to say that our area of agricultural land is so limited and so situated that irrigation in Idaho County is not BIG WOOD RIVER AND ITS VALUE FOR AGRICULTURE. 347 a factor in our wealth, present or prospective. Our principal agricultural settlement, Camas Prairie, is situated on the summit of the low divide between Clearwater and Salmon Rivers, and as these streams run through great cañons, at least 2,000 feet below us, you will readily perceive the impracticability of bringing water thereon. Moreover the rain-fall here is usually sufficient for all agricultural purposes. Salmon River seems to be the dividing line between the arid and moist belts of Idaho. The subject of irrigation is altogether out of our jurisdiction in Idaho County, but if I can be of use, please command me. Very truly, yours, A. F. PARKER. REPORT BY E. C. SPEDDEN. GRANGEVILLE, IDAHO, July 14, 1889. DEAR SIR: Your circular letter to United States deputy mineral and county surveyors was received on the 4th instant. After making considerable inquiry concerning the land which is adaptable to irrigation in this county, I have concluded there is none worth reporting to the Senate committee. STANTON, LOGAN COUNTY, IDAHO, August 4, 1889. DEAR SIR: By request of Governor George L. Shoup I herewith send you answers propounded in your circular of June 15, 1889, in reference to irrigation of arid lands, etc., in the northern and northeastern portions of Logan County. I regret very much that my time has mostly been taken up attending to other matters, and have not, therefore, been able to give this subject the thorough examination its importance demands. I have made some personal examination and inquiry on Camas Prairie, on Big and Little Wood Rivers, and on Silver Creek. This being an unusually dry season, on account of very little snow or rain having fallen either in the valleys or mountains near here for the past eighteen months, I find most of the streams that usually afford a generous supply of water for irrigating purposes are dry, and have been for several weeks past. The only stream that appears to have kept up its usual amount of running water is Silver Creek, which is fed entirely from springs breaking out in numerous places in the valley south of Bellevue and between the two Wood Rivers. Silver Creek empties into Little Wood River; in fact it furnishes most all the water of Little Wood River below its junction in the dry season of each year. About the 1st of July I went, in company with Mr. L. D. Hopson, of the U. S. Geological Survey, to a point on Silver Creek below where all its tributaries come together, and there Mr. Hopson measured the flow of water and found it to be 176 cubic feet per second, or about 8,468 miner's inches. I was at the same place again yesterday and could discover no change in the quantity of water. From the point of measurement to its junction with Little Wood River is about 8 miles, and but little of the water from this point down is used, it mostly going into Wood River, and the greater portion of it is lost in the lava before it reaches the agricultural lands further down the river. This, I think, might be remedied by proper work being done on the bottom of the channel where it crosses the lava, by filling all cracks and leaks. Big Wood River has only furnished a very limited supply of water this season south of Bellevue, where it is mostly needed. The bed of this stream is washed out in holes in many places, where there appears to be nothing but bowlders and coarse sand, and the water runs through and is lost. I think the bed of this stream could be improved so as to save the water from loss, all of which is very much needed. At this time there are several thousand inches of running water in this stream at and above Bellevue; but a few miles south, where water is needed most, it is entirely dry, and has been for a month. |