The Elbert County tribune., 1904-11-03
ROOSEvELTS FRIENDSHIP FOR THE WEST
Manner of Determining Reservoir Sites and How
Organized Effort Secures the Highest Eff
ciency-Glimpses Of the Future
of "Arid America"


NATIONAL Irrigation law, which passed
direct personal influence of President
Roosevelt.
As previously stated in these columns,
this Is one of the most important meas
ures that has ever been enacted by
Congress. Perhaps no one now living
can fully appreciate its far-reaching
benefccnt effect upon the domestic, So
cial and political lives of future genera
lions OF American citizens. Active opera
tons began as soon as the measure be
came n law: an organized body of gov
eminent engineers was already In the
Western field connected with the geo
logical and typographical surveys. 1t
will be OF interest to voters tc know
before election day, something of the
uod,ts operandi OF this National Irriga-
taon Act for which President Roosevelt
b personally and directly responsible.
National Irrigation Explained.
As previously stated, the funds for
this great work are derived from the
sale or disposal of public lands located
IN the thirteen. States and three terri
tories affected. and the work is con-
consequently confined to this area. There
Is now in the reclamation fund. some
ching over S27 100000. This fund is in
creasing rapidly every month. When
1t Is stated that the proportion of gov
eminent land in many of these arid
States Is from 10 to 80 per cent. of the
entire area, some vague idea may be had
of the enormous amount that is destined
to accumulate in this irrigation fund as
the result of the sale of these govern
ment lands during the next fifty years.
All of this money goes into the reclaim
alton fund. Whenever any portion of
d Is expended for the construction OF
reservoirs, dams or bitches, it is return
ed to the government within period of
ten years, in the form OF ten equal an
nual installments. from the actual oc-
cupants of the land, 80 reclaimed by
Irrigation.
Over 800 Engineers Mt Work.
To carry out the purpose of this law.
an efficient engineering corps has been
organized, under civil service rules, and
from the men already in the field. Over
three hundred such engineers. together
With large number of helpers, are al
ready in the field. From time to time,
other men are being added, especially
from the graduates of professional
schools throughout the country. 1t is
the policy of the governments to retain
men for this work who are known to
possess high principles and undoubted in
tegrity, for 1t is believed that the great
hydraulic work can be planned and built
properly only by men OF the highest
type.
Selection of Reservoir Sites.
In each of the States and territories
general study is being made of natural
situations which offer opportunities for
reciaiming large bodies of land. After
due. preliminary work. few of such
projects. say two or three, which are
che most promising, are selected for
more careful survey and investigation
From comparison of results so OBJ
tained. one OF these is chosen by the
district engineer. When he is ready to
report upon the work. with recommend
ations, the facts and figures are sub
united to the board of engineers, who
pass upon them. Sometimes additional
Information is sought or the conclusions
are modified.
When agreement is reached. the re-
suits are transmitted to the Secretary
of the Interior with definite recommend
etions for immediate action and with full
facts as to cost and benefits. Final
action Is thus taken only after the most
critical examination of existing condi-
lions and comparison of these with other
projects. In some of these arid States
general reconnaissance is still being
carried on. in others plans and estimates
have been completed. and in n number
of instances work has actually begun on
n large scale. along the line of construct
tng dams and reservoirs. Contracts are
likely to be let within the next few
months for several more, mammoth en-
terprises which will reclaim a few mil
lion acres OF land.
organizing Com m unities for Irrixa-
tiou.
Under the terms of the law. the works
when built, are to be paid for in ten
annual installments and are ultimately
TO be owned and operated by the peo-
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, SO 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. 1t is hard to
bring together the discordant elements
of a community, torn by conflicts over
water. and weld them into compact
organization. sufficiently strong to main
tain. the works built by the government
and distribute the water equitably.
How Water IL Conserved for Use.
Beyond all question. most OF the water
to 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-
HEED by closing the outlets and catching
che WATERS which otherwise would flow
down the steep slopes. devastating the
iowlands.
Many of these artificial reservoirs can
BE- supplied by gravity canals so as TO
cover large bodies OF bench land ada