The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-05-05
WILL DISCUSS
IRRIGATION
DURING RoosEvELT's CONFER.
ENcE WITH GOVERNORS.
EFFECTS ON FLOODS
projects Under way and Completed
in West Not only Reclaim Land But
Have Material Effect in Doing Away
With Floods.

Washington, May 4.-When Presi-
dent Roosevelt confers with the gov
errors next month about the conser
walton Of natural resources, he will
have a good illustration to help in ex-
planning the object of the meeting. He
can point to five irrigation projects
nov under construction which prove
that more than two birds car be killed
with one good conservation stone.
Among the many closely related topics
to be considered at the conference,
one of the leading ones will be irriga-
ton.
Five Irrigation projects in the west,
it will be shown at the conference,
will give high agricultural value to a
total Of about 100000 acres Of land.
That is their direct purpose. But in
cidentally they will have a material
effect in doing away with floods,
clarifying the waters Of the Missouri
and its tributaries, maintaining a
steady flow in those rivers and de-
veloping a large amount Of power. The
five object lessons to which the presi-
dent will be able to point are the irri-
cation projects known as the Milk and
Sun river in Montana, the Shoshone
in Wyoming, the Belle Fourche in
South Dakota and the North Platte in
Wyoming and Nebraska.
Catches Flood Waters.
The effect Of these projects upon
floods and in regulating the Missouri
is not left to the realm OF specula-
ton. The basis Of success in irriga-
ton, which Is the chief object of each
project, depends upon catching and
holding food waters, which formerly
ran OF unhindered, carrying destruc-
ton with them and augmenting the
floods Of the dread Missouri. In con-
nection with each project a great dam
is being constructed. With its help
will be formed a mammoth reservoir,
in which the flood waters of the spring
and fall will be held In leash. The
smallest Of these reservoirs will hold
enough to cover 203.770 acres of and
with water one foot in depth, and the
largest will hold enough to cover
1.O25, 600 acres to the depth of one
foot. Altogether the reservoirs will
have a storage capacity Of 2,585,77O
acre feet. Each acre foot is equal to
1850 cubic feet, and If you wish to
form some adequate conception Of the
great mass of water, you have but to
figure out for yourself. the cubical
contents Of all of the reservoirs. It
will take IL figures to tell the story.
Huge Reservoirs.
The important point is that it Is
known, through figures gathered dur
ing many years. that each reservoir is
large enough to hold all of the flood
water which its particular river. will
pour into It. Each Of these reservoirs
is situated either at the headwaters
Of the Missouri or at the headwaters
Of rivers which are tributary to the
Missouri, and so the effect upon that
worst of American rivers is direct.
For its effect on floods the North
Platte project will be most notable.
The Platte river has a bad reputation
for its antics. It has been estimated
that its flood rampages, before 1t
joins the Missouri, do a damage of at
least $1,000, 900 a year. The dam in
connection with the North Platte irri.
cation project will cost just about
100000, and it will hold more than
a million acre feet Of flood water. AS
the reservoir is situated at the head.
waters Of the North Platte, it will
have a direct effect upon the lower
river. Upon the South Platte. which
also contributes to the floods Of the
Platte. the government has no reser
voir. But private interests, encour
aged by the c Of government
irrigation, r already constructing
dams, and are thus cooperating in re
straining floods.
Effect on Other Projects.
In q similar way the Milk and Sur
river projects will directly affect thu
headwaters of the Missouri in north
western Montana; the Shoshone prof
ect will affect the Big Horn, whose
waters ultimately enter the Missouri
and the Belle Fourche project will al
feet the Cheyenne, which has a repu
ton for floods and which adds to tn,
volume Of the Missouri.
The holding of 2,5s5,77O acre feet o
water by these Ave reservoirs mean
Q than accomplishing just tina
much In preventing floods. It mean'
that those waters lose their power t,
carry down mud and silt into the Mis-
souri,. And II 1t were not for mud an.
silt the Missouri would not have sucl
. bad reputation. 1t Is this burden
0f 40lhda which clogs ,ita channe1 AM