Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-10-10
DRAINAGE
INVESTIGATION
Valuable Work Done in Califor.
Ma for Agricultural Depart
ment by DR.. Elwood
Mead
EFFECT OF DRAINAGE
ON IRRIGATION
Importance OF Application OF
Scientific Principles. Many
Helpful Suggestions.

Bulletin No. l47 OF the office OF
Experiment Station, issued by the
U. S. Department Of Agriculture, Is
q report Of drainage Investigations
carried on by that Office during 1909,
under the direction Of Elwood Mead,
chief Of Irrigation and Drainage In
vestigarons. This Ia the most i'm.
portant work Of the kind attempted
by the Department, thus forming a
new feature OF investigations along
agricultural lines; yer. judging from
this report, Il covers a broad and i'm.
portant field. The bnlla,.sl has a.
special practical value from the fact
that local field conditions have been
examined and dealt with and the
methods Of treatment which are ap
plicable to each case are briefly dis
cnssed. The wide range, specific DIFF
ferences OF treatment, and financial
and sanitary importance OF drainage
In its relation TO the Improvement Of
farm lands, makes 1t one of the most
unique subjects which engage the at
tention OF agrIcultureists In many 10
calities. As the report says. so many
phases Of the drainage problem are
involved that any investigation 10.
solves itself into an examination Of
Individual cases in each locality and
the particular difficulties there en-
countered. The application Of drain
age TO irrigated lands is shown to oc-
cupy an important place In the res
toration Of fields which have passed
beyond the limits OF profitable pro
dnction by reason Of oyerirrigation
or perhaps. putting 1t In another
way, by reason OF lack Of natural
drainage facilities to care for the
surplus water used In irrigation.
A description Of examinations
made at Fresno, Cal, during 1908,
shows the methods Of arriving N the
volume Of water that shou'd bs re.
moved from the soil. 4 plan for
The drainage Of about rs square miles
of territory IL suggested to meet
these water conditions ana also the
peculiar nature OF the soil and the
character OF the crops grown IN that
locality. The report shows that more
Than ordinary attention has been %.
voted TO this field. The gravity Of
the situation and the Importance of
the results which would follow II
drainage were provided for this noted
vineyard country are sufficient rca.
sons for the careful work thus far
done.
A discussion Of the drainage Of
irrigated lands In proportion OF va.
kima Valley, Wasfi, and Gre, bull
Valley. wyo,. forms an interesting
part Of the report, bringing OUT fca.
lures OF the drainage problem which
nave hitherto received but little At.
tention. Farmers Of irrigated land
are urged to give special attention
70 this subject, as may be noted In
the following paragraph;
With reference to the details n
unis matter no better advice can Re
offered than this: Bearing the cen.
eni principles well In mind. each
farmer should study his own situa.
uon--the position OF the hardpan, The
oiIference Of soil. and the contour az
me iand, all OF which have an IN.
i'a'a'ce upon the drainage of each
INDIVIDUAL tract. The indications Of
sees'age water must be watched for
closely and headed Off as early as
possible for the history of this mat.
Ter SHOWS that the evil will not OF
Hseai leave the land but will increase
rather than diminish. Better prac.
ice IN the use Of water wi~ILd~ubtless
soon prevail. but the necNAvM
uss'ndEs Of certain irrigated lapSs
er should be familiar with methods q,
drainage as well as irrigation.
The drainage of lands under rain.
iall Is not a new subject, but Is al.
ways an important one In the deye,.
oprhent OF farms, either old or new.
New men are constantly entering
me agricultural field, Men more or
less e~serienced In agriculture in ~
locality 90 10 another and confront
NV dlncuitles in draining their
lands. so that new phases OF the sub
1ect appear al points where ieas, ex.
pec'ed and demand the prompt at.
ten''cn n the landowner. The treat