Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-12-23
ON IRRIGATION.
An lmpOrtan, Recommendation on This Sub
eei

The director Of thu office o. expcri-
ment stations, In his rcp1ri for 1888 To
the u. =. Apartment ~ agriculture.
recommends an appropriation VI 10000
ior tho ensuing fiscal ycar. @ b. cN-
pon,ied on errlgitlon lnvcsigaslona. He
quotes the following siatemenis In
recent Communication by Professor
Mood 20 show tho hrgcnoEs Of the In
vorcsis and problems requiring TO BE-
dealt with In the arid regions;
"The FIRST purpose OF this inves,lga-
ton u 60 ah farmers now living on
Irrigated land.
TO do This Il II proposed 90 collect
and publish the available da.a rcla-
tive Ia wafer rights, this o. lDcludc thg
methods Of requirement. ahc control OF
stream. and ditohes by state uud IN
dylduala. and a discussion ana publ
uutlon ~ The laws AMI methods of U.s.
.ug and distributing water In the sew
eri ara states ana In O-her countries.
The nfrd NJ this Information aud ~
brtier understanding ~ our situation
Than the grut mass ~ farmers BOW
have l. imperative. The diversion ana
contrnl "a streams have crIutci num-
ber " nfw and novel problems Tor
Whdh iaN-mlkers. courts. or farmers
have ~ yoi no adequate Holullon, ThfEr
are already assuming an Importance
Wfhich makes 10 manifest that the Hecur-
ty " the lTrlglted humf ana the sur-
rrsr ~ SETTLERS on Irrigated land are
dosun.d 80 dcpsnd largely upon their
settlement. Ia lrrgnicd regions values
do nOt lnhere In land. but In ihe water
which fer.illxes n. No amount OF in-
dusiry and skin on me part ~ hus-
hlndntan viii hiring a satisfactory re-
an q
uui Just control NJ the stream from
witch he and others draw their common
supply, In this matter the individual
u helpl,gs. Ills success depends IN MS
utralpng his proper share OF she water
supply. und this does not rest on h.s
"Wn EFFORTS, hut on proper admlni'lra-
,yN regulations. our lack 81 knowledge
~ thtvc facts ana the comparative IA.
pldlty Of our develOpmerf have cdusei
the USE - water 10 0utrun hNh 20 gov
trn Its economical use or Just dlaisosl-
non. A. a result. Irrigated farms ara
fhN1tered with cOpiOyefslcs ana lltl-
Fntl0n. which II not avened, must prove
dlsaTr0uH. During che past ton yinra
she litigation In Colorado over water
rights has cost the farmers VI abe state
over 100000, Six cases have gone %
the Montana supreme couN 10 derlde
what constitutes an appropriation OF
water, and II Is stu o. mueh subject
" fnUInNtiry rs Nn II tue lFlhNklHH
b'gah The situation In ihese AVN
states illustrates gensgal condition.
Courts and hw-mlkers hesitate 10 deal
d1ciTvely with IN Sc questions bectufe
thy have not the requisite kruwltdge
on which 10 base conclusive legislation.
The Department ct agriculture san do
me West no greater service thnn 70 ala
IN putting the knowledge We already
hlve In available form,
There Il need ~ o systematic lnves-
tghiinn 20 determine the volume OF wa
tsr used In the growth Of crops, both
10 determine the requirements OF diner.
ent CROPS and ~ different climates ana
90 dHfnalne the relation between ne
vaFlliilna In the demands of crops ana
tht fluctuations IN The How OF streams
Tails lnforn,ntiun II needed ~ basis
Tor III proper division ~ streams ny
admins rnrlya officers. I, " needed by
canal builders In order 10 properly de-
sTn these structures II II needed 10y
Farmers @o promote the saving Of water
ana thus limit losses through an IN
adtqunie supply or extend she acreage
which can be cultivated. II l. most
SERIOUSLY nitdel. however, 10 guide lh
tue making ~ lust water-rlght DEGREES
In the disposal ~ streams, courts San