The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-04
The McCumber Irrigation Bill Is OPP
posed by Officials of the Recla-
nation Service.
Reasons Why Extensive Irrigation in
the State Is Regarded as
Impracticable.
The Topography Of the State Is Not
Well Adapted to Such
Work.
From the Journal Bureau, Colorado Building,

Washington, Dec. 1T may be said
with full authority that North Dakota
will accomplish nothing thru the irri-
cation delegation which it proposes
to send to Washington in the near fu-
ture. That delegation is the OUT
growth Of the Bismarck irrigation
congress, and it will consult, while
here, with officials of the reclamation
service with view to ascertain what,
if anything, can be done to widen the
plans of the service SO far as work
in North Dakota is concerned.
The engineers of the geological sur
vey are thoroly familiar with condi-
tons in all the irrigation states, and
their numerous reports, covering a
dozen years or more, have led to the
conclusion that there are no projects
of Importance in North Dakota, and
that to undertake to expend any large
sum there would be grossly extrava-
giant and contrary to the spirit Of the
reclamation act, which regards the
country as a whole, Independently of
state lines. In order to be entirely
certain of its ground, however, the
tinue its investigations in the state,
by way of supplementing those made
in previous years, and to give the
state the benefit of every doubt.
The topography of North Dakota
Senders that state an unfayorable field
for irrigation projects as compared
with those states which have noun
tains and valleys and deep streams.
A wide belt, running thru the state
from north to south, just east of the
Missouri river, is part of belt
which extends from the Canadian line
to Texas, in which irrigation has all
ways been a failure, owing to occa-
slonal seasons of rainfall, during
which irrigation bitches are neglect
ed and permitted to deteriorate.
Farmers, during rainy seasons, cam
ton systems in repair. There is no,
exception to this statement. Irriga-
ton in India has been more or less
"a failure for scores of years because
Of this very condition and the facts,
just stated, growing out of it.
1t has been the plan of the reclama-
ton service ia use large part of the
tributed to the reclamation fund,
something more than $2,225,000 for
the establishment Of reservoirs, etc.,
in Montana, and the claim is made
that such program would be OF de-
cidedly more benefit to North Dakota
within it's own borders. AS explained
to me by an official of the reclamation
service, the development of irrigation
works in Montana would greatly en-
nance the stock raising industry OF
western North Dakota, by providing
season cattle could be driven into cor
rails, and there fed on alfalfa grown
on the Montana irrigated fields, thus
preventing the heavy death loss oc-
curing each severe winter. Montana
fields would be very near the North
Dakota ranges, and those ranges
would increase in value, and everybody
concerned would prosper. This ar
rangement, in addition to being more
profitable for North Dakota, would
make the government funds go far
Their. &c.. in the interest Of economy,
to say nothing of the other advantages,
the reclamation service thinks that the
portion of the funds raised in North
Dakota would be highly desirable.
What Investigations Showed.
Last summer engineers from the
reclamation service made extensive in-
vestigations of North Dakota streams.
They examined carefully the Missouri,
the Little Missouri, the Knife, the
Heart, the Cannonball, and other
streams, with reference to rainfall, de-
clivity, quantity of water, etc, and
their reports will soon be available.
shall take up each of these streams
separately, so as to give an intelligent
| Idea of the situation as the reclama-
ton service understands 1T.
| To begin with, every reservoir and
| ditch project intended for the irriga-
! ton Of North Dakota soil must be
| constructed, or begun, in Montana.
The fall Of the land is so gradual as
4 to prohibit any undertakings Of this
character within the state.
The most desirable North Dakota
4 project, and the one which the recla-
/ nation service hopes to develop, is To-
| Gated near the junction Of the Mis-
souri, and the Yellowstone, in the old
Fort Buford military reservation.
! Here are perhaps 10000 acres Of good
soil which could be irrigated sue
cessfully, the dam to be built in Nom
| tana.
So far as the Missouri river is con-
cerned elsewhere in the state, the only
possible way to make it available for
! irrigation would be by pumps, and the
cost of this work makes 1T prohibitive.
There are, however, small tracts or
ground along the river which could be
supplied with water, but they are
small and add no weight In FAVOR OF
any general plan.
The Little Missouri has some food
water, but not a great deal Its banks
! and bed do not offer opportunities for
/ reservoirs or dam sites, and work OF
! that character undertaken there would
| be far in excess of the benefits to be
/ derived.
The knife, Heart and Cannonball
rivers show the same condition. The
l flow of water in ecoh Is very small,
and they do not Mr. any irrigation
/ project which the reclamation service
thinks should be probably under
%o1y Z {