Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-01-28
POSSIBILITIES or IRRIGATION,
Representative Of the Reclamation
Service Tells what He Found In Ex-
# animation Of North Dakota Lands. y

& animation OF North Dakota lands. q
Washington, Jan IS. IF. b. Wey-
mouth, who has had charge for the
geological survey OF the investigation
OF the Irrigation outlook in North Da-
kota, has made his report from which
it appears that opportunity to reclaim
arid land exists in the larger flats on
the Missouri river. Much of it is,
however. already in private ownership,
the flats within the Fort Berthold res
eryation forming the only exception. 81
The fats at Buford and Trenton lie
directly on the railroad. Ignite is
not abundant, however, and will cost
about 81 per ton. The Nesson- Hoff-
land fats are fourteen miles from
the railroad, wholly in private owner
ship. Ignite Is abundant, and could
be laid down at 81 per ton. Il 1t may be
possible to locate pumping plant
within few hundred yards Of an ex-
tensive outcrop From an engineer
ing point of view, the Buford- Trenton
tract is simpler 52ss 4 S. s +. ! .g.sI
The Yellowstone flats from the most
attractive single area for irrigation in
North Dakota. The fall of the Yel-
lowstone is greater than that Of the
Missouri, and it may be practicable to
divert the water well in Montana, or
if this should prove too expensive, by
pumping at Sidney, Mont, where
heavy beds of Ignite are reported
Land in North Dakota level enough
for irrigation lies along the streams in
small tracts, of 500 to 1000 acres.
Any plan to cover large area by a
single canal is futile. The Little Mis-.
souri, river through the Bad Lands. and
q portion of the Hart river through a
country almost as difficult $5 Il.
Tributaries Of the Missouri.
u Most Of the tributaries Of the Mis-
souri, in North Dakota are practically
dry in summer season. and fed by
melting snow in the spring. The
Knife river has between 4 900 and
5000 acres of good bottom land,
which could be covered BY gravity ca
mails. but the average discharge Of the
stream is not SUFFICIENT. II anything is
done here It must be by storing the
water, which would cost more than the
land would be worth. There is not q
suitable dam site but an abundance OF
Ignite along the Knife, and several
small tracts can be irrigated by pump
ing. 81 A 5s$ 5.
Along the Heart river there are:
small benches Of land. Of 1000 or
5000 acres each, several hundred feet
above the bed, but many times apart
In small fragments 50 that it cannot
be covered by 3 canal. Much of 1t
can be irrigated by pumping, Ignite
being abundant At Glen Ullen an
earth dam 1900 feet long would store
all the flood waters. ss;s.
The Cannon Ball and Cedar rivers
flow through broken country not
adapted to irrigation. Detached acres
of 200 or 800 acres are found, but no
reservoir sites and little Ignite. =
Some OF the small bottom flats along
the Little Missouri can be irrigated by
pumping only and would grow food
for stock. General agriculture there
lis impossible u owing to remoteness
from railways and markets. Il
Between Glendiye and Fallon. on the
north side Of the Yellowstone river,
there Is large bench Of fertile land
From Glendive to Burns Creek on the
west side, there is considerable bot
tom land. From Burns Creek to the
Missouri Is q valley two to five miles
wide Of excellent soil, well situated for
irrigation. "a canal has been projected
Ia food q fSoi,f TX 0nO q n,.s,r II r f,f,n 4,