The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-06
WILL BE OF INTEREST
FORTHCOMING REPORT ON IRRI-
CATION IN CALL
> So .t{ al $: FORNIA
SITUATION rs FULLY OUTLINED
Report Embodies First Attempt by
the Government in Solution of
Problems Underlying Irri-
gated Agriculture.

?! WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept 28.-(Spe-
claL)-The United States department OF
agriculture will soon issue a comprehen
s1Ve report on irrigation in California.
which embodieS the first attempt at CO.
operation by the federal government with
any INDIVIDUAL state in the solution of
Intricate legal and economic problems
Underlying irrigated agriculture.
The Investigations chronicled by the re-
port, and upon which the conclusions and
s recommendations of the engineers in
! charge are based, were made in COOP
GRAFTON with the California Water and
Forest association during the summer of
1900, under the direction of ElWood Mead.
expert In charge of the irrigation inves-
legations of the department of agriculture
assisted by eight specialists in irrigation
engineering and Irrigation economies. In
addition to a general review of the agri-
cultural situation in California by the
expert in charge, the report covers the
local conditions of irrigation and water
rights on nine typical streams, and brings
TO l1ght astonishing facts about California
irrigation, the nature and extent of which
have never been appreciated by the peo-
pie of that state. 1t shows that in many
+ of the principal portions of the state ag-
ricultural development is greatly him
dered because through the inadequacy of
and should make of them highly devel-
eped and valuable agricultural districts
are flowing unused to the sea.
- The report holds. the chief obstacles to
agricultural development in California to
be an unremitting production of cereal
crops in, the great interior valley and
lack of more diversified farming; opposi-
ton to irrigation in districts which the
census shows to be measurably decreas-
n in oyod
zeal on the part Of advocates of the
Wright district law, followed by unwise
Z Investments which have led to loss and
disappointment and consequent opposi-
ton to irrigation laws of whatever ma
ture; overappropriation of streams re-
sulting in confusing uncertainty as to the
number and extent of valid appropria-
lions; the conflicting nature of the water
ISlaws, and the existence, side by side, of
| the two opposing doctrines of appropria-
| ton and riparian rights absolute pri-
|; ,vate ownership of water in face of the
fact that all leading countries where ir-
rigation is necessary recognize only the
rights of use and attach them not to the
| owner of land or to canal companies, but
| to the land itself, from which they are
| inseparable; and finally, and most i'm
| portant of all, the absence of any state
| control of streams or Of any state adj
ministration of rights to their use.
CONTROL OF WATERS
| The conclusions of the special agents
+ and experts who made the Investigations
| are that the state should ascertain the
volume of available irrigation water, de-
| fine all rights to its use, whether already
! acquired or to be acquired hereafter, ana
| provide an efficient system of water adj
| ministration. The definite recommends
/ tons for attaining these ends are far
| reaching, embodying among other meas
/ ures the creation of a state board of con-
| troll of waters, the making of unappro-
| priated waters state property, the lin
itation of all appropriations to actual
| beneficial use and the attachment of all
I rights to water to the land irrigated
| If carried out, they believe these recon-
mendations would put an end to the
| conflicts and controversies which now
| harass irrigators IN California, and woulo
| place its irrigation law and developments
| on a sound and permanent basis.
The special agents who carried on the
| Investigations under the direction of Tx
| pert Mead and the streams to which they
We're assigned were as follows: w. e.
Smythe, Susan river; Marsden Manson,
Yuba river; j. M. Wilson, agent and ex-
| pert in irrigation Investigations, Cache
creek; Prof Frank Soule, of the UNIVERSE
| ty of California, San Joaquin river; Prof.
CndEloS 4las MARX, Oh STANFORD university,
| Salinas river: c. E. Grunsky, city eng1-
neer of San Francisco, Kings river; Ed
ward M. Boggs. Los Angeles river; James
D. Schuyler, Sweetwater river.
The general agricultural review OF CAL
| ifornia by Elwood Mead, the expert in
charge, which opens the report is also
summary Of the work OF the others
| One of the most striking portions of this
review deals with the value of irrigation
water and the effect of irrigation on Cal
| ifornia land values. Land In Southern
| California, which without water for tr-
1 rigation was not worth IS an acre, is
| shown to have sold, when irrigated and
| planted to orange trees, for $l,700 an acre,
| and Instances are given where a water
right of fifty miners inches recently sold
| for $4,000, and where $3.50 an inch was
paid last year for a twenty-four hours
Aow. -
IS SECOND EGYPT.
Speaking of the great interior valley
/ of California, Mr.. Mead declares that
the water supply available there for ir-
rigation. without injury to navigation
nIferff -, he ~.