The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-09-19
A Beneficial Address by
Eminent Government Engineer
Abies Delivered
irrigation Congress
One of the Abiest Delivered
at irrigation Congress.

IT. was the subject of an address de-
livered at the National Irrigation
congress in Boise by Samuel Fortier,
irrigation engineer in charge of the
Pacific district irrigation and drain
age Investigations. 1t was one of the
most able and instructive addresses
of the session and caused a great deal
OF comment. 1t was in part as fol-
lows:
THE irrigated portions of the
United States now use about five mil
lion miners inches of water annu-
ally. The cost of this for each min
ers' inch varies all the way from so
cents to $3.50, and would average in
the neighborhood of IS per miners
inch. This represents a yearly ex-
penditure of $25,o00,ooo for water
to irrigate land.
Assuming that the area irrigated
Is 100000 acres and. that the av-
erage cost of applying water each
irrigation season is $3.50 per acre,
the yearly expenditure for this pur-
pose on all the land irrigated would
aggregate an additional $25,000,0OO.
THUS it appears that the farmers
of the irrigated districts of America
are expanding annually about $780,
100000 for water and for the labor
and equipment necessary in applying
1t to cultivated crops. The sole pur-
pose of spending so vast sum each
year is to produce food stuffs for the
subsistence of man and the domestic
animals under his care. 1t is, how
ever. no exaggeration to state that
In the accomplishment of this pur-
pose fully 70 per cent Of the money
and labor spent in securing and ap-
plying water is wasted.
eve believe this fact has been
fully demonstrated, that for every
100 miners inches diverted from
natural streams and storage reser-
voirs less than 80 miners inches are
utilized by cultivated plants in a
beneficial way. This means that
out of an expenditure Of $4,000, 900
a year less than SIS, 100000 is put
to beneficial use. How to save q
part of the $35,000,000 worth Of
water which is now wasted is one
of the problems connected with this
subject Of irrigation. If you were to
ask ME if it were possible to save all
of the water which is now wasted
and all of the money now used in
furnishing and applying it, I would
answer, No. 1t is, however, possible
and entirely within the province Of
feasibility and profitable investment
to save a large part Of this waste.
MANY reasons might be advanced
in favor Of more economical use Of
irrigation water. To begin with,
there is the question Of cost. II 1t be
fact that nearly three-fourths Of
the water taken from streams for
irrigation purposes is wasted, then y
saving of even one-third Of this loss
would represent an immense gain.
"It is likewise true that water is
every year becoming more difficult
to secure and Of higher value. The
rapid growth Of western cities has
multiplied the demand for water for
municipal purposes. the development
Of water privileges for electric trans
mission lines has utilized the streams
for mechanical purposes and the ex-
tension Of the irrigated area has
made increased drafts on all sources
Of water supply.
Another reason for insisting up
on higher duty Of water in irriga-
ton at the present time is that Gus
toms soon crystalize into law. Men
who appropriate and use water in a
slipshod manner for a number Of
years will lay claim not only to that
portion which they use. but to that
larger portion which they waste.
Furthermore, the prosperity and
material greatness Of western Ameri-
ca is founded upon the water supply,
and every gallon that is wasted de-
tracts that much from the possible
ties of this region. The state OF
Montana may serve to illustrate what
| mean. Montana occupies the crest
of the continent and, compared with
other arid states, is well watered
It's total area Of 100000 acres
contains some of the finest agricul.
tural lands on this continent. These
arabic lands would probably exceed
100000 acres in extent, and
might reach 100000 acres. YET
the total area that is ever likely tc
be irrigated from streams, reser.
voirs and wells will not exceed, we
believe. 100000 acres. On &C