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6 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1917.
While the plain in general is flat and nearly featureless, there are
local areas where broad, shallow depressions or swales and intervening
areas of higher level give an undulating surface. Also, the plain
is dotted with shallow basins containing small intermittent lakes
known as playa lakes. These lake basins range in depth from 10 to
60 feet below the level of the surrounding surface. They are nearly
circular, bowl shaped, have smooth slopes, and are from 5 to 400
acres in extent. The lakes themselves are nearly circular and range
from 1 to 40 acres in extent. They are dry the greater part of the
year, but contain water for short periods-after heavy rainfall. More
than 800 of these intermittent lakes were located during the progress
of this survey. There are also a few low, isolated hillocks or knolls
underlain by hard rock, as well as low ridges forming the rims of
the lake basins, but these would not be noticeable features, except in
a generally smooth and flat plain.
The drainage of the area is principally into the lake depressions,
where the excess water stands until it is lost by evaporation. There
is, however, very little run-off, on account of the nearly level topography.
Double Mountain Fork and its tributary, Yellowhouse Creek, headwater
branches of the Brazos River, and the only streams in the
county, flow across the county in a southeasterly direction. They
have not developed any tributaries, and are small and unimportant
streams in this county. Their upper courses are marked simply by
shallow depressions in the plain. The stream bed is dry throughout
the greater part of the year, and in places there is no definite channel.
From the vicinity of Lubbock southeastward, Double Mountain
Fork has cut a narrow, canyonlike valley 100 to 175 feet below the
plain and maintains a small flow throughout the year.
The plain in its virgin condition is without tree growth, but is
uniformly covered with a carpet of short grasses, grama and buffalo
grasses being the predominating species. Some parts support a scattered,
dwarf growth of mesquite, shin oak, and catclaw, the bushes
reaching a height of 3 to 6 feet. A few stunted hackberry, cedar,
and mesquite trees, together with polecat bush, algerita, and other
shrubs, are found in the canyon of Double Mountain Fork.
There is no dependable source of surface water except along the
lower part of Double Mountain Fork, but an abundant supply of
water, suitable for general household purposes, is obtained from
wells, at depths for the most part ranging between 50 and 130 feet.
Windmills are in general use for pumping water. L
Lubbock County was organized in 1891, at which time it had less
than 300 inhabitants. In 1910 the population numbered 3,624. At
present (1917) it is estimated at 9,000 to 10,000, about one-half of