White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-12
COUNTY IRRIGATION ENGINEER
BEFORE STATE FARM BUREAU


irrigation without development other
than diversion dams have beau ap-
propriated for long time These
things being true we must then first
develop our water If we are To per-
manently increase our population,
build permanent schools, libraries and
highways and improve our social and
financial conditions.
At this point then enters the need
for the rural or agricultural engi-
neer. This state has untold posi-
bilities for developing it's water by
means of storage. pumping, spring
development. drainage, piping of
streams from the mountains to the
valleys below, across those grave.
slopes where so much water is lost
by seepage and evaporation, and last
bEt not least, by the education of the
water users as to water laws, the
best means of irrigation and water
measurements.
No doubt each of you can call to
mind one or more irrigation projects,
large or small, which have proven
themselves failures. Some OF these
projects have failed due to the crook
edness of the promoters, who knew
they were not feasible at the time of
their projection, or TO the gullibility
of the victims. Howeyed, all projects
which have failed have not done so
for this reason. Many have failed
for the reason that the builder did
not know the business and either
would not or did not secure the SER
vices of an engineer to lay the actual
facts on the table before money and
time were squandered. Few of our
wealthy men. unless they have been
farmers all thir lives, will enter into
new field of this nature and we
cannot depend upon them to develop
our waters. We must look TO our
average farmer, whether he is here
now or later induced TO come, to de-
ye,op our state. And these pioneers
who do this must have intelligent
and competent direction in their en-
deavors or they will fail.
will mention few ways in which
the engineer can. while operating
through the extension service and the
farm bureau, be of valuable assist
ance. II the project is a storage sys-
tenn II should be studied to determine
that the reservoir will be reasonably
water tight and that seepage will NOT
rob IL of its waters. that the dam is
built upon a substantial and perma-
nent basis suitable to existing condi-
tions, that 1t IS built as high as
necessary but no higher; that 1t has
sufficient spillway to prevent failures
during Hoods; that the outlets are
properly constructed. and that the
matter of sitting or filling up the
reservoir Is duly studied. In cases
of larger projects chances are seldom
,al. without
ing the services OF an engineer. The
small or one-man projects. where
neighborly advice and small knowl-
edge on the part of the builder are
deemed sufficient, are the ones where
we find the largest percentage of fall
urs. By failure | do not mean that
the finished project will not function
II may perform the duties for which
IL was built and still be a failure
financially. or II may show profits
smaller than they would be If COM
petent supervision had been available
at the time of construction.
II the project is one of pumping,
engineering advice is also essential
to it's success. Any old engine coupling
to any old pump, with any old size
pipe, lifting water from any old depth
will not make a successful pumping
project Each and every pumping
plant Is different In some If not all of
its details, and these details must be
carefully correlated II the finished
plant is to fatten your purse and
make every dollar invested earn the
highest interest of which It is capa-
BILE. You cannot have a big. oversize
engine on a small pump. or vice versa
and make IL pay under average con-
ditions. You cannot afford to draw
your water through too small a pipe,
because friction becomes excessive
and 1t requires more power which in
turn makes the cost of fuel more. 1t
does not take much money to hay
little larger pipe. but money thrown
away for too large a pipe is as bad as
for too large an engine. The same
relative condition is true of pumps
in that given size OF pump will
sometimes raise the amount OF water
desired bur at an added power cost
over a slightly larger pump. Zach
different make OF pump has diff
ferent efficiency under like condi-
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