The San Francisco call., 1906-11-07
WILL BE LARGEST
IRRIGATION DAM.
Government Begins Scheme
of Land Reclamation in
District in South Dakota
LAND TO PAY COST

AS the work on the Government ir-
rigation scheme north of Belle Fourche
progresses people begin to realize the
only In the character of the country,
but also in the character of the set
tiers who will be attracted to these
lands. Irrigation makes over both
country and people.
This Belle Fourche irrigation pro-
ject, as 1t is known, will reclaim 90.-
900 acres of practically arid land ly-
ing north of the Black Hills. and
$2.100,000 has been appropriated by
Congress for the work. Contrary to
the usual belief, the United States does
not put up the money for these irri-
cation projects, thirteen of which are
now under way, but the money comes
from a fund which each State has to
its credit in Washington, derived from
the sale of public lands The work.
however, is under the direct super
vision of the Government, but will be-
come eventually the property of the
water association, which will be COM
posed of all the people holding land
under the project. These irrigation
projects, eventually, will cost nothing,
either to the Government or to the
oN1tCy OSCduSS the yearly assessments
paid for ten years by the people own
ing land under the project will meet
the cost of the work and will be turn
ed back to the credit of the State. The
cost of putting through these irriga-
ton schemes differs in different locali-
ties, but ranges from $40 and $50 an
acre, with an average of about $25 1t
is estimated that the cost for the work
being done here will be about S33 an
Tins xx,fII oho
$3.50 year for ten years. At the end
of five years he is given title to his
land, though the payments go on for
five years longer and constitute a lien
upon his land. AT the end of ten years
the settlers under the scheme own the
water and the State is reimbursed for
the cost.
Perhaps the most interesting feature
ofSthe work being done here is the big
dam known as the Owl Creek reservoir.
The water taken from the Belle
Fourche by the diverting dam is
brought through a canal six and a half
miles long to this reservoir. 1t is built
in natural basin, and the earthen dam,
one and quarter miles in length and
10 feet high at the deepest point, is,
considering both length and height, the
largest earthen dam in the United
States. 1t is built of adobe clay This
embankment will contain 10000 600
cubic yards of earth and will be 500
feet wide a the widest point at the
bottom, SO feet wide at the water sur
face and 20 feet wide at the top. The
entire embankment will be faced with
concrete blocks weighing 5000 pounds
each and the outer surface will be ar
ranged In terraces and seeded down
to grass. The greatest depth of the
water will be 100 feet and the average
depth from % to 80 feet. The water
surface will cover thirteen square miles
and the shore line will be about fifty
miles in length. The reservoir will
contain sufficient water TO irrigate 9O.-
600 acres of land. The contract for
this work has been let to the firm of
Orman & Cook of Colorado and work
>was begun April 1 this year. The in
tention is to have ii completed by the
first of October. 1909
So far out of the thirteen projects
which have been started, the Govern
ment has completed one, the Truckee-
Carson in Nevada. where the water
was turned on in June. 1905. This
project. which was built at the cost of
about 100000. Will irrigate about
10000 acres of land. The problem.
however which the Government will
have to meet, as 1T has faced all irri-
cation schemes both in this country
and abroad, is that of sediment Tt is
generally stated that the success of an
irrigation scheme Is in adverse proper
ton to the amount OF sediment carried
by the river or streams from which
the water is taken 1T was this very
matter that forced so many private
companies to the wall and finally made
it necessary for the Government itself
to take up the matter. 1t is estimated
that these thirteen schemes will re-
claim about 100000 acres
As there is a considerable cost at
tached to the taking up of land under
these projects. cost varying from
$3.50 to over SO per acre yearly for ten
years, it will be readily seen that
neither the very poor nor the very
shiftless will be attracted by these
possibilities.-Pasad Star.