The Bismarck tribune., 1922-03-17
WHAT PASSING
OF. M'NARY BILL
MEANS TO n. D.
Claimed That Sugar Beet Indus
try Would be Developed On
a Large Scale
STATEMENT BY ENGINEERS
Irrigation Would Also Mean The
Production of Much Alfalfa
For Winter Feed

= mat the McNary Bill, which was
favorably reported to congress OF
March 7th, if passed would mean the
development Of the sugar beet indus.
try in North Dakota on large scale
as the result of irrigation is the be.
lief of the State Engineers office, as
expressed in a statement issued to-
day
This bill provides for the appropria-
tion of $370,000,0O0 for the reclama-
tion of arid, swamp and cut-over lands
as recommended by President Harding
in his message to congress.
North DakOta's share of such an
appropriation would be no small sum
There are over 100000 acres Of land
along the Missouri River in North Da-
kOta that can be economically irri-
gated by pumping. The development
of sugar beet culture in connection
therewith is very promising feature.
The production Of alfalfa for winter
feed for dairy cows will be great in
dustry as we'll.
The Missouri River ranks first in
size of all the streams flowing
through the arid and semi-arid states
OF the west. The Colorado River
ranks second and the Columbia River
third, says the statement of the state
engineers.
"The development of these two les
ser streams has been planned on an
enormous SCALE" continues the state
ment, while on the waters of the
Missouri, which represent the great
est source Of supply, development has
scarcely begun.
''The Missouri River flows through
North Dakota for 406 miles and in that
distance falls 305 feet or about nine
inches per mile. Unfortunately, the
construction Of dams along its course
in North Dakota is not feasible owing
to the lack of stable foundation.
Survey Made in 1891
I'm 1891 the U. s. Geological sur
vey made survey of the divide be-
tween Fort Stephenson and Minot for
the purpose Of finding a way of di-
verting the Missouri River by means
of a canal over the divide.
"The lowest point found in this d.
vide is 200 feet above the Missouri
River at the Montana State Line and
the project was not considered feas-
ible at that time.
"The. Missouri river at Fort Steph-
enson is 100 feet above the city of Mi
not and 200 feet above the Mouse
River at Velva
"A barrier about twenty miles wide
'and 300 feet high separates these two
streams. The possibility of tunneling
this ridge has been suggested at var
ious times in the past.
while no insuperable engineering
problem would be involved by such a
project, its feasibility could be de-
termined only by the extension of
Typographical maps such as have
been made by the U. S. Geological
Survey in other sections of the state.
"The U. S. Geological Survey is now
cooperating with 81 states in making
surveys Of this character and the
laok- Of funds for this purpose pre-
cludes the possibility of North Dakota
taking advantage of this opportunity.
There are several long tunnels in
course Of construction in the United
States at the present time. The city
of New York is constructing a tunnel
Is milea in length in order to bring an
additional supply of water into one
of the reservoirs of it's water supply
system.
81 Miles Of Tunnel
Likewise on the other side of the
continent the city of San Francisco
has planned the construction of 67
miles of tunnel as a part of the
Hetch- -Hetchy system which will sup
ply electric current generated from
water power to the extent of 100000
horse power as well as water supply
sufficient to serve the city of San
Francisco during the present century.
One section of the tunnel Is IL miles
in length is now under construction.
ION the Columbia River Basin pro-
ject which is now being reported on
by General Goethals Is IL mile tun-
mel is being considered as part of
the diversion system.
"It is quite possible that by think
ing in terms of tunnels rather than
dams that the problem Of diyerting
the Missouri River in North Dakota
will be solved. Under any condition
the possibility of diversion by this
means deserves the, most careful con-
sideration."
The elevation of the Missouri river
oaa ~