The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-23
WATER in THE STREAMS
In Kansas Has Been Measured by
Uncle Sam,
AND WE ARE TOLD INA REPORT

How Much Land 1t Will IrriEate Il
Properly AppI1ed-The Smoky Will
Irrigate IO6, 900 Acres, the Arkansaa
100000 Acres and 50 On.
The measurements that were institu-
ted by the state board of irrigation and
by the United States geological survey
in computation of the irrigation value oil
the surface flow in western Kansas has
reached its first half year of com pletion
and a report has been fled.
The report ia addressed to William B.
Sutton of Russell, secretary of the board,
and is as follows:
DEAR SIR: herewith furnish You a
report of the measurement of the Repub-
lican, Solomon, Saline, Smoky Hill, Ar.
kansas, Cimarron and Medicine rivers,
under my charge. These measurements
| we're made for the United States geolog-
| ical survey and state board of irrigation.
| A guaging station is first established, a
correct guage put in the river, and re-
liable man selected to read each guage
| twice each day, and report each reading
| at the end of each week to the secretary
| of the state board of irrigation and to
the photographer in charge. As often as
possible these stations are visited and
measurements taken of the velocity
of current with the current meter,
and also a measurement of the cross sec
ton of the stream. A rating table is
made from many of these measurements
and volume of flow computed for inter-
mediate guage reading. The results
given here are for six months time,
beginning Ju2y l, 1895, and ending De-
cembe 81, 1895.
The flow of the Smoky Hill river for
six months was 5326 second feet, or
enough water to cover 106,528 acres one
acres of land for each section in its en-
tire drainage territory, or counting this
one half years water supply, it would
irrigate twenty eight acres to each
section, or seven acres to each quarter
section.
The Saline river had 24,930 second
feet, and would irrigate 49,860 acres of
aud, or fifteen arces to each section in
its entire drainage area, or about double
this amount in one year.
The Solomon river had 219,8 second
feet, and would irrigate 439, 730 acres, or
thirteen acres in each section in its
entire drainage and Including that in
Colorado, or twice that quantity in one
year.
The Arkansas river had 1865 second
feet, and would irrigate 439, 730 acres, or
thirteen acres in each section in the en-
tire drainage area, including that in
Colorado, or twice that quantity in one
year.
The Republican river had 1913, 371 Sec
ond feet, and would irrigate 39S, 100 acres
of land. or seventeen acres in each Sec
ton of its entire drainage area, Including
that in Nebraska, or about twice that
amount in a year.
The Cimarron river had 1921 second
feet and would irrieate 1880 acres or
about three acres to each section in its
drainage area or twice that amount in
one wear. This stream falls far below
the other streams in quantity and it's con-
tiguous land is of the least value for irri-
eating purposes
The Medicine river had 9,511 second
feet and would irrigate $4,000 acres or
about nineteen acres to each section of
drainage area, or twice that amount in
one year.
The entire run off would irrigate about
seventeen acres to each section in the
drainage area of the rivers, amounting to
1880 square miles. while the area
of the entire state Is about $4,000
The portion of the state needing irriga-
ton, and west of the 98th meridian, is
about $4,000 miles, so that the number of
acres given above could be increased to
at least twenty five acres for each sec
ton, or about fifty acres for one year. a
All gaugings made SO far during Jan
uary, 1895. show a decided increase in
the amount of water in each river, and it
seems likely the smallest flow of the year
is included in the foregoing computa-
tions, unless the river should freeze up
and remain SO for some time.
1t might be we'll to add that the Smoky
Hill, Arkansas and nj edicine rivers have
very large amounts of water in the sands
in their beds and probably at times more
than is in sight above.