The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-20
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:::Smdu Farmer
Irrigation by Small Plants

Irrigation by
A moderate sized plant, recently in
stalled near Stockholm Calf. shows re-.
markable economy in first cost. The
expenditure for a 1O-inch well, 6-inch
pump and 20 horsepower engine, all
complete in place, was little more than
$1,000. The owner estimates that this
plant will irrigate 40 acres of alfalfa.
This supposition is probably within
the limits of safety. This is about
$500 per acre for installation of out
fit, which is far below the. average
cost This is a fairly typical plant, a
great number of plants about this size
being in successful operation in this
section. Interest and taxes on the in
| per cent. Fuel cost here ranges from
l6C cents to $1.65 an acre for each ir
rigation of alfalfa. The average for a
large number Of plants is just about
| IS per acre per yeaf for five irriga
TONS. Estimating on the basis of five
| irrigations per season, we have the
| following:
Annual Cost of Pump Irrigation for
Forty Acres.
Cost of plant ............... 100000
T1ts
! Depreciation at per cent -. 5000
fuel at 81 each, five waterings 10000
Incidentals estimated at soc
per acre 2O0o
| Total cost 40 acres per year
! Exclusive of labor) $4,000
Cost per acre per year (exclu-
sive of labor ...... 925
Or s1.s1 per acre foot exclusive of
labor.
| In comparing the cost to the farmer,
OF pump irrigation for small installa-
tons, the difference in the cost of la
her should be taken into consideration
ac compared with the cost OF irrigat-
ing from canals supplied by gravity,
or from large central pumping sta
| lions. 1t cannot be expected that one
man can irrigate more than three acres
per day, with a plant of small size,
even upon very favorable soils, while
from canal system, with the land in
proper condition, one man can irrigate
| II to 20 acres in the same time on
similar SOIL 1t is probable that with
the exception of a small area in south
ern California, there is mo portion of
the United States with as many pump
| ing plants as this part of the San
Joaquin valley. After an experience of
some years during the nineties in the
sale and installation of irrigation
pumping machinery, and from my eX
perience and reasonably close obser
vetion since that time, l have arrived
| at the following conclusion: Irrigation
pumping under Favorable conditions
is profitable. The elevation to which
water can be profitably raised depends
largely upon the class of crops and
growing is frequently raised 300 feet
and sometimes even higher. plant
at Exeter California, is raising water
5S5 feet for orange growing. Many
plants in southern California are lift
iEg water so, so and even 100 feet for
the irrigation of alfalfa. l should say
that, as a general rule, SO feet would
be the economical limit here, except
where alfalfa brings unusually high
prices. Where a sufficient supply of
water can be obtained at from 20 to 40
feet with a reasonable fuel cost, irri-
cation pumping can be considered a
Igood business proposition, provided a
gravity flow cannot be obtained at a
cost within 500 per acre.
Under California conditions, with
distillate at nine cents per gallon, and
fuel oil at 1925 per barrel, 1 would
advise the use of steam plants for in
stallations of more than 60 horse
power. In plants below that size, dis
tiilate is usually preferable.
There are being constructed in the
state of Washington several pumping
plants to be operated by water power
None of these plants have been in
operation long enough to Justify the
announcing of a definite figure, rep
resenting the cost per acre foot Of
water delivered to any given elevation
After a careful examination of two
of the larger plants, 1 have found the
following estimate of the cost of
plants and operation for lifts of 100
feet:
Cost of installation, about $50 per
acre, taking into consideration the
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