American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1910-11-26
TO STORE MOISTURE
Prime Factor in Production of IT.
rigated Crops.
Farmer of Future Must Consider
Proper Storage of Rainfall and
Snowfall In Soil and Later
Water in Canal Above.

The natural precipitation in this
arid country may be made a prime
factor in the production of irrigated
crops and of course it was the
foundation of farming without irri-
cation. Irrigation should be sup
Elemental only to the natural pre-
c~ipitation and therefore the irrigation
farmer of the future must consider
first the proper storage of the rain
fall and snowfall in the soil and later
the water right in the canal above
his farm. The soil of the farm IL put
in proper condition acts as a storage
reservoir for the winter precipitation,
says Field and Farm. The results of
years of experience show hat in the
spring a large per cent Of the winter
precipitation is actually found in the
upper eight feet of soil.
In n case, as high as nirety-five
per e n and an average of fully
eighty per cent of the total winter
precipitation was accounted for IN the
upper eight feet. This proves conclu-
sively hat the winter precipitation
may be stored in the soil. In view of
the importance of the winter prec:pi-
tation in crop production, the methods
of conserving the snow and rainfall
becomes of great Importance. 1t is
generally conceded that in order to
permit the winter precipitation to en-
ter the soils easily and effectively the
blowing should be done in the fall
and left in the rough throughout the
winter. To prevent loss of this ssor-
age moisture, when the warm sun
shine of spring and summer appears,
rowed in early spring and by means
of repeated borrowings a dry earth
mulch should be kept on the surface.
In many places where the winter
precipitation is not great and the wa
ter In the stream goes to waste in
the fall much benefit may be gained
by fall or winter irrigation. 1t is pos
sible to store by these methods large
quantities of water to be used in the
succeeding season by the growing
crops. When this is done, the amount
of irrigation water that needs to be
applied the following season is ma
terially lessened. Great care Should
be taken however not to apply so
much water as to set up waterlogging
in the soil. Fall and winter irriga-
ton is a coming practice in arid dis
tricts but it must be done cautiously.
1t is especially safe on well-drained
lands.
Our Colorado soils are able to hold
the rainfall of from one and one-half
to nearly two years, in the upper eight
feet. The best results in arid farm
ing will probably come when the wa
ter capacity is fully attained at seed
time to a depth of at least eight feet
and perhaps deeper. This implies that
the total precipitation of two years
should be in the soil before planting.
One years precipitation will hen be
taken out by the crop and that of
another year will be kept in the soil
as a working capital with which to
enable the new moisture to move
downward rapidly and to enable the
lower moisture to move upward with
ease to the plant roots. OF course
in a very dry season like the past
summer this theory may no. work
out in all places, for the rains come
in streaks across the country so that
certain sections go for months with
ont a drop of moisture.