Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1905-03-21
NEVADA IRRIGATION.
Engineer Chandler Writes of the Big
Project.


Project.
In the Sunset Magazine for Febru-
airy, there is an article which is OF great
interest to Nevadans. 1t is entitled
1.-The Reclamation of Nevada and is
written by State Engineer A. E. Chau-
dler Of the Department of the Interior.
1t is illustrated by photographs, taken
by the author, and show the work be-
ing done along the Truckee canal.
There are some beautiful views OF
the mountain lakes in the western part !
of the state.
The article contains variety of IN
formation on the work that is now in
progress sa result of the Reclama-
tion Act, which was passed on June II
1909. This act provides for reclaim
.-ation fund to be composed Of all mon
eys received from the sale OF public
lands in the west. 1t provides more
over, that no Individual grant shall ex-
coed 100 acres, thus giving all the ad-
vantage to the actual homeseeker.
rather than to thesspeculator.
Fourteen irrlsa,.on projects have
this $2z,OOO,OO0 has been appropriated
by the government Actual work has
been begun on the two projects, one
on the Salt river in Arizona and the
other on the Truckee river, in our
own state.
The latter canal begins on the south
miles from Wadsworth, and is to be
thirty-one miles long Its termina-
ton will be at the lower Carson reser-
voire, to be constructed on the Carson
River, near Leeteville. Six miles
from the starting point, branch can
al is being taken out to irrgate the
Pyramid Lake Country. Thus the
flood waters of the two rivers, which
would have otherwise run in the
drainage lakes are to be stored for
the dry season.
The largest reservoir will be that
on the lower Carson. There are to
be three others in the Carson basin,
six in the basin of the upper Truckee,
and one at Lake Tahoe. Distributing
canals are to carry the water from
these researches to the land to be
irrigated 1t is estimated that the
water thus stored will irrigate 3S5,000
acres, in excess of what is now being
cultivated.
The article also gives some very In
-.<eresting information in regard to the
nature and prospects of Nevada arig
ulture. This is the only state in
which dry farming is impossible; If,
rigation is absolutely a necessary. At
the time of the gold rush of 40. the
raising of hay, grain and vegetables
became profitable investment in Ne
vada. Irrigation was done by simple
bitches. With the crudest of impli
ments the pioneer had to dam th5
larger streams and construct miles
OF bitches.
AS the number of settlers increase
there was not enough water to e
around in case of a dry season. An
at the present time there is SO mucl
land under cultivation in the western
part of the state that the summer flov
Of the rivers is not sufficient. Earl,
in July the water supply is exhausted
Such conditions are all right for graf
hay, and generally to crops of alfalfa
water is needed later in the season
This need will be supplied by tn
storage system and will make possibI
the cultivation of vegetables, and Xix
products, leading often more than $40
an acre, instead of the raising of graf
and hay at less than $40 an acre.
The government brings the lateral
and drains for distributing the watel
1t also agrees to operate and kee
the system in repair for ten year;
without additional cost to the farme
and to apportion the water supply
and agrees that all land, under til
government systems are all to hav
sufficient water for use during tn
growing season.
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