Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-13

land under completed bitches in Nebraska
Is being cultivated. Canal systems OF the
Salt River valley In Arizona cover $50. 900
acres. Only 125, 900 acres are being irri-
gated. The same condition prevails in
every other arid and semi-arid state.
Dimculties TO he Met.
There are three reasons why ditch build
Ing has outrun settlement. The first is
lack Of water. Settlers have found out that
irrigation from q canal which is empty
half the year is no insurance against
drouth and have restricted their labors to
the area which can be irrigated from the
low-water flow Of the streams. In some
valleys this will not supply half Of the
bitches now built. AS a rule, this scarcity
is not due to a lack Of water, but to its
improper distribution. Streams which have
a food in May are almost dry in July and
August. Weber river, in Utah, which car
ried 4,5ss cubic feet per second in June,
dropped to 445 cubic feet per second in
July. The $50 bitches which take water
from that stream had more than they could
use one month, while more than half were
dry the next, when the need Of farmers
was greatest. Provo river, Utah, had 1910
cubic feet per second In June and only $50
cubic feet per second in July.
To bring these works into complete and
profitable use reservoirs are needed. Many
OF these are being built by private parties
with success and profit, and where these
are located so as not to menace the lives
or property of people living below them, or
do not interfere with the natural flow OF
streams, there is no need OF governmental
aid or supervision.
Reservoirs Must be Public Property.
There is. however, another class Of stor-
age works which should be built under
public supervision and forever remain pub
lie property. These are reservoirs located
In the channels Of streams already used in
irrigation and in which the operation OF
the storage work interferes with the
effective public control and Just division
OF the natural flow.
Where private parties build a reservoir
In the hanne of a river, the public water
Of the stream must flow into the private
water Of the reservoir, and, in order not
to impair vested rights Of irrigators to the
natural low Of the stream In the low
water period, when all the supply is
needed, arrangements must be made which
VIII lnsuIS IudI as MUCH water runs out
Of the lower side Of the reservoir as enters
II at the upper one. In times OF drouth
the stored water supply becomes exceed
ingly valuable and there is great tempta-
ton to hold back a part of the streams
flow, and an equally great anxiety and fear
on the part Of farmers who depend on 1t
that this will be done. These reservoirs
are often remote from the places where
water is being used. Farmers cannot see
what is taking place, and, when they
suffer from shortage, the reservoir which
stands between their farm and the noun
tain SHOWS is apt to be held responsible.
Ownership of the Water.
There is an economic objection to the
establishment Of private reservoirs in the
channels OF running streams which is
shared by all who believe that the water
Of streams should be public property and
that no one should have a right therein
except the right OF use. Whoever builds
works to store water a. a private enterprise
must, In the nature OF things, own the
water. and its disposal is likely to be more
or less speculative. But If these works
are built by the government, then the doc
trine OF public ownership can be main
tained over the stored supply as well as
over the natural flow, and conflicts over
complete public control averted.
The construction Of these storage works
will benefit many sections In a measure
which can. scarcely be appreciated by the
outside world. 1t will more than double
the irrigated area along many streams, and
will make 1t possible to grow more diver
siaed and valuable crops than where irri-
gators are subject to the vicissitudes Of the
unregulated rise and fall Of streams. In
| mann nlaaaa aNkIAro 5000 49, 49,
or fruit trees because they cannot be irri-
gated in autumn and die for lack Of water.
In such valleys reservoirs will not only
enlarge the boundaries Of irrigation, but
enhance the comfort and attractiveness Of
homes.
Reasons for Congregational Aid
The need that these works be public,
and the public benefits which will come
from their construction, are the reasons for
asking congressional aid. The states can
not undertake the work because they lack
means, and many OF them are prohibited
by their constitution from making any
Internal improvements. Some important
reservoirs will benefit more than one state,
and some must be built In one state and
the water used In another. The federal
government owns many of the sites. II
owns much of the land to be benefited,
although less than Is popularity supposed,
and 1t owns all the land from which the
fund for development is to come.
II the government Is to construct and
operate these works, the next question to
be determined Is whether irrigators shall
be charged for the service or allowed to
use the stored water free OF charge, as
they now do when then take the water
directly from streams.
Benehciaries Must Pay.
Those who believe that the government
should charge nothing for the stored
water show that the BENEFITS which will
come from making large areas OF land now
desert and worthless taxable and productive
will more than Justify this outlay, and urge
that there is no reason for making q dis
~tinetion between turning water from
reservoirs at the head OF the Mississippi
for the benefit OF navigation, and turning
water from reservoirs on the Missouri for
the benefit OF irrigators; that since one is
done without charge. the other ought to be.
There is no question that the adoption OF
this policy would greatly simplify problems
OF distribution, but there is one element in
favor of the aid extended to commerce
which Is lacking In the extension Of aid to
Irrigation. All who desire to make use OF
the river or harbor which has been i'm.