Wichita eagle., 1889-08-06
ROBERT Hay ON IRRIGATION.
From the Topeka Capital.

From the Topeka Capital.
That part of Kansas which lies west of
the Tooth meridian has been generally
assumed to be part of what has been
called the arid regions of the great
plains. The only reliable data for the
rainfall OF the region is obtained from
seven years records at Fort Wallace,
within few miles of the west line of
the state, the 102d meridian. These
records, made before any settlement,
show an average annual precipitation of
about nineteen inches. This rainfall in
the past was often in the form of heavy
rains, causing floods, followed by periods
of drouth. The drouth was the more
severe because the precipitation of the
heavy rains was largely wasted-run-
ming off the buffalo grass sod as from a
paved street or single roof.
Till about 1885 no general attempt
was made to settle this extensive region,
though Norton county on the Tooth
meridian on the Nebraska line was or
gained as early as 1872, Ford county on
the Arkansas river in 1873, and the long
drouth of 18S0-S1 did not more than tenn
porarlly check the settlement of those
counties, which now have population
of $4,000 and I, 200 respectively. In 1879
eighty other counties were organized,
and IN 1884 Finney county. also, on the
Arkansas, was organized, with Garden
City as its county seat, by people who
determined that irrigation by the waters
OF the Arkansas river should compen-
safe for deficiency or irregularity Of rain
fall.
The results of irrigation in the great
valley above and below Garden City are
already apparent. Details of the size
and work of the various irrigation canals
will be given later.
In the south of Clark county irriga-
ton from the waters of the Cimarron
has also been commenced. There is also
in Meade county small irrigating canal
using the waters of Spring creek, south
west of Meade Center.
A notion among many people-and
those not Of the least intelligent classes
has been that western Kansas must
have artesian water supplied from
sources in the Rocky mountains. This,
with desires for coal and rock gas, has
stimulated numerous experiments in
well boring since the active era of settle
ment began, some going to the depth of
200 feet.
1t is remarkable that three districts in
southwestern Kansas have given ar
tesian flows of water.
First-In Meade county an irregular
district six OF eight miles long by about
two in width has now numerous flows
OF water, of temperature of about six
ty or sixty-one degrees Fahrenheit-soft,
pure and clear, good for domestic pur-
poses, enough for local irrigation. The
strongest flow is siXty-siX to sixty-seven
gallons per minute; others are from
twenty-five to forty gallons; more from
eight to eighteen or twenty gallons, and
a number from one to six gallons. There
are altogether sixty or eighty wells. The
writer visited twenty and measured the
fifty to $50 feet.
Second-In the town Of Coolidge, in
Hamilton county. and on the opposite
side of the river, there are five or SIX
wells, the largest of which yields about
100 gallons per minute and supplies the
town water works. The temperature is
about the same as the Meade county
wells but there is little more mineral
matter in it. 1t comes from depth of
nearly 800 feet. 1t is good stock water
and is being used partially for irrigation.
Third-The city Of Richfeld, the coun-
ty seat of Morton, has an artesian well
600 feet deep. The flow is six and one
third gallons per minute and the temper
ture sixty-six degrees Fahrenheit. This
water is probably too much mineralized
for domestic purposes, bnt not for irriga-
ton. Another well is to be drilled to
increase, if possible, the quantity.
These three sets of artesian waters
come from three different geological
strata: % The tertiary grit (miocene);
(2) the Dakota sandstones and 81 the
friassic. Their occurance gives no sup
port to the idea of their sources being in
the Rocky mountains.
The writer several years ago pointed
out that the dip of the strata in western
Kansas such as to warrant expectation
OF artesian flows in localities. Those
borings have justified that opinion.
There has not yet been sufficient inves-
tigation to warrant any defining of
boundaries to the localities except III
general terms, which may, perhaps, be
possible soon.