Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-09-01
O IRRIGATION.
Statement OF Census Bureau living
Fioures for South Dakota.

Washington, D. Census DlreC'oi
Durand issued the first official state
ment from the census bureau relatlVs
70 the statistics Of irrigation III the
state of South Dakota.
It is based on a preliminary coinpar
ative summary submitted by d. 10
Grand Powers, chief statlsuclah oi
the division of agriculture IN the ou-
reau of the census, ID whose super
vision it was prepared by r. T. steele,
snecial agent in charge of irrigation.
This show for both 1909 and
1899 the number of farms rrlgateu'
the arceage irrigated, the number or
independent enterprises, the lehGth OIL
main bitches, the total cost OF lrrlsa-
tion systems, the average cost per
acre irrigated, and the average annual
cost of maintenance and operation. IL
| shows also, for the year 1919 the
| acreage which existing enterprises are
capable of supplying, the acreage IN
cluded in existing projects, length OF
| lateral bitches, number OF reservoirs
capacity of reservoirs, number OF
flowing wells, number of wells pump
| ed for irrigation, lumber OF ulnplns
plants, and acreage irrigated with
jumped water. The acreage irrigated
is classified by the type of enterprise
supplying water by the source OF wa
ter supply.
The act of congress of February rs,
| 1910, under which the census of irrl-
cation is beng taken, provides for col
lecting full information concerning
| the location, character, and cost or IT.
rigation enterprises; whether such en-
terprises are conducted under nation
al, state, or private control; the acre
| age of land irrigated; the prices at
which land with water rights can be
obtained; and the quantity of water
used for irrigation.
1t should be noted that the figures
are subject to revision after more
| complete, tabulation; but it is not eX-
| pected that there will be any material
modification of the totals or percent
ages reported.
Acreage, Equipment and Cost.
The total number of farms irrigated
in 1909 was 500, again 6O6 in 1899. a
decrease of 106, or 17.5 per cent. With
in the same period the number Of
farms in the state increased 47.6 per
cent.
The total acreage irrigated in 1903
was 63.24S acres, against 1856 acres
in 1899, an increase Of 19,572 acres, or
44.S per cent. During the same Pc
riOd the improved area on farms in
creased 40.2 per cent, showing a very
slight increase in the per cent of i'm
proved land irrigated-frOm O.39 per
cent in 1889 to O,4O per cent in 1909.
The total acreage which all enter
prises were capable of irrigating in
1910 was 12S,4S1 acres, an excess Of
5,233 over the area irrigated in 1909,
showing thai the present irrigated
acreage can be doubled without the
construction of new works. The acre
age included in projects now complet-
ed or under construction is POI ,6S5
acres. an excess of 13S.437 acres over
the area irrigated in 1909 This 1nd1
Gates in a general way the acreage
which will be available for settlement
within the next few years.
The number of independent enter
prises reported in 1909 was 1875,
against 1873 in 1899, an increase of 2O7,
or no. per cent. This per cent is
much higher han the per cent of in
crease in the acreage irrigated, indl-
eating that the new enterprises are
smaller than the older ones. Many
of the new ones are reservoirs q
artesian wells %irrigating single farms.
The length of main bitches in 1909
was 631 miles, against 223 miles in
1899, an increase Of 1873 per cent. This
high percentage indicates again the
decreased size of enterprises. The
number of reservoirs reported IS 314.
Most of these are small, ~irrigating
single farms, or small parts of single
farms.
The total cost of irrigation systems
as reported for 1910 was S3,043,186,
against $27O,018 in 1899. ar increase
of $2.773.1 6S. or 1927 per cent.
The average annual cost per acre
of operation and maintenance in 1909
was GA cents, against % cents in 1899,
an increase of 1888 per cent, show
ing that the newer works are not only
more costly in construction, but more
expensive to operate and maintain.
Streams supply 47,662 acres, or 1874
per cent of the total area irrigated;
iakes supply 200 acres, or O.3 per
cent; wells supply Ass acres, or %
per cent; springs supply 395 acres, or
9.6 per cent: and reservoirs supply
1885 acres, or 21.4 per cent.