The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1900-05-17
WATERS OF THE ARKANSAS.
Preliminary Reports on the Proposed
Reservoir system.

L
Reservoir system.
The Secretary of the Interior has
sent to Congress a communication
from the director Of the geological
survey regarding the flow OF the
Arkansas River. especially at points
near the Kansas-Colorado state line.
The cause which led to the inquiry IS
the alleged action Of the State OF
Colorado IN conserving the waters III
Colorado for irrigating purposes, and
the alleged consequent deprivation Of
the farmers Of Western Kansas of
the supply to which they have a
natural right. 1t is claimed that
great injury has been done to farm
lands in Western Kansas by reason
of the 1essening of the volume of
water IN the Arkansas River, through
the tapping Of the river in Colorado.
In his report to Secretary Hitch
cock, which the secretary sent to
Congress- Acting Director Riser, of
the geological survey says:
from an examination Of the fact
it has seemed that the Arkansas River
has certain regularity of behavior,
with floods eliminating in May or
June, such that they are depended
upon for the irrigati Of large tracts
of land. The waters of these floods,
although occurring with reg ularity,
are, for the most part, not used in
irrigation, but pass off down the
stream out Of Colorado and though
Kansas The low water discharge
of Arkansas River is wholly used for
the purposes of agriculture, and dur
ing u considerable part of the year
the river bed is dry above the Kansas
Colorado line. From this vicinity,
easterly through the greater part of
Kansas the channel is often dry, a
small amount of water being supplied
by few tributaries, such, for ex
ample, as Little Arkansas River, at
Wichita, Kan
ssThe consideration of the fact re-
1ating to reservoir sites show that a
large amount of water which might
be saved goes to waste, and leads to
the conclusion that it will be possible
TO conserve the waters of. this river
SO that they viii ultim ately reclaim
an acreage far greater than that now
watered. This can only come about,
however, by pursuing some syste-
matte plan by which the floods or ex-
cess waters are held at points of
greatest advantage to all concerned.
It is not probable that all of the land
suitable for irrigation, especially that
IN the lower valleys, can be watered;
but the increase in the available
supply will result in notably aug
menting the prosperity Of this i'm
rigated areas of Kansas.
ssThe total area of the Arkansas
River drainage basin at the Kansas
Colorado line is estimated to be 3D.
600 square miles, an extent larger |
that the aggregate area of New |
Hampshire, MASSACHUSETTS, Rhode |
Island and Connecticut. At Hutch |
inson, Kan, the drainage area is in
creased by about 1000 square miles |
"A little more than the area of Yer
mont. Most of this country should |
be rapidly examined for possible re-
servoir sites, although it is known
that the more important of these are
within tho 5000 square miles of
area.
efOn the basis of the cost of work
recently completed, and of the opera
tions already carried on in the Ar
Kansas basin, it is estimated that SO,
900 a year for three years will be
needed to make a complete report
showing the location, capacity and
cost of all reservoir sites and the
pvactic sbiIity of conserving the flow
OF Arkansas River for the benefit of
lands in the states of Colorado and
Kansas.