The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-10-12
INCREASE In STATES
IRRIGATED LANDS

lnnluAlEU LAlNDS
Census Director Durand has issued
the first official statement from the
census Bureau relative 10 the statistics
on irrigation in Oregon. Ii is based on
a preliminary comparative summary
submitted by DR.. lie Grand Powers,
chief statistican of the division of
agriculture in the Bureau of the CEN
sus, under whose supervision il was
prepared by X. p. Teele, special agent
in charge of irrigation.
This summary shows for both 1909
and 1899 the number of farms irri-
gated, the acreage irrigated, the total
cost of irrigation systems, and the
average cost per acre irrigated. 1t
shows also for the year 1909 acreage
irrigated with pumped water and the
average annual cost of maintenance
and operation. 1t shows for 1910 the
acreage which existing enterprises
were capable of supplying. the acreage
included in existing projects. the num-
Der of independent enterprises, total
length of bitches, number of reser-
voirs, capacity of reservoirs, number
of flowing wells pumped for irrigation,
the number of pumping plants, and
engine capacity of pumping plants.
The acreage irrigated is classified by
the type OF enterprise supplying water
and 10y the source of water supply.
The act of Congress of February 25,
1910, under which the cen; ;us of irriga-
tion is being taken, provides for col
lectiEg full information concerning the
location, character, and cost of irriga-
tion enterprises under national, state,
or private control the price at which
land with water rights can be OBJ
tanned; 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
expected that there will be any
material modification of the totals
or percentages reported.
The total number of farms irrigat-
ed in 1909 was $500, against 1886
in 1899, an increase of 2,033, or 43.9
per cent. Within the same period
the number of farms in the state had
increased "a per cent, indicating that
irrigation is increasing more rapidly
than dry farming in the state.
The total acreage irrigated in 1909
was CSC, l29 acres, against SO, $40 acres
in 1899, an increase of 297, ,Sl9 acres,
or 76.7 per cent. During the same
period the improved acreage of farms
increased 28.4 per cent, indicating
again the rapid advance of irrigation.
The area irrigated was 1911 per cent
of the improved land in farms in
1909 and III per cent in 1899.
The total acreage which all en-
terprises were capable of irrigating
in 1910 was $50, 526 acres, an excess of
l44, 1897 acres over the area irrigated
in 1909. The acreage included in
projects either completed or under con-
struction in 1910 was 2,527, 20S acres,
an excess of 1,S4l, ,079 acres over the
area irrigated in 1909. This indicates
the area which will be available within
the next few years for the extension
of irrigation, and shows that the area
irrigated an be almost.tripled without
the construction of additional works.
The number of independent enter
prises reported in 1910 was BIAS. The
total length of main bitches in 1910
was 5,649 miles, against 2.2S3 miles in
1899, an increase of 1886 miles, or
l147.4 per cent. The number of reser-
voirs reported in 1910 was 276, having
combined capacity of 1877. $40 acre
feet. The number of wells pumped
for irrigation was 81 and the number
of pumping plants 229. Tn, engine
capacity OF pumping plants was S.278
horsepower. The acreage irrigated
with pumped water was SILL acres.
The total cost of irrigation systems
reported in 1910 was $l2, $50, 044,
against 81, ,843, I'll in 1899. an increase
of $40, S45. .273, or 588.2 per cent. The
average cost per acre in 1910 was
$l5. .2S, against SAFE in 1899, an in
crease of $l0.5S, or 22l.7 per cent.
The average cost of operation and
maintenance per acre in 1909 was ..75
cents, against % cents in 1899, an in
crease of SO cents, or 2409 per cent.
The acreage irrigated in 1909 has
been classified according to the state
and Federal laws under which the
works were built or operated, as fol- |
lows: United States Reclamation SER
vice TACT of Congress, June II, 1902, |
%, 600 acres, or 80 per cent of the |
bOIdl OHlNSu OldlGS lUuldil O6TNlCG |
various acts of Congress), 429 acres,
or 0. i per cent of the total Carey Act |
tact of Congress. Aug. 18, 1894, "a, 750 |
acres, or 3.6 per cent of the total;
irrigy ton districts, 1850 acres, or 1912 |
per cent; cooperative enterprises, |
l49, 1886 acres, or 2l.9 per cent; COM
mercial enterprises, 1887 acres. or
1l.3 per cent and individual or part
nership enterprises, 410,07S acres, or |
1913 per cent. Works built by the |
United States Reclamation Service and |
by Carey Act enterprises are to be
turned over to the water users for
operation and maintenance. Including
these, SS.7 per cent of the acreage |
in 1909 was supplied by works
controlled by the water users.
Streams supplied 646, ,866 acres, or
94.3 per cent of the total acreage irri-
gated in 1909; lakes supplied %, 1856
acres, or 3.5 per cent; wells supplied
! ,460 acres, or 0.2 per cent; springs
supplied 1878 acres, or l.6 per cent
and reservoirs supplied 3,279 acres, or
O.5 per cent.