Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1905-12-01
MUCH VALUABLE
IRRIGATION INFORMATION
Water Commissioner cressy's An.
aSai Report and Q1her irsigatioa
Facts and Figures.
Rocky Ford. Colo. Nov.

Mr.. John ~. jackson.
Division Engineer.
Pueblo. Colorado.
Dear Sir:
have the honor 10 report the fol-
lowing for the Irrigation season OF
1905; EEe
This season has been the best for
water Supply and for agricultural eropa
that this district has ever had DUR
Ing April. May. June and a few days
in July. August and September. the
river furnished more than enough wat
or for all irrigation and reservoir
bitches. and large amount of water
during these months went down the
river and WAS lost To the agricultural
interests of Colorado. which demon-
stragss the necessity OF the building OF
more reservoirs for the conserving OF
the surplus water OF the river. and
side streams. So that II can be made
use OF during the months OF shortage
and for the ysaFs when wafer Is scarce
which. We know from past experience.
are sure TO come.
While there has never been time
that the farmer has los, his crop. un-
der any OF the ciIehes In the district
although We have had dry years. When
II they had the water stored that has
gone 10 waste ia previous years they
would have raised better crops. and
more than repaid them for the cost OF
building and maintaining reservoirs.
Commenting on the Main canals IN
the order or their priority i have this
to say; The Rocky Ford Canal has
been well supplied with water. but
were To considerable expense Ia main
tanning the brush dam across the river.
The Las Animas, Consolidated had
plenty Of water. although they were
deprived OF u for n short time ON re-
count OF the niiinE up OF the upper end
OF tho ditch with sand. hut cleaned u
Ia. st.aV t...aa a sal
fer from tn. temporary shortage.
The catiin Canal had the misfortune
OF losing about on--hnif OF their dam
across the river. which has cost 'h-fn
conslderuTi. to replace. but thny con-
siruet-d Z temporary brush dam. which
for IN. crops.
The Las Animns Town Ditch has had
no troubi. only temporary breaks In
their brush dam. which has been early
repaired.
The Fort Lyon Canal. tho largest
canal In the district being ia miles
long. and furnishes water to irrisaic
$4,000 acres OF land. have Ind hut one
break this season. which occurred nj
Horse rrrck on May 10th. and was not
repaired until May -. This break
caused considerable expense to repair.
but did not cause any loss to crops. as
the land was well irrigated previous to
the break. The greatest loss. con-
slider. fell on the Great Plains System.
by no, being able TO store water dur
Ing this time. Tho IT. Lyon Canal car
rics the water for tho reservoirs rys-
ten. for forty miles down their canal.
where II IL diverted Into tho Kicking
Bird Canal. which supplies the Great
Plains Reservoirs. and the IT. Lyon
were carrying the Great Plains at tho
time Of the break about 1890 acre feet
In 81 hours. or for the thirteen days
sasN nH all. ar
to 10000 acres feet. that the Great
Plains Reservoir system lost on ac-
count OF the break.
The Hoibrcok Canal has been well
supplied with water this season. and
has had no misfortune of any kind.
The Potter Ditch has been flilcd with
sand Mt the upper end and has been
practically out OF water this season.
The Crooked Arroyo Ditch has been
well supplied this season.
The otcro Canal Ind on account OF
their aiphon across the Apishapa and
Tcmpas creeks. n better run OF water
than for many years. and when they
finish repairs now In progress they VIII
have the canal In first class shape for
next ycnr. The balance OF the small
bitches in the district have all donc
well this year.
The crop report for the district has
been good. Alfalfa. OF which there In
G7.bi5 acres in the district. has yielded
from three to Ave tons per acre. n little
lighter than usual as grass hoppers
damaged the first crop considerable.
Cantnioupcs. There has been shipped
from the district 700 carloads which
have brought the farmers more than
s25c.000.
Winter wheat has averaged about 35
bushels per aero.
oats MS high as 100 bushels rcr acre.
SUGAR hecis. There has been raised
In thfs district 1889 acres Of sugar
bcets which viii probably average from
10 TO Is tons per acre. and Mt $500 per
ton will bring the farmers from $780,
600 to 100000. There will be many
acres of beets that viii yield five tona
per acre and for u good farmer n beet
crop 10 one of the best crops he can
raise.
Fruit. There is,in this district 5.61e
acres of orchards. but an early hail
storm which passed through the Sec
ton OF country where most of the or
chards are located. practically Destroy
ed the fruit crop this season.
Stock raising forms one of the prin-
cipal industries of the district. The
range or grazing portion of the dis
trict Is quite extensive, being As miles
wide and extending from the divide be-
tween the waters OF the Plat and Ar
kansas rivers on the north to the wood
ed slopes of n spur of the Ration rnnge
of mountains on the south, n distance
of 1872 miles or little over 6,000
square miles, or fourteen million acres
of land, on which thousands of sheep,
cattle and horses feed during the en-
tire season.
Sheep and cattle feeding forms one
of the principal industries of this dis
trict and this year there win be about
$4,000 sheep and about 5000 head of
cattle fattened this winter FOR the mar
ket
There are thousands of range cat