The daily sentinel., 1913-12-18
URGES WORK FOR
DRAINAGE Of
THE VALLEY
Mrs. Minnie TutIy Suggests
Plan to Combat One Of the
Rancher'S Troubles.
EDITOR SENTINEL:


Weckel advocated new system OF
irrigation, giving to each irrigator
the water for certain number OF
hours.
That system is in use in many
places, chiefly on account OF short
age in available water.
In the San Joanquin valley under
that system they have 1st. 2nd and
3rd water rights. A lst water right
heing the most valuable as the holder
has first chance.
They are not pleased with the
working out of the system, but the
present lack of available water fore
es them to keep it.
| believe we have one of the best
systems of irrigation in use. our trou-
BILE lies in the working out of minor
points. The talks on irrigation and
drainage brought out very plainly
the need of overcoming the surplus
water in the soil.
Several years ago wrote an article
which The Sentinel printed, advocat-
ing the combining of the main and
the lateral and cementing the canal,
and providing several large drainage
bitches. Have talked with many
others who believe this must be the
ultimate solution of this problem that
means very much to the future OF
Grand valley.
Mr.. Craven's talk on drainage was
very fine but this plan would be a
one-man plan. II never has worked
when 1t came to draining q whole
valley and never will, for the reason
that not every man can or will drain
his land, and every water-logged
piece of land affects the value of
NJ tha,. n no.,
Some claim there is large pocket
formed by heavy clay subsoil sloping
to the northeast, well, suppose that is
SO. dynamite passages through the
lower rim of this pocket every mile
or 20. have not you solved, at least
q part Of the drainage question? But
who Is golng to do 1t? The govern
mon. or the state of Colorado or both
IL you go after them with the stories
of this wonderful valley. furnished by
the chamber of commerce, and real
estate dealers.
Lacking government or state help
what ails Mesa county? Isn't the
drainage of hundreds of acres of val
liable land as much to her as an
$S0.000 Main street bridge? Per-
haps the chamber of commerce would
spend few thousand for so good a
cause.
But have doubt of the one big
pocket, all soil is made up of pock-
cts of light and heavy soil. If Grand
valley is as some think an old lake
bed there are plenty. of sand pockets
as well as of heavier soil. Suppose
this winter as an experiment large
number of ranchmen try dynamite
in those hard places. on their ranches
tv,rv h,,x t. Il ~
the whole valley will redeem present
waste land and keep it in good condi-
ton.
But l believe there is more i'm
portant question; the right handling
of the water SO we will stop pouring
water into these pockets or basins.
Can't be done? oh. yes it can. Some
helpful suggestions were offered at
the meeting, by Mr.. Weckels and 9TH
ers. Many times water is Kept run
ming too long in one place; some have
too long bitches making the upper
part too wet.
There Is much chance for improve
ment In handling water in the dis
tributing bitches, but seepage from
the main canals and from the large
diverting bitches needs our first at
tention.
Some contend it does not come from
running water in canals, does not that
sound a bit absurd when we all know
that seepage from our distributing
bitches is what we depend on for ir-
rigation purposes? Running water
does pass through the soil.
There are gravel beds and sand
points through which the, canals car
ry water. In the spring they are like
sieves. If the fall is great enough
water will run over them without
losing all.
The cost of keeping two canals up
uncemented as they are now, combin-
ed with the value of the water that
is lost would cement many OF the
worst places. and keep In repair one
canal. The value of the land that
could be redeemed from surplus sub
irrigation. would be large figure in
Mesa county valuation.
Fruityale made an effort to get
two good resolutions before the meet
ing. They received scant courtesy.
Let's not balk efforts for improve
ment because they do not agree with
our ideas. These things must be set
tied, the sooner it is done, the less
sxpense will be required.
Why not organize a Grand Valley
Improvement club. Ranchers are
meeting in some places, seeking to
solve these very problems, make 1t
general from Cameo to Iona and
Mack. Do something and do It now:
Let's make Grand Valley land OF
hope, happiness and prosperity. not
q graveyard OF fortunes. We have
one of the best valleys on the face OF
the earth, why are We reckless like
children with valuable toy?
May we not have a discussion
along these lines through the med
ium Of the newspaper, am sure II