Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1913-07-11
WASTE IN the DITCH
Development In irrigation Has
Been MarveIously Rapid.
Some Of Works Recently Constructed
Should Be In Service thousand
Years From Now-Many Ca,
mails Being Lined With
Concrete.


built no better construction az rule
was possible or justified by existins
conditions. The prime object was 10
get water to the land. So long ma
there was an abundance In the stream
loss Of fifty per cent. or more BY
seepage from the bitches was q matte,
OF small concern and to have consider
ed structures Of masonary or concrete.
or lining canals with cement at $40
barrel. would have been ridiculous
The history OF this state has been re-
peated In most other districts, and the
pioneers In canal building and irrlga
tion did well and deserve great credi,
for what they did, says the Denver
Field and Farm. But conditions are
now not what they were twenty-five
years ago. or even five years ago.
General development has been mar
velously rapid: almost beyond our
power to realize. The old. leaky and
temporary wooden fumes and other
structures have served their purpose
and about had their day We are now
In the beginning Of new epoch In ir
rigation development. one In which the
methods and practices OF the earlier
day will have little part. We are
ready to build for the ages and a start
has already been made. Some OF the
works that have gone In during the
last five years should be In service a
thousand years from now. In some
places the open bitches have been
abandoned and pipe lines substituted
at great expense. thus eliminating
seepage losses altogether.
Several irrigation companies have
begun to line their canals with con
crete and more Of It will be done each
year until finally large percentage
OF the irrigation bitches all over the
west will be doubtless rendered water
tight In this way and the present waste
from seepage stopped or reduced 10
the minimum. Besides the saving Of
water there would be other important
benefits and objects In lining the chan
nels. The danger from disastrous
breaks would be reduced: less inspec
ton and fewer ditch walkers would
be required: the common trouble and
expense due to the growth and neces
sary removal OF aquatic plants would
be eliminated and the growth OF sweet
clover, willows. thistles and other noI
ious weeds usually found nuisance
along canal banks would be largely
prevented; all tending to materially
reduce the cost OF maintenance and
operation.
In building the more important sys
tens concrete lining will be generally
considered as a necessity, but the i'm
proyement Of existing canals is going
to be a matter more difficult Of &C
complishment especially where all the
land under them Is developed and
there is no opportunity for the owners
TO make use OF water on other land
Although tho lining would save thirty
to fifty per cent. OF the water diverted
from the streams and make It avail
able for other lands. the owners will
not voluntarily 20 to the expense Of
making the Improvement, and there
is now no means OF compelling II,
Future legislation will doubtless pre-
vent the requirement OF rights 50
large that the appropriation can AFFORD
to waste II in transit and II would
seem only fair to make provision also
whereby water which has already been
acquired materially In excess Of rea
sonable need can be condemned and
used where II will do most good In
many places much better use OF wa
ter would obtain by abandoning small
parallel bitches and combining the
flow OF all In one we'll built canal IN
der q single management. BY i'm
provement also In systems VI ditch
management great savings OF water
are possible.