Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-06
SOUTH PLATTE IRRIGATION
Report Of Reclamation Service Offers
' Valuable Suggestions
MANY SMALL PLANTS ARE NEEDED
water supply Plentiful Go make Pos
sibIe Extensive FaFminE of
Entire wide valley for -
Many Miles.


teneive farming In the valley, OF the South
Platte, between North Platte, Neb., and
Sterling, Colo. will receive q big impetus
from the report of the reclamation service
which has recently concluded an interest
ing investigation in that section. Valuable
practical suggestions are offered and
methods suggested by which the water re-
sources OF the valley can be developed with
but the construction OF costly plants, and
It IL recommended that the engines which
are used during the manufacturing season
of the year 20 grind the sugar beets should
he employed during the growing season to
pump water to the land on which the beets
are grown.
Since the passage OF the national irriga-
ton act and the formation Of the reclama-
ton service, special attention has been paid
tc the investigations of the underground
waters OF the great plains, and means Of
bringing them into service These under
ground waters belong to two general classes
and are divided with reference 70 the geo.
logic character of the formations in which
they are found. The first of these is found
in Dakota sandstone and occurs under suffi-
cient pressure to cause It TO rise an appre-
ciabie distance above the level at which
the drill meets it, thus forming artesan
wells. The other is known as underiow or
sheet water, and is found in sands and
over the great plains at various depths, and
the problem of utilizing II for irrigation, IL
successfully solved, means the reclamation
of extensive areas of wonderfully produc-
tive soil which are today worthless for any
purpose save the grazing OF cattle ana
sheep.
investigations the UnderfIOw.
The results of the investigation conducted
by the reclamation service in the valley of
= the South Platte will appear in the forth
Z coming annual report OF the service. This
, Investigation wac begun in the middle OF
July, 1905, and extended from Sterling, Colo
TO North Platte, Neb. The work was in
charge Of Prof Charles s. slichter and q
corps of assistants. It's purpose was to de-
termine what resources IL any, existed in
the undernow waters OF that valley, and
whether IL was practicable to make use OF
such waters II they were found to exist In
suitable quantities for irrigation, The val
ley varies in width from two to eight miles
and the river occupies very sandy stretch
3 some 1900 to $500 feet in width.
- Briefly summarized. the reconnaissance Of
the South Platte valley indicates that there
is an ample supply of ground water for thu
irrigation of suitable lands in the bottoms
along the valley, but that IL is impractlcabl'
in this section to divert any of the grounC
water from the valley OF the stream uDoT
the high lands which border It. There re
mains, however, a considerable quantity O
bottom lands In the valley OF the rive
proper, of such a quality and so situated al
to be especially inviting for irrigation pur
poses. The entire valley is traversed b!
the main line OF the Union Pacific and Their
seems no reason to doubt that It is capabl
of supporting a very considerable popula
ton II engaged in intensive farming OIL
small irrigated tracts.
Plan to Keep Engines Busy.
The report finds that the quality Of tn
gravels is especially favorable for the con
struction of wells of large capacity, ind!
cations being that pumping plants can b
very economically constructed and prove
profitable where the soil and markets ar
favorable. At locations where the vale
reaches a considerable depth, It woul
seem practicable, in the opinion of tho ex
perts, TO construct central power static
and transmit power 70 numerous sma
pumping plants located on small holding
OF irrigable land. At Sterling 1t is sug
gested that such power could be secure
from the large sugar factory which ha
been built at that place. At other point
in the valley these factories could be estat
lished and the powerful and expensive er
I gines utilized during the irrigation seaso
=, 80 generate electricity, which could b
u
ley adjacent to the factory TO pump under
ground waters upon lands planted in suga
beets. Under present conditions, during
large portion OF the year the engines in III
factories remain idle. In fact, they al
never In operation until after the irrigs
ton season is closed. At other points
the valley small pumping plants owned b
individual farmers could be constructed Il
securing supply of water for the irrigl
~ ton Of high-grade crops.
Many Small Plants the Need.
q one OF the favorable conclusions from Il
work in this valley is that private capit
can properly develop the water resources
existing without the necessity OF construc
ing large plants requiring large capital
government aid. The situation seems
call for numerous small pumping plan
rather than for a single large plant al
there can be no doubt that Il will
cheaper 10 build numerous plants not
exceed In capacity $500 gallons per mimi
each, than to attempt to install more plan
OF greater size.
The discovery that water in the valley
Birdwood creek has a considerable artesis
head may prove OF great value to LAM
near North Platte, as the lands near Bir
wood creek, with the exception Of a vel
narrow strip of valley, consist of saI
hills OF little value for agricultural pu
poses BY the construction OF uumero
twelve-inch wells. about 100 feet in dept
along the west fork OF Birdwood creek, Il
low stage How of the stream could
nearly doubled and the waters taken fro
the creek near its mouth and placed up,
lands in the valley of the Platte river Co
lands in the valley OF the South Platte a
in large part still lying idle and the INN
grafton OF people able TO make the be
use OF the present water resources Is We
much 10 be desired.
POstaIs that Are Dumped.
The post card fad, which has swe
the country from one end 70 the otht
is costing the people Of the United Stat
thousands OF dollars every day for viii
they get no returns whatever. not ev
the satisfaction OF knowing that tn,
friends receive the cards which they dun
Unto the malls by the hundred. This sta
OF AFFAIRS Is due 60 the fact THAI the
is an entire misapprehension as TO I
postal laws and regulations applying 70 1
postal rate on these mailing cards. 7
law recognizes two classes OF these eart
one which are in strict conformity wi