Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-09-07
IRRIGATION STATISTICS FROM
REPORT OF The CENSUS
BUREAU OF u S,
Doubled During Last Ten Years-To-
tai Acreage in 1905 Was 3s4,37s Acres
Total Cost Reported at $15,o14,oso
or About S31.91 Per Acre.

Acting Census Director Falkner has
issued the first official statement from
the Census Bureau relative to the sta
tistics of irrigation in the state of
Washington.
1t is based on a preliminary compare
tive summary submitted by DR.. LeGrand
Powers, chief statisticiam of the divis-
ion of agriculture in the Bureau of
Census, under whose supervision it was
prepared by r. p. Teele, special agent in
charge of irrigation. This summary
shows for both 1909 and 1899 the num-
Der of farms irrigated, the acreage irri-
gated, the acreage which existing enter
prises are capable of supplying and the
acreage included in existing projects,
the number of Independent enterprises,
the length of main bitches, the total
cost of irrigation systems, the average
cost per acre irrigated, and the average
annual cost of maintenance and opera
tion. 1t shows also, for the year 1909,
length of lateral bitches, number of res
ervoirs, capacity of reservoirs, number
of flowing wells, number of wells pump
ed for irrigation, number of pumping
plants, engine capacity of pumping
plants, and acreage irrigated with
pumped water. The acreage irrigated
is classified by the type of enterprise
supplying water and by the source of
water supply.
Acreage, Equipment, and Cost.
The total number of farms irrigated
in 1909 was 7,405, against 1913 in 1899,
an increase of 1892, or HOS per cent.
This rate of increase is considerably
higher than that in the whole number
of farms in the state, showing that ir-
rigation is advancing more rapidly than
dry farming.
The total acreage irrigated in 1909
was 334.37S acres, against 135,470 acres
in 1899, an increase of 19s,90S acres,
or 146.s per cent. During the same
period the improved land in farms in
creased but 1913 per cent, showing that
a considerably larger part of the i'm
proved area was irrigated in 1909. The
per cent of the improved area irrigated
increased from 80 in 1899 to 53 in
1909.
Total Acreage.
The total acreage which all enter
prises were capable of supplying with
water in 1910 amounted to 47O,514
acres. in excess of 136,135 acres over
the area irrigated in 1909. The total
acreage reported in projects in 1910
was SIT .O32 acres, an excess of 4S2 ,654
acres over the area irrigated in 1909.
This indicates in a general way the
area which will be available for set
Element within the next few years.
The number of independent enter
prises was 1888 in 1909 and s7s in
1899. an increase of 1855, or 1902 per
cent. The total length of main bitches
was 1858 miles in 1909 and SOC in
1899. an increase of 1,752 miles, OIL
217.4 per cent. In 1909 there were 15e
reservoirs, having a capacity of 121-54a
acre-feet.
The total cost of irrigation systems to
July 1, 1910, was reported as $~15,O14,
900, as against 81, 722,369 in 1899, an
increase of 1 3,291,721, or 771.7 pei
cent. The average cost of irrigation
systems per acre irrigated in 1910 was
$31.91, as compared with a cost OF
$12. Sc in 1899, an increase of $685., Of
154.1 per cent.
The average annual cost per acre fol
maintenance and operation in 1905 wa
$3.Os. This was not reported in 1899.
Distribution by Type of Enterprise ant
by Source of Water Supply.
The acreage irrigated in 1909 ha'
been classified according to the state an'
Federal laws under which the work
were built or are operated, as follows
United States Reclamation Service Gao
of Congress, June II, 1902, $3.50
acres, or 1917 per cent of total; UNITED
States Indian Service (~various acts o
Congress), $4,000 acres, or 1O.5 per cen
of total; cooperative enterprises, Sl,l2
acres, or 24.3 per cent of total; enter
prises supplying water for hire, oo'9l
acres, or 80 per cent of total; prlvat
and partnership enterprises, $3.50
acres, or 2s.6 per cent of total. Their
are no Carey Act or irrigation distric
enterprises in the state. OF the $500
acres reported as irrigated by the UNI
ed States Reclamation Service, 1927
acres is reported as having been irri
gated by works built by others and taR
en- over by the United States Reclama
ton Service. Works built by the UNI
ed States Reclamation Service are I
he turned over to the water users 10
operation and maintenance. Includln
these. COG per cent of the acreage II
rigated in 1909 was supplied by WORK
controlled by the water-users.