The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1911-06-30
The SYSTEM IS
ALL TO The BAD
DON II. BARK SAYS CONTINUOUS
FLOW SYSTEM OF IRRIGA-
TING IS WRONG.
Measurement Unit Must be Changed
and New System Inaugurated-
Government Expert Expects Bum
per Crops in All Parts of Idaho

/ Government Expert Expects Bum
per Crops in All Parts of Idaho
Tests made at the experimental
plots scattered over the state indi-
cate that Idaho ranchers will be
able to get along this year with
much less water than they had to
have last year, according to Don H.
Bark, chief of the government irri
CATION investigation for Idaho, who
returned to Boise Monday, after an
extended trip in southern Idaho, EN-.
bracing Gooding, Twin Falls, Bull,
Filler, Kimberly and many other
towns in that section.
"The experiment station at Good
ing is doing fine work" said Mr..
Bark, "and I rode 106 miles in
three days through wonderful al
falfa and grain country The crops
are looking fine everywhere. This
will be an unusually good year for
grain there, because it was so cool
and moist all spring that the grain
stooled out and came thick on the
ground.
cat Shoshone Falls the Snake
river shows a tremendous amount of
water, and the old ferry tender in
formed me that the water is higher
now than it has been for six years.
GgTbi1 fn1 hot &c
plenty of water, and the fact that
high water comes late this year
means late irrigation, a full supply
of water through the season, and
big crops at the close. Conditions
are far better than they were last
year, when many of the ranchers
ran short of water and some crops
were cut down or ruined.
81 inspected the duty of water
experimental plots in various places
and found a maximum crop on each
one, and from this judge that the
ranchers will get along with much
less water this year"
Mr.. Bark stated that his expert
ence is showing that the present
form of contracts is an obstacle to
conservative use of water.
In this regard he said: "I can
see clearly the large increase of ir-
rigated areas and the immense in
crease of valuation which will take
place If the present duty of water
could be increased, and I am great
. ly in favor of increasing the duty
as much as can be done and still
, produce maximum crops. But l do
not wish to see a single drop cut
. from water rights where the cut
would result in decreasing produc-
, ton.
"The elimination of unnecessary
: waste should be our constant aim.
To my mind the greatest obstacle
; which we now have to overcome is
our unit of measurement and the
wording of our water contracts.
They are both radically wrong.
Under the present system there
is no incentive for the farmer to
save water, and so long as our con-
tracts are worded so as to call for a
continuous flow, the settlers VIII de-
mand the water and use it, whether
they need it or not.
Imagine one going to a grocery
store and calling for a continuous
i, flow from the bunghole or faucet of
the vinegar or molasses barrel in
stead of a quart or gallon or some
other definite quantity of the liquid.
: Imagine one going to the eleva-
tor and buying a continuous flow
: from the grain spout for a certain
definite time. At such times we al
: ways ask for a certain definite guam
tity, and stand by to see it weighed
or measured out.
New System Necessary.
"Why, then call for certain con-
tinuous flow in the irrigation ditch ?
4 Our water rights should call for
n definite quantities, such as one, two
o or three acre-feet to the acre. which
i amount could be measured ont to
d the consumers as carefully as sugar
+ coal or flour.
l. 1.-THE continuous flow proposition
Il is the greatest hugbear we have tC
II fight. We should educate our set
s. tiers to measure water and inaugu
$ rate laws and contracts calling fol
s. definite quantities. The farme,
81 wnnlh them call for q certnin deRnitl