Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-12
MAP OF THE ARID REGION.

October, 1885, This area is in the valley Of
the Jemez river, an af1uent CT the Rio
Grande. 1t is an old country, where irriga-
ton has been practiced since ITO
There is at present under irrigation along
this river about 2,700 acres. The rest of
the water evaporates or runs to waste.
There is water enough, if it were all saved,
to irrigate about $4,000 acres of land
economically.
Major Powell explained the method of
constructing reservoirs as indicated on the
map at the points marked. The dam in
front of the reservoir Vale Grande will be
tive hundred feet long and fifty feet high
Major Powell said he had decided to use
unit of water that was simple and easily un-
derstood-one foot deep of water viii lrrigate
an acre of land for one year. SO he would
speak of this as an acre foot. The largest
Of the reservoirs referred to would contain
$500 acres of water thirty feet deep on an
average, or 10000 acre feet, enough to lrri-
gate $4,000 acres Of dry land.
In these six reservoirs can be stored 49,
900 acre feet, enough to make fertile 155, 900
acres of barren land. This is to be held
back during the entire winter season, and
let loose when 1t is needed.
Springer (chairmanl-What are these
lands now worth-these lands on the
plateau belowl
Powell Nothing whatever. No farmer
can live on them.
Springer-W What would they be worth if
irrigated as proposedl
Powell-Anywhere from thirty dollars to
two hundred dollars an acre.
Springer What would it cost TO build
and complete these dams and Canals so as
TO irrigate these lands'
POWELL have made an estimate showing
that 1t would cost about $4,000
Springer-About three dollars an acrel
Powell-Yes. In New Mexico about seven
and half per cent of the arid land can be
reclaimed; in Arizona about four per cent;
in Montana about twenty per cent.
Major Powell was asked by member Of
the committee If there was any basis for
the opinion held by some that water iTnpov-
erished land. He laughingly said that there
was no foundation for such a theory; it
probably sprsng from the fact that the IN
drained alkaline playas OF the West, where
salts have settled thickly, are barren.
Water on arid land is very fertilizing
The chair asked if Major Powell thought
the Government ought TO build these reser-
voirs.
MAJOR foWeu replieu IOSJ ne uld not thlnk
that as practical question the Government
would or should do any thing more than OBJ
tam information which the'people could use.
The actual work Of irrigation could be done
by municipalities, States or companies
which could take mortgage on the lands
for payment. In some places the settlers
themselves have done the work and sup
piled themselves.
The work which we were already dong
for years was under the general law,
and il provided for every thing except
for the segregation OF irrigable lands
and the withdrawal from sale OF
the sites for reservations The PEG
pie IN an irrigation basin should have
the right 10 the use of all the accessible
water. A great many fine irrigation dis
'flcts nave already been developed by com,
munlties OF private individuals, as az
Ureeley- In reply TO a question he said that 1
srteslsn wells were too expensive and pre-
carious for any reliance. Major Powell
said that irrigated lands would be worth on
an average $50 per acre, and the cost of irri- /
eating would be about $3.50 per acre year /
after the supply was obtained.
The thing which settlers now want to 1
know IS where and bow to use the water .