Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-11-05

National Irrigation law. which passed
Congress, June 18th. 1907. through the
direct personal influence OF President
Roosevelt
A. previously stated IN these columns
this IS one Of the most important meas
ures that hns ever been enacted by
Congress Perhaps NJ one now living
can fully appreciate is fir-reacsins
heneieeut ssIez't upon the domestic, sn-
cial and l,aftIcai lives Of future genera
sicns Of American citizens. Active opera
tons began spou "a the measure be-
came a law an organized boiy of gov
ernment engineers was already 10 the
Western field tJuuected with the gen
logical and typographical surveys. II
will be of interest 70 voters 60 know
before election day. something of the
urodus oHeransi Of this National Irriga-
tion Act for which President Roosevelt
= personally ani directly responsible
National Irrigation Explained.
A. previously stated. the funds for
this great work are derived from the
sale or disposal Of public lands located
On the thirts.a States AMI three terri
tories afe-tei and the work Is con
consequently confined 20 this area. There
d nov In the RECLAMATION fund. some
crcasing rapidly every month. When
Il is stated that the proportion Of gov
crnmeut land IN many Of these arid
States Is from - 10 - per cent Of the
entire area. some vague idea may be had
Of the enormous amount that i destined
a. accumulate IN this irrigation fund as
che result Of the sale Of these govern
1nent lands during the next hfty years.
All Of this money gnc~ into the reclaim
sii1u fund. Whenever any portion Of
a. IL expend.-i for the construction of
reservoirs, dams or ditrhe~. Il is return
ed 20 the government within a period Of
ten years. in the form Of ten equal an
anal instaliments. from the actual oc-
rupRnis of the land. 40 reclaimed by
irrigation.
over 800 Engineers at Work.
To carry out The purpose Of this law
an effieirut engineering corps has been
organikc1 uBder civil service rules. and
from the men already in tne field. Over
fhree hundred such engineers. together
with a large number Of helpers, are al.
r-ady Ia the held. From time 60 time.
other men are being added. especially
from the graduates % professional
schools throughout the country. II i
the policy Of the government TO retain
p.ssesz high principles and undoulted IN
teErity. for It Is believed that the great
Hydraulic work can be planned and built
Property only by men Of the highes,
Ope.
Selection of Resrrvoir Sites.
In each Of the States and territories 4
general study - being made Of natural
situations Nhirh offer opportunities for
reclaiminE large bodies of land. After
due preliminary work. few Of such
projects. say two or three. which are
the most promising. are selected for
snare careful survey aud Investigation.
Prom comparison Of results - Oh
tained. one 81 these i chosen by the
district engineer When he y ready to
.ePort upon the WORK. with recommend
atfoBs. the facts aud figures are sub
nitied u the board OF engineers. who
pass upon them. Sometimes additional
information Is sought or the conclusions
are modified
When agreement il reached. the re-
suits are transmitted 10 the Secretary
Of the Interior with definite recommend
ntions for immediate action aud with full
facts 70 eost and benefits Final
acton Is thus taken oaly after the most
critical examination OF existing coudi-
projects. In some Of these arid States
a general reconnaissance is still being
carried on. IA others plans and estimates
have been completed. and in a number
of instances work has actually begun on
. large scale. along the line OF construct
sng dams and reservoirs. Contracts are
likely TO he let within the next few
masihS for several more. mammoth en-
terprises which will reclaim few mil.
lion acres OF Land.
tion.
Under the terms Of the law the works
when built. are to be paid for ia ten
annual installmeuts and are ultimately
10 be owned and operated by the pe-D-
pie using the water. The problems be-
fore the reclamation service. therefore.
are not merely engineering in character.
but are largely legal and pertain to the
organization Of the irrigators into asso-
Citations, 50 that the management and
future control OF the works may be plac-
ed in their hands. This is the most
difficult part OF the work. II IL hard TO
bring together the discordant elements
OF community. torn by conflicts over
water. and weld them into a compact
nrganization. sufficiently strong to main
tain the works built by the government
and distribute the water equtably.
How Water Is Conserved for Use.
Beyond all question. most Of the water
60 be conserved for irrigation purposes
will come from the storage of flood
waters by means Of dams and reservoirs
Wherever suitable basins along these
streams can be found. they will be uti-
WED by closing the outlets and catching
che waters which otherwise veuid Gov
1ewn the steep slopes. devastating the
opwlanis
Many Of these artificial reservoirs can
~ supplied By gravity canals 70 ~ to
sevse large bodice q bench land ada