Lifeblood of a Ranch

Lifeblood of a Ranch. . Water, the lifeblood of any working ranch, flows in irrigation ditches fed by rivers, creeks, or a steady spring or two. In this dry landscape, these human-made arteries, like the one before you, have made the rich soils of the flood plain productive. , In the shadow of Sheep Rock, the use of native grasslands for grazing livestock and the cultivation of irrigated fields began in the 1890s. Over the last century, these fields were planted with a variety of crops, primarily grass, which was dried into hay for livestock feed during the winter. Orchards and gardens were kept nearby. , The James Cant ranch has specific water rights. The irrigation ditches were carefully maintained to draw a set allotment of precious water from the river system and effectively spread it across this bottomland to nourish the vital crops. , The National Park Service purchased the ranch in 1975, maintaining the property's water rights. Under the Historic Property Lease Program, four fields of irrigated land have been leased for hay production in an effort to preserve the historic use and appearance of the fields. Water remains the lifeblood.