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Show i ': ABUNDANGE OF EASYTATER BfTheMer Haskell, Irrigation la Charge of Underground Water Development for the Office of Irrigation Investigation, U. 8. i '( jwrtiucnt of Agricnltnre. En-fine- During 1919, arrangements were made for the office of irrigation of the Federal department of agriculture and the Utah Agricultural experiment station tp in sinking wells for irrigation. al. The work was largely experimentMethods and equipment, wnich .iff-'-" - '' 'i" T i S strata near the surface consist of gravel for greater dlstnacea ' out from Minersville an4 down the Taller and to the. north of Milford. Water Level and Land Suitable for f : Irrigation A belt of land extending south; west from Milford, occupying the wah which is the lowest part of the valley and drains large areas in Iron county, is suitable only for graxing. The L. A. and S. L. railroad runs along this salt grass flat. This land is kept moist by seepage g from the upper formations of this land on both sides. A belt of land east of this wilt grass flat from one to five miles wide, and twenty miles long, consists of the best proven area, although with some skips, this extends ten miles water-bearin- f t V.WA BEAVER 'COUKTY WEEKLY PRESS the first start will profit there- ' when as in this case, the gravel is be said to be like a wheel. The pipe mer place will irrigate mora than 8 0 ' very course. is the bub, the Wood staves art the acres. This is nor likely to be the : ' ' ' Berkhelmer W'ejl .. . case after the alfalfa crop it two or Log of WMls I pokes and the wire It the tire. ! Mr. Frank J. Berkhelmer of MilThe log of the central or first Berk Cut 8 shows the well-rlwhile 1 more years old. ... made by.;.; . woven-galvanis- Institutions agreed to supply free t the owner, the use of the well rig and tools and skilled man tu operate the rig and the advice of Engi neers, Geoligists ists. .' Because there is no gravel at this place below 62 foot depth, It was decided to make a largfle well to give plenty, of openinga for the water to enter. To be sure that the casing could be sunk to the desired depth, a concrete pit with openings to allow the water to enter, was sunk forty feet west of the well. This pit Is five feet inside and six feet outside diameter. This nit was sunk through the surface soil and the 1st water-bearin- g gravel to a depth of feet from the surface. A steel casing 24 4 inches in diameter was then sunk through this pit to a dep th of 57 feet to the clay below the last gravel. A boring to a deoth of 87 feet showed only clay belcjr'67 feet and the logs of small deep wells on opposite sides showed that more lrr Cat No. 1. Making Strainer had been developed in other states, were to be introduced Into Utah to find out which were the best suited to local conditions and to adjust them to the most effective use. Work was done in various parts of the state but this article is only to tell of that done near Milford, Utah. Water Resources The underground water resources of the valley near Milford are probably the best of any part of the state. A considerable amount of moisture as snow and rain, fall on the valley and surrounding mountains, and a part of this Beeps down to the underground formation. The Beaver river flows down the valley and this brings In much water which falls in tho valley and on the high mountains farther southwest into Iron county, and also several miles north of Milford. A belt of land on the western side of the Galley, south of Milford, west of the salt grass flat, has not been proved as completely as that to the east, but gives promise of be ing good territory. Near the salt grass area, the water level is at or near the surface of the The limiting factor in the ground. area on which wells can profitably be used for irrigation is the depth 3-- beimer well is given below. ; This Is piece of the strainer was being raispractically the same as the log of ed to put It Into the wen.7 Z" his old well. Cost of Berkhefaner Las Well The total cost of boring three 24 Soil 10 ft...... ..10 inch holes, 13 feet deep to assist In Band .... ... 2 ft........ .12 connecting the wells and pf digging .... 5 ft Clay ..... ... .17 thevstarttng pit was 135.10, of which Gravel ... ...11 ft..-.-- ... .23 Mr. Berkhelmer paid 822.60 and he White clay hard 5 ft 7 In 33 ft 7 In two branches of th Government paid Red Clay .... 8 ft 5 In 37 ft 313.30. The tour cost of sinking Red CI. wi Grav. ' 3 ft .7...4Q ft the main 24 4 inch casing to nearSand with Clay.. 1 ft.. -- .41 ft ly 62 feet was $326.90. pf which Mr. Fine Gravel ...... 1 ft in 42 ft in Berkhelmer paid 1200 and the 2 ft 3 in.... Dl Clay 2 45 ft paid 3126.90. The cost of Pine Gravel ft 6 in 51 ft in wooden frame strainer and 8 Inch 1 ft 4 in 62 ft 10 Clay casing for alt of the new well was 4 ft 2 in.. 67 ft 8303.55, of which Mr. wael Berkhelmer 87 ft Clay ..87 ft paid 3391.74 and the fll.82. The cost of setting the 2nd Berkhetmer WeU strainer and pulling the easlnif waa Soil r. 14 ft 6 in 16 ft 6 in $41.33 of which Mr. Berkhelmer Gravel 1 ft 6 In ......26 ft $21.33 and the paid 2 ft Clay ...2S ft Haskell 4 Sand and Clay.... 4 ft 2 in 32 ft 2 in $20. The total cost of the last Berk .... .. 2 ft 4 in 34 ft 6 in Clay helmer weU was $767.69. It cost Mr. 8and ............!l.t ft 6 In !..S7 ft Berkhelmer $535.67 and the Fine Gravel 2 ft......... 39 ft forces of the government ; Gravel 5 ft 44 ft $172.02. CIay-.-rrf- ttnr4TTrTTn It should be remembered that the Sand and Gravel 10 ft 4 In 57 ft 2 In men who handeled his well were new I ft 6 in 67 ft "8 In at the work and could Clay.... do much bet& Gravel ft ...62 ft 8 in ter after ha vine more . Alexperience. 64 ft and on so Clay ..,......... all coat was counted, Including It will be noticed that there was hauling, use of auto, board and room quite a difference in the logs of these for the men etc.,' which are some two wells. This Is remarkable when times nat included in estimates of it is considered that they are only coata. t 60 feet apart. Test of Berkhelmer WD . . A six Inch horizontal pump waa In The 24 4 Inch casing was sunk to nearly 62 feet In 21 days, includ- stalled on the last Berkhelmer well ing Sundays, when work was not and equipped with such materials as done.. The -- wooden frame strainer could be harrowed locally. The well were made and set in four days and and pumping plant were tested and the 24 4 inch steel casing was pul- the results of the test are briefly led in 6 hours and 20 minutes. The well pumped a given below A wooden frame strainer 18 feet good second foot at a total lift of 27 long and 22 Inches in diameter at feet (lift is subject to' connection the circleon the ends but only 21 when the vacuum gauge la standardinches in diameter on the rim was ized.) The water hone power or the inches In diameter on the wire was power that would have been required low a like strainer 20 feet long. The to raise the water If the equipment was 100 per cent efficient was slight- 7 3-- 3-- . '' 3-- , 3-- tht - at over three horse power."' The actual power nsed in ooeratinr this plant which was about the same aa 1 generally found when equipment Is used where, fouhd regardless of : Its efficiency, was twelve and ' horsepower. This indicates an over all efficiency of 25 per cent possibly . little mora. The water lowered nearly tovfcSi n tho old well, 100, feet from the tvoll being pumped, after the wen md been pumped six hours. This Treat lowering of the water would ndlcate the desirability of putting ach of the wells of a battery 100 feet "rom tho next one. The relation of drawdown, or the owering the water In the ground, at ie well being numoed ta th 'targe of that particular drawdown. learly showed that after the water owered until four feet of the first g gravel waa dry, the loss of water from the .. top water bearing stratum was almost enough to offset the gain from the lower stra ta. even when the water was lower ed eleven feet more. In other words the gain due to the last'eleven feet of drawdown was only thirty-si- x gallons per minute. This last elev en feet extra drawdown increased "the work to be done by 60 per cent' I Cot of Water If it is assumed that the second foot of water pumped from the last Berkhelmer will Irrigate eighty ac res of land, the coat of water with 'he inefflclem pumping plant which was used and with electric power at six dollars per horse power per month, would bo $6.78 per 'acre. Th cost of water right would be $72.25 " per" acre. This allows 1 7 ' ner cent interest and . depreciation on f 1 6 oe Investment In well, pit, pump, belt motor, transformer and abort ' line and the use - of 12 horse" power for four months at tlx dollars per, horse power "per month.' If the water Is not lowered more than nine feet or 1 .p,riii. i V jtof tk sT "r -: In parts of the valley where th depth to water la greater Or th draw down la greater,, the ' cost of water will be proportionately greater and where the water is nearer the surface and the drawdown is less th ' cost will b less. '. - cost of we'sr right The-e&tlm- ated from the wells at Milford compares very favorably with those from many " Irrigation canals. In this connection It should be remembered that the following advantages make it possible for water from wells to cost much more than canal water and still be the most desirable. They are as s: ;'.7.:..;7I"";''v -- ...r First the owner does not have to wait tor his turn but pumps Jh wa(-- f "aa needed" "end"thia" makes better - . crops. 8econd ; pays for; his water In ' Haskell c uses and thus proportion to what he does not thus makes better crops. Third unless there is a tight clay hear the surface and only then when excessive amounts of water are used, he will not water log hla land and then have to put. in a drainage system. At Milford there is no danger of water logging away from the salt grass land. Fourth be does not quarrel with his neighbor over th turn to use th water and many fights with shovels over from a canal, when cne takes more than hit share, are eliminated. Fifth weeds and grass seeds are not brought Into the field by the water as Is the case with anaL 8txta the farmer who 'owns his own well and pumping plant Is Independent and better satisfied, and on th average la the most piosper-oh f :";.-..- ; over-irrlga- Hj t. "W4ji ' ut e M 4 O. A. ' m " UROOCK IV AT LAW ATTORN ly Haskell No. 2 to water, at this time it would not be advisable to attempt to pump water which lies lower than fifty feet from the surface and of course the best propositions are where the water Is near the surface. There is to the east. thus a large area on , the higher -A considerable portion of the rt of the valley and towards Min- er which is applied for irr'.cation at "rsv'llef wSere wells should not be Minersville, Utah seeps deeply Into "eveloped. This area stands as a the soil and finally appears in the large storage reservoir. It Is underIt was laid by deep beds of water-bearin- g lower parts of the valley. very noticeable during the late sum gravel which will supply water to In all there is mer, that the ground water arose in the lower ground. the wells and low places in the van probably an area of land Including ey and moistened the river banks. ' 120 sections from which water can This was while no water was being be pumped for Irrigation. During allowed to flow in the river at Min- the spring of 1919, about fifty of ersville. The water which had been these sections were still Governapplied to the fields at Minersville, ment land, or were held by people and had soaked to great depths, had who were allowing their claims to . caused the water over the valley to lapse. There will not be nearly en rise and at from two to three miles ough water supplied to the valley south of Milford. the water arose each year to allow every acre of this f from the bed of the river and flowed area to be kept under cultivation in the channel for a short distance but there will be enough to allow and then disappeared. a considerable acerage. Water will There Is an average drop of t have to be used sparingly and econ feet per mile between Lund and Mil- omlcally and dry farming methods ford, Utah. This insures a slow will have to be used In combination movement of the underground wat- with irrigation. Crops which require er from the large Escalante desert the least amount of water will have In Iron county, from the valley to to be grown. At some future time Milford. As the slope is not s'eep 't may be necessary to regulate the the distance Is long and the connect- number of wells put in the valley, formation T.v.y 'tut the cost of well and pumping ing water-bearin- ? in all has generally regulated that in other not be of large places. It would require a long statos. time for the water to make the Jour- Soil The soils of the valley vary great ney, but it is possible for water which falls at Modena, Enterprise, ly. From one to six miles south and Cedar City or Parowan to Anally southwest, the soli Is much darker reach Milford. than most Utah soils. It has a splen Cut Xo.. 2. IniiUlliBg JStrniae Water Itaaring Formation-M- any did growth of purple sage - and in years' ago "the valley at Mil- places the black soli Is twelve feet gravel would not likely be encount- top strainer Is tho largest of Its ford and that for many miles, both deep. To the southeast and south- ered so the well was not sunk deep- kind ever made and this Is the first to the north and southwest, was un- west of Milford, west of the salt er. A wooden frame strainer 22 In- time two of this kind of well strain der an ancient lake, called Lake Bon grasa wash, sre acres of mjre heavy ches In diameter and 16 feet long neville, which alo then covered a soil with a growth 'of rreasewood was set Inside the 24 4 Inch cas- ers have been installed in one well, large part of Western Utah. The From six to twenty miles southwest ing. An inexperienced well man had Cut one shows the men making benches which were the old beach- - of Milford. Jhe eolU black set hr:caslng-Bttffis- he' the ;Jndr wooden frome strainer. It con prefeiTe3 - along-the- ' shore oT'the Take can sage land apd from one half to one Haskell 3 sists of an 8 Inch heavy screen pipe now be seen in many places. When and a halt miles southeast of the to use his hammer more than his for a center and a wooden frome the water covered the valley, the salt grass wash and tb land south under reamer, ths casing waa stock built around It to support the No. heavier materials or gravel and east of this belt, turns to a mors and parted during pulling. The 10 galvanized Iron wire which was boulders which were washed into soil, and grows shadscals. wooden frame strainer had to be re- wound 'over the frame. The frame the waters of the lake by the Beaver Development f moved and as gra-- el had fallen be consisted of 12 2x7.6 Inch pieces of river and other streams, settled In The representatives of the Federal tween it and the caalng the strainer lumber laid lengthwise to the pipe the shallow water near the shores, and State Governments do not claim had to bs broken to remove it. with the edges touching th pipe. while the sand and finer particles to have discovered the und rground A new well waa sunk to the west The ends of the timbers are fasten went Into deep water. Most of this water at Milford, nor to have setart- - of the failure and 100 feet from ths ed to circular pieces of wood. The material was supplied by tho Bea- ed the development They have as old well. As eiporicnco has ahown lower circular piece on the bottom ver river. The deep strata over most sisted' by Introducing new equip- that this at this well was so strainer Is tight but all the others gravel of the valley are alternating layers ment and methods and have freely coarse that It did not greatl Inter have openings in the center for the of sand and clay. As the valley fill- given advice fear with the pulling of the casing. pipe. The corners of the outer edge ed up, the depth of the water beIt Is hoped that the assistance The 24 4 Inch casing waes sunk of the 2x7.6 Inch timbers were cut came less and the velocity of the which has been given will encour-ag- e rrom the bottom of a starting pit off so that outer edges were only water of the streams entering the others to go on and develop con- only five feet deep to a total depth 1 14 Inch wide. lake became great enough to carry siderable land tn tho The of 62 feet In pumping from the valley. The- - strainer waa wound - out - at the gravel out over the valley. JThe cred.it for starting the work t h old wall.-tt was'shown that'the" wat the well. In places where many of levst of Ihe'lake"" did "not "remain given to such progressiva eltlHens er In the gravel lowered so much these strainers are made, they bav mus wnue tnn lake wt as F. J. Berkhelmer, C. C. Sloan, F. st fortv awav coasiani, th n tr,A w.n special machinery for winding them. low. gravel was washed' lower down Wallen. Walter Weber, Charlie Bax wss located 60 feet from ths center! The wire waa wrapped with, spaces the valley and when It was high, ter, W, W. Cook, Abe Fothertniham well. Vtween about equal to the width sand and clay wero deposited above D. R. Roper, Dr. H.lC Hunter. Tom A combine Hon boring and plunger tt the wire. This made the open the gravel. It Is thus found that a Martin and W. W. Orons, sand pump Veil Jrg wss used to sink Ings equal to 60 per cent uf th but men laborM with varying the large waterbearing ; stra tern at., several - Th The augers am to side service ot the strainer. The $8 catng. hundred feet depth consists of trav degrees of success nd spent their bore through the clay and for Urg teet of strainer has a total of 200 il on thi upper sldeof the' valley time and money InS "!n develop ntuow wells are the best for th -"- Swards square feet ot openings buween the Minersville. but where It ex this country at 'ben tome work. The plunirer Is t andpump wire, none of which are more than tends out on the; valley and down nlty. It ( t on lu. hod and travel an Inch Ida. Th quarter ansa who the best for thai Perth of Milford fit is sand. Otksr'hopsd that la this Mk w.,v, roM-rtl- n rt .' g ford had a 10 Or 11 Inch well 54 ft deep on his land, three miles south of Milford. This well was Leased ed with wire which was set inside a twelve-inc- h easing and the solid casing pulled from around the wire casing. f This well supplied about 300 gal-Ioof water per minute during the summer of 1919 and Irrigated sugar beets, grain and garden truck. To show the advantages of a battery system of wells, and to introduce the wooden frame strainer Into Utah, it was arranged to sink another well near the first one and connect the two to the same pump. The arrangements made were in brief, that the owner should furnish theJlabortboard do all haullhgf supply all fuel and everything actually used upon the. work and pay for all matrials left In the well. The Federal and State Beaver, Utah ta Practic axl Ut 'th Coum Stat ot . - one-ha- lf tfktA hMt or Cirjrox In Telepaon Offle '' Butldingc V ' Phon 71 Win practic In all th of the'sut 4K ourtt . ; " ' ' a. BARBER SHOP . . First Clasa Work Alwava at your aerrlc First Door South ot th First : NaUonal Bank : s W. J. RED) ;a - waier-oeann- 4 tNTER-MOUNTAI- LIFI N ' ' " '' INSURANCE ' Monty to Loan 6a Approved' ' - ' Farm Lands JOHN C. McGARRY Beaver UUh 4 . Let ' Harry ' Hodges 7 Saw Your ; iJ.u;!t.lrMc:A jciTeapod Woocl ,. ....'Pboner?o..i3 1 Ing Increase in water Is secured, a smaller motor can be used and the cost of water reduced. - This it the advantage sought In connecting til these wellt to one control numn. More water should be secured from the three wells than from one, and still the total left can' .be kept at a minimum. . ..... If water, is pumpellght months and stored in th soli, about 160 acres should be Irrigated. This would doubl th power bill, but not In crease th fixed charge so th cost per acre would be about $5.64 end the cost of a water right 155.60 per . acre. It a very efficient pumping plant were Installed with very precan tlon taken to handle the water economically, the cost of water per acre bored on 80 acres Irrigated should be 14.96 per acre and the water right $60. It should be stated that only those who bav th very best engineering adrlce will secure water at this figure,' By far the greater majority-will find their water coating them considerable more. It Is quite likely that one second foot of water In that prt might diUons ar of th vaUy wher con Ilk thot it th Btrkbsl- - Vac .'"-.I-n fwJ. c mm IPIAiiTw3B tmrttCx r T COt- - 'l, !;';, t' krwpMmmiiRW fad eaJi 1 tcKt. jawtUm It tmr't Ir.tH V i mad 'B3:nnt:icu ci. Concord. N. C, MRS. Iffl OWEN GROVER, BOND Afent Vv,A w for your Job cf pj i |
