Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-04-14

outlying farming COMMUNITIES IOl
the purpose OF building up pump
ing load as well as OF developing the
productivness OF the country that
Is to be tributary to its lines, the
question that is most frequently ask
ed is: What will II cost to irrigate
an acre OF land with water pumped
by electrical power?"
To answer this question with any
close degree OF accuracy requires ar
Intimate knowledge Of the conditions
which prevail regarding several fac
tors--namely, the cost OF power, the
character Of the lands to be lrrigat-
cd, and the depth from which the
water must be raised My own ex-
perience is mainly confined to the ter
ritory covered by the transmits
sion circuits OF the Northern Cal
ifornia Power company, operating
In that portion OF the northern part
of the Sacramento valley contained
In portions OF Shasta, Tehama and
Glenn counties In northern Clifor-
MIA, an experience which this paper
reflects.
In the popular mind irrigation i'm
plies a gravity or surface catchment
for delivering water to the land but
In recent years pumping has become
more and more recognized by engIn-
GERS as the most economical means
for supplying water for all irrigat-
Ing purposes, and II Is destined to
grow In Importance as the cost OF
power becomes less through the de-
velopment OF transmission enter
prises Lands that lie beyond the
economic reach of gravity supplies
OF water are often entirely reclalma-
Bile by pumping, and numerous cases
exist where both systems are avail
able for use, bit In practically every
case the advantage as to cost and |
operating expense is found to be on |
tie side OF the pumping plant. The
yagaries Of the wind make the wind
mills unreliable, gasoline engines,
though very efficient ms to fuel con
sumption, require great care and are
expensive to install; steam power is
not to be considered except In large
units because OF the heavy first cost
and the expense OF operation and at
tendance, but with electric power
rests every advantage in cheapness
OF installation and operation. These
pants require practically no attend
ance and the power is reliable.
or the many types Of pumps avail
able and In use for irrigation the
most common perhaps is the CEN
trifugal pump, which is made on the
Pacific coast In standard sizes rang
Ing from two inches to fifteen Inches
In suction and discharge pipe diam
eters, and on special order can be
made in any size required The first
cost for complete electric motor I
and centrifugal pumping plant will
depend on the size OF the plant and ,
the type OF motor used For small ,
plants capable OF irrigating one hun
tred acres or less. tho first cost will 1,
usually range from twelve dollars TO +,
fifteen dollars per irrigated acre, .
while the cost OF operation will be =
found TO vary from two dollars and ,
twenty-five cents TO three dollars a
,nd seventy five cents per irrigated !,
scre.
In this connection II will be OF In. n
crest to refer to an estimate recently !,
made by the United States geologi- /,
'al survey for an extensive pumping #,
ystem designed to irrlgate some y
100000 acres OF land in the San :,
Joaquin valley OF California. This q
'stlmato indicated the first cost OF !,
be plant to be about four dollars !.
'er acre, and the annual cost OF op. 4,
ration and maintenance TO be fifty .,
en,s per acre-foot, or Approximate 4,
one dollar per year per acre lrrl- d
,ated, When Il Ia borne In mind that 4
he average cost ot installation OF n
ravlty supply systems In California /,
ias been about thirteen dollars per II
ere, aud that the annual charge for
irrigation averages one dollar and I,
lxty cents per acre. the great posi-. Z,
ilities OF pumping can be appreciat- OF
d. y,
The circuits OF the Northern Cal. Il
'ornlo Power company extend down a,
he sacramento valley from Reddlng r,
Ia, as Viu0 In rchama county ON "a
he east side OF th' Sacramento Rly- "
r, Nud Willows Glenn county. ON N
ne west side, and ass general state. n
lent Il may be soDd that within this e.,
req district land IAN be irrigated le
'r one hundred DAYS. Witch covers fe
he ocriod ot thc ~ .r during witch a,
III 'Nou ls uecr v. at cost OF N
We 'o'ars aud "0, tour ccuts per lp
CT '7 this va r'a- whlrh win .e