Show Make Most of Short Water Supply The fhe following article written by R. R L J. J L. L Spangler agronomist University University I sit sity of Idaho extension division will be he of interest to Uintah basin farmers at this time The outlook for irrigation water this season is the su subject of much discussion According to a report issued recently by Clinton E. E Nor Nor- quest t for the state tate all the ithe water sheds are below norm normal nor nor- m mal as to supply of snow It to 0 look like another er year ear such Mich as 1919 In fact the precipitation Is Ism much m ch less leas than fo many years year ear past It will be remembered j hO however er that Idaho farmers prod i in 1 1919 and other sh short rt years ears in spite of oC a water No o doubt the experience gained during those years will will wn prove e to io producers this year The fact that we probably will not have as as' much at water to irrigate e with has prompted me me to make a spec special al Investigation in regard to to water water supplies and to observe DS r C soil and crop rop conditions over the stat state Cut oft off Loss Losses s A great amount of water Is need ne needlessly Id Idaho hoI ho I lessly wasted every seas season n in I Evaporation Yapo is the great greatest st source p of loss Evaporation l losses are arc I gre greatest within forty eight hours Irs af after after af- af ter tel water is applied to the laud Investigations Inv Investigations In In- v at Gooding an and Twin Falls indicate that out of or two acre- acre feet Ceet each season six to nine inches are lost from surface evaporation F Fewer Irrigations and and the application application t tion on o of water Yater In deep furrows help hell to control evaporation Keeping an efficient dust mulch on the tho surface ce h howo 0 cr Is most important Cultivate Cultivate vate as soon soon as possible after irrigating irrigating gating 01 or after atter a rain Transmission losses from Crom seepage sometimes run as high as 20 to 30 per per cent Ten per ce cent cent- centis lt is a n fair Calr average in Reduce e this waste aste by hy removing removing re re- moving trash ids weeds ds and any other obstruction that may pr prevent the j I maximum flow of oC the stream The shortage now confronting us should be bo an incentive to every farmer to clean the he he laterals several Mmes during during dur dur- ing Ing the season Surface waste is a big item this 1 year rear Flooding of roadsides and filling of f waste ditches should not be allowed Cross ditching to c catch surface waste and use re of oC water should be the rule on orl every farm Close supervision of Irrigation water is the important thing this this- year Use larger larSer heads with shorter i runs with quick cultivation Deep percolation losses are usually usual usual- ly ve very y great The len length th of oC the therun therun run has much to do with this loss On many Idaho soils the usual 24 24 1 hour run wastes wat water r. r We Ve have many soils that are only two to five I feet deep Only a few hours are I needed for water to percolate to this depth If irrigation is kept up after the saturation point is reached water ater gets away from plants as gravitational water Roots do not Cee feed deeply Most crops are able ble lo to take tale water from the first six feet of soil at the most Why then is it necessary to saturate saturate saturate satur satur- ate atea a a soil to a n grea greater er depth At Atthe Atthe the best only a part of at such water may later be brought within range of the roots by capillarity but t the e loss from run-off run This exceeds this many times Why Wl not apply two hour 12 runs at different times rather than th thone one hour 24 run To percolation per per- losses use lager heads and cut down the length of or the tho run ran both as to distance and nd time 10 To control evaporation cultivate quickly quick quick- kly k- k ly and Immediately after surface dries ries enough t to permit it it 11 What hut fat Crops Shall O A Grow GLOW With ith Short Water I have been asked ed many times what crops are best to grow during a u season of water shortage There are some factors that should be considered considered con con- In tile the choke choice of ot a crop crop other than water supply The rhe probable demand and market for the product should hav have consideration it was the opinion of a these farmers hankers hankers' bank hank ers eis county agents and extension extension workers attending the confer conference e held recently at Twin Falls FaIrs that farmers would do better this year rear to grow those crops crops which the they know how to grow rather than h try to raise some crop about wl which they they- know vcr very little l It may b be of interest to note the comparative water requirements of our standard crops Barley Barley Barley-Barley Barley requires les leshe the he least amount of water of the grain crops It ranks first In Idaho as a a general grain feed for livestock lIvest ck Most CarmelS Carmel'S farmers farmers farm farm- ers elS have the machinery to grow and harvest It and need grain grain- for li live hie- e- e stock Oats Oats Oats-Oats Oats rank n next to barley as to the least amount amount of water required lequir re re- re d. d Its importance In growing out young young stuff commends it as a 3 crop to grow grow brow In short water years e rs Corn Corn- Corn Corn has become the e basic fattening food for lambs steers and hogs It can be produced with less water than most farmers use and will mature much Netter better without the last which many farmers farmers farmers farm farm- ers appl apply It requires however a late irrigation and storage water should be the the dominating Cac factor or in determining whether or not to plant corn cork Wheat Wheat Wheat requires res more water than barle barley or oats I It should be planted early carly in order to utilize the excess Q of spring moisture and andin in order to hasten maturity Forage crops crops Alfalfa Alfalfa for hay re requires requires requires re- re quires the most water of or all crops Clover requires less water than al alfalfa alfalfa alfalfa al- al falfa but both require early and late irrigations porn Corn for Cor silage requires the the- about the same water as corn corgi for mature grain I For or pasture pasture pasture pas pas- ture sweet S clover requires le less Jess s voter q and OJ e 1 moro Inori Uc than any other fora forage go crop Gra Grass s pastures pastur s especially blue grass blue grass lt require le- le quire re an of oc both early eaily and late wat water r. r Pasture plantings in i short water y years years rs are risky because because be be- cause o of the uncertainty in s securing I a stan stand 1 Cultivated crops crops Beans Deans Beans I require the least amount of water of all the ue cultivated crops Next ext to beans come p peas then potatoes beets and nd potatoes potatoes' are safe sate crops to grow Brow where there is is' is ample storage V water ter for late Irrigation Cash crops however should should receive re receive re- re secondary consideration to feed teed crops because of the the h heavy in in- in vestment estment farmers armel's Ita have ve in livestock No o. o Josses 8 should be he tal taken m y farm farm- ors ers either in iii capital estment in In n livestock or 01 in income through shortage shortage short short- 0 age of feed Ample feed should he be produced to keep l u up 5 production milk full eggs wool beer beef t and 11 1 pork to g of capacity Seed Loss crops water is is' is ro- ro to Produce alfalfa seed than it tal takes s to produce clover seed It is important or 01 pea Dea alfalfa however O in seed production that the the water be applied at tilde it is need need- ed or 01 the crop may be lie la l' l safe to attempt clover clour ses tion Uon where here a a a. late frugal t s shred Seed peas require gation water th than n eloper clover the sanie same amount as T r short water years years' expert growers have saved the fis is alfalfa or clover for tor seed go good d clean fields Clip cn well well- be done earl early in s I years 0 o- o |