Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-10-15
OREGON HAS FINE
IRRIGATION SYSTEM

! Census Director Durand has issued
an official statement from the Census
| Bureau relative to the statistics on
! irrigation in Oregon. II is based on
a preliminary comparative summary
submitted by DR. lie Grand Powers.
chief statistician of the division OF
1 agriculture in the Bureau of the Cen
sus, under whose supervision il was
prepared by r. 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. II
shows also for the year 1909 acreage
irrigated with pumped water and the
average annual cost of maintenance
and operation II shows for 1910 the
acreage which existing enterprises
We're capable of supplying. the acre
age included in existing projects the
number of Independent enterprises.
total length of bitches. number Of
reservoirs, capacity Of reservoirs.
number of flowing wells. number of
wells pumped for irrigation, the num-
Der of pumping plants. and engine
capacity of pumping plants. The
acreage irrigated is classified by the
type Of enterprise supplying water
and by the source of water supply.
The act Of Congress Of February
p, 1910. under which the census Of
irrigation is being taken. provides
for collecting full information con-
corning the location. character. and
cost Of irrigation enterprises under
national. state, or private control the
acreage of land irrigated; the price
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 10 revision after more
complete tabulation. but il is not OK
pected that there will be any mater
ial modification Of the totals or per
centages reported.
The total number of farms irri-
gated in 1909 was $3.50, against 1896
in 1899. an increase of 2033. or 49,
per cent. Within the same period the
number of farms in the state had in
creased - per cent, indicating that
irrigation is increasing more rapidly
than dry farming in the state.
The total acreage irrigated in 1903
was 6S6.129 acres. against 3SS.2l0
acres in 1899, an increase Of 29INl9
acres. or 76.7 per cent. During the
same period the improved acreage
Of farms increased 2S.4 per cent, in
dicating again the rapid advance
Of irrigation. The area irrigated was
161 per cent of the improved land
in farms in 1909 and III per cent
in 1899.
The total acreage which all enter
prises were capable of irrigating in
1910. was S3O.526 acres. an excess OF
144.397 acres over the area irrigated
in 1909. The acreage included in
propects either completed or under
in 1910 was 2,527,20S
acres. an excess of 1.S4l,019 acres |
over the area irrigated in 1909. This |
indicates the area which will be avail |
able within the next ten years for the
extension of irrigation, and shows
that the area irrigated can be almost !
tripled without the construction OF !
additional works.
The number of independent enter |
Urises reported in 1910 was 3,145. The !
total length Of main bitches in 1910 |
was 5.649 miles. against 2.2S3 miles in |
1899. an increase OF 1856 miles. or |
147.4 per cent. The number Of res |
ervoirs reported in 1910 was 276, hav-
ing a combined capacity Of 1880 |
acre-feet The number of wells pump |
ed for irrigation was 81 and the num-
Der Of pumping plants 229. The en-
CINE capacity Of pumping plants was
3.27S horsepower. The acreage irri-
gated with pumped water was 5.711
acres.
The total cost of irrigation systems
in 1910 was s12.6S9,04i
against S1.S43.771 in 1899, an Increase
Of $10S45,273, or 5SS2 per cent. The
average cost per acre in 1910 was
s152S. against 1915 in 1899. n in
crease of $1O.53, or 2217 per cent
The average cost OF operation and
per acre in 1909 was -
cents, against % cents in 1909, and
Of SO cents, or 24O.9 per