Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-25
URGE CHANGES IN LAW CHECK WATER WASTE
Commissioners Forward Suq- Department of Agriculture
gestons to Senate. Acts Along This Line.
AS TO UNSAFE Bull DNGS IINVES TIGATING THE LOSSES
for Laws Defective and Customs
Removal of Structures. Can Be Improved.
PERSONNEL OF SURVEY BOARD GREAT SUPPLY DISSIPATED
Cisern Of Tells What Can Be Done
Civil by Conservation
Department of Agriculture
Acts Along This Line.
INVESTIGATING THE LOSSES
Laws Are Defective and Customs
Can Be Improved.
aEAT SUPPLY DISSIPATED
Director of Experimental Stations
Tells What Can Be Done
by Conservation.
RY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS

BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald
The recent report of the inland water
ways commission states that between
S. and 81 per cent OF the water supply of
the United States is wasted: that less
than / per cent is utilized for municipal
and community purposes-including house
hold useless than . per cent for irriga-
ton: perhaps per cent for navigation,
and less than ) per cent for power.
In discussing this subject the other day.
DR.. A. c. True. director of experimental
stations Of the Agricultural Department,
gave me some very interesting facts
garding the water supply possible for ir-
rigation purposes in our arid and semi
arid region which. he said. sis SO linn
tied that il it could all be used for irriga-
ton would water only small fraction of
tine total area Of that region"
Better Methods Needed.
There are now about 13.OO0.OO0 acres
Of land under irrigating bitches in the
United States, continued DR.. True, "and
it is estimated that the water supply
available for irrigation will allow that
area to be extended to 5O.OOOOOO acres.
But II tne present WaSte1ul meIuOuS con-
tinue this area will have to be reduced
100000 acres.
Measurements made by the irrigation
engineers of the office of experiment sta
tiOns and other experts show that not
one-half Of the water diverted from
streams by unlned earthen bitches
reaches the land to he irrigated. Another
large part of the water is lost by evapO-
ration and by percolation through the
soil in being applied to the land. and still
more is lost by wasteful use. 1t is safe
to say that not more than One-third of
the water diverted from streams serves
useful purpose on the lands for which
1t Is diverted. While some of this loss is
unavoida BILE. much of it can be prevented
by better irrigation methods. 1t is esti-
mated that that part of the wasted water
from the irrigation canals already con-
structed in the United States. which
might be saved every year, would be suff1-
Gent to irrigate an area larger than the
states of Connecticut and Rhode Island.
THE utmost possible conservation of the
limited water supply of that region is,
therefore. Of the gravest Importance. The
government has spent $4O.OOO.OOO in the
last six years to build canals and reser-
voirs which. when completed, will cost
about $9OOOO.OOO. and water two and one
quarter million acres. This magnificent
enterprise. conducted by the reclamation
service is worthy of the highest common
dation by our people. But water enough
to irrigate twice this number of acres Is
annually wasted In the irrigated region,
which might be saved by better irrigation
methods.