Show Running Water in Canals During Durin the e Winter Months By I. I D. D ODonnell O'Donnell Supervisor U. U S. S RS US I Every fall there come come up the question and md agitation for agitation for running water in for stock and domestic domestic do do- uses after the close cloae of the Irrigation ir irrigation lr- lr season Securing the necessary necessary necessary essary water for these purposes is quite a serious problem on many of or orthe the projects It appe appears rs to me however however however how how- ever that the running of or water Inthe Inthe in inthe the canals for stock and domestic uses is the worst possible solution W of this problem It Is now nosy recognized that one of or orthe the most Important difficulties in connection with irrigation is the seeping and water logging of oC the Ir Irrigated Irrigated irrigated Ir- Ir lands The costs of or drainIng draining draining drain drain- ing water logged lodged lands have up until we must admit drainage is a serious matter and that we should avail of every means of Removing the causes of or drainage I believe the major portion of the tho water ater logging of lands lauds is due to loss of water from canals and laterals Experiments ns have shown conclusively that on some of or the projects the loss of water in the canals amounts to 15 to 50 per cent of the total taken into the head of the main canals It is not necessary t to go in into into In- In to details In this connection we all Know that that- the escape of this high percentage of water from the canals creates a serious drainage problem One of the most practical means of or preventing the water logging of or the theland theland theland land is to reduce the period of or time during which water IT If run In the canals If It water for stock and domestic domestic domestic do do- uses is run in the tho canals both before and after acter the regular irrigation irrigation irrigation tion season it Is quite likely that th the period of water in the tho ton system is practically doubled This means that the drainage burden burden burden bur bur- den is more than dou d for tor whereas where where- as us the soil can handle handl a reasonable amount of excess water every in increase increase In- In crease rease In this excess water multiplies the drainage problem manfold In Montana and other sections where similar conditions prevail where the I average annual rainfall is Js as much muchas as 16 15 Inches it Jt would be practicable to confine confino the Irrigation season to about three months or from about May 15 to August 15 This would mean a Il reduction of about third one-third in the irrigation season which would work a a. similar reduction In operation operation operation opera opera- tion expenses and in wear and tear tearon tearon tearon on the irrigation system It would also mean less expenditures for drainage The average cost of drainage drainage drain drain- ag age on the projects Is Js running as high as 10 per acre A small smaIl portion portion portion por por- tion of ot this drainage expense would put a good reservoir cistern or well wellon on every farm under the projects In order to reduce the period of ot operating the canals nals it would be necessary necessary necessary essary to provide means of oC furnishIng furnishing furnishing furnish furnish- ing water for stock and domestic uses on Du some of the projects for at least leant half of the year There ate are are three practical means of supplying this water water storage storage re reservoirs cisterns or wells It is quite common to find ponds with earth embankments constructed construct construct- ed on the lower portions of farms on ona a number of the projects These ponds are very objectionable from both a sanitary and economic stand stand- point The water becomes filthy and andis is made the breeding place for Cor insect pests and the water held in these I ponds creates seepage on lands lower In in elevation I visited a farm on the Uncompahgre Uncompahgre Uncompahgre project in fn Colorado where the farmer had constructed a con can lined crete reservoir with a sloping I end where the stock could reach the water It was filled by gravity from Crom I Ithe Ithe the irrigation canal and the was was was' enthusiastic about It The con con- con I lined crete reservoir is a great ill iny- iny provement over the tho ordinary pond The The disadvantage of an open reservoir reservoir reser reser- voir is that Ice forms on it during winter in the central and northern portions of the country countr making It df difficult dif dlf for or the stock to reach tho water water wat wat- water er to say nothing of tho ant disadvantage age fro froth from a stock feeders feeder's standpoint of giving stock Ice-cold Ice w water ter However However How v ever If It a reservoir Is Js the best water supply you can secure line lino It with concrete and provide an outlet so you jou youcan youcan can clean it out occasionally A reservoir reservoir res res- res- res concrete lined tined to hold to barrels of water should be constructed constructed constructed con con- for not more than the farmer performing most of the labor This reservoir filled should supply water for 50 60 sheep or hogs 10 horses and 20 cattle for tor about 4 months A good cistern Is better than an open reservoir It is more expensive to construct but It has the important import Import- ant advantage of furnishing water free ree from ice Tho The difference In favor of ot clean well or cistern water as against muddy or Ice-cold Ice water from Cram a pond where as many as head of or stock are kept would pay for fora a good large cistern In one year A cistern of about barrels capacity should be bo constructed for about the farmer Carmer performing most or all of the labor Cisterns to suit the varyIng varying varying vary vary- ing requirements of the tho farmers will of course vary In cost with the sizes constructed tho the cost of or materials and the nature of tho the excavation made Tho The labor Is by far the most Important factor and this the tho farmer can usually do himself Wherever It is b possible to get good goodwell goodwell well wen water tho the farmer Is Jus- Jus W ed in going to considerable expense expense expense ex ex- pense to secure it ft On some projects pro- pro the farmers are tapping the tho drainage age ditches and securing fair stock water On other projects where alkali is bothersome pipes or jointed joint joint- ed tile file are put down in a well which extends to below the alkali On my farm I have several wells where I have ha driven pipe down about 40 feet at a cost of ot 1 per foot and I secure y excellent water By Dy some Borne method we we can on each project avoid the tho running of ot water after aUer the IrrIg irrigation season for stock uses We should by all means menns do this for the reasons I have stated The engineers of the service will I am sure be glad to help settlers with designs or estimates for reservoirs reservoirs reservoirs reser reser- or cisterns |