Show IRRIGATION IN IDAHO InformationWanted by the SurveyorGeneral of Idaho The following letter of special interest to our Idaho readers is self explanatory The sundry civil bill enacted by Congress Con-gress at its last session approved March 2 1889 included an item of 250000 For the purpose of investigating the extent to which the arid region of the United States can be redeemed by irrigation and the segregation seg-regation of irrigable lands in such arid region and for the selection of sites for reservoirs and other hydraulic works necessary nec-essary for the storage and utilization of water for irrigation and for ascertaining the cost thereof By request of its chairman Hon Wm M Stewart of Nevada I am preparing for the United States Senate committee on irrigation certain statistics on that subject sub-ject Will you please aid me in this by an early reply to the following Firsl On what streams in your county has irrigation been effected and to what extenl SecondOn what streams is irrigation practicable and to what extent Third For what length of time per yearly average does each stream furnish sufficient water to irrigate its irrigable lands Andwhere the water in streams is insufficient are their sites for reservoirs wherein large bodies of water may be impounded at a moderate cost I will be sufficient give the distance irrigated and irrigable in miles along the several streams and for width an aveaage according to your judgment and recollection others recollec-tion or as you may find by inquiry from I send you per this mail a map of Idaho Where it notes the names of streams please give said names in your report Where names of streams are not shown ou > the map please slate the local designation designa-tion thereof and properly describe its location loca-tion that I may enter it upon my office map All facts are desired which you may be able to gather and formulate relating to storage sources and distribution of water and all precipitation for use in agricultural and pastoral operations The number of ditches their length area surveyed duty of water value of crops sources of water irrigable areas etc will be of great service Tim views of all practical and competent observers on the problems involved will also bo of importance I herewith enclose circular letter of this date from his excellency Governor Shoup bearing upon this subject and which is selfexplanatory Careful perusal thereof is earnestly requested This matter of irrigation is of vital importance im-portance to Idaho and I cannot urge upon you too strongly the need of gathering all obtainable information and data for the purpose stated Please give the matter immediate and careful attention if possible and transmit your report to this office together with the map in time for receipt here not later than July 15 next as the Senate committee will be at Boise city early in August In the enclosed letter of Governor Shoup you will find the name of a representative gentleman in your community who will doubtless assist you Hoping and anticipating your active cooperation co-operation for and on behalf of irrigation in Idaho I am very respectfully yours JOSEPH C STUAUGHAN United States SurveyorGeneral for Idaho BOISE CITY June 1418S9 T 3 above is a copy of a circular letter from the surveyorgeneral to each United States deputy mineral surveyor and to respectively the several county surveyors of Idaho |