71 



Im'Iow {\\o ho:i(l o-atos. Thoro wero no diversions al)OV(' TilfUMi's ranch. 

 The canal terminated on the bench above tlie town of Billitios, the 

 total leiiuth being 39 miles. 



The extent of land irrigated under the Big ditch was ascertained in 

 11H)1 and liXl'i by a hou.se-to-hou.se canvass, l)ut during the summer of 

 15)03 a survey was made of each farm irrigated from the canal. Inas- 

 much as the irrigated area, as determined In' the survey in 1!>03, was 

 somewhat less than that of previous years, the latter may have been 

 overestimated. On the other hand, there is a possibility that less land 

 was irrigated in 1003. As will l)e seen from the following table, 

 alfalfa is the pj-evailing crop, and meadow land, which comprises 

 timothy and blue joint, as well as irrigated pasture, ranks second. 



Acreage of craps ii-rigated under Bhj ditch for the years named. 



The daily measurements of discharge begun in IIMK) have been con- 

 tinued for four years, and the results of measurements made atTilden's 

 ranch are summarized in the following table, together with the depths 

 to which this would cover the land irrigated: 



Discharge of Big ditch at Tddea's ranch for 1900 to 1903, inclusive. 



It will be .seen from the foregoing statement that the volumes used 

 in 1900 and 1901 are about equal, but that a large increase occurred in 

 1902 and 1903. This is due to improvements and enlargements. In 

 order to expedite this work no water was run in the canal during the 

 month of September, 1901. There is an apparent decrease in the vol- 

 ume carried in 1903 over that of the preceding year, but this is due to 

 two shut downs, the first of which lasted from May 14 to May 31, and 

 the second from July 2T to August 17. As a matter of fact, the maxi- 

 mum volume carried in 1903 exceeded that of 1902 by nearly 25 per 

 cent. 



