The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-05
Irrigation Expert Makes Visit
to Kansas.
VIII Make Investigation to De.
eide ON Experiments.
TALKS ON HIS WORK,
Will Report on the Colorado
Kansas Suit.
How the Money Provided For
May Be Spent.

Elwood Mead, chief of the irrigation
Investigations Office and experiment sta
tions of the United States department
of agriculture, of Washington, D. G., IS
In Kansas to confer with governor
Stanley and Attorney General A. A
GODDARD with reference to the lnveSIlga-
tions which are to be pursued in Kan
sas under his direction on the subject
of irrigation. Mr.. Mead also paid a
visit to Congressman Charles Curtis at
his home in North Topeka last night.
at which time the subject of irrigation
and the rights of riparian proprietors
was the principal topic of discussion
Owing to the absence of Mr.. GODDARD
from the city Mr.. Mead has changed
, his plans, and will now go to Colo
rado. He will return after Mr.. GODDARD
able length of time in the state studying
up on the conditions as presented in
this state, through the aid of the at
| tOrney generals departn ent and the
Kansas Agricultural college.
| Mr.. Mead went to Manhattan today,
where he will visit the agricultural col
| lege and make preliminary arrange
ments to secure the cooperation Of that
! institution in experiments in irrigation
! in Kansas.
1T will be difficult to determine just
| how soon these experiments will be got
| under way" said Mr.. Mead to a re-
porter for the State Journal today.
| but it will probably be safe to say
| that the preliminary work for the ex-
| pef1menCS Will De DeSun III d nuInDeT u
localities in western Kansas this fall.
| and that the real work and tests will
I come next year"
Mr.. Mead was asked whether the in
| vestiga tionS he is making would have
| any effect upon the litigation now
| pending in the United States supreme
| court between Kansas and Colorado
with reference to the water rights OF
the Arkansas river.
81 am making a special study of the
various phases of that case, and they
| will be dwelt upon in my report that
! will be published, but I can hardly say
case in the court said Mr.. Mead.
However, during the time I am in
| Kansas and Colorado will take up the
Investigation of the points in conten-
ton between the two states.'
i Congress recently increased the ap-
preparation from $4,000 to $65. 600 to
| carry on the Investigations and expert
ments in this department of the agri-
| preparation will be spent in carrying on
the research in Kansas.
The bill passed by congress making
the appropriation for this department
reads:
Irrigation Investigations-To enable
the secretary of agriculture to investi-
gate and report upon the laws as af-
fecting ton and the rights of
riparian proprietors and institutions re-
lating to irrigation and upon the use OF
| irrigation waters, at home or abroad
| with especial Suggestions or better
methods for the utilization of irrigation
waters in agriculture than those In
common use. and upon plans for the
removal of seepage and surplus waters
by drainage. and upon the use of diff
ferent kinds of power for irrigation
and other agricultural purposes, and for
the preparation, printing and illustra-
ton of reports and bulletins on irriga-
tion, including employment of labor in
the city of Washington or elsewhere
and the agricultural experiment sta
tionS are hereby authorized and directed
to cooperate with the secretary of ag-
rieulture in carrying out said investiga-
tions in such manner and to such ex-
tent as may be warranted by a due re-
gard to the varying conditions and
needs of the respective states and terri
tories as may be mutually agreed upon
Sc. .000.''
1.-THE work of the U. s. department of
agriculture on irrigation is primarily
agricultural and economic" said Mr.
Mead. 1T has to do with the quantity
of water used by farmers, the methods
of use, and the results obtained. Two
comprehensive reports covering these
phases of the work have been published
and a third is now in press, and will
be ready for distribution early in the
coming fall These reports contain the
| results of measurements made in each
of the arid states, and in several of the
states where irrigation is ordinarily con-
sidered unnecessary, including Missouri
Wisconsin and New Jersey. The work
in these latter states, while of much less
importance than in the states where ir-
rigation is necessary, has attracted con-
| siderable attention, because of the
profits shown to come from the use OF
water during periods of drouth. In some
| of the arid states the extension of the
| irrigated area depends very largely
upon better and more economical use
of their water supply, since nearly the
entire supply is used under present con-
| dtiions. The work of the irrigation in
yestigations is to point out the way to
this better use.
.sIt has been found" he continued
''that the success of irrigated a.ricul-
ture depends very largely upon the
laws and customs which have to dc
with the use of water The department
of agriculture has. therefore, taken VI
these subjects. An exhaustive report
upon the legal and economic situation
in California has been published, and 6
like study has been made in Utah, the
, results of which will soon be ready fol
distribution. The annual reports before
, referred to contain much along these
lines also In these reports. Mr. d. w
! Ross. state engineer of Idaho, calls at
! tention to this reform and, owing to hi!
| efforts and those of others connected
with this investigation, canal companie!
are substituting contracts under which
the water is measured to the farmer
and he pays only for what he uses, il
place of the earlier contracts where h,
was charged fat rate for the area fr
| rigated regardless of the quantity used
In this way the farmer is led to econ
| omize because he gets the benefit of hi
savings
Congress at its last session. increased
the appropriation for this work from
$5G. 900 to $4,000, and provided for tn
extension of the work along three lines
Investigations of the rights of riparian
proprietors; the removal of seepage ant
| surplus waters by dra5aage: and tn
: use of different kinds Of power for irri
cation and other agricultural purposes