Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-05-22
PROBLEM OF DRAINAGE
OF tho Utmost importance IN lr.
rigatIon Country.
Farmer SHOULD Hlrs GnsInssr Who 10
Capable Of Making Necessary
Survey and Who knews Now
TO Lay Out Coed oystsm.

(By e. b. HOUSE. Colorado Agr,cui-
tural Coilege.)
The drainage of lands 10 Of great inn.
portance as the subject of irrigstion
itself. We apply water to the soil
and call II irrigating; We spread Il
over the ground and see II sink from
sight; we see crops grow and forget
all about the excess water We apply.
This water. however, 10 not lost and In
later years will return to bless us or
curse us. as the case may be, and It
usually comes in the form of . curse
rather than blessing.
What is there that detracts more
from the appearance Of q prosperous
farming community. a. we drive along
the country roads and look at the
magnificent crops. than to see here
and there large tracts Of barren waste
covered with white alkal 30 common
In this state. producing absolutely
nothing and all on account of high
water table? Perhaps this ground used
to be as productive a. any In the
community, but in later years farmers
u6Nc IL ihROCbiOiO W taioO uhy-
thing upon It. They have finally aban.
doned It. and there It lies worthless to
the farmer and worthless to the COM
munity at large.
Why this state of affairs? It 10 due.
as stated before. to the high water
table or. in other words. to tho fact
that the underground water has risen
until 1t is within few feet Of the sur
face. Capillary action In then set up
and excessive quantities of water
work from the water table to the sur
face OF the ground and there evapo-
rate, leaving behind the elements that
they carry In solution. These SAILS
form the alkall which we see on the
surface OF the ground.
Can this land be reclaimed and can
It ever be made first-class farming
land? The answer to this question is
yes" II may be reclaimed In mum.
Der of ways. but the only permanent
way is to thoroughly drain the tract.
The laying out and installation OF q
drain is not the simplest problem In
the world. and 10 too often attempted
by men who know nothing about II.
My advice to the farmer 10 TO hire
some engineer who IL capable Of ma.
king the necessary survey and who
knows how to lay out drain system.
Water is becoming extremely val.
liable in eastern Colorado and In many
instances land may be drained. the
outlet OF the drain being so placed
that the discharge enters some irriga,
tion canal. and after filing upon the
same the owner may sell II to or rent
II profltably. This has been done in
number of cases near Fort Collins. In
some cases the flow has been sufficient
to pay for the installation Of the en-.
tire drainage system. Drain water
makes good late water. as the flow
usually continues well into the fall
and when water In the bitches be.
comes low. The seepage water enter.
ing the drain Ia maximum. hence the
value.
The drainage Of lands should be
considered whenever irrigation ID con
templated, because. II the subsoil OF
the community does not Of itself form
a natural drain. II is only question
Of time when the underground water
will be 80 increased in volume that the
water table will reach the surface In
the many low spots. The worst alkall
and seeped tracts that could be found
In the country have been experiment.
ed upon and reclaimed In such a man.
ner that luxuriant crops have been
grown upon them. while surrounding
them on all sides was barren alkali
waste. A drainage system properly In.
stalled may be counted upon to do the