The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-26

can society or Civil Engineers,
Professor Elwood Mead, irrigation ex-
pert for the department of agriculture,
discussed the question: Should the Ma
tional Government Build ana Operate
Irrigation Works2" In the course Of
the discussion Professor Mead said. in
part:
There are two classes Of irrigation
works which the government may
properly build and operate. Under the
first are reservoirs located in the chan
nels Of streams whose water is used in
irrigation; under the second are diver
sion works OF great magnitude and
cost. Both promote the public welfare
in such manner that public opinion
should favor the existence of this aid
Reservoirs are a necessity to the
largest and best use of the water sup
ply Of the arid regions. There is scarce
~ stream which can be fully utilized
in irrigation without storing a part Of
its flow. This is due to the fact that
streams do not rise and fall with the
demand for water in irrigation; they
are high when but little water is used.
and low when water is most needed
and most valuable.
WnEn WabGE IS NeEueQ.
While the mountain SHOWS are melt
ing, large volumes Of water run to
waste. but when the SHOWS are gone,
streams shrink to a mere shadow Of
their former volume, and this shrink
age occurs when the needs Of irriga-
tors are greatest. The studies of the
duty of water now being carried on
by the irrigation Investigations Of the
United States department of agricul-
ture show that water is most needed
in the month of July. The measure
ments of the water used in irrigation in
the different months of the irrigation
season, when compared with the flow
OF streams, as shown by the gaugingS
OF the United States geological survey,
reveal the fact that a large part Of
the water supply runs to waste before
it can be prOfitably used. Weber river,
in Utah, has dropped from ASS cubic
feet Der second in June, to ass cubic
feet per second in July. The high water
flow Of the North Platte river in June
has been thirty-four times its low water
discharge in August. The discharge
OF Clear creek, one of the irrigation
streams of northern Wyoming, in June,
1898. was $4,000 acre-feet: in July it
was less than 1900 acre-feet.
F0ur-fifths of the streams used in ir-
rigation furnish similar examples. Irri-
gators have come to understand this.
They have found out that a shortage
of water in July and August is as de-
structive to the farmer on irrigated
land as is a drouth to the farmer who
depends on rain. Without reservoirs,
successful agriculture in the west is re-
stricted to crops which only require
early irrigation, and which are almost
--4-.H l.
which can be irrigated from the low
water flow of streams.
Reservoirs Only Salvation.
Before the facts were understood.
many bitches were built to utilize the
floods Of spring and early summer.
Much Of the land under these bitches
is now either idle or the settlers who
cultivate it often suffer severe losses.
The construction Of reservoirs is the
only means Of improving these IN
satisfactory conditions. Water which
now runs to waste can thus be made to
perform an important service by bring
ing under cultivation large areas not
farmed or unDrofitably farmed. Such
reservoirs viii not only increase the
farmed area, but add to the profits and
security of the farmer, and viii be
worth far more than they will cost
Why, then, should their construction
not be left to private capital? The an
swer is: To avoid legal and economic
complications over water rights Stor-
age works located in stream channels
must receive all the water which comes
down from the mountains above. They
intercept the water when the river is
low. when it is all needed, and all be-
longs TO those having vested rights
Of Z.
places remote from the lands now ir-
rigated. The farmers who. need all the
natural flow cannot see what is takine
place. and when they suffer from short
age the reservoir which stands between
their farm and the mountain SHOWS
II It is a private property. viii almost
inevitably be held responsible. Distrus
and anxiety thus reused will lead Z
controversy, If not litigation All these
evils win be less likely TO arise If thu
works are public. Irrigators below vii
be less likely to suspect interference
with their rights when the works ar
under public control than when they
are operated for private gain.
Other Reasons Given.
There are other reasons why thes,
works should be public property. .Wheru
storage works are built and cOntrOlles
as private enterprises, there is DANCE
that the owners OF such works viii
trade upon the necessities Of farmer
and when their fields are suffering from
drOuth. will charge such high rates tina
the prosperity of irrigated agricultur,
viii be endangered. But II these work.
are built by the government, the ten
dency VIII be 10 make water rates uni
form and stable. The doctrine Of pub
~. l. l.
the stored supply as well as over tn
natural flow. Monopoly Of water vii
be impossible and it's abuses averted.
The argument for public reservoirs i
not. therefore, that private capital can
not afford to build them. because re
cent experience has shown that man,
Of these works can be made highl,
profitable. but that they should be re
garded as a public utility just as W
regard bridges across streams on pub
lie roads. There is no question tina
toll bridges en- many highways woul
pay. and there Is equally no question
that while they would be profitable Z
their owners, they weuld be a nuisanc
to everyone else. That. it is believed
would be the experience with man
private reservoirs located in runnin
streams
Cost Would Be Repaid.
The. construction on large rivers b
the government Of costly diversion
dams and main canals Is justified b
the fact that the United States own
large tracts of land now PRACTICAL
worthless, but which could be mad
habitable and productive by this out
lay If ownership carries with il re
sponsibility then-tt is the duty as we
as TO the interest Of the government
so administer this property as to max
IL provide the largest possible Oppor
-un--La. fnr Lhosa saaklne homes d