The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-06-15
IRRIGATED LANDS IN
THE YAKIMA VALLEY
The Number OF Acres and Amount Of
Water AvaiieDle-NaluGt;e Bull
Ietin of Statistics.

The Herald is in receipt of a valuable
bulletin from the experiment station Of
the Agricultural college at Pullman. CON
tanning a report on irrigation condi
tion- in the Yakima valley. It i by 0.
/. Waller. agent ana expert of the eN-
pertinent station and of the United
| States department of agriculture for ir-
/ rigation. The bulletin contains all kinds
of statistics and information about ir-
ri9ation in this valley much of which
is very valuable. but the report is en-
tircly too exhaustive to be published in
Il newspaper article. II can he obtained.
free of charge. by application to the di
rector of the experiment station at Pull
man.
| Last juno. on account of the unsatiS-
/ factory statutes governing water rights
/ in this state and the enormous quaint
/ ties Of water fled upon. it seemed to he
a serious question whether the supply
was equal to the demand AMI fearing lit
/ ioation. survey Of the irrigation wa
tcrs of the Yakima and Nachc- river
systems was undertaken. The work was
unlcr the direction of Professor Waller
and the aim wa. to determine how mucn
water was used during July and August
The canals supplying over 5000 acres
of land were actually measured and the
Iail,- Ii.cloron. n,,1o IN ,,,,. f,,,n
| that about 1880 acres of land were
receiving water. For about fl 900 acres
of this amount the water is obtained
/ from artesian wells or small creeks. the
/ rights to the use of which has been set
/ tied by the courts This leaves. 0G3So
acres of land for watch the amount used
was actually measured that of the re-
manning 2l.3sO acres being estimated
The bulletin shows that TO supply the
bitches now in use and those under con
struction 1891 second feet of water i
required. while enc canal now operating
has filings covering the entire flow Of
the Yakima and another covers all the
waters of the Nachcs. The mean of the
water used above Union gap during Ju'v
and August is given as 902 cubic feet
per second.
y stated above. there are now in this
valley 49, $50 acres of land receiving
water from the Yakima and its tributlr.
les. There are under the bitches al
ready constructed md in process of con
,truction 1880 more. making a total
% 26O.130 acres that can he irrigat cd
when the present systems are complat-
ed. These figures do not include extern
! Sions ana high line bitches. the est
mated acreage of which would he 100
900 acres more Tho lake surveys show
that they would supply water for about
10000 acres. Summarizing the total
arceage that can he supplied with water
from the Yakima river system, Prof
essor Waller places il at 32O.750 acres
As there are now. or will be 26G.r30
acres irrigated wnon the present bitches
under construction are completed this
| leaves but GOO20 acres more for which
water can be supplied without storage
| reservoirs
! the bulletin gives much other ,ahl-
able information. taking each ltch in
the valley. showing the number of acres
cultivated under tnem, the number not
cultivated. the amount of water used
and the amount and date of the appro-
priation. 1t is valuable work for per
sons interested in the subject and is
worthy OF careful examination