The herald., 1893-10-10
IRRIGATION CONGRESS.
An Important Gathering at
Los Angeles.
Delegates Expected From Many
snoiGouptfies.
Questions of Vast Import to Bo Dis
cussed-New TsBgiaosring Problems
to 30 sdived = Water TO BE
Stored as 'Carofolly AS Grain. .s
FRESNO KxposItor, oct. I, 1saa.l

lfAcohO ZAP WV - AOYc4l
On October 10Th there will be con-
gress of irrigationists meet in Los Ange-
les. Delegates have BEEN invited by
the United States from all countries of
the world where irrigation is used, and
the gathering will no doubt be Of great
Importance. 1T is the first interna
tional congress ever called in any coun-
try. The subject is one of vast and
growing interest, and the result of the
meeting will no doubt lend stimulus
to irrigation.
1t is branch OF industry which,
while nearly as old as the human race,
is yet in it's infancy when COM
pared with what is yet possible in
the line of development. Irrigation has
been practiced for thousands Of years,
but, except in a few countries, there
has been little science displayed in the
storage and distribution OF water.
These two factors will probably, in
the near future, receive attention
from the foremost scientists. AS mat
ter OF fact there are comparatively small
regions of the temperate zones OF the
earth deserts,i the water is properly
stored and distributed. Tbs trouble is
not 40 much in the ahnuaE supply OF
water as in the annual waste. The
rains and enows come at one season and
are followed by droughts. There often
is too much water during the rainy sea
son and not enough in the dry season.
Science will be called upon to regulate
this matter.
One Of the principal means of regu-
lation is, of course, a judicious system
of storage. When water is plentiful
store it for the seasohs when
it is ecarce. The average will be about
right. Nature has not regulated this,
and it is one OF the works lett for man
to do.
Leading water from rivers out upon
the plainsland there applying it for irri'
cation is one OF the smallest parts oi
the science ofirrigation. 1t is just that
part which the people of the ancient
world did to perfection. But the people
OF modem times have another task tC
perform, and it will call for the most ad
vanced ideas of engineers. The noun.
tain streams muft be held in check by
reservoirs in winter and paid out slowly
! as needed in summer. No enormous
waste during the rainy season must be
permitted. Artificial and natural lakes
must be made use of. The water sup.
ply must be hoarded like the grain sup.
ply. When grsinis plentiful the fl rat
month after harvest it Is not allowed to
go to waste, merely because it is plenti-
ful, but it is stored against the time ii
will be need. The water supply de
serves the came consideration in these
regions, where, there isa rainy and dry
season. ~ cna 'f0R s0 Tffs Y2p Ee ssAaAU
The congress at Los Angeles will have
a wide and new field Tor discovery and
| investigation. The ideas OF men from
all parts OF the world will be exchanged
The Fresno county. deiegates. .were an
pointed today, and are /. Tielman anc
Hu Maxwell. It is probable that Judge
Firman Church, will also 60 as dele
gate from Fresno city He. as mayor
has the rightto rrightt gosln dpqrfssoan or appoinl
q delegate, psou ad5 .syilc ads "a 81
Fresno county'is one among the fore
most, il not the very foremost, irriga-
tion county in tho United States. 1t has
more miles Of canal then, any othe,
county in the United States, and it waf
due to it's irrigation that the value oi
the assessed property rose ina few years
from few Thousand 10 more than forty
| million dollars. s'ass