The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1940-05-23
TRIO INSPECTS
WATERSHEDS IN
WYOMING AREA
Voter Conditions Report
ed To Be Below Normal
For 1910 Season

Gel VI Vic StdVC "aGC1 pOoAA,
E. E. LacaSSe, assistant engln-
eer, and H. w. Funston of the
Big horn Dam committee, eX-
amlned water conditions on the
Shosnone and Big Horn water
shed, early this week, Mr.. Bun
ston informed the Tribune
Herald.
The trio looked over the Sho-
Shone water supply and the
Heart mountain diversion pro-
ject. They found the lake about
~ feet below normal, leaving
the upper portion of the lake
surface area greatly reduced.
The outflow at present appears
to be equal to or greater than
the inflow to the lake@:There Is
little snow on the east side OF
the divide and from present
conditions a shortage of water
for local needs would seem to
exist, the group observed.
The serious shortage of snow
on the Big Horn water shed in
dicates that there will be no
high water period. In fact, a
continual diminishing of the
flow OF the Big Horn in Wyom-
ing seems certain. Bull Lake,
a new storage about IS miles
above Riverton, is very low. Al
ready water Is being used ra-
ther extensively and the river
flow at Worland is being re-
duced by more than half by
the diversion above that town,
it was stated.
It is readily admitted that
the possible water supply on
the Big Horn and Shoshone is
greatly reduced in comparison
with previous years. This is
shown bv the wyoming state
engineers report of April 9th,
showing the Big Horn water
supply reduced from 1874 in
ches in 1899 to 80 for 1910.
In the face of these condi-
lions, there is being brought un-
der irrigation in the Riverton
section alone several thousand
acres yearly; in the Shoshone
area about 100000 acres and in
other Wyoming areas, on this
water shed, substantial increaS-
es in irrigated acreage. Such
conditions can not continue if
there is to be sufficient irr4ga-
ton water in the Big Horn val
ley in Montana, it was brought
out.
IT believe" said Mr.. Funston,
that the time is here when we
must assert our legal fights,
based on treaty, appropriations
and prior use. We must meet
the state of wyoming and the
National Reclamation associa-
ton in their rush to bring addi-
tlonal lands under irrigation,
regardless of the results on our
rights. In the mad rush to
bring additional lands under ir-
rlgation they entirely fail to
properly return their waste wa
ter to its original source, re-
sultlng in extremely heavy silt
bearing water, which constitutes
the chief objection to storage
on the Big Horn in Montana"
1t is expected that Mr.. Dona-
hue will have something to say
about conditions as he finds
them and that the attention of
the Southeastern Montana
Counties association committee
Will be called to these condi-
tons at once.
MI. Bunston feels that i'm
mediate and appropriate action
should be taken against the
state of Wyoming and the Ma
tional Reclamation bureau to
enjoin further diversion of wa
ter for new irrigation until
such time as ample water is
provided for irrigation parpos-
es on lands already irrigated
and that Wyoming and the bu-
reau should be compelled to re-
turn its waste water in an I'M
damaging condition to its orig
inal source.
In the interim, he states, all
Big Horn valley. water users
should have their irrigation
ditches made amply large to
permit quick irrigation of the
lands in case of water rotation
and to make possible night ir-
rigation.