Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-12
OR, ], A, W|DTSOE
ON IRRIGATION.
Increasing Supply and improved
Methods Of Using Water
Go Hand in Hand.
SHARE AND "ACRE.FOOT."
Economic Use OF Water Best for Re-
sults--ilow Much il Necessary
To Mature Crops.

Special Correspondence.
Provo. Utah May IA prominent
citizen OF this state who Is deeply IN
terested In irrigation matters. has
asked two questions. which are Of
special interest to all irrigators OF the
state at this season, viz.
First-What is the real difference
in meaning and In value Of share
and an acle-foot OF water?
Second How many acre feet Of r.
rigation water are required to bring
ordinary Utah grown crops to matur-
ity?
Answer 10 first question
A share Of water I'm a canal corpora
alton means ordinarily "A certain def
mite proportion of the total amount of
water owned by the company, II
there are 100 shares of water IN a
canal company, then the owner Of one
share should receive one hundredth
part Of all the water controlled by the
company. \ share Of water right IL a
variable quantity During good sea
son when the river runs high or the
reservoir IL well filled one share out
of the 100 may mean great deal Of
water more perehaps than the farmer
needs for his crops. On the other
| hand IN seasons OF low rainfall when
| the rivers are low and the reservoirs
| are poorly filed, the amount of water
| received by the owner of one share Is
| correspondence small According to
| the season Il share OF water therefore
| may mean much or little water
An acre foot Of water means the
! amount of water. which If applied at
| one time, will Coyer one acre OF land
| to a depth of one foot. An acre-inch
is one-twelfth Of this quantity. The
| acre-foot Of water Is very definite
! quantity which may be expressed as
so many pounds or so many gallons
or so many quarts. In fact, one cubic
foot running for ~ hours. win cover
| two acres TO depth of about one foot,
| In the great majority OF cases If a
| farmer is renting water for the sea-
| son, II Is preferable for him to buy so
many acre feet than to depend upon
| the amount OF water which may be
| furnished by one or more shares OF
! water right, II the company is relia =
| BILE and able to meet its contracts, it
|
| acre feet and thus TO know Just how
much water Is TO be received, than TO
| be worrying continually about the pos
| sibility OF the share drawing less wa
| ter than is necessary for the farmers
| crops. In the case OF water stored IN
! reservoirs, all distributions should be
| made on the basis OF acre feet. The
| whole irrigated west was steadily
| coming to that practise, From the
| point OF view of company and OF far
| mer. the acre.foot Is preferable TO the
| indefinite share.
Answer to second question:
II Is pretty generally understood that
wherever the farmer has plenty of wa
ter at his disposal, more Is really used
than is demanded to mature crops. Soil
well plouged IN the fall and left rough
throughout the winter. will absorb up-
wards OF 10 or even more per cent OF
all the water that falls upon It ia The
form OF rain or snow. The more wa
ter that Is found In the soil IN the
springtime when the crops are plant Il
the less irrigation water will such
plants require. II at the same time the
flood waters Of spring are used so