The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-08-01
GreatI National Irrigation Meeting


vate projects is no experiment in the
Pacific Northwest, where the economic
value has become so thoroughly estab-
liShed there is no longer doubt, If any
existed, but that the vast eXpanse,
once called the Great American
Desert, is bound to become the home
of the highest agricultural civilization
of America. More than 100000 acres
Of lands are already under the bitches
in Washington Idaho, Oregon, Mon
tana and adjoining states, and the Re-
clamation Service works will eventu-
ally cover 100000 acres of land.
Less than 10000 acres We're under
irrigation in the United States in
1870, but during the next decade the
acreage was increased to 100000.
The Federal census showed 1861 ,481
acres on 54,136 farms under the ditch
in 1889, the area doubling the follow
ing decade due largely to the exten-
sion of the existing canals. A special
census in 1902 showed 126,008 farms
with a total of 9,034,52 acres under
irrigation. Congress adopted the ma
tional irrigation act that year, which
saw the beginning of the construction
Of work under the control of the Secre-
tary of the Interior, the fund being
derived from the disposal of reclaimed
lands. The law provides that the cost
Of the work is to be appOrtioned to the
land and refunded to the government
in ten yearly instalments without in
terest. A census today would show
fully $4,000 farms in the United
States under bitches, watering more
: than 100000 acres of lands. Col
orado leads in the number of acres
irrigated, California has the largest
number of irrigatorS, while Washing
ton has the greatest percentage in the
proportion of irrigatOrs to population.
The largest of tho governments
works in the state Washington is
the Sunnyside project'in the Yakima
valley This will cover 10000 acres
at cost of $1,600,000. Already 10000
acres are under the ditch. There are
60 miles of main canals and 100 miles
of laterals. The TietOn canal, II miles,
| in the same valley, will water 10000
acres of land at an estimated cost of
| 81 500 900. The combined length of
| the three main lateralS is 25 miles.
| The WapatO project, also in the
| Yakima valley, will eventually cover
| 10000 acres at a cost of $1,500,000
! The original works covers 10000
acres, with 25 miles of main canal and
| 55 miles of laterals, built at cost of
$250,000. It's extension provides for
25 miles of laterals in three sections.
This means that 100000 acres of
land will come under the government
canals and that the cost of the work
is $4,S00,0O0. The foregoing figures
relate to what has been done, is now
being done and what will be done in
the imm ediate future. There is moth
ing problematic about it.
The Okanogan project, in the county
of the same name, will water 5000
acres al a cost of $500,000. In addition
to these, the government has author
lied the Kittitas and Benton projects,
covering several hundred thousand
acres in central Washington. The
Indian and Reclamation Service esti-
mate that $25 or less will cover the
cost for water rights on the reserva-
ton. This is about one-half the cost
of watering land under other canals in
the Yakima valley. There are also 20
successfully operated private irriga-
ton projects in the Yakima valley.