OCR Text |
Show Diversification of Crops Aids Irrigation Projects Manager of Strawberry Valley System Describes Conditions for Successful Reclamation of Utah Lands. Special to The Tribune. WASHINGTON, Xov. 1?. Diversification Diversi-fication of crops is not only beneficial to the farmer, but tends to orderly management of an irrigation project. This is shown in an article by J. L.. Lytel, project manager of the Strawberry Valley project, proj-ect, Utah, which appears in the November Novem-ber issue of the Reclamation Record. Mr. Lytel takes the Strawberry Valley project proj-ect as his text, and shows wherein crop rotation is essential If irrigation is to be made to yield maximum results. ' The article by Mr. "Lytel follows: "The diversification of crops on any kind of land is, a a rule, believed to be the most profitable way to farm, and this is considered to be particularly true in connection with irrigated land. "Proper diversification and rotation of crops, based on what the land is adapted to produce to the best advantage and the crops that cr.i be marketed with the highest net return, result in a successful farmer and a satisfactory irrigation project. "In approaching the subject It seems best to touch upon the seasonal requirements require-ments of a few of the principal crops raised upon irrigated land. In connection connec-tion with the Strawberry Valley project it was found necessary to investigate crop conditions and the duty of water on the old canals of the project for three Irrigation seasons in order to secure reliable reli-able data from which to determine the proper duty of water on the new areas that it was proposed to irrigate. Soil Examined. "The poil In the several tracts, on which the greater part of the investigating investigat-ing work was carried on. was medium : clay and sandy loam, of gentle slope land average seasonal rainfall, which was approximately six1 inches, one-half of which occurred before June 1, j "It was found from these investigations investiga-tions that on an average alfalfa and pact ure land usually require thirty inches of water, applied In from three to five irrigations throughout the entire irrigation irriga-tion season, from April l. to September 15, two-thirds of the water usually being used before July 1; grain required eighteen eigh-teen inches In three irri gat ions between May 1 and July 4; potatoes, twenty inches in four Irrigations between July l and September 10; sugar beets, twenty-two inches in four irrigations between July 1 and September 30, and orcahrds, eighteen eight-een Inches in six irrigations from July 1 to September 30. "The different crops require Irrigation ! at tho proper time and at the proper j season, and If all the farmers on an Irrigation Irri-gation project diversify their crops, the ' operating force can keep their canals carrying car-rying an approximately uniform flow of water all the time. "Tho best economical use of water on a project can- usually be accomplished by supplying a uniform flow during the season as far as the nature of the sup- ; ply will permit. However, In cases where ; tho water supply consists of the flood waters of a stream for the first part of the season, and later on reservoir water, j tho best use of the supply c;m probably . be secured by using larger quantities in : May and June, in which case it would, be necessary for the farmer to cull i va te crops that would use more water during these months. I Lessens Peak Flow. J "Tho diversification of crops lessens tho maximum or 'peak' flow in a canal system at any one time; for instance, if tho farmers on a project all cultivated wheat, the greater part of the entire supply sup-ply of water necessary would have to be delivered before July 1, and after that time the amount of water carried by the system would be comparatively ,m:ill. "The carrying of an amount of water In a ivfnal system that is somewhere ii".ir the capacity of th" system, during the entire season, enables the operating force to handle the system In about, tho way it was designed to work, and In cases where the water at times is very silty, as it is In the supply for some projects, proj-ects, tho velocity of the water in the canal Is such as to prevent the deposit- ! ing of any great amount of silt. ! "On tho other hand, if, on account of the requirement of the crops that are being cultivated, it is necessary to carry i the canal bank full for a few weeks, then exit the quantity carried to one-third one-third or one-half of the rapacity of the svstem, the depositing of large quantities quanti-ties of silt takes place, which requires a considerable expenditure for cleaning and increases the operating cost. "If a canal is operated with approximately approxi-mately a constant fiow. and the farmers under the different laterals use about the same amount of water all the time, less attention is necessary on the part of the operating force to adjustment of gates and the flow of water in tiie various . canals. Encounter Trouble. "On one of the Carey act pumping projects that is being developed In I'tab. considerable trouble was encountered during the first few years that the land was irrigated, on account of the farmers all cultivating grain. This required that practically the entire season's supply of water be delivered In May and June. The pumping plant and pipe line had not been designed for any such 'peak' load, and the result was a shortage of water and serious damage to crops. Had the farmers farm-ers been able to diversify their crops, this trouble would probably not have occurred, oc-curred, as the supply could have been do- j llvered throughout the entire season, and the 'peaks' would not have been so high. "An investigation appeared to indicate that the system had been designed to supply the total quantity of water that was required under the contracts in a uniform flow during the irrigation season, sea-son, the important matter of supplying water at the time the crops needed it being overlooked. Diversified ion of crops, however, can probably only be expected to a limited extent, as the farmers must necessarily cultivate such crops as .will bring them tho best immediate cash returns, re-turns, regardless of many other things that might be glvtn consideration. Build for Combination. "If 1he proper diversification of crops could be depended upon, tiie average project could U' irrigated with canals of small-! capacitv than wo ordinarily huiid, hut on account of the necessity for allowing al-lowing the farmer to raise whatever crops he can produce best, in order to make a success of irrigation, it is necessary to design the system with the idea of furnishing fur-nishing water for any combination of crops that may be ' found profitable, so it is not advisable to depend on any great amount of diversification when designing de-signing an irrigation system. "There are a great iriaiy 'benefits to be "derived from the diversification of crops on land that is being irrigated, and while it cannot always be depended upon to rifeslst the operating forces directly, diversification is bound to be a great help indirectly in the end, and therefore, tint operating force should ma Ice it a point to encourage the water users, as far as consistent, to diversify their crops A canal system may be likened to a piece of machinery which operates a great deal better and much more efficiently under a constant load that is somewhere ! in the neighborhood of the maximum carrying capacity, rather than under a widely varying load, as would be the c.'.se where ail the farmers on an itri-gaiion itri-gaiion project were cultivating mainly one l.ind of crop. Study Results. "The operating force of an irrigation proicct should le studying the practices and tesults on other projects, and by observation ob-servation of results coming under "their direct notice on their own work, put t hemselves in a position to advise the farmers with v horn they come in contact con-tact as to the details of tho best svslem of rotation and diversification of "crops to be followed in order to get the best results, and in this way make themselves of value to the project beyond that of simply handling the canals and water and keeping the records. "The many advantages of diversification diversifica-tion can be pointed out in their talks to the water users, and among the advantages advan-tages the fact that the canal system could probablv be operated cheaper if the demand de-mand for water was more or less uniform uni-form during the season rather than If the demand for water was high during the first or last part. The feeling between be-tween the operating force and the water liscrs on a project should be such that they will work together to accomplish the best results, and wlien it can be shown that the way t li ; farms are being handled has a far-reaching effect on the cmount of work and the expense connected with the delivery of water, the average water user will give tlrtt-phas" of the situation some consideration in planning his crops. "Co-operation and confidence let ween the water user and the operating force is always nect-ssaiy, and the free discus- sion of the problrniH tlnit enter into the; work of both parties is a good thins. i "Since the 0n;ratin fotvt- is constant- , y in direct con taut with the wator user on a project, they are in a position to do a great deal of good 'in disseminating valuable knowledge and information, and should therefore; be posted on the advantages ad-vantages and disadvantages connected with the different systems of handling water and crops: and . if the. operating force can prove to the water user lliat the diversification of crops will assist in the delivery of water and directly and indirectly in-directly probably be the means of lessening lessen-ing the operating cost, improving the service. ser-vice. to the water user and improving conditions con-ditions on the farm, no trouble should be incurred In securing the co-operation that will be of material assistance to everybody ev-erybody on the project." |