Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-11-19
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WORK OF RECLAMATION SERVICE

WORK OF RECLAMATION SERVICE
The first annual report of the gov
eminent reclamation service, issued by
Prof. Newell, the chief of the bureau,
shows that work has been carried on
in the following states and territories:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho,
Kansas, Montana, Nevada, Oregon,
Washington and Wyoming. Some OF
this work is only in the nature OF
preliminary survey and estimate. 1t
is interesting to o that while the
national irrigation law was passed on
June II, last year, lists of lands were
submitted for withdrawal. under
contemplated irrigation projects, on
June 2S in the states of Nevada. Cali
fornia, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and
Wyoming, showing that in these
states there was ar immediate move
to take advantage of the provisions Of
the irrigation law.
Prof. Newell includes in the arid
regions of the United States, as gen.
e.ally designated about two ffths Of
the entire area OF the country. A
broad, intermediate belt between the
humid lands and the distinctly arid
lands is designated as the sub-humid
or semi arid belt, and this belt ex-
tends we North Dakota, South DakO-
Ia, western Nebraska, part Of Kansas
and Texas. In years OF excessive
moisture the sub-humid belt extends
up toward the foothi Ia Of the Rocky
mountains, while in dry years the eh-
tire region west of the Missouri river
becomes semi arid. The arid regions
are stated as those where the average
annual rt::nfall is 20 inches Or less.
A considerable section of the western
part Of North Dakota is included in
the semi-arid belt.
A portion of President R%oosevelt's
message is quoted in the report. in
which it is stated that it is as much
luc uuty vi luc u0llOAol 5ONOi
to make the streams and rivers oe the
arid region useful by engineering
works for waterstorage as to make
useful the rivers and harbors in the
humid regions by engineering WORKS
of another kind. The president stated
that the government should o n
struct and maintain these reservoirs
as it does other public works.
1t is this feature of the irrigation law
that appeals to North Dakota. There
are opportunities for constr, in +,
reservoirs and building dams, either
on the Missouri or smaller streams
that should not be overlooked.
President Roosevelt also points out
the danger of granting perpetual
water rights to other than users. and
says that "a few of the western states
have already recognized this and
have incorporated in their cOnstitu.
lions the doctrine of perpetual state
ownership of the water" North Da.
kota is one of these states.
The following statement Of worl
that has been done in North Dakots
is made in the report:
In North Dakota irrigation has no
played a conspicuous part. The east
ern part of the state is humid or sub
humid, and the western unsettled por
ton reaches into the borders OF IN
arid region. Farming is carried O
extensively east of the Missouri rive'
crops being usually successful. tn
percentages Of failure increasing to
ward the western part of the stat
Beyond the Missouri river the cour
try is at present devoted mainly I
stock raising. There are a numbe
of valleys where irrigation is practice
in a small way, and where by NEAR
of water storage it can be increase
as necessity arises.
The largest source of water supp
is the Missouri river. This Is boundt
throughout most Of its course |
bluffs. at the foot Of which are Occa
ional fringing valley lands. Most
these lands are sufficiently humid
produce good crops, and irrigation h
not been absolutely essential. tt
diversion of water from the Nilsson
in a small way at least. is practical
impossible, since the fall OF the RI
er Is very little. being less than Ii
OF the ordinary irrigating canal.
To divert water from the Misso1
river a gravity canal must head