The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1909-07-01

Richfeld, June 20, 1903
To the settler coming onto the ari'
land where water is worth almost it
weight in gold and where the annua
rainfall is so small that sage brdsl
alone can grow, the problem of lane
drainage does not appear to be Z
very important one. To him the one
object of vital interest is to get water
onto the parched soil and keep it go
ing on. The usual allowance of
five Fights of an inch OF water for
each acre seems 20 him entirely in
adequate. He would rather have two
or three or even five inches at his
command all the time whether or
not his land slopes with a natural
surface or sub-surface drainage does
not bother the average settler To
see the water coming onto his land
is sufficient. Where it goes after
his crops are started he does not care
And yet this very problem of getting
rid of irrigation water will surely
confront him as q very serious ques-
ito nsome day unless the slope of his
land results in natural drainage. And
even then, it may but take his water
down onto some other settlers land
where natural drainage conditions
do not exist
1t is the story of domestic water
supply over again in a little different
way. A new town installs water
supply for drinking. laundry and 9TH
er uses. Bath rooms, closets, sinks
and tubs are put in. Cess pools are
constructed very soon, however, as
the town grows and the consumption
of water increases, the need of a
sewerage system becomes imperative,
not only for house, stable and store
drainage, but storm sewers to take
care of the food waters from rains
and melting SHOWS as the streets are
gradually graded or paved.
So it is with irrigated lands The
irrigation system is an artificial wat
er system. The use of water will in
crease year by year as more acreage
is put under cultivation until the
time comes when the entire tract or
nearly all of it will be under cultiva-
ton. Part of the land lies well for |
natural drainage. Part of it does
not. In all cases, the settler hould
use irrigation water scientifically, not
He should study the ne
cessities of the case ror each crop. He
should back up the lessons he learns
by hard experience with the knowl-
edge of the experiences of others and
the invaluable printed reports of the
experts who have made a special stu
1y of such matters. Then he should
study the lay of his land and it's re-
alton to the contiguous lands of his
1eighbors. While he should always f.
ry to reduce his waste water to a
minimum, if there is to be waste wat
II, us Ql0pOOdA oAVuiQ OG CcAi tAdtty
tudied out. Drainage bitches along
he lower levels of his land may be {
advisable. If they are put in, they I
hould lead into some natural drain {
ge channel slough, coulee, draw or t
nto a lower portion of the irrigation a
anal or lateral. Tile drain smay even 5
re advisable to carry surplus water 4
through higher land into a natural y
channel beyond. t
1t is usually force of necessity i
hat results in definite action to re- h
love evils or better conditions or il
lake larger incomes from land posi- F
lie. Unfortunately such action is "
enerally delayed until after much t,
arm has been done and the cost of ii
lie remedy Is high. 1t would seem
} be wise step to guard against
lie harm at the start. 1t may call Fl
II little more money, muscle and
me, but it will pay in the end b,
In the winter of 1905, it was my ST
ivilege to investigate and report 70
e Department of Agriculture at W
ashington on the drainage methods 10
lployed by the Italian Government ca
vering the lands lying along the To-
Iriatic sea between the Pc and the pa
fge rivers. These lands lie between
: cities Of Bologna, Parma, Modena, ar
cenza and Venice. All of the sur be
lnding lands are under elaborate tn
fgation systems, many of which a
We been in successful operation for KIN
IRIS and most of which were built TIL
Ter special subsidy from the Italian tn,
vernment under the terms of a all
y broad and far reaching law. Italy of
reason of its limited and dense seS
,ulation has been forced by neces- the
2 to meet and solve vast problems
h of irrigation and drainage
together with Egypt and India, Co
ly has done the pioneer work in TIL
gation and drainage and from has
Sc three countries, our own Gov pre-