Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-02-15
SAVE THE SURFACE WATER.

Dams n Reservoirs.
In response to a call issued some
two weeks since anumber of gentlemen
interested in irrigation met in con-
vention at Huron for the purpose of
discussing the important question of
irrigation and of formulating a bill
covering the points suggested.
Capt. Fassett, state engineer of irri-
cation, called the convention to order,
and Senator S. E. Wilson, of this city,
was made chairman, and Capt. w. s..
Demaree, of Huron, was chosen secre-
tary.
Senator Wilson stated the object of
the convention to be for considering
the ACCESSIBILITY of asking legislative
authority to construct dams across
creeks, draws and other streams. and
for building reservoirs for the retention
of surface water. He believed the
movement a wise one, and favored the
enactment of any measure deemed
practical and wise.
Prof. Jas. II. Shepard, of the state
agricultural college and experiment
station, spoke relative to the benefits
to be derived from the construction of
dams and reservoirs for holding SUI
face water, and advocated "a system for
such work as shall be both general and
practical. Ditching along roadsides,
on1 n,,%fiNr 1,otn, ,,,u1- 70 1,,;,, lDu,
places should be discouraged. He
gave instances where water from large
areas had been drained off. and where
large bodies of water once existed the
land is now cultivated to crop. He
thought steps should be taken to pre-
vent draining into rivers, and the water
thus helped out of the state should be
retained in it and utilized formaturing
crops. The annual rainfall is suficient
for crops, but it is not we'll distributed,
and when most needed is most difficult
to get-in fact there is none to get.
The construction of dams and reser-
voirs to hold the surface waters, he
regarded as a wise and practical move
one that would meet the approval of
the farming community and benefit the
whole state. No surer or quicker
means of protection against damage
from hot winds can be had than the
one under consideration. Prof. Shep-
ard also suggested that many farmers
had let their corn stalks remain in the
fields, broken and trampled down by
cattle and such fields are today covered
with from twelve to sixteen inches of
snow, while those without this means
of holding snow were entirelyfree from
the white covering, and would, there
fore, be practically without moisture
at seed time. Prof. Shepard answered
many questions touching artesian
waters, and their effect upon vege-
tation, showing beyond question that
the theory advanced by some that
artesian water is injurious to certain
crops, is not true-in every case it has
a beneficial effect.
Stacy Cochrane, of Brookings. who
| 11loO 5OSSCoUOo u Oil lOI ii SOuNClU1Ou
said that in his travels he had beer
careful to note localities where dams
and reservoirs could be constructed AT
very small expense, and where thous.
ands of acres of land could be irrigated
from reservoirs of surface water
where the experiment had been tried
success was attained. Many farmer:
in Brookings, Hamlin and Deuel. coun
ties will experiment in the same line.
the coming season.
Vim. Rehfield, of Aberdeen, SPOKE
upon thesgeneral question of moisture
and endorsed what Prof. Shepard had
said. Could he have his way he would
build a dam on every section line ane
highway wherever they cross a creek
ravine, hollow or intercourse, and pre-
vent water from melting snow ant
spring rains from running away. Shu
up all tributaries to large waterway.
by removing ~culverts and small bridges
and filling their places with earth an,
thus make crossings where necessary
These dams would be SO frequent tina
none would have to hold more waite
than from a single section of land
The lakes and ponds thus create,
would provide an immense amount o
moisture, and u heavy dews; be
sides this, every farmer would hav,
plenty of water for stock, and sufficien
to irrigate a large acreage, and coul'
all be obtained at very small expense
Senator Wilson, who is a member O
the senate committee on irrigation
gave information as to the condition,
in the Black Hills district, and of irri
cation here. He deplored the fact tina
SO many artesion wells are allowed t
throw great volumes of water eithe
into the Missouri, Jim or Sioux rivers
instead of applying it to the lands TO
irrigation purposes. In the Hill
c~oa,n<rv tho s,,hioof of ofor;np ourfoo