Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-12-15

Rangelands are being improved
and the livestock industry in gen
eral in Custer and Powder River
counties is being put in better
shape than ever before to with
stand the vicissitudes of future
drouth years through the develop
ment Of flood irrigation projects
ing to N. A. Jacobsen, extension
agent for the two counties.
Flood irrigation projects are making
it possible for ranchers to accumulate
reserve feed supplies and there is now
practically a three-yearS supply OF hay
on hand in the two counties, Jacob
sen said. These projects have produced
and have cost the owners little or
nothing except their time and labor.
Figuring ton of hay per acre from
these projects and hay valued at IS
ton on the ranch, the hay produc-
ton from the flood irrigation projects
alone is worth $4,000 annually:
In addition to the hay crop, jacob
sen points out that on many flood
irrigation projects a crop of alfalfa
seed can be produced occasionally and
the income from this sideline is just
so much velvet" for the rancher.
Sold On Irrigation
Ranchers in the two counties are
thoroughly sold on the value OF Hood
irrigation as a means of guaranteeing
hay crop and since 1881. SIS Of these
projects have been built. The projects
involve 3,O16 acres and have an eSti-
mated value of s30,160.
The extension office has consistently
pushed the flood irrigation program
since 1881 and in 1884 the few prof.
ects then in operation were ample
proof that enough extra feed coulo be
produced so that ranchers could afford
to hold back part OF their breedlng
herds rather than sacrifice them at
drouth prices.
Again in 1886 drouth occurred and
. again the flood irrigation projects JUS
titled themselves. Since that time molS-
ture conditions have been more favor
able. but not enough to guarantee
satisfactory forage crops on dry land
Even though dry years occur. Jacobsen
believes the good and average years
will probably outnumber the bad ones
/ and will therefore make it possible to
| build up feed reserves over perloo
! of several years.
! Going hand in hand with the de-
velopment of the flood irrigation prof.
| ects has been the development of stock
water reservoirs in the two counties
These latter have proved an excellent
means of improving grazing through
more even distribution of stock or
/ the range.
/ Less Abuse of Grassland
Even though livestock numbers or
ranches are far below normal, the
few reservoirs already built have made
it possible for stock to utilize grass
throughout the summer that formerly
could not be used except in certain
. seasons. This in turn has resulted II
less abuse of the grassland arounc
permanent waterholes, less drifting C.
!
more weight while or grass All Of
which adds up to more dollars in tht
stockman'S pocket. Jacobsen said.
Although the extension Office IA
emphasized stock water reservoir con-
struction for several years. the adyen'
, of the AAA range program gave adal-
tional stimulus to the program. Because
the 1899 AAA range program requirec
/ that dams be surveyed by COmpetCN,
persons. the extension agent cooper
ated with the Powder River county
AAA committee in training group OF
rancherS from selected areas IN the
! county for surveying range program
dams After the completion OF this
training work. IS trained men laid out
. I'll stock reservoirs serviClng approx
mately 342 sections of rangeland IN
the county. In addition. this group
/ SURVEYED SO farm and spreader dams
/ servicing nearly 81 26O acres of pasture
! land and diverting flood water onto
/ 1876 acres of crop land.
i In Custer county the surveying o!
dams for the AAA range program was
taken care Of partly by the operators
/ themselves. county AAA supervisors
the extension agent and assistants
With the cooperation of these groups
l52 dams were built in Custer county
in 1889