The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-12-21

| prepared by the United States Depart
| ment Of Agriculture.)
Reservoirs suited to the needs o.
individual farmers and small groups
of farmers form the subject of thi!
article. The main purpose of sucf
| reservoirs is to store water for thu
irrigation of gardens, orchards, ant
truck farms, but they may also serve
to store water for stock and to provide
domestic supplies for farm dwellings
Farm reservoirs are used most com
monty in conjunction with pumping
plants operated by gasoline engines
wind mills or electric motors. Many
pumping plants have been installed
In recent years for irrigation purposes
and this development has created a
demand for storage facilities to retain
the water lifted by the pump over
night, and thus provide large irriga-
ton stream for the following day.
Purpose of Building Reservoir.
The purpose which a farmer has in
mind in building reservoir will go
far to fix it's essential features. If he
intends to use any part of the stored
water for drinking or even culinary
purposes, the entire supply must be
kept free from pollution.
On the other hand, if the supply is
intended for irrigation only, the pur-
ity of the water need not be consid-
cred. In building reservoir for use
In connection with pumping plant,
the size, elevation and location of the
former should be adjusted carefully to
the needs of the latter and to the land
to be watered, one essential feature
being that the outlet be somewhat
higher than the area served. When
the main purpose is to store the small
flow of q spring or the discharge of
a small pump until enough water can
be had to form large stream or head,
as it is called, and thus water larger
area in a shorter time, the outlet of
the reservoir should be large enough
to permit this to be done. Again, If
the reservoir is intended for both ir-
rigation and the watering of farm
81
ming and building the reservoir to pre-
vent damage being done by the tramp
ling of stock.
Water Supply for Farm Reservoirs.
The most common source of supply
for such reservoirs is the well, from
which water is raised to the neces-
sary height by windmill, internal
combustion engine, or electric motor.
The reservoir is located as near as
to the well, and the dis
charge from the pump leads directly
to the reservoir with a branch to the
head of the supply ditch, thus permit
ting the we'll water either to be stored
Or used directly on the land.
The flow from springs, brooks, flow
ug wells, and small creeks forms an
pther source of supply. This is often
100 small for rapid and effective irri-
CATION when used continuously, and
storage is resorted to in order to OBJ
ain a large head and also to collect
he flow overnight for use the fol-
owing day or over several days for
Use during drought. Springs and
,ther, small sources of running water |
nay be made to serve variety of use |
ul purposes if the proper equipment |
s provided for their full utilization. |
Where there is sufficient fall, part |
+ such water may be piped directly |
O the house and barn and the balance
10 {,fa
eservoir, from which 1t is conveyed
" pipe to an irrigated field, orchard,
r vegetable garden. In cases where
here is no fall or not enough, the wa
err may be pumped first to the house
nd then allowed to flow by gravity to
he barn and corral and thence to a
ond, from which 1t can be withdrawn
Or irrigation purposes.
Owing to natural causes or the care
,ss use of water in irrigation, fertile
elds often become water-logged. In
he majority of cases 1t is feasible to
rain these low marshy places and ap-
ly this water to other tracts that may
e too Dig. II the amount of water
ithdrawn is small, a reservoir to
ore enough to make an irrigation
cad often is profitable investment.
In that borderland between humid
v and aridity, known as the Great
lains area, and throughout the arid
,gion, the so-called "dry creeks" carry
water at times. Part
this run-off often can be led into a
,servoir and stored for future use
watering stock and irrigating land.
In the Atlantic and east central
ates, and, in fact, throughout the en-
re humid region, water to fill farm
servoirs generally can be obtained
adily at low cost from springs, lakes,
reams, and shallow wells. Boys or
uck beds of limited areas also abound
eastern farms, particularly in the
tlantic coast states. These often can
converted at small cost from mos
grounds into service
lie reservoirs.
Selection Of Site.
The location of the reservoir will
pend largely on two factors-the
URGE Of the water supply and its
illsaf1on. II the water is pumped t