The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-04-02
IRRIGATION BY THE MISSOURI.
Minnesota Engineer Thinks the Government Should
Investigate Possibilities Of Missouri River
Water Storage and Irri gaticn.

Water Storage and lrri gation.
the Pioneer Press last Sunday the various
projects contemplated the reclamation
made that the Government report that
irrigation not practicable North Dakota tentative
exception report by a. H. Harrison OF the
saltwater waework who has been North Dakota thoro
He possibility storing the the Missouri
controlling them and dverng them has not received the
deserves lead him believe that be feasible
huge the Mandn bluffs somewhere between the
Wton AS the fall of the Missouri
the mile dam 22 feet high such proposed
lon the Salt River in Arizona the and prac
ca form lake reservoir 225 miles long The Yellowstone Little
Missouri and other tributaries would also be affected by this dam
could carried canals and fumes
hills Nebraska and could be used for irrigation
(and power purposes along the route
This scheme Harrison proposed the Irrigation Congress
last fall Congress- Burton of Kansas also urged the
Missouri but without advancing
definite That the control of the Missouri would be enormous
undertaking recognized by both Sen Burton and Mr. Harrison
however, regard the undertaking presenting greater
the Nile the Assouan and Assu dams
advantages they believe fully justified by such heavy
expenditure advantages would be fvef
modification of climate prevention OF foods creation
power and improvement of navigation
The important the control Of floods Had such
dam that proposed been operation last the $5OO and
lives destroyed Kansas goods would have been saved That
by continuous that Hooded Kansas
swelling the brooks creeks and rivers that drained
that region Missouri Had been possible to hold back
upper the Missouri would have been had there been
system weather the local rain water could have
carried without damage The damage n that
dnary year which several million dollars worth
damage either by the Missouri alone by the union of
swollen with the waters the Mississippi the Ohio and other
streams which reach their crest at about the time
Every spring. twenty feet deep melt and
Yellowstone and other tributaries the above the Mandan
bluffs held back to be diverted for irrigation
and used the maintaining
Manageable stage water would destruction be but
the protective would The country
plan controlling the Missouri extension of
system While the latter has indirect results of advantage
it will the long gigantic dam project
irrigation scheme the project also important The water of
Missouri the alkaline of the desert regions where most
pending irrigation schemes Soft greater
value for irrigation.
North Dakota which rgabe
Engineers Report The contention merely that
the gabe sufficient justify the project
But with the construction of the dam for flood control
delivery the Nebraska sand hills would also benefit
North Dakota That the scorcng winds which frequently burn
the would be greatly tempered Nebraska
and theory advanced
by but widely held tue the annual saving the
with the creation of wealth the arid part of Nebraska
Justify expense conducting the waters the Missouri
Furthermore there little doubt that the creation
contemplated the scheme would add materially the
average rainfall Dakotas fveenths
shallow lakes day in Minnesota and the
akein the semard would add
materially be pecpatd Thus the project would
and indirect irrigation of large region
The matter be overlooked The region thru which
proposed would whoutuei Cheap water
could obtained localities with favorable topography
would electric This advantage like
like that improving navigation subsidiary but not unworthy
weighing its feasibility and the necessarily
involved carrying hugh project The possibilities Mr.
suggests least worthy of careful investigation