Hutchinson gazette., 1901-09-19
MORE ABOUT THE UNDERFLow.

MORE ABOUT THE UNDERFLoW,
A few weeks ago this paper printed an
editorial with the caption as Our Under
flow in Dangeri" AT the time it seemed
TO stir up considerable comment pro and
con and some OF our friends came to the
Office 10 discuss the question adversely.
However the interest has seemed to in
crease since then and this morning 10
our table comes three exchanges repro
ducing the article. The suggestions
then made were mainly to provoke dis
cussion and the theory that the under
flow is sinking in consequence of the
large amount Of water held in reservoirs
and used Tor irrigation purposes in Col
orado was advanced tentatively, From
the number Of exchanges that are repro
ducing the article the theory must have
gained some disciples, Ithas been urged
against it that the water that is held in
the great reservoirs in Colorado only
benefits this country because it either
saturates the ground and then works
down this way in the underhow, or evap-
crates into the atmosphere and falls in
rain, instead Of running off down the
river channels,
With all due regard to these argu-
ments we believe they may be satisfac-
torally answered. No one questions that
the reservoirs and the irrigation bitches
will benefit the country surrounding
them. Some Of the water that escapes
by evaporation may fall in the neighbor-
hood, but very little will ever get to us
because the prevailing winds are from
another direction, and it will be driven
away rather than toward Kansas. AS to
the water that percolates down into the
sol the argument might be all right pro-
vidng there is enough such water always
to saturate the soil to this distance. But
it is now coming 10 be the case that very
little water runs away out Of the country
through the channels of the Arkansas
river. The water mostly is used up in
mostening the soil Of Colorodo farmers
A given quantity can only saturate a
given quantity of soil. Even though the
available quantity Of water is increased by
reservoirs which hold the water that form
erly escaped, il the water is spread over
much greater portion Of soil near the
source Of supply than would correspond
TO the ratio Of increase in the available
water supply il is only mathematical
calculation that some country that has
been watered will go dry. 1t is this that
leads up to the question "Is Our Under
flow in Danger" and the answer that
there certainly must be limit to the
amount of water that is held in reser-
voirs and used for irrigation in Colorodo
or the underllow as well as the streams
will suffer. OF course If the water sup
ply from the mountains is adequate 10
the greatly increased needs of Colorado
and 10 those Of Kansas also no trouble
will be felt, But this is the vital point.
The great fear is that it is not. The
water from the mountains in most parts
of Colorado is even inadequate to supply
all the water needed to irrigate the
mountain valleys, The department Of
irrigation takes careful note of the snow
fall on the mountains and sends out adj
wees and bulletins when it is especially
necessary to husband the water. The
idea that the water supply from the
mountains is limitless is entirely un-
founded. As we suggested before it is