The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1888-05-23
ARID LANDS TO BE REDEEMED AND
FLOODS PREVENTED.
Immence Stcrehouses Of Water to be made
in the Rockey Mountains From CAN
ada to Mexico by Building Dams
Across the Oonons Maj
Powells Idea.


than this, these reservoirs will retain the
water which, collecting with great rapi |
ity, forms the floods which are $, diSas.
trious along the two great rivers already
named. The project has been for some
years gradually evolving itself In the
brain of Director Powell. of the Geol l.ic
al Survey, and now it has been presented
to Congress in definite shape.
"Not only will we be able to redeem
the arid lands," said Prof. Powell in
speaking of the matter to Post reporter
yesterday, "but we shall also redeem the
food plains. The valley Of the VI ss s.
sippi, from Cairo to the mouth of the
river. has an average width Of sixty
miles, all of which is subject to an over
flow which annually causes the loss of
immense sums of money. On the other
hand, between the summit of the Rocky
Mountains an the Missouri anil Missis.
sippi rivers, there is a vast stretch of
land so arid that no crops can be rails
upon it without artificial irrigation. This
area covers no less than 100000 square
miles, or two fifths of the area of the
United States. The SHOWS of noun
tains melt and cause great floods,
especially the June flood, which, coming
in the season of growing crops, is the
most destructive of all. Now, that flood
ought to be used, and it can be used, to
irrigate the great arid region. For every
acre redeemed in the tluod plain of the
lower Mississippi it is possible to redeem
two acress of desert land"
"How much land will he reclaimed by
irrigation"
"The area of arid land ,as have stated,
is about 100000 square miles. Of this
about one.flfih is too rugged too elevated
to admit of cultivation under any condi-
tior of agriculture likely to arise before
a century to come, A smaller fraction
consists of rlayas, or drainless desert
plains, so flat that it is impossible to
wash the salts from their soils. There
remains, therefore. about 100000
square miles of land which only need
water to be rendered productive. AT
the minimum price of public land, 81 .o5
per acre, price greater than its value for
pasturage. this land has valuation of
$s00,O0OOO0. At $50 per acre-a mni,r
ate estimate ofits value when irrigated
it would be worth over $4,000, ,0DO, 900"
"But can all this land be redeemed?' p
"Not all of it. The annual rrecipita-
ton on this 1900, 900 square miles of
mountain, valley and plain, ranges from
five inches in the dryest plains to thirty
inches on the mountains, and to even
seventy-fve or 100 inches on the highest
peaks. The average for the whole re-
gion is not far from fifteen inches. If
all this could be applied to the land suit
ed by configuration for cultivation, it
would afford about twenty inches of
water for this area, or nearly double the
amount which need be applied to crops
during the growing season. The water
which falls in the arid region would
therefore fully meet all agrieulturaly
needs if only it could be STORED until
the proper season and be then conveyed
to the fields. Unfortunately many causes
conspire to render impossible the full
realization of so desirable result. But
even taking into consideration all the
adverse conditions which are to be ex
pec:ed there will still be redeemed about
fifteen per cent. ofthe whole arid region
or 150, 600 square miles an area which
exceeds one-half Of the land now guilty
ated in the United States. At $50 pei
acre this will add 81 2,sSo, 900 900 to the
wealth of the nation. This does not in
clude the land along the Mississippi
saved from flood.'
"How do you propose to irrigate thi
immense tract?"
"The waters which ordinarily flow int
the ocean through the Missouri and II
tributaries, and through the Arkansas
the Red, the Rio Grand, TIE ,Color.d
the Sacramento and the Columbia river
are to be damned up at their fountai
heads and stored in vast reservoirs. W
will thus haye chain of storchouses i
the mountains from the Canadian to th
Mexican border, and the water can b
utilized by letting it out upon the Ian
through irrigating canals. This metho
of redeeming land is not new. 1t hi
been practiced for FIVE or six thousan
years. The earliest agriculture know
in history was by irrigation in the vale
of the Nile, and as early, or even earle
4 irrigation was known in the valleys
China. In the region of the five rive
!, of India agriculture was wholly depe
! dent upon irrigation, and the same cs
I be said of Peru and Mexico. Long b
l. fore the humid regions of the earth se
\ cultivated the desert lands were redcel
d ed by irrigation. Already there a
areas in California, Utah, Colorado al
other arid States under irrigation, b
only very small portion of the wat
is used, and consequently Il part of t
Ian is redeemed. There are many ;
vantages in irrigation. The farmer dc
,r not depend upon inconstant rainfall.
9. has to deal with no drouths, no storl
In on floods. Ths water is poured ur
re his land where it is wanted and only
"a such quantities as are needed"
ng "What must be done to make this +
jeet practicable?"
"An immense amount of prelimin
! work must, first of all, be accomplish
We must select the sites and locati
for the dams, reservoirs, canals and
's cation areas account must be taken
=. the total volume of water susceptabl
Ice, storage and the loss through evapora
IAN and seepage in the reservoirs and car
'ise of the area of land tn be served by a
in of water ; of the valuation of releel
,pt. land for the growth of the crops ada
the !ds to the climate and the soil of the
our pense for the construction of irriga
works and the interest on the same
the expense of their maintenance