Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-11-04

The general public has not had time
% become familiar with the workings
Of the reclamation service under the
National Irritation law. which passed
Congress. June 18th, 1907. through the
direct personal influence OF President
Roosevelt.
As previously stated In these columns.
this Is one OF the most Important meas
ures that has ever been enacted by
Congress. Perhaps no one now living
can fully appreciate It's fir-renclIing
benehcent effect upon the domestic. so
eial and political lives of future genera
lions OF American citizens. Active opera
sIons began m soon as the m.asur, be-
came law. an organized body OF gov
ernmcnt engineers was already 10 the
Western field connected with the geo.
logical and typographical surveys. II
will be Of interest to voters to know.
before election day. something OF the
nodus op-randi Of this Sauoani lrri.a-
<ioa Act for which President Roosevelt
= personally and directly responsible.
National Irritation Espisinsd.
As previously stated. the funds for
this great work arc derived from the
aale or disposal of public lands located
Ia tho thirtc~a States aud three terri
tories affected. and I'll. work IL con.
consequently confined To this area. There
10 now In the reclamation fund. some
ching over S:I.OOO.OOO This fund Il In
ereaslns rapidly every month. When
u Is stated that the proportion Of rov-
ernmcnt land In many Of these urs.i
States IL from 20 10 ~ per cent. of tho
entire area. some vsEn. Idea may be had
Of the enormous amount that I. d-s,Inrsi
so accumulate In this irrigation fund as
che rrsult Of tho sale Of these govern.
ment lands during the next hf,y years.
All OF this money goes into tho reclaim.
alton fund. Whenever nny portion of
Il IL expended for the construction of
reservoirs. dams or ditr,,-s. Il u return.
sd 20 the government within q period Of
ten years, ia tho form O! tsu equal an.
aual ins,alim-ats. from tho actual oe-
eupants of the land, - reclaimed by
irrigation.
over 800 ~gias-vs at work.
To carry out ;hr purpose OF this law.
On cfiici-nt engineering corps has been
organized. under civil service rules. and
from the men ALREADY in the acii. Over
shrrc hundred such engineers. together
with n large number Of helpers. arc al.
sraiy In tho field. From iImc Co time.
other mcn arr being added. especially
from the graduates OF professional
sehoais throughout the country. II q.
che policy Of the government to retain
mcn for this work who a.v known 10
poascss high principles aud undouis-si IN.
seSriiy. for u IL believed that the great
hydraulic work ~an be planned and buii;
properly oaiy by mca OF the hishcs;
type.
esisettaW cf Resersoir Sises.
T. - st.-
esntrai study IL being made Of natural
situations which offer opportunities for
rccisimins isrr. bodies Of land. After
due preliminary work. a few Of such
projects, say two OF three. which are
che most promising. arc selected for
more careful survey and Investigation.
From Q cvmparissa Of results 80 oh.
Gained. one Of these IL chosen by the
district engineer. When he IL ready to
report upon the WORK. with recommend.
aiioos. the facts and figures arc sub.
spitted 60 the bcani of engineers. who
pass upoa them. Sometimes additional
Information u sought os the Conclusions
are modified.
When agreement IL reached. the re-
cults are transmitted to the Secretary
Of the Interior with definite recommend.
atioas for immediate action and with full
facts ss TO cost AMI benefits. Final
action IL thus taken oniy after the mos,
critical examination of existing coaii-
sicns and comparison of these with other
projects. In some of these arid States
. general reconnaissance IL still being
carried on. In others plans aud estimates
have been completed. and In a numDcr
of instances work has actually begun on
q large scale. along the line OF construct.
tnE dams aud reservoirs. Contracts are
eikely TO he let within the next few
months for several more. mammoth en-.
<erpriscs which will reclaim a few mil.
lion acres OF land.
Orsauisiss Com mn nities for 1rrizs-
ticp.
Under the terms OF ti., law. the works
when built. are to he paid for In ten
annual instailmcnts and are ultimately
60 be owned and opcrated by the pcp-
pie using the water. The problems be-
fore the reclamation service. therefore.
are not merely engineering In character.
but are largely legal aud pertain to the
organization OF the irrigators into asso-
cations. 81 that the mana cement and
future control Of the works may be plac-
ell In their hands. THIS IL the most
dificuit part of the work. II is hard to
bring together the discordant elements
Of community. torn by conflicts over
water. and weld them into a compact
organization. sufficiently strong 20 main
tain the works built by the government
aud distribute the water equitably.
How Water Is Conserved for Use.
Beyond all question. most of the water
60 bc conserved for irrigation purposes
will come from the storage of food
waters. by means Of dams and reservoirs.
Wherever suitable basins along these
streams can be found. they will be u,i.
iized by closing the outlets and catching
che waters which otherwise would flow
down the steep Slopes, devastating the
iowlands.
Many Of these artificial reservoirs can
....t..lt - .s,nala o.,