The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1895-06-21
The Future Of irrigation.

!
The efforts and means put forth for the
| irrigation of the arid and semi-arid
regions are pigmies compared to what
must follow when experience has demon
strated the possibilities in this line of en-
terprise. And when we speak OF the
future of irrigation we hardly cOmpre-
bend what money and ingenuity will ac-
complish.
The arid and semi-arid plains must
come in for plan of action ere many
years, and they must be considered in
the economy of life. Irrigation is not
new, but new plans must be considered
for its successful accomplishment in the
peculiar and varied conditions which
surround it.
The water is in the mountains and the
mountains are to be the storage plants.
How this can be done is hardly doubtful
in the ingenuity of engineering plans,
but the time has not come for these plans
to be put into action. In California an
immense dam across mountain pass has
been constructed by private enterprise,
and the water thus stored is carried
through fumes to the drouth stricken
plains.
Estimating the vast flow OF water that
is wasted in the course of the Arkansas
river by the methods known to irrigators,
some idea might be formed as to the ex-
tent of this volume of water for lands
subject to irrigation. In the plan of the
future the irrigation bitches in Colorado
will not consume the entire flow Of water
at seasons, but a general system must
prevail SO that all of the irrigation bitches
can be supplied. Whether this is done
by private enterprise or by government
management does not matter. Some of
the plans for water supply now being
considered will be adopted, and these
methods will have for their purpose
supply of water to the entire irrigation
system. Aud when this is done, the en-
tire enormous mountain supply will be
thus conserved for the purposes herein
named.
The time is not ripe for the undertak-
ing which embraces the Arkansas river
flow within the confines of human skill
and ingenuity. When the exigency ar
rives money to carry out this plan will
be promptly attl,and. Enterprise meets
every exigency. This proposition to
preserve the entire flow of the river for
irrigation purposes is not new and Chi
mericaI, its feasibility has been demon
strated by engineering calculation.
The circumscribing of the agricultural
area will hasten the consummation Of
this plan. And the reduction of the
available agricultural area is matter of
limited time, and is being brought about
by the emigration wave of a largely in
creasing population. In the meantime
however, primary means are being en-
ployed in irrigation, the A B c OF what
precedes every undertaking in its in
cipiency. There is no exception to this
rule in any preliminary line of conduct,
plan or learning. In this estimate, a
mere outline of the future, we have not
considered the uses of the underflow of
water and the abundant rains. A use of
and conservation of this supply is within
the province of a general plan of irriga-
ion, but the underflow and the rains will
light the preliminary contest that is be-
ing waged against aridity.
Except in very drouthy years the Ar
KANSAS river has two or three heavy flows
hat could be used in the system suggest
ID and the aggravation of dreuth will be |
educed to minimum when the whole |
upply of mountain water, rains and
lnderflow have been put to the greatest
of use.