Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-02-13
IRRIGATED LANDS
down IN TEXAS
LARGE Amount Of Arid Lands
in That State Have Been
Made Profitable

DALLAS C$a rep. DIT mas
been stated that the water resources
of the Grand Prairie or central d.
vision counties of Texas were among
their most variable assets, although
not fully developed, says Frank A.
Briggs in the Dallas News. While the
subject Of water conservation by
the means of storage reservoirs has
never been given serious considera-
ton by the people of this section, a
growing interest in irrigation matters
is leading to it, and it is believed that
before many years many thousands
of acres will he watered which here
tofore have been thought to be beyond
the limits of irrigation districts.
At the present tine there are sew
eral well-detined districts in this sec.
ton Of the state. OF these the Me-
nard and San Saba districts are most
prominent, although Somervell coun-
ty has a large area capable OF devel'
Opment, as has other counties border
ing the Brazos and Colorado rivers.
Indeed, by the sinking OF wells to the
artesian sands and by storing flood
waters in the many natural reservoirs
many thousands of acres in every
county Of the area under considerat-
lion could be watered in times OF
drought, insuring good crops and even
doubling the acre yield.
At the present time there are in
the neighborhood of $1,000 acres in
this entire territory under some form
Of irrigation.
Not all the counties referred to are
in the proven artesian belt-many
are. According to a survey made ny
Robert Hill, a United States %geologist,
who secured the logs and data OF
wells in this district, there are flow
ing wells In SomerVcll county from
30 to $50 feet deep; east part OF Er-
atll and south part of Hood, along inc
tributaries of the paluHy river at 2l6
to 24O feet; $50 to 1000 feet in Bosque
county; in Corycll, 250 to 700 feet
and in Hamilton, n%on-tlOwing wells
in some localities at 2lO to 500 feet.
Counties lying west OF those named
are without the proven arteslal dis
trict, but have many opportunities TO
irrigate from streams and springs ana
from stored flood waters.
In the vicinity of Menard, Menard
county, is the best-developed irriga-
ton district in this section OF the
state. The necessary water is taken
from the San Saba river, which rises
in a series of springs in the eastern
part Of Schleicher county, and is TED
by other springs on its course east
ward through Mcnard and San SABA
counties. This stream, as previously
stated, is considered in the geological
survey as one of the best OF the small'
or streams in the state tor power ana
irrigation purposes. It's flow is rcgu'
lar and measures Is second feet When
it reaches the vicinity Of San Saba.
("Second foot" is an abbrevlatloll
for cubic foot per second. One sec
ond foot flowing twcnty-four hours
will deliver $4,000 cubic feet, or ap-
proXimately 2 acre feet, meaning z
feet OF water over II acre OF sur
face.")
Irrigation systems t.ions the San Sa-
ba River in Menard County water all
nually about $500 acres. liz some In
stances water is lifted by means OF
pumps and distributed to the fields.
In the larger systems dams have been
constructed and the water directed
through sluicew2"s or bitches to the
liberals.
Since this section was placed in
touch with the outside world by the
extension of the Frisco some three
years ago, farmers who irrigate their
lands are increasing their acreage OF
fruits and vegetables, many raising
sweet potatoes, for which there is al
ways a good market. BY intensified
farming they are producing a heavy
tonnage, returns in money exceeding
returns from non-irrigated lands from
900 to 500 per cent. Others are de-
voting a large acreage to alfalfa, while
not q few continue to grow cotton ana
corr as they did before the arrival Of
the railroad.
Nonirrigated lands in the vicinity Of
Mcnard may be purchased from $40 to