Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-07
Irrigation from Underground

Irrigation with water pumped from
wells in the vicinity of Enid, Okla,
is declared practicable In a brief re-
port just issued by the United States
Geological Survey. The average an
nual precipitation at Enid for the
nine years prior to 1918 was thirty
two and one-half inches, but during
the season of 1923 this region was
affected by the drought that pre-
vailed throughout the West and mid
die West and the rainfall was only
eighteen and one-fourth inches. The
serious effect of this drought on the
crops suggested the utilization OF
ground water for irrigation, and the
director of the Geological Survey was
urgently requested by congressman
| Morgan and Mcclure and by w. H.
Scarf, secretary of the Enid Cham
Der of Commerce, to have an inVesti-
cation made of the ground water
| prospects in this region. The report
| lust issued is the result of q brief
| examination of the conditions at
Enid by A. T. Schwennesen, of the
survey staff 1t contains a map that
shows the distribution, over a part
OF Garfield county, of the tertiary
sands and gravels, and those of later
| origin, Wnlcn are lll6 W cilti
bearing beds of the region.
RepIenished by Local Rains.
The ground-water supply of these
beds, the report states, is replenish-
ed chiefly by the local rainfall. This
supply is by no means ineXhaustble,
hut moderate drafts on it during the
comparatively short season in which
irrigation is necessary will be COM
pensated by the rainfall throughout
the year Pumping can be done at
comparatively low cost, and If the
ground water which is available is
used conservatively and intelligently
for irrigation, it can be made to add
greatly to the agricultural produc-
ton of the community.
The carboniferous red beds" which
underlie the tertiary deposits also
Weld some water, but the conditions
attending the utilization of this water
are so unfavorable that its use is
not recommended except where nc
: other supply is available, and Their
only for certain intensive crops, such
as fruit or garden truck, where the
financial return per acre would war
: rant a heavy expense for pumping.
Irrigation on the Great Plains.
| The report includes a note by o. L
| Meinzer, of the Geological Survey. OF
| the general subject of ground water
| for irrigation on the Great Plains, il
which the following statements arr
made
The largest supply of ground watel
on the Great Plains is found in tn,
Tertiary and Quaternary sands ant
grayels that lie near the surface owe
an area of more than 100000 squar
miles Of valley and plain in eastern
Colorado and New Mexico and IL
western Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahom;
and Texas. These beds do not as
rule Weld flows; their water must or
dinarily be recovered by pumping
Pumping plants have been installe,
at some places, chiefly in the Arkan
sas Valley and in certain shallow
water belts in western Texas and ad
iacent parts of New Mexico, but man,
more can be successfully operated.
Improved Pumps Lessen the Cost
Water.
Because OF improvements in pump
ing machinery-especiall In internal
combustion engineS-water can
pumped at less cost now than former
Nv. and on account of improved meth
DDS of irrigation and agriculture an
better adaptation of crops to waite
supply the value of pumped water ha
been increased. Hence pumping fo
Irrigation is practicable today in lo
calities where It was not practicabl