Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-11-28
THE GOVERNMENTS !:
u IRRIGATION PLANS
Outline Of the Irrigation Plans Of the Gov
eminent in North Dakota As Told In
a. Dispatches From Washington.

'..S
termediate canal and sixty feet for a
high line canal. These canals will
cover all the remaining land. They
will also cover the flat east of Tren-
ton, and if carried on would cover
nearly all of the Williston fiat.
The Bismarck Project.
Commencing near the bridge of the
Northern Pacific railway, just west OF
Bismarck, and extending south along
the east side of the Missouri river to
the vicinity of Glencoe, Hes a series Of
flats covering 10000 acres OF land. BY
lifting water from the Missouri river
twenty-five feet at the railway bridge
and delivering it to canal running
along the upepr or eastern part of these
flats, this whole area may be covered.
Above this lies another series of flats.
These are somewhat rolling and their
extent is indefinite, depending largely
upon the lift to which it is economical
to pump The survey now being made
indicates that a lift of $50 feet above
low water in the river will cover all
the area, including the city of Bis
marck.
Surveys so far made indicate that an
eighty-foot lift will cover most Of the
flat at Bismarck. will pass through the
high divide southeast of Apple creek
at a point near Magnus, and will cover
large tract to the south, the area of
which is yet to be determined. The
same lift will carry water to McKen-
ziey where there is a large, low mead
owe called mckenzie slough. It is
possible that the water may be run by
gravity from here onto large flats
south of Dawson, where a lift Of
seventy-hve feet more would cover
another large fiat.
It is proposed to place pumping
plant ABOUT threefourths of mile be-
low the Northern Pacific bridge at Bis
marck, and there lift water for $4,000
acres into main canal twenty-five
feet above the river This canal will
follow the top contour Of the first
bench or bottoms, and from it water
cam be distributed over about $4,000
acres of bottom lands At point on
this main canal about two miles below
the main pumping plant an auxiliary
plant with a lift OF twenty-five feet
will cover 1000 acres, and one of forty
feet will cover an additional 1000
acres. III :s' j.,
Central Power Plant.
An investigation will be made as to
the feasibility of locating a central
power plant close to the coal supply,
from which power can be transmitted
electrically to the pumping plants. If
this Is found feasible, it is probable
that the area irrigated can be largely
increased. The pumping plants are
designed with capacity equal to
pumping the entire two-acre feet per
acre in eighty days, provided the plant
be operated at full capacity. With a
full plant in operation, the entire area
could be covered three inches deep in
ten days. '" &.1 ...<'~',.
The cost of fuel for the Bismarck
estimate is taken at 81 a. ton, deliv.
cred. This L is believed to be high
even If it has to be purchased in open
market, since yearly contract of from
5000 to 10000 tons would no doubt
secure a price less than the usual mar.
ket price. On the other hand, If the
coal is secured from government land
the price would probably not exceed
$1.20 ton for coal delivered at the
pumping plants. In the event that a
central electric generating plant be 10.
/ Gated at the coal mine, the cost might
be reduced to the mere expense Of
mining the fuel, say 60 to 20 cents q
ton. It probably would require no
more coal to do certain amount Of
pumping on account Of the better
deficiency Of the large steam electric
units. The canal system has been es'
timated at IS an acre. This covers
land irrigated and other extras. BIS
There are no special difficulties to
Ebe encountered by this special system
sas no coulees orrailroads have to be
crossed. The land is all In private
ownership. and mostly n 160-acre
tracts or smaller holdings. The lands
under this project are valued at abou,
1910 an acre The lower bench 10 cul
tiyated AT the present time only 70 the
extent Of cutting the native hay. Or
the upper bench wheat. corn and yege
tables are grown with some success
The project Il favorably located. pc