Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-16
The PROBLEMS OF IRRIGATION.

In the July issue Of the Irrigation
Age appears the first OF series OF
articles by Prof John A. Widtsoe,
director Of the Utah Agricultural Elk
pertinent station on the Irrigation In
yestigations OF that station. This article
is Of special interest 10 all western
farmers, as showing the numerous
and intricate problems that con
front the Irrigation farmer. The article
IL fitting Introduction TO Utah Elk
pertinent station bulletins, Nos, 80
and Sc, on THE Right Way 10 Irri-
ate" which every Utah farmer should
read and study. Dr. Wldtsoe says
THE PROBLEMS OF IRRIGATION.
To many who have given this sub
Ject little thought II seems STANCE
that anything needs Go be discovered
about irrigation. They say, "lf we have
good soil and the water IN the right
position and the right kind Of seed, oil
that needs to be done is 90 let tie water
now over the ground and nature does
the rest" In view Of the neglect which
the art OF irrigation has suffered at the
hands of scientific Investigators such
n reply is only TO be expected, yet 1t
is an emphatic fact that the problems
that irrigation offers for solution are
very numerous and most intricate In
their nature.
Irrigation problems may be grouped
into these great classes
First. The great problems pertain
Ing TO the storing Of the mountain wat
ers I'm large reservoirs, TO be led to the
farms during the growing season when
the plants most require moisture, These
problems are almost wholly OF an en-
cheering nature. though some Of them
concern themselves directly with Ques-
lions regarding the maintenance Of the
Of the forest ana range growth upon
the mountains.
Second, Following the building OF
reservoirs, Ia the construction OF the
canals through which water may be
carried to the farms, Here again num-
erous problems are involved, but these
are also almost exclusively Of an en-
glneerlng nature,
Third The farmer who receives
water from the canal TO be applied up
on his farm also nnds himself confront
cd by numerous problems Of the most
vital nature, 30 Tar az the profitable
ness Of his operations is concerned,
These problems are. In complexity and
difficulty OF solution, no whit behind
those OF the first two classes.
The problems OF the first two d.
visions are much better understood
than those OF the third. This is due
largely 20 the fact that dams, reaer-
yoirs and canals have been built In all
countries and in all ages for purposes
other than those involved IN the art OF
Of Irrigation.
SOME SOIL PROBLEMS OF lRRI-
CATION.
II Is to the problems that confront
the farmer IN the actual application OF
water on the farm that the inyestga-
tons undertaken by the Utah Expert
ment station In 1900 have concerned
themselves. In the experiments It has
been clearly kept In mind that. IN an
arid region, the land itself has little
value unless accompanied by a water
right, and, moreover, that the amout OF
available water. even when all possible
reservoirs shall fraction OF the arabic
reservoirs shall have been built, win be
sufficient to cover only a small fraction
OF the arabic land. Water has been
studied thesefore In It's relation to
both soils and crops
The water applied to different soils
sandy loamy, clayey and caloareous
has been followed In It's downward
movement and It has been shown that
by proper precautions drainage may
be avoided and the danger Of forming
alkali IN the lower lands diminished
or altogether eliminated The lateral
movement Of water has likewise been
investigated to determine 10 what eX-
tent the water applied to a field dis
appears by the lateral flow OF soil mois-
ture, The upward movement OF soil
water after an irrigation has been
traced with reference TO the nature OF
soils found In the arid regions, the
total moisture In the soil and the kind
OF crop growing on the soil Ii has been
found that the rate Of loss Of water
from bare soils depends upon the ma
ture OF the soil, the depth OF the soil,
the hardpan or gravel bottom, the per
cent OF moisture IN the soil, the meteo-
rological factors, including tempera-
ture, sunshine and showers, the time
after irrigation, the condition Of the
top soil, and the method Of irrigation.
The rate OF loss from soil on which
crops are growing has been found to
depend upon the same factors, and in
addition. upon the kind Of crop grown
and the age OF the crop. In studying
all these conditions It has been found
that there Is a method OF treatment
which is better than all others In the
conservation Of soil moisture.
The relations Of soil fertility to irri-
cation has also been studied with ref
erence to the composition Of the irri-
cation water the nature OF the soil
the addition OF various natural and
commercial fertilizers and artificial
drainage. The results of this
branch of the work have
also been very interesting I'm showing
that fbopa "a fr,pftto1 Antaw,fnvao
tween soil fertility and use of water by
plants. In connection with the question
Of soil fertility, the reclamation OF al
kali lands by means Of under drainage
has been Investigated briefly. with the
result that II seems probable that al
kali lands may be reclaimed by under
drainage, and yet. by proper methods
OF irrigation, they need not again be
subjected 20 alkali conditions
The conservation or the moisture, al
ready I'm the soil. has been studied with
reference 10 the stirring OF the top toll
the addition or removal Of soluble salts
the quantity of water 10 be added at
each irrigation subirrlgatlon, standing
water near the surface. and the crops.
The consideration OF these problems has
led ia conclusions which, Il applied by
the farmer. may lead to the saving Of
one-third TO one-half OF the water now
ordinarily used for the production OF
the common field crops.
The various methods of irrigation,
flooding firrowlng and sub irrigation
have been tested with results that In
dicate plainly the relative merits Of
these methods OF supplying water to
soils.
THE CROP PROBLEMS OF IRRIGA-
TON.
The relation q water 20 crops has
also been Investigated systematically
and extensively. The total yield OF
crops has been found TO depend not
only upon the total amount Of water,