The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1903-04-22
THE YAKIMA HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL -, 1903.
IRRIGATION IN The
STATE OF WASHINGTON
D. VI. Moore, Secretary of the Bureau
of Information, Gives Nalu-
able Pointers.

of Information at Seattle, in the initial
numb Der of the Pacific Northwest has the
following interesting article on irriga-
ton:
Irrigation is as old as agriculture
Along the great Nile are evidences of
vast irrigation schemes which in magni-
tude of construction dwarf all known
present systems. Even in our own
America are the evidences of vast irriga-
ton systems in use ages agone and now
leaving but wel-defined traces Of their
former greatness and the numerous peo-
pies Ion since extinct, once thriving
along the banks OF great canals. AT in
tervals along the Nile were great stone
dams, constructed to divert the waters
to the arid lands, where they had done
service for ages, rrumbled to decay and
are now nearly washed from existence,
patent evidences Of their artificial con-
struction only being evident now at very
low stages OF the waters Of that mighty
river.
Husbandry being the foundation of all
industry, and irrigation being the hand
maid of husbandary, it is readily fore
seen that with the expanding of popula
ton, irrigation and husbandry must yet
go hand in hand and the latter more de
pendent upon the former as the cultiva-
ton of land extends out more especially
over the arid and semi-arid lands of the
great West-so fertile and with so many
advantages for the advancement of agri-
culture.
BY irrigation it is said, man simply
turns on the rain," just when it is
needed, and in country subject to irri-
cation. Nature provides very little rain,
and therefore conditions are nearly al
ways favorable for growing crops, the
maturing OF the same, and for the final
harvesting.
About one-third of the otherwise till
able land of the United States requires
irrigation. The arid states of Arizona,
California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washing
ton and Wyoming. That portion of the
Pacific Coast states lying between the
Coast Range OF mountains and the
ocean, and extending from the northern
boundry to Southern California, should
not by any means beincluded in the arid
belt, and east of the range of mountains
some of the table lands and river valleys
of Oregon and Washington have sufii-
cient rainfall to insure proper growth OF
vegetation.
The Cascade range OF mountains divide
the State OF Washington into two sec
tons, which differ as much in climatic
conditions as in Typographical aspects
The Cascades extend through the state
from north to south, at an average eleva-
tons of about 5000 feet, and with
numerous peaks rising to nearly twice
that height. These mountains are par
alleed by other ranges upon the eastern
and western borders of the state. Gen
orally speaking, it may be said that they
the direction of the prevailing winds,
thus forming almost a perfect rain
barrier.
In Eastern Washington the Columbia
River basin slopes to the south, with
numerous streams. shallow lakes,
sandy soil, high mountains bordering on
either side and broken ridges lying to
the north. 1t is well protected from
outside influences, admirably arranged
and suitably inclined to receive the solar
heat and to have moderately equitable
climate. The figures of the whole
OF the Columbia River basin, de-
duced from official reports from fourteen
stations, well distributed over the basin.
show an average annual temperature of
1925 degrees. The average rainfall of
the Yakima Valley is seven inches. The
serenity Of the sky is remarkable. The
average year gives lSS clear days, SO
partly cloudy, "a cloudy and only 80
rainy days. The soil is mostly loose
volcanic ash, which receives a large
/ quantity of heat and moisture readily
and retains it for comparatively long
time. From the first of June to the first
OF November scarcely any rain falls, and
thunder storm is indeed a rarity. The
aridness of the Great Bend of the
Columbia, including the valley of the
Yakima and other rivers makes irriga-
ton absolutely essential, and for years,
| uDon a small scale in varioua narts of