Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1913-04-19
MEASURE ALL WATER.
Study of Irrigation is Necessary for
Future Success.

A hnancicr has said: NO man ever
fails in business who keeps careful
accounts" The wise sayings and
writings of great men are not things
that have come in an impromptu
fashion. they are the results of long
thaining, studious effort and a careful
making and keeping OF records. Great
books grow; they do not come into
the minds OF their authors as pictures
are thrown upon a screen. A thought
is elaborated into a paragraph. a para
graph into chapter, a chapter into
an essay and the essay is elaborated
into the great epoch making piece of
fiction, or the classic mathematical or
scientific work so wonderfully illumi-
mated with the divine spark that it
shines on indefinitely.
If the work OF irrigation is to grow
If out OF it the greatest possible good
i, to come. we must study its past:
we OF today must profit by the fail
urcs OF Yesterday.
Water. in the west at least, repre-
,cnts money counted in untold mil
lions. If a banker were to handle cash
Of one one -thousandth part OF this
value without keeping accounts, with
out making records. that banker would
find himself very quickly in the
clutches of the law. 1t is as import
ant to know and TO keep a record. OF
The amount of water that flows i'll a
stream. to know to whom this water
belongs. and to whom and III what
quantities it is distributed, as il is to
keep a record OF the amount OF gold
mine produces. the amount OF cash
wealth
belongs. and how. To whom, an IN
what quantities it is distributed
You ask. WHO should measure thi:
water2" | ask Who should keep tht
records in the bank" An expert i
always required in the latter case. and
an expert should be required in the
other case also. The expert Is always
used in the bank. where the values are
definite and the problem correspond
inglv simple while. as a rule. nobody
j. employed in the other case Where
water measurements are taken, how
ever. and records are kept. the per
son employed is often wholly un
trained for this or any other technical
work
1t as important to keep a record
oi the flow OF water in the streams
and in the canals. and bitches. aS II
is TO keep the books OF a bank. ion
who are at the head OF a great irriga
ton project should come to this con
vention with reports containing in
formation, found in the records al
your project and reading something
like this. The land irrigated under
the canals OF the irrigation project ]
represent is a heavy clay OF great
depth For twenty years water to the
amount OF one acre foot per acre per
season has been used on this soil. but
il has been hardly sufficient 10 pro
duce the best results For the same
length OF time one and one-half acre
feet OF water has been used on an
other section OF the project with bet
ter results. while where two acre feet
OF water has been used. the land has
become water-loggcd and ruined
Since there Is but one crop of land
q fact so frequently referred tbs il
not a shame that much of il is thus
being and has been rendered value
lcsSs While everyone can see too
that too much water has been used. nc
one can come forward and say how
much in acre feet this excess has been
Where are the expert irrigation en-
pincerS who have this information?
IT there are any such they are few
indeed. Those who own farms think /
generally that they are economical (
when they do their farming without
employing engineers. As well try tC /
build house without an architect |
conduct a school without teacher, OF |
a ship without a seaman. as to con /
duct an irrigation project OF any con /
siderable consequence without an eN
pert irrigation engineer. As the day |
has passed for that man who Is not 1
capable of doing any other kind OF /
work to be chosen To teach the school |
a that day has passed III which every |
man makes his own shoes. as that day |
has passed in which every man builds |
his own house. so that day has passed |
and gone forever in which a man, who !
is too old or too stupid 10 be other |
wise employed, can perform the dutc |
of a watermastcr Every expcrienc, |
in modern times teaches that il pay !
Ia have technical work done by tech. /
nicallv trained experts. The measure /
mcnt of water, and the keeping of the /
records of the flow OF streams. If well /
and properly done. is work of high I
w technical character. II YOU employ F.
q real expert to perform this duty, and /
give him as compensation that sal /
arv To which he is by experience and /
technical training fairly entitled, you
will find him the cheapest man on
the lob" and the money you pay him (
in salary will be the portion of your
investment that is most wisely made /
He will render YOU poor service, in
deed, If he does not save and earn /.
for his employer. on project requir- /
ing the full time OF a man for water
master, many times as much in
money as he receives for his service
Richard r. LYMAN Professor OF
Engineering. University of Utah