The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1924-03-13
Water Shortage Possibility Unless :.
There Are Economy Measures Used
Canal Company Manager Pre1ises
Early Withdrawal Of BtorAas
Wafer.


I'VE are confronted with > possi-
bility OF short water season" says
a statement to The Record from Bur
ton,smith. the new manager Of the
Twin Falls Canal company. and II
Is my desire to got the facts before
the Farmers of the project 20 that
we. as the compAny's organization.
may receive cooperation from tho
water users to enable us to give the
best possible service to everyone con
cerned. through the entire season"
Continuing, Mr.. Smith says:
sThe important facts are these:
There IL no snow In the lower por-
ton of the Snake river water shed,
which means that dtawing-pn the
storage. II there BE- any, win begpi
early. That tho storage, unlsee "a
usual conditions obtain durins thu
spring season. viii probably - short
and particularly 20 tor this project.
due to the fact that our storage II
the top storage Ia the reservoir.
ITO substantiats thess statements
lot me quote from ie<ter received
by the company. dated March 9Th. OF
this year, from the unitsd State rec
lamAtion service;
D~riington'a Let1oF.
1T Is Indicated By the ourvss
that water supply conditions are
not improving ana tnst u 10
somewhat doubtful II this ums
whether jackson lake will I'LL.
especially In view OF the light
snowfall on the wstsrshsd II
lower attitudes, which condition
may make neceasary ~ early
draft upon the reservoir.
From diagram Co II viii b.
noted that the depth Of snow
and water content u below any
year since records wsre started
In 1870. without the snow rec
ord OF 1919. = complete COM
parison with that year y not
possible, but precipitation rec
ords were kept in 1919 and the
diagram shows 1884 prscipita-
ton very close to the 1919
curve. II Is believed, however.
that there Is considerably more
snow on the watershed now than
at the corresponding date tn
1919.
"As the Jackson lake drain
age area controls but l-b OF
OF the run-off At Hsise, the
snow conditions ~ tho lover a.
titudes have very important
bearing on the water supply for
this year. II Ia my Impression
that tho snow conditions on the
watershed at the lower attitudes
are considerably below normal,
which would indicate that stored
water would have to be used
somewhat earlier than has been
the case during the last four
years. Were II not for this fact.
II might still be = safa prsdic-
ton that Jackson lake would
fill. but In view OF THE condition
II would seem somewhat doubt
full at this tims on account or
the narrow margin ~ indicated
on the storable runoff disgrnms.
Very truly yours, fsfsned)
ID. b. Darlington,
Project Manager
EARLY Irrigation.
II Is my opinion that. during the
spring. while we are drawing water
from the natural ffow Of the river.
that IL viii be OF great Advantages 20
all concerned n the farmers will ere
ate as much underground storage ~
Is possible In their land. This cas
be done. in my opinion most effsc-
lively. by starting irrigation early
and get the greatest possibIs guam
tity OF water in the land before the
drawing on storage begins
II is also important that We have
the cooperation OF the farmers In
reducing the losses and wastes after
the use OF storage IL bsgun.