The Delta independent., 1904-11-04
How Uncle Sam Is Retaining Millions Of Acres
of Non-Productive and Arid Lands.
R00SEvELT'S FRIENDSHIP FOR THE west
Manner OF Determining Reservoir Sites and How
Organized Effort Secures the Highest Eff-
ciency-GIimpses Of the Future
Of "Ard America"

The general public ha. not had time
10 become familiar with the workings
OF the reclanntion service under th.
National Irrigation law. which passed
congress. June l7th. 1907. through the
direct personal influence Of President
Roosevelt
fs previously stated in these columns,
this is one OF the most important meas
nr-- that has ever been enacted by
congress, Perhaps no one now living
'ah fully appreciate its far-reaching
b"hehc"nt effect upon the domestic, so
cal and political lives Of future genera
'ions OF American citizens. Active opera
f'"ns began a. SOON as the measure be-
came a law; an organized body OF gov
rrnment engineers was already in the
Western held connected with the geo
logical and typographical surveys. 1t
vii! be Of interest To voters 10 know
before election day. something OF the
inodus op.rsnji Of this National lrriya-
tion Act for which President Roosevelt
" personally and directly responsible.
Sstiossi Irrigation El pIa Insd.
a, previously stated. the funds for
'his great work are derived from III.
sale or disposal of public lands located
Ia the thirteen States and three terri.
tories affected, and tn. work Is con
consequently confined to this area. There
Is now in the reclamation fund. some
thing over x2T 10000 This fund is in
cr"ssing rapidly every month. When
81 Is stated that the proportiOn Of gov
ernment land In many OF th~-c ard
States Is from 10 To ~ per cent. OF the
"nuF~ area. some vague idea may be had
of the enormous amount that is destined
To AL 1.
the result nf the sale If these govern
mont lands during the next 6ry y.sr.,
All OF this money Socs into the RECLAIM
alton fund. Whenever any partion Of
IL Is expended for the c,n-irn,tioa of
reservoirs, dams or dnrb~- IL j. return
81 TO th" government within n period 81
ten years. in the form Of ten equal an
nnai instAllm"nts. from the actual oc-
"Hpanis OF the land. reclaimed 10y
Irrigation.
over 900 E,s sinsers 81 Work.
To carry ont III. purpose Of this law.
sn efficient engineering corps has i.-~n
organized. under civil ~-rvic" rules aud
fhnm the men ALREADY in tn- field Over
flrec hundred such engineers. together
with larr. number Of helpers. are al.
r-ady In the field. From time 10 time
other m"u are being added. r~p.cia lly
from the graduates Of professional
s~bonls throughout the country. II j.
'h. policy Of the government TO retain
n"n for this work who are known To-
p-,ss~-s high principles and undoui,-d ,u-
issrty. for Il !. believed that the great
hydraulic work can he planned and built
property only ty men OF the highest
type.
aslsetios es Reservoir klsss.
In each Of the States and t~rritori.. n
general study !. being mad. OF natural
situations which off-r opportunities for
r-cisininx large baii-. Of land. After
due preliminary work. few Of such
project,, say two or three. which are
the most promising. ar. .-l-ct~i for
mor~ careful survey and Investigation
Fopi a comparison Of results "b-
tslu~,l. one Of these IL chosen by the
district engineer When he !. ready TO
report upon the work. With recommend
aiions. the facts and figures arc sub
mittsd 10 the board Of engineers. who
i'ass npoa them. Sometimes additional
informati tion is sought or the conclusions
ere modih~,
When agreement !. reached the re-
suifs are transmitted to the Secr~;
of the Interior with d-hni'- recommend.
a,i"ns for immediate action aud with full
fact. a. 90 cost and benefits. Final
action 10 thus taken only after the most
critical examination Of existing cpniI-
sions and comparison Of those with other
projects. In some Of these arid States
. general reconnaissance Is still b.inr
carried on. In Others plans and estimate.
have been compl-,.d. and In a numncr
of instances work hss actually begun IN
. large scale. along the line Of construc
ing dams and reservoirs, Contracts are
likely 60 be let within tho mex, few
montbs for several more. mammoth -n.
fsrprises which will reclaim a few mil |
lion acres Of land.
Orsssisiss cs.a.ritIes for lrriss.
tico.
Under the terms 81 IT,. law. the works !
when built, sr- to he paid Tor In Ten !,
annual insts ilm-nts and are ultimately |
So be owned and operated by the p-p. |
pl. using the water. The problems he
fore the reclamation service. therefore. !
arc not merely engineering In cha aractcr.
hut are largely legal and pertain to tho
organization Of the irrirator- into a<.o.
c'a ations, =" that the mana gemrnt and !
future control OF the work. may he plnc.
81 in their hands This Is thc most
dithcult part Of the work. II Is har,i to
bring together the di~corhaut elements
Of community. torn by conflicts over
water. and weld them into a compnc,
nrKa aninati"n. sufficiently strong to main.
tain the works huil, by the government
and distribute the water cauitabiy.
Hsw wstsr Is Conserved for Tee.
Beyond all question. mos, Of the water
Go bc conserved for irrigation purposes
will come from the storage OF food
wsears by means OF dams and reservoirs.
Wherever suitable bs sins along these
streams can he found. they will he u,i.
iised by closing the outlets and catching
the waters which otherwise would How
down the steep slopes. devastating the
iowiands.
Many Of those artificial reservoirs can
bs supphed by gravity canals 50 Rs TO
cover large bodies OF b~uch lard adJn-
A New Sunshine Recorder.