Farm Equipment-Water Wheel P.65

[IF THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS REPRODUCED, CREDIT SHOULD APPEAR AS FOLLOWS: Utah Tourist & Publicity Council (Parker Hamilton). Please return to Utah Tourist and Publicity Council, State Capitol, Salt Lake City 14, Utah.] The Green River Water Wheel - On the east bank of the river and 7 miles north of the town of Green River, there has been a water wheel in continuous operation for irrigating since the 1880's. This is actually the third wheel that has been built in the same place each time. In 1925 the Beebe family replaced the original wheel by one somewhat larger, 25 feet in diameter, and added an adequate pit and raceway. Howard Hastings and his wife, a Beebe, have operated their ranch here since 1941. Mr. Hastings built this particular undershot wheel, again slightly larger, 28 feet in diameter, in 1948. He watered 70 acres last year (1962) and has watered as high as 104 acres. The cost of operation, including repair and labor, has never exceeded $1.00 per acre per season. He has tried metal and plywood for the box-like buckets but finds 1 x 12 pine lumber the most satisfactory for this one.