Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-02-11
SOME IRRIGATION SCHEMES.


Some Irrigation Possibilities in the
Western Part of the State.
Editor Bismarck Tribune: At the
request of several gentlemen interest
ed in the subject OF irrigation in North
Dakota, 1 have jotted down a few
items, which may be of interest, as
being the result of personal observa-
ton, whilst engaged in surveying the
tracts referred to.
An article in the Minneapolis
Journal, headed "North Dakota Irriga-
tion," written by w. w. Jermane,
dated January 26th, says, "F E. Wey-
mouth who had charge for the Geolog-
ical Survey of the irrigation outlook
in North Dakota, has made his report,
from which it appears that opportuni-
ty to reclaim arid land exists in the
larger flats on the Missouri river" s.
I do not think that any scheme,
which takes, as it's basic principle, the
damming of the Missouri or Yellow
stone rivers, is of any practical value.
It would be far better to leave these
streams to their own cratic courses.
You may by engineering skill and
after an expenditure sufficient to COM
plete the Panama canal, be able to
bride these streams only to find labor
and money both thrown away, as the
result of devastating ice gorge or
change in the treacherous current.
When the old Missouri takes the bit
in its teeth, the stoutest dam would
be like snowflake on the waters, "a
moment white then gone forever"
Again if we take into consideration
the fall per mile in the Missouri river,
from Fort Abraham Lincoln to the
mouth of the Cannonball river, a dis
lance of forty-six miles, we find that
it is only 29.3 feet, or little over SO
of foot to the mile. These figures
are taken from the survey made by
the Missouri River Commission in
1891. 1 have not the data from Bis
marck to the mouth Of the Yellow
stone, but presume that it does not
vary much from the above In any
case the height of the bluffs on either
side of the river would more than Off
set any advantage gained by heavier
fall per mile. For these reasons I am
of the opinion that the Missouri and
Yellowstone rivers should not be con-
sidered in any practical scheme for
irrigation purposes. Nor do we need
them, for there is an ample supply Of
what may be called upland water.
which can be readily utilized. at a
comparatively small cost, to furnish
all the water needed for the following
areas:
Curlew Creek and its branches from
Almont Station on the N. P. R. to
Hebron, a distance Of IS miles, will
irrigate 10000 acres, and following on
the same creek to its junction with
the Heart river, a distance Of over 80
miles, an additional $4,000 acres can
be watered Il.
Dog Tooth Creek for a distance Of
20 miles can furnish water for 1000
acres.
Louise Creek for a distance OF 81
miles will irrigate 10000 acres.
Thirty Mile Greek to its junction
with the Cedar, for distance Of II
miles would irrigate 1000 acres
The Cedar with Its tributaries car
be used for 40 miles and would irri.
gate no. 900 acres. 5Ss#
The south fork Of the Cannonbal
river can be used for 80 miles ant
would irrigate $4,000 acres.
l5 Chanta Peta Creek for 30 miles
| would irrigate $1,000 acres.
The north fork Of the Grand rive
and lie tributaries lightning AM
Buffalo Greeks for a distance Of 81
miles would irrigate 10000 acres
The Green river would irrigata