Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-10-10

In iowa Is discussed IN the llghl OF
existing conditions. Preliminary work
In the development OF these large
fields Is not Away done with suf-
ficient t~horoughness. The following
| suggestions 10 drainage engineers
indicate their responsibility in the
matter:
Preliminary survey should be COM
plete and full data should be gather.
ed and placed on the maps. Every
owner Of land within . proposed dis
trict Is concerned and his interest
should be looked after minutely In
the development OF o drainage plan.
A series Of bench marks should be
established In each district, SO that
! when repairs on bitches are required
| the original grade line may be re-
| produced and the bitches cleaned out
to the depth originally dug. Amend
! ed maps and p~rofiles of the work as
finally completed should be filed for
future reference. The value OF these
will be appreciated when 1t is re-
|membered that practically every
owner Of land who pays an assess
ment toward the cost of the work
has acquired certain drainage rights
which will pass to consecutive own
ers. The improvements are perma-
nent and are Of public as well as
private value.
The report describes the examina-
ton OF particular cases which rep
resent a class, for the purpose OF
suggesting methods Of handling prob
lens In other localities where sim
liar conditions and difficulties exist.
1t Is valuable along these lines and
especially suggestive to those who
have tho direction Of preliminary
drainage work of a comprehensive
character. A few pertinent conclu.
sions are here noted AZ indicating
the general scope Of tho work ac.
complished
While the necessity for the drain
age of irrigated lands will doubtless
be less ohyious when water Il more
economically used ana supply canals
are Improved IN such a way as TO
diminish leakage. a considerable loss
OF water from both causes viii al.
ways be unavoidable, so that drain
age will always be an essential part
Of the Improvement OF irrigated land
In some localities.
The complete drainage of farm
lands in humid belts can be effect.
ed only by the enlargement and en-
eral improvement OF the minor arte.
rial streams which receive the drain
age and by the excavation of
new bitches where natural streams
are insufficient, As the low lands
near the streams are transformed
into farms, they must be protected
from the overflow which periodical
ly endangers them This must be
considered In connection with the
more complete Improvement OF high
er lands, the drainage OF which con
tributes 10 the supply of main
streams. So many phases OF the
drainage problem are involved that
the investigation resolves itself into
an examination Of individual cases in
which local as well as general diff
ficulties must be considered.
The ultimate removal OF the sur.
plus soil water from the fields Is the
end sought. At the same time. the
proper conservation and distribution
of the water should be considered
more fully In the Improvement of
farm lands than 1t has been in the
past. The rate of removal OF water
from soils should be as slow as IL
consistent with efficient drainage.
The drainage legislation enacted
? IN 1903 shows the Importance with
which the subject Is regarded In
Etatkshsrinc inadequate laws. New
laws We're passed In ten other States.
f%ornis, Idaho. and Nebraska and
amendments TO existing drainage
laws were assed in ten other States.
II should be added that the ex-
pertinent with hillside under drain.
age in Georgia for the purpose OF
preventing the erosion of land, so
harmful in the South, promises good
results and viii be watched with
much interest by eHltiyators of Hill
land Such an experiment requires
several seasons te fully demonstrates
the efficiency Of the plan adopted.
Fuulre reports viii doubtless give