The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-02
Conservation of Water Power for
Irrigation.
A REPORT FOR MONTANA
A Review of the Sources Of the Missouri.
Basins of the Gallatin, Madison
and acknowledging
the Rivers.
Washington Bureau of the Standard,
No. 1145 G. Street N. w.

| United States SeOloSlcdl survey Aie's
| lust published large volume relative
| to the use and conservation OF water
power for irrigation and kindred IN
dustrial purposes. 1t is compiled by
| Chief F. H. Newell, of the division OF
| photography, and covers the result of
| government Investigations upon this
important subject during the last ten
wears. 1t gives facts concerning all the
| principal rivers Of the country, par
ticular attention being paid to those OF
the arid West. Tables are given show
| ing the greatest, least and average hoW
| of rivers by months.
| The volume is deliberately illustrated
with views showing the riversat points
| of measurement also the developed
| water power and the localities where
further investment can probably De
profitably made. No effort has been
spared to render the volume convenient
| for reference and attractive in appear
ance, in order that the attention OF the
public may be drawn to the great pos
! sibilities of further utilization OF the
water resources of the country.
Professor Newell says: 1.-THE con-
tinuity of purpose through a decade
has enabled the accomplishment of re
suits through moderate expenditures
|
attainment by larger sums administer
| ed with less consistent purpose.
1.-THE attempt is made to obtain data
| concerning the flow of streams in all
parts of the United States. 1t is. OF
course, impossible with moderate means
to measure all the rivers, and therefore
| choice must be made Of those where
the best results can be had with the
least outlay of time and money. The
| measurement of the surface flow is,
| however, only one part of the problem,
for the questions pertaining to the
underground supplies are often as inn
portant as those concerning the visible
| waters A survey of the waters be-
meath the surface offers even more OBJ
stacles, and while it is possible to
adopt a general geographic arrange
ment for the discussion of data con-
corning surface flows, it is not so easy
to do so with the underground waters,
as the distribution of these is modified
by many geologic conditions Thus 1t
has been found desirable to treat the
discussion of the surface supply by
itself, and this is done in the present
volume
The report for Montana first takes up
the basins of the three rivers Gallatin,
Madison and Jefferson, which near
Three Forks unite to form the Missouri.
Of the Madison it says the rivers
course is northerly, in canyon most of
the way, until it is some distance be-
yond the western boundary of the park.
Ennis is at the lower end of an opening
of considerable extent, called the Upper
Madison Valley. Below Meadow creek
the bluffs close in again and the river
is in canyon to below the mouth of
Cherry creek; beyond this it gradually
opens out into the lower valley. Little
irrigation is practiced along the course
of the river except at it's lower end.
For several years government
gaging station on this river was main
tanned at Three Forks, just above the
mouth 1t has been a poor section,
however, on account Of the many
} sloughs which carry off the flood
waters and which were not included In
the measurements. This station. was
maintained on account of the heavier
expense of having one further up the
canyon and because of the limited
funds then allotted for the work. The
station was moved 80 miles up the river
and the gage established at Mrs
Blacks ranch. just above the mouth OF
Elk creek. Discharge measurements
were made at the Red Bluff iron high
way bridge, about three miles above
: Cherry creek enters between the bridge
and the gage rod, and it was necessary
: to measure its discharge whenever a
measurement of the main river was
made. At Red Bluff the Madison
drains an area of 2,oS5 square miles. The
annual discharge is estimated al
3 something less than 10000 acre-feet
2 The highest month was June, 263, 60t
e acre-feet, and the lowest February
with $4,000.
The gaging station on Jefferson rive
is located at Sappington, and observa
lions and measurements of discharge ar
maintained through the year. A wir'
n gage is fastened to the guard-rail o
y the Northern Pacific railway bridge
= but measurements of discharge hav
e been made from a car and cable erectet
a short distance above the bridge. A
!. Sappington the Jefferson drains an are'
0 of 1884 square miles. Annual dis
2 charge 1,717.120 acre-feet; highest
II May, 52S, 900; lowest, September 45, 600.
Jefferson river is formed by the unio
of Big Hole and Beaver Head rivers
The former stream has its sourc
among the high and almost inaccessi
l. BILE ranges of the Rocky mountains
y and forms the continental divide an
l. the state boundary line between Mon
= tana and Idaho. The head-water trit
0. utary of Beaver Head river is Re
Rock creek, rising in the Southwestern
]. part of the state, about 20 miles ives
of the boundary line of Yellowsto on
2 National Park.
IS More or less irrigation is practice
in the valleys of the tributaries G
Beaver Head river, but in somewha
crude way. The principal crop Is a.
falfa, and the method of applying tn
: water by flooding is productive of cor
% siderable waste The country is gen
IS orally at too high an elevation for an
Is but the more hardy crops.
90 The most notable enterprise in thi
50 vicinity has been the power-develoI
so ment project on Big Hole river at D
6S vide. A dam has here been placed |
SO the river and the electric power dc
95 veloped is transmitted by wire to Butt
o. distance of II miles, where 1t Is use
90 in the lighting of the city and as motiy
% power for the street railways. Tt
Montana Power Company controls til
enterprise, and it's main object is |
furnish power for the hosting of orr
ar from the mines in the vicinity of Butt
he This project will cost over a millio
a dollars. Work has been prosecuted G
l. another canal which takes water frol
ID Jefferson river, about Is miles belo