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Report on the lands of the arid region of the United States, with a more detailed account of the lands of Utah

INDEX.

Reading edition

Abbott, Mr., 62

Abies amabilis, 102

Canadensis, 100

concolor, 101

Douglasii, 100

Engelmanni, 101

grandis, 102

Menziesii, 101

subalpina, 101

Acer grandidentata, 103

Agricultural and timber industries differentiated, 18

resources of the Bear River drainage basin, 119

Jordan River drainage basin, 124

Weber River drainage basin, 121

Agriculture, Amount of precipitation necessary for, 2, 3

Influence of temperature upon, 2

in the Arid Region dependent upon irrigation, 40

in Utah dependent upon irrigation, 6

exceptions thereto, 6

limited by several conditions, 7

Utilization of the small streams in, 7

without irrigation, 3, 6, 50

Aira cœspitosa, 109

Alabama, Land-grants to, 179

Alkaline salts, 145

Amount of land a unit of water will supply, 7

Antelope Island, 63, 64

bar, 63, 67

Areal distribution of rainfall, 82

Area of irrigable land sometimes not limited by water supply, 85

Areas of standing timber, 15

to which larger streams can be taken, 7

which smaller streams can serve, 7

Arid Region, Boundaries of the, 1, 3

Extent of the, 5

Increase in water supply in the, 89, 91

Land system needed for the, 25

Mining industries of the, 88

Physical characteristics of the, 1

Precipitation of the, 48

Rainfall of the, 5

Arizona and New Mexico, Seasonal precipitation in, 56

Arkansas, Land grants to, 174, 179

Artemisia, 110

Ashley Fork, Irrigable lands of, 161

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fé Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 178

Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 179

Atlantic coast, Flow of the rivers of the, 76

Rainfall on the, 69

Barfoot, Mr. J. L., 59

Barton, Mr., 113

Basin, Colorado. (See Colorado Basin.)

Great Salt Lake. (See Great Salt Lake District.)

Range System, 94

Sevier Lake. (See Sevier Lake District.)

Uinta-White. (See Uinta-White Basin.)

Bear River, 117

City, 78

drainage basin, Agricultural resources of the, 119

Area of the, 119

Mean flow of the, 72

Beaver dams, Effect of cutting, 74

Betula occidentalis, 103

Bill to authorize the organization of irrigation districts, 30

pasturage districts, 33

Black Rock bench, 61

pillar, 59, 60

Bonneville Lake, 96

Book Cliffs, Orographic structure of the, 98

Bouteloua oligostachya, 108

Bromus, 109

Brown Cliffs, 98

Brown’s Park, Irrigable lands of, 162

Burlington and Missouri Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 178

Canals, Land grants in aid of, 166

Cañon Lands, Amount of irrigable land in the, 106

Coal lands of the, 106

Description of the, 105

of Utah, 94

Carex Jamesii, 109

Carrington Island, 62

Castle Valley, 105

Central Pacific Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 177

Cercocarpus parvifolius, 110

Celtis occidentalis, 103

Circle Valley, Amount of irrigable land in the, 137

Climate of the Colorado Basin, 151

Coal lands, 45

Disposal of the, 44

of the Cañon Lands, 106

of the Rocky Mountain Region, 19

Colony system, 28

Colorado Basin, Climate of the, 151

Elevation of the, 151

Irrigable lands of the, 150

Mean annual precipitation in the, 79

Orographic structure of the, 95

Source of the water supply of the, 152

Table of irrigable lands of the, 164

drainage area, 94

River, Principal tributaries of the, in Utah, 150

Conditions affecting the distribution of rainfall, 90

Coöperative labor necessary to the development of irrigation, 11

Critical period, 85, 138, 154

season, 116

Dakota, Precipitation of, 51

Denver Pacific Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 179

Desert drainage area, 94

Orographic structure of the, 95

Des Moines River, Land grant in aid of the improvement of the, 171

Distribution of rain throughout the year, 50

District, Great Salt Lake. (See Great Salt Lake District.)

Sevier Lake. (See Sevier Lake District.)

Division lines of pasturage farms, 22, 28, 37

of land by settlers, 38

Drainage area, Colorado, 94

Desert, 94

Modification of the conditions of, 73

of the Tavaputs Plateau, 96

Uinta Mountains, 96

Wasatch Mountains, 96

Utah, 94

Drummond, Willis, jr., on land grants in aid of internal improvements, 164

Dry farming, 50, 78

Duchesne River, Volume of flow of the, 160

Dutton, Capt. C. E., cited, 110

on the irrigable land of the Sevier Basin, 128

East Florida Railroad Company, Land grant to the, 169

Egg Island, 67

Engelmann, Mr., 102

Erocoma cuspidata, 108

Escalante River, Irrigable lands of the, 156

Volume of flow of the, 156

Eurotia lanata, 110

Evaporation by spreading of water, 74

Farmington pillar, 61

Farming without irrigation, 77

Farm residences, Grouping of, 22

unit for pasturage lands, 21, 28

Fencing of pasturage lands, 23

Fires in the timber region, 15, 99

Cause of, 17, 99

Protection from, 18, 99

Flood-plain lands, 88

Forests, Amount of rainfall necessary to the growth of, 15

Fox, Mr. Jesse W., 61, 113

Fraxinus anomala, 103

coriacea, 103

Fremont Island, 62, 67

River, Irrigable lands of the, 157

Tributaries of the, 157

Volume of flow of the, 157, 158

Gilbert, G. K., cited, 84, 110

on irrigable land of the Salt Lake drainage system, 113

on water supply, 57

Government right to use of subsidized railroads, 181

Grand River, Irrigable lands of the, 163

Volume of flow of the, 163

Grasses of the pasturage lands, 19

Utah, 107

Great Salt Lake, Accumulation of the water in, 58

Area of, 66, 73

Basin (See Great Salt Lake District)

Causes of abnormal change of, 67

Desert, 66

Diagram showing rise and fall of, 64

District, 94

Amount of irrigable land in the, 107

Change in the climate of the, 68, 70

Description of the, 107

Irrigable lands of the, 113

Fluctuations in the rainfall of the, 70

Irrigation by large streams in the, 117

small streams in the, 126

Evaporation of the water of, 58, 72

History of the past changes of, 62

Increase and decrease of the size of, 58

Islands of, 62

Limited oscillation of, 59

Limit of wave action of, 65

Record of height of, 60

Rise and fall of, 59

Storm lines of, 65

Streams flowing into, 72

Green River, Irrigable lands of the, 162

Volume of flow of the, 162

Gunnison, Captain, 98

Valley, 105

Irrigable lands of the, 163

Hayden, Dr. F. V., 71

Henry Mountains, 105

Prof. Joseph, 46, 59, 62, 79

Henrys Fork, Irrigable lands of, 161

Illinois, Land grants to, 168, 172

Increase in water supply in the Arid Region, 57, 89, 91

of rainfall, 69, 91

Indiana, Land grants to, 166, 167

Internal improvements, Land grants in aid of, 165

Iowa, Land grants to, 169, 179

Irrigable and pasturage lands of Utah, 104

areas, Increase of, by storage of water, 12, 13

land, Area of, sometimes not limited by water supply, 85, 86

Extent of, increased by the use of springs, 9

in Utah, Amount of, 9

lands, 23

Amount of water required for, 84

Disposal of, 27

highly productive, 10

Important questions relating to, 81

Increase in the extent of the, 57

in Utah Territory, Table of, 111

of Southwestern Utah, 148

of the Colorado Basin, 150

Table of, 164

Great Salt Lake District, 113

Sevier Lake District, 134

valley of the Sevier River, 128

Irrigable lands of the, Virgin River, 153

of Utah, Distribution of the, 9

Selection of, 87

Situation of the, 6

Irrigating canals, Cost of, 125

methods, Improvement in, 8

season, 85

Irrigation, Advantages of, 10

Amount of water needed for, 114

used in, 141

companies, 40

Coöperative labor necessary to the development of, 11

Direct influence of, upon the inflow of Great Salt Lake, 75

Indirect influence of, upon the inflow of Great Salt Lake, 76

of pasturage farms, 21

Quantitative value of water used in, 81

Unit of water used in, 81

Isohyetal line of twenty inches, 2

Jordan River, 121

drainage basin, Agricultural resources of the, 124

Area of the, 125

Mean flow of the, 72

Juncus Balticus, 109

Juniperus Californicus, 103

Virginiana, 103

Kanab Creek, Irrigable lands of, 154

Ponding of, 154

Kansas, Land grants to, 178, 179

Pacific Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 177

Kimball, Mr. Heber P., 61

King, Mr. Clarence, 66

Lake Bonneville, 96

Utah, Function of, as a reservoir, 123

Land grants in aid of internal improvements, 165

Lands, Classification of, 43

Irrigable. (See Irrigable Lands.)

of Utah, 93

and Idaho fertilized by water, 75

Physical features of the, 93

Pasturage. (See Pasturage Lands.)

Land system needed for the Arid Region, 25

Leavenworth, Lawrence and Galveston Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 178

Lower Columbia Region, 1

Precipitation of the, 49

Marshes, Drainage of, 74

Evaporation from, 74

Martineau, Mr. J. H., 113

Mean temperature by seasons for the San Francisco Region, 54

Method of determining the supply of water, 85, 86

Michigan, Land grants to, 179

Miller, Mr. Jacob, 61, 62

Mineral lands, 44

Disposal of, 44

not suited to agriculture, 44

Minnie Maud Creek, Irrigable lands of, 160

Volume of flow of, 160

Minnesota and Northwestern Railroad Company, 176

Land grants to the, 174, 179

Mississippi Valley, Flow of the rivers of the, 76

Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 178

Land grants to, 179

Mitchell, Mr. John T., 59

Monopoly of pasturage farms, 22

Mountains, Henry, 105

Uinta. (See Uinta Mountains.)

Wasatch. (See Wasatch Mountains.)

Negundo aceroides, 103

Nevada, Mean annual precipitation in, 79

New Mexico and Arizona, Seasonal precipitation in, 56

New Orleans and Nashville Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 168

New York, Rainfall of the State of, 70

Ogden River, Measured volume of the, 120

Ohio, Land grants to, 166, 167

Ohio Valley, Rainfall of the, 70

Orographic structure of the Book Cliffs, 98

Colorado drainage area, 95

Desert drainage area, 95

Uinta Mountains, 97

Wasatch Mountains, 96

Pacific coast, Seasonal precipitation and temperature of the, 55

Panguitch Valley, Amount of irrigable land in, 136

Paria River, Irrigable lands of the, 155

Volume of flow of the, 155

Park, Dr. John R., 59

Pasturage farms, Division lines of, 22, 28, 37

Irrigation of, 21

need small tracts of irrigable land, 21, 28

lands, 19, 24, 104

Pasturage lands, Boundaries of, 19

Disposal of, 28

Extent of, 19

Farm unit for, 21, 28

Fencing of, 23

Grasses of the, 19

Monopoly of the, 22

partially supplied by scattered springs, 21

Situation of the, 6

Phragmites communis, 109

Pinus aristata, 100

edulis, 100

flexilis, 100

monticola, 100

ponderosa, 100

Pioneers, Enterprise and industries of, 41

Plateaus, The High, 94

Plateau, Tavaputs, 93

Yampa, 105

Poas, 108

Ponding, 12, 13

Ponds, Evaporation of the water of, 73

Populus angustifolia, 102

monilifera, 102

tremuloides, 102

Precipitation in the Region of the Plains, 52

Mean annual, in Colorado, 79

Nevada, 79

Utah, 79

Wyoming, 79

north of the Columbia River, 1

of Dakota, 51

Texas, 50

the Arid Region, 48

Region of the Lower Columbia, 49

San Francisco Region, 49

Sub-humid Region, 47

Precipitation, Seasonal, of the Pacific Coast, 55

Price River, Irrigable lands of the, 159

Volume of flow of the, 159

Provo River, 121

Public lands, How to acquire title to, 25

Quercus undulata, 103

Railroads, Land grants in aid of, 165, 168, 172

Rainfall, Areal distribution of, 82

Conditions affecting the distribution of, 90

Rainfall, Distribution of, throughout the year, 50

Increase of, 91

of the Arid Region, 5, 48

belt between Great Salt Lake and Wasatch Mountains, 6, 79

Sub-humid Region, 4, 47

of the western portion of the United States, 46

Rain gauge records, 1, 3, 91, 131

Deficiency of, 1

“Rainy seasons”, 25, 50

Ranges, Basin, 94

Records, Rain gauge, 1, 3, 91, 131

Region of the Lower Columbia. (See Lower Columbia Region.)

of the Plains, Seasonal precipitation in the, 52

San Francisco. (See San Francisco Region.)

Sub-humid. (See Sub-humid Region.)

Renshawe, Mr. J. H., 113, 153

Reservoirs, 12, 13, 85, 144

River, Bear. (See Bear River.)

Colorado. (See Colorado River.)

Duchesne. (See Duchesne River.)

Escalante. (See Escalante River.)

Fremont. (See Fremont River.)

Grand. (See Grand River.)

Green. (See Green River.)

Gunnison. (See Gunnison River.)

Jordan. (See Jordan River.)

Ogden. (See Ogden River.)

Paria. (See Paria River.)

Price. (See Price River.)

Provo. (See Provo River.)

San Rafael. (See San Rafael River.)

Sevier. (See Sevier River.)

Uinta. (See Uinta River.)

Virgin. (See Virgin River.)

Weber. (See Weber River.)

White. (See White River.)

Rivers, Land grants in aid of improvement of, 169

Rockwood, Hon. A. P., 113

San Francisco Region, Mean temperature, by seasons, of the, 54

Precipitation of the, 49

Rainy season of the, 54

Seasonal precipitation in the, 53

San Pete Valley, Amount of irrigable land in the, 138

Flow of the streams of the, 138

San Rafael River, Irrigable lands of the, 158, 159

Tributaries of the, 158

San Rafael River, Volume of flow of the, 159

Schott, Mr. Charles A., 46, 69

Seasonal precipitation and temperatures on the Pacific coast, 55

in Arizona and New Mexico, 56

Seasonal precipitation in the Region of the Plains, 52

San Francisco Region, 53

Selection of irrigable lands, 87

Sevier Lake Basin, 94

District, 94

Altitudes in the, 133

Amount of irrigable land in the, 106, 143

Climate of the, 131

Description of the, 106

Irrigable lands of the, 134

Physical characteristics of the, 130

Rainfall of the, 131

Rain gauge records of the, 131

River, Course of the, 129

Volume of flow of the, 139, 140

Irrigable lands of the valley of the, 128

Valley of the, 129

Sierra La Sal, 105

Sioux City and Pacific Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 177

Smithsonian Tables of Precipitation, 46, 69

Soil and subsoil, Complicating conditions of, 83

Conditions of, 82

Soils, 145

Southern Pacific Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 179

Springs, Opening out of, 74

Use of, in irrigation, 9

Stansbury, Captain Howard, 64, 65, 66

Island, 67

bar, 64, 67

Streams, Descent of, 88

flowing into Great Salt Lake, 72

Flow of, at different periods, 13

Increase in the volume of, 57

Measurement of, 86, 115

of San Pete Valley, Volume of flow of the, 140

of Utah, Fluctuations of the, 115

Practical capacity of, 85

small, Employment of, in irrigation, 7, 11, 12

Strong’s Knob, 67

Sub-humid Region, Boundaries of the, 3

destitute of forests, 4

Mean precipitation of the, 47

Rainfall of the, 4

Supply of water, Method of determining the, 85, 86

Table I. Precipitation of the Sub-humid Region, 47

II. Arid Region, 48

III. San Francisco Region, 49

IV. Region of the Lower Columbia, 49

V. Texas, 50

VI. Dakota, 51

VII. Season of precipitation in the Region of the Plains, 52

VIII. San Francisco Region, 53

IX. Mean temperature, by seasons, for the San Francisco Region, 54

X. Seasonable precipitation and temperatures on the Pacific coast, 55

XI. in Arizona and New Mexico, 56

of irrigable lands in Utah, 111

of southwestern Utah, 149

of the Colorado Basin, 164

Sevier Lake District, 144

of mean annual precipitation in Colorado, 79

Nevada, 79

Utah, 79

Wyoming, 79

Tavaputs Plateau, 93

Drainage of the, 96

Temperature dependent upon altitude and latitude, 2

Temperatures, Seasonal, on the Pacific Coast, 55

Texas and Pacific Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 179

Precipitation of, 50

The High Plateaus, 94

Thomas, Prof. Cyrus, 71

Thompson, Prof. A. H., cited, 86, 110

on the irrigable land of the Colorado Basin, 150

Timber, 98

Areas of standing, 15, 17

Cultivation of, 19

Destruction of, by fire, 15

growth dependent upon climatic conditions, 14

lands, 14, 23

Boundaries of the, 14

Disposal of the, 27

Situation of the, 6, 14

regions, 15

Extent of the, 16

Fires in the, 15, 17, 18, 99

Titles to public lands, 25

Uinta Mountains, 93

Drainage of the, 96

Orographic structure of the, 97

Uinta River, Irrigable lands of the, 160

Tributaries of the, 160

Volume of flow of the, 160, 161

White Basin, 93

Amount of irrigable lands in the, 105

Description of the, 104

Physical features of the, 160

Union Pacific Railroad Company, Land grants to the, 177

Unit of water supply, 8, 84, 115, 141

Method of determining the, 8

used in irrigation, 81

Utah, Amount of cultivated land in, 84

Church government in, 89, 128

Drainage of, 94

Forest trees of, 100

Grasses of, 107

Irrigable and pasturage lands of, 104

Lake, 123

Lands of, 93

Mean annual precipitation in, 79

Pasturage lands of, 104

Prevailing winds of, 68

Table of irrigable lands in, 111

Timber of, 98

Variety of crops cultivated in, 84

Watershed of, 94

Valley, Castle, 105

Circle, Amount of irrigable land in the, 137

Gunnison, 105

Irrigable lands of the, 162

of the Mississippi, 76

Sevier River, Amount of irrigable land in the, 144

Panguitch, Amount of irrigable land in the, 136

San Pete, Amount of irrigable land in the, 138

Flow of the streams of the, 140

Vasey, Dr. George, 108

Vilfa (Sporobolis) airoides, 108

Virgin River, Irrigable lands of the, 153

Volume of water flowing in the streams, Determination of, 8

Wagon roads, Land grants in aid of, 166

Ward, Mr. L. F., 103

Wasatch Mountains, 93, 94

Drainage of the, 96

Orographic structure of the, 96

Wastage of water, 84

Water, Evaporation of, 13

Irrigating capacity of, 8, 84, 115, 141

Loss of, by evaporation, 87

Method of determining the supply of, 85, 115, 139

storing, 12

rights, 40

should inhere in the lands to be irrigated, 40, 41

supply, 57

affected by the cutting of timber, 75

farming, 73

grazing, 74

Economic bearings of the, 76

Increase in the, 57, 89, 91

Storage of, 116, 125, 144

used in irrigation, Quantitative value of, 81

Unit of, 81

Wastage of, 84, 142

ways rudely constructed, 8

Weber River, 119

drainage basin, Agricultural resources of the, 121

Area of the, 121

Mean flow of the, 72

White River, Irrigable lands of the, 162

Volume of flow of the, 162

Winds of Utah, 68

Wisconsin, Land grants to, 169, 179

Wyoming, Mean annual precipitation in, 79

Yampa Plateau, 105

Young, Hon. Brigham, 105

A
A

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U. S. GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION, J. W. POWELL IN CHARGE.

MAP OF UTAH TERRITORY REPRESENTING THE EXTENT OF THE IRRIGABLE, TIMBER AND PASTURE LANDS.

COMPILED AND DRAWN BY CHARLES MAHON, J. H. RENSHAWE, W. H. GRAVES AND H. LINDENKOHL FOR THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC LANDS

1878.

Miles

Note This map has been constructed from atlas sheets of the U. S. Geographical and Geological Survey of the Rocky Mountain Region with additional material taken from the maps of the U. S. Geographical Explorations and Surveys west of the 100ᵈᵗʰ Meridian, Lieut. Geo. M. Wheeler, Corps of Engineers, in charge, the U. S. Geological Exploration of the 40ᵗʰ Parallel, Clarence King, U. S. Geologist in charge, and the U. S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, F. V. Hayden, in charge

EXPLANATION

Irrigable Lands Standing Timber Area destitute of Timber on account of Fires Rail Roads Wagon Roads Trails Telegraph Lines County Seats in Capital Letters.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION J. W. POWELL, IN CHARGE.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION J. W. POWELL, IN CHARGE.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION J. W. POWELL, IN CHARGE.

MAP OF THE UNITED STATES

EXHIBITING THE GRANTS OF LANDS MADE BY THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT TO AID IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILROADS AND WAGON ROADS.

1878

For explanation see chapter on “Land Grants in aid of International Improvements”

[The base chart was engraved for the Statistical Atlas of the United States.]

Julius Bien. Lithographer

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