Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-03-12
A NEW ERA IN IRRIGATION.

miles Oh iTIlodtiuE uitCIlco HdsC OcCiS oA
structed in the Arkansas valley west OF
the one hundredth meridian, in Kansas.
These bitches are capable of supplying
water for the irrigation OF more than
100. 900 acres of land Id Ford, Gray, Fin
ney. Kearney and Hamilton counties: but
owing to the failure Of the water supply
in the Arkansas river for the last two
or three years the bitches have not been
used to their full capacity. This failure
of water was caused mainly by the
paucity of snowfall in the Rocky noun
tains in the winters Of 81 and 'SS and the
severe drouths which have prevailed be-
tween the one hundredIh meridian and
mountains for the last three seasons. we
think the current opinion that the nu-
merous irrigating bitches which have
been recently constructed along
the Arkansas valley in Colorado
exhaust the water in the river
before it reaches the Kansas line is large
| ly erroneous. During the summer OF 81
there was more water in the Arkansas
river at Dodge City than at Cooildge,
near the state line. There was more at
Wichita than at Dodge City, and more
! flowing water in the channel In the 20O
miles in Kansas than in the 2UO miles
west of the Colorado line.
| From records kept at Dodge City dur
| ing the last eighteen years, and from IN
| formation gathered from other reliable
sources, we believe it is safe to depend
on an abundant supply Of water for lrri-
cation in the Arkansas valley IN at least
seven years ont Of ten. And we believe
| that when the snow fall and rain fall are
sufficient to supply the bitches IL Colo
RADIO. the residents of the Arkansas val
| ley in this state have no reason to tear
a water famine. If this climatic
condition of this region are
10 be looked for in the
| future. would it not be wise to make
some provision for this three years OF
drouth: Manifestly so, if the conditions
are present which will render such
provision possible. For several years
past articles have appeared in the news
! papers of this state discussing various
methods of utilizing
THE UNDERTOOK
of the Arkansas river to supply the r.
ricating bitches with water which the
river failed to furnish during sea-
sons of deficiency in precipitation.
That the supply of water is lDexhaustl-
BILE has been frequently demonstrated by
humping water from wells located IN
the valley. The two most noted eX-
periments were made last year at
the wells which supply the water works
at Dodge City and at Garden City.
These wells are twenty-five feet and
nineteen feet in diameter, respectively,
and about twenty feet deep; the water
rises to within four feet of the surface of
the ground. Over 1000. 900 gallons have
been pumped out of the Dodge City well
in a single day without lowering the
water to any appreciate extent. AT the
Garden City we'll the water works pump
with a capacity of 600 gallons per minute
and Huffier irrigation pump with
capacity of 800 gallons per minute were
Doth worked to their utmost limit for
period Of four hours without lowering
the water in the well. Numerous other
experiments of a similar nature have
been made.
While ditch companies have been
repeatedly assured that the underfiow OF
the Arkansas valley might be utilized
for supplying their bitches none OF them
had sufficient confidence in the recon-
, mendations to warrant the necessary
expenditure of money to demonstrate Its
practicablity until quite recently.
) The South Dodge Canal company was
orgaized last year with a capital OF
$3.50, 900. The officers of the company
are Z. +. Soule, president; q. u. Gilbert,
vice president, and j. W. Gilbert, secre-
tary. This company has secured the
right of way for thirty-five miles OF
irrigating ditch on the south side OF
the Arkansas river. Fifteen miles OF the
| ditch has already been completed. Ii
will be known as the South Dodge canal
Nearly 1000 acres of valuable lands
may be irrigated by this canal. The
ditch extends from Howell Station, eight
miles west of Dodge City to Ford City
distance of about thlrty-1lve miles
, The original survey provides for taking
| water from the Arkansas river at the
south bank, opposite Howell Station. L
is at the head of the Dodge canal tina
the experiments for securing a flow Of
water in an open channel from reser
: voir to which the water is supplied by
= the underfiow of the Arkansas valley, /:
being conducted.
The reservoir. or head of the canal is
located about sixty rods from the rivel
IL. ~ L
miles from the head, the ditch wa!
r built exactly at grade: the bottom o
q the ditch is on level with the surface
Y of the ground; the bank of the canal be
q ing levees about eight feet high. Com
mencing at the grade point the excava
ton OF the upper end OF TIN
1 ditch was begun, due allowance being
Il made for the proper fall. At a distance
S of about half mile the water-bearln!
0 stratum of sand was reached, the bottom
i of the ditch at that point being abou
four feet below grade. After reaching
this sand the soil was then stripped OF
Il to the head eff the ditch, the work all be
n ing done by teams and scrapers. Tn
d ditch at poiut , 600 feet from its hea'
= is 80 feet wide at the surface or tn
ground. This increases to go feet at tn
head of the ditch. For this entire dis
# lance of 1900 feet both sides OF tn
S ditch are protected by sheet piling.
a The company did not expect to secur
a flow of water at this stage OF the eXca
walton. but contrary to their expecta
) tons the water began to accumulate an
/ run in q strong current down the ditto
IS and in such quantity that it was nee
l. essarv TO put in head-gate and cut-oi
r ri the grade point l 3-S miles from tn
u head OF the reservoir. The flow extend
. ed over eight miles. and as far as In
ditch had been completed at that time
9 Since the nead-gate and cutoff have bee
n put in no water is allowed TO pass beio'
st it in the ditch, but Is turned oil at til
-e side OF the ditch and runs III ope
i channel to the river. which at that pom
Is ahout 100 Yards from the ditch. tt