Water Resources and Uses The Niobrara river, first called L"Eau Qui Court, and later Running Water, is the most important stream as to size in Sioux county. It enters the county about twenty-five miles south of the northwest corner, running southeasterly to Agate, a distance of about twenty miles, thence nearly east an almost equal distance to the county line, the point of leaving the county being about seventeen miles farther south than the point of entrance.

Adjacent to this river are rough hills, well grassed and ideal for grazing. The valley is generally narrow, but widens in many places, where are found excellent meadows, early appropriated by enterprising ranchmen.

Next in importance, and perhaps serving a greater population, is White river, finding its sources in many springs and spring branches from the canyons north and south of Harrison, and north of Andrews and Glen. This water shed net only furnishes water for irrigating the farms along the val-

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

leys, but also for the domestic use of the city of Crawford.

In the south central part of the county are the many sources of Snake creek, or Snake river, which early had a much more attractractive name, "Bluewater." Bordering- valleys, flat and sub-irrigated, forming natural meadows, are in many branches. Ranches are to be found in all the attractive places.

Good dry-land farms are to be found north and east of the creek, while to the south are rough, sandy and broken plains, furnishing what is necessary for the ideal of ranching, an early spring range. The warming sun strikes a quick response from these low sandy ridges, and grass, far enough along for grazing, is often ten days earlier here than in other parts where the soil is of different character.