IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS. 493 



in^ Avliether oac-h State ciiii justly icrnorc riohts in the other States, or 

 whethei- the recognition of ripariiin rights in Nebni.skii contiicts with 

 rights of diversion in Colorado and Wyoming, is the physical data as 

 to the effects of diversion on one section of the stream upon the flow 

 of the stream in lower sections. The work so far done has been very 

 largely confined to the collection of these physical data. It included 

 measurements of the streams at points throughout their courses and 

 measurements of the water diverted by canals. The stream measure- 

 ments were made under the direction of Mr. C. E. Tait, of this Office, 

 and the measurements of diversion under the direction of Mr. Frank 

 Adams, of this Office. In addition to this, the economic phases of the 

 subject were studied l)y Prof. Richard T. Ely, of the I'niversity of 

 AVisconsin, and the laws and decisions were studied b}' ]Mr. W. B. 

 Dunton, of this Office. Questions similar to those l)eing studied on 

 the riatte are now involved in the case of Kansas against Colorado 

 ))efore the Supreme Court of the United States, and it is believed that 

 the data gathered on the Platte will help in an (Mjuitable decision of this 

 case, since the conditions on the two streams are very similar, and will 

 l)revent other similar cases from arising. The report of this Avork will 

 be published during the coming year. 



The work for the past year in foreign countries included the publi- 

 cation of a report on Irrigation in Kgypt, by Mr. C. T. Johnston, the 

 licld work for which was done in the preceding year, and an investi- 

 gation of the laws, forms of organization, and practices ati'ecting irri- 

 gation in Ital3^ 



The report on Eg3"pt is based on a study of the irrigation works and 

 l)ractices in that country made in the winter of 1901-2. The United 

 States Government was about to enter upon the construction of irriga- 

 tion works; the Eg^'ptian Government was about to complete two 

 large dams, making the s^-stem adopted ))}■ that government of especial 

 interest to this country. Mr. Johnston's conclusion was, however, that 

 political and social conditions dittered so widely in the two countries 

 that no comparison could justly be made. Drainage as a means of 

 removing alkali from lands has been very extensively carried on in 

 Kgypt, and th<' report gives \ahial)le suggestions as to this practice. 

 It also descri])ed fully the water-raising devices used in that country, 

 where a large part of the water used in irrigation is lifted. Copies of the 

 law <r<>v<'i "ing the use of water were obtained and translations made. 



The work in Ital}' was taken up during th(> summer of 11>03. July, 

 August, and pail of Septembei' were spent in Europe studying irri- 

 gation, (iermany, Switzerland, Italy, and France were \ isited. Tiie 

 methods of })rotecting hillside farms along the Rhine fi'om erosion 

 were briefly inspected (sec Plate XXN'IIl. lig. 1), but the greater part 

 of the time was given to studvin<r irrii^ation methods and laws in the 

 valley of Ihc I'o, the similarity of its conditions lo those of the central 

 part of the United States, giving the lesults unusual practical value. 



