Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1902-10-03
Chairman of the Convention
Attest:
ALBERT H. UTTER,
Secretary of the Convention.
Amount of Water Used in Irrigation.

1u0 OIuc0 Oh EXp0rlm0nG SC6GlO0S, v.
8. Department of Agriculture, has just
issued an interesting and valuable re-
port Of it's irrigation Investigations for
1901. 1t is handsomely illustrated by
25 plates and 90 text figures. In it are
given the resulus of the years measure
ments and studies of large number
of leading irrigation experts of the
arid regions, acting under the directions
Elwood Mead, cheif of Irrigation 1nves-
legations, among whom are: A. f. Dor
emus. State Engineer of Utah, Prof. o.
V. P. Stout, of the University of Ne
braska; Prof. j. M. Wilson, of the Uni
verslty OF California; Prof. OIL Waller
of Washington; Prof. Samuel Fortier,
of Montana; Prof. j. @. Nagle, of Col
lege Station, Tex; and w. H. Code, of
Arizonia, recently appointed Inspector
of Irrigation Surveys in the Interior
Department all of whom are resident
agents of these Investigations in their
respective states.
Prof. Mead in his introduction spoke
of the nature of the work being carried
on and the Importance of a general
knowledge on this subject, for which
purpose the bulletin has been written.
He speaks of the growing demand for
the construction of irrigation works by
Government aid, and that prior to
such construction the government
authorities should know how much
land can be reclaimed by each propos-
ed enterprise, and that precautions
should be taken along this line to pre-.
vent mistake which might seriously re
tard the development of the West for
many years. This is followed by the
discussion of the experts above men
toned.
All have made careful and palms.
taking investigation and, although they
deal with phases of irrigation typical
of their own State, the conclusions of
all are exceedingly interesting and will
be carefully studied by the western
farmers and all interested in the devel-
opments to be inaugurated under ma.
tional aid.
Mr.. d. w. Ross, State Engineer of
Idaho, calls attention to the increased
duty of water, which is brought about
by modification of water right con-
tracts. Mr. Ross has given consider
able attention to this reform, and ow.
ing to his efforts and others connected
with this investigation, canal compan.
les are substituting contracts in which
the water is measured to the farmer
and he pays only for what he uses, in
place of the earlier contracts in which
he was charged for the acres irrigated
In this way the farmer is led to econo
mize because he gets the benefit of his
savings. Changes of this kind have
increased the need for more accurete
methods of measuring water, hence the
designing of cheap, efficient water reg.
listers has been given much attention
by this branch of the department, and
number of new patterns have been
invented and are now being furnished
to irrigators by some of the leading in
strument makers of the country at {
very reasonable price.
The duty of water is the leading sub
ject dealt with in all the reports, al
though each paper discusses the loca
practice of the region where the meas
ments were made. These are reviewed
in the discussion of the amount Of
water needed to irrigate an acre o1
land by Clarence T. johnson, Assistan
Chief of the Investigations. 1t shows
that the average depth of water bein,
applied to irrigate fields is more tha,
!. four feet, being 4.35 feet in 1899, Al;
feet in 1900, and AGO feet in 1901
Measurements like these are neces sar
in order to determine how much Ian,
can be irrigated from the reservoir.
which the Government is to build. an
!. also what will be the value of the waite
cforod IN khop, r,;%ho,,k kt,:o :,eo.,..