The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-05-07
CAN WESTERN N. D BE
SUPPLIED WITH WATER FOR
IRRIGATION FROM WELLS?

Dickinson Recorder-Post: The Unit
ed States geological survey has re
I'orted irrigation with water pumped
from wells in Oklahoma is practical,
also because of improvements in
humping machinery, water can be
drawn to the surface at less expense
than formerly. Pumped water is also
extensively used for irrigation in Ore
gOn n California, though the cost of
pumping is from 6 to 8 cents a 1000
gallons. The question is, can western
North Dakota be irrigated with water
pumped frorI wells?
This will be definitely determined
by Director Coo er and other experts
from the North Dakota Agricultural
college, who will sOOn come to Dick.
inson as a result of discussion Of the
possibilities at the last meeting Of the
state agricultural board, when the
subject was brought up by J. +. Bro
die, Of Dickinson, the oldest member
Of that board. Before leaving here to
attend the meeting, Mr.. Brodie seCur-
ed some data on the subject from w.
J. L~ittlehale.', superintendent Of wat
erworks in this city, and when Mr..
Rrodie came home he suggested The
Recorder-Post should get some in
formation from Mr.. Littlehales about
pumping water in large volume. and
publish it.
There IS, perhaps, no better author
ity on ways and means for getting a
! water supply in this semi-arld section
Of country than Mr.. Littlehales, who
has si,ent more than twenty-five years
in the Northern Pacific railway. serv-
ice and in mis- present position devOt-
Ing his energies to the water supply
problem, and it may be truthfully said
IF Bill L~ittlehales cannot get water
here there IS no use of any one else
trying to do it,. When asked if he
| / 49, - --n11- Fr>~1 11yhi1h +hn Nv
Cellent water is pumped to supply the
city of Dickinson reached an arte$+en
deposit, and if he thought it <1teuded
generally underground in the entire
Slore territory west Of the Missouri
river, Mr.. L.ttlehales said he was al
most sur of it. Many others here are
of the opinion that it having been
pumped for years from the city wells
at Dickinson without diminishing the
supply, even in the dryest seasons,
proves conclusiVely the underground
supply is ineXhaustible.
In substan:iation of the theory that
the Dickinson water supply comes
from a vast underground source, which
also is supposed to be accessible at
any point throughout the slope coun-
try, ii Is pointed out that only a few
days ago Grtesian water was found al
40 great depth when wells were sunh
at the Wilcox ranch in the kildeeI
mountain country. 1t is also vel
known that artesian water IN great
quantities has been found at Medora
in places west of the Missouri south.
east n southwest of Dickinson, anC
there are springs on the slope from
which flow daily quantities of water
sufficient to make good sized brooks;
for instance, the spring at the "Oper
A" ranch. Such springs are thought
TO be surface. OPENINGS for discharge OF
surplus water from the vast under
ground supply.
correct, how a this water be brought
to the surface and made available fol
irrigation and can it be eco
nomically done, admitting the supply
to be suffiLient to provide waite
enough 10 insure every farmer hi
croI S need not suffer for moisture
The experience of Mr.. Aittlehales an
swers the question and we repeat IL n
cannot get the water where 1T is want
ed, there's no Use for others to try tt
do it. The following are some of thu
things he told The Recorder-Po mar
and IMessrs. J. A. Meyer and Carl E
Tallmadge of Nav England, who wer'
at the Dickinson waterworks Saturday
asking about methods to get a waite
supply in this so-calted dry country.
The city wells at Dickinson vary II
depth from 140 to 200 feet, and are 81,
and eight inches diameters. Waite
rises in them from the underground
pressure to the heigllth Of fifty-tw'
feet from the surface. which is slight
ly lowered by pumping until a stati
pressure from below is encounters
and thereafter the water level remain
stationary, and cannot be lowere