The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-05-21
DISTRIBUTION OF WATER

uC lOilOWluS SuSScStlOuS IIO
the Twin Falls News is as appl
cable to the water users on the En-
NETT bench as to the Twin Fal
tract:
As the time to begin irrigatin
is here, it seems to Inc that ii
farmers should be giving som
thought to the proper Distribute
of water on their farms There
hardly a case where the farmer
have not dubbed together and con
structed laterals from the company
laterals or bitches, and unless ther
is some understanding or organiza
ton with regard to the proper dis
tribution of this water, there j
liable to be considerable misunder
standing or trouble during the irri
cation season.
Previous experience has shown
that haphazard methods with re
gard to these matters have invari
ably resulted disastrously, to all
concerned. The first cause fol-
trouble is that the bitches have not
been properly cleaned or the meas
uring devices and divisions of wa
ter properly installed. In cases
where people have small areas that
are entitled to only small amount
Of water, because of the excessive
labor in applying it, are prone to
appropriate water that belongs TO
other parties to their own use,
sometimes in the night.
As matter of fact, the company
has no jurisdiction over the water
after it leaves its bitches and later
ais, and the farmers must look after
this themselves, and they cannot
do that unless they have some sort
of organization and one man to
whom all matters in dispute can be
referred and who may have the
sole right 10 measure out or care
for the use of water, either in rota-
tiou or singly. 1t seems to me
that it is important at this time, in
view of these facts, that every CON-
munity that has a community
ditch, should get together and map
out plan Tor the seasons irriga-
ton. Where the tract is small, |
this is imperative on account of the
small amount of water that is al
lowed for a single acre.
On the experiment farm last
year. it was demonstrated that irri-
cation can be done more effectively
and more cheaply by rotating than
by a continuous flow. In the hot
summer days when evaporation is
excessive, it will be found that
those who are located nearest the
head of the farmers lateral will
get the most of the water and the
man at the tail end of the ditch
will receive little or none at all
and it should be the duty of the
ditch boss to see that the amount of
water should be SO distributed that
The excess evaporation would be
telt by each one equally TO illus
rate this point If the last man on
he ditch was to receive but 25
inches of water, or one half of
cubic foot. and the evaporation in
he entire lateral amounted to that
much or nearly that much, he
would be getting no water at all.
Hence, not understanding, he
you'd blame his neighbors above
hat they were stealing his water.
nd thus trouble would begin.
In order to avoid this. an organ
cation is absolutely necessary and {
would urge upon every COM .
nunity that has community lat
tal to arrange to have their
itches cleaned up and fixed up I
nd measuring device in working
or continuous flow or a rotation
{ water SO there need be no con-
lsion or possible trouble. !,
While it is true that the Twin :
'alls tract has plenty of water and !.
} spare. yet we ought to begin !,
ow and learn how to handle this :
alter to the best advantage so that :,
e would be prepared for the flu :
ire when all of the water appro- y
rated will be taken care of and =
1T to proper use.
In other communities where this a,
ganization has been effected one =,
an, preferably good irriagtor. h,
as elected to act as ditch boss, a,
I'd to carry out the agreements II
at had been before agreed upon w
those interested. OF course, this he
ight require a little outlay of w
onev to pay this man for his tn
ne. yet, all things being consld- az
I'd, it would be very cheap and tie
: easiest way to avoid difficulties p,
d give each one their. just and an
oper proportion of the irrigation eff
ter.
There is another fact that comes
here. and that is the many new
n who have come upon the tract &c
o do not understand the using M,