The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1903-11-21
WORK OF RECLAMATION SERVICE

WORK OF RECLAMATION SERVICE
The first annual report of the gov
ernment 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 note 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 % in the states Of Nevada, Cali
fornia, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and
Wyoming, showing that in these
states there was an 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.
orally designated about two flfths of
the entire area OF the country. A
broad, intermediate belt between the
humid lands and the distinctly arid
lands is designated as the subj humid
or semi-arid belt, and this belt ex-
tends over 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 Is 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 r,a::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 Roosevelt's
message is quoted in the report, in
which it is stated that it is as much
the duty of the national government
to make the streams and rivers of the
arid region useful by engineering
works for waterstorage as to make
useful the rivers and harbors in the
humid regions by engineering works
<,f ~ ha ef0
that the government should con-
struct and maintain these reservoirs
as it does other public works.
It is this feature of the irrigation law
that appeals to North Dakota. Th.re
are opportunities for constc" .:ina
IFreservoirs 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-
tions the doctrine OF perpetual state
ownership Of the water" North Da-
kota is one of these states.
The following statement Of work
that has been done in North Dakota
is made in the report:
In North Dakota irrigation has moi
played 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 the
| arid region. Farming is carried on
extensively east of the Missouri river
crops being usually successful: the
percentages Of failure increasing TO-
ward the western part of the state
Beyond the Missouri river the coun-
try is at present devoted mainly to
stock raising. There are a number
of valleys where irrigation is praciced
in a small way, and where by means
of water storage it can be increased
as necessity arises.
The largest source of water supply
is the Missouri river. This is bounded
throughout most Of it's course bs
bluffs. at the foot of which are occas.
ioral fringing valley lands. Most ol
these lands are sufficiently humid tc
produce good crops, and irrigation has
not been absolutely essential. The
diversion of water from the Missouri
in small way at least, is practically
impossible, since the fall of the riv.
er is very little, being less than that
of the ordinary irrigating canal.
To divert water from the Missouri
river gravity canal must head IN
Montana where the grade of the riv.
er is greater than in North Dakota
A preliminary survey has been made
showing that such diversion on the
north side Of the river might possibly
be made to reach some of the lands
along the stream, but would be very
expensive; a detailed survey must be
made to settle that fact.
While the Missouri may possibly
not be utilized by gravity, 1t is be-
lieved that some of its water can be