73 



CANALS OF (iALLATIN COUNTY 



MIDDLE (KKEK CANAL. 



Middle Creek canal is the laroest of some thirteen ditches which 

 divert water from Middle Creek, a tril)utary of the (lallatin River. 

 The summer tlow of this creek (see p. 25) is wholly diverted and 

 utilized to irrigate farms located in the upper or southeastern part of 

 (Jallatin V'ailey. The top layer of soil in this section consists of rich 

 vetretable loam. In the most feilile portions this vegetable loam 

 gnidually changes into clay loam and clay marl but in other portions 

 the coarse gravel and c()bl)les which underlie all are found witiiin a 

 foot of the surface. Considerable rain and soft snow fall in April, 

 Ma}', and June of each year, and in moderately wet springs this is 

 sufficient for the needs of the crops until about July 1. In other 3'ears, 

 when the spring crops are seeded earl}^ or when the weather is warm 

 and dr}^ water is applied in June and occasionally in May to meadows. 



The grade of Middle Creek, particularly at the upper end, is excess- 

 ive. In a total length of 18,000 feet the fall is 170 feet, or on an 

 average of nearl}' 50 feet per mile. Owing to the high velocity', the 

 channel is washed clean of all earth and fine sand, and onl}^ coarse 

 gravel and cobbles remain. The loss b}^ seepage is thus largv in pro- 

 portion to the volume carried (see p. 95). Notwithstanding this heav}^ 

 loss, the dut}' of water as measured during the past five years has been 

 reasonably high. The rating flume at which water measurements 

 have been made is located about 200 feet below the intake, so that all 

 losses in transmission are included. This record is valuable in that 

 it extended through a period of five consecutive years, which included 

 seasons of scanty as well as seasons of abundant rainfall. Compared 

 w ith average amounts used in other parts of Gallatin Valley and other 

 parts of the State, this duty is high, being at the rate of 1 miner's inch 

 for nearly 3 acres of land. At the same time the yield and value of 

 the crops under Middle Creek canal have not appeared to suffer in the 

 least on account of the small quantit}^ of water used, since for the 

 period under consideration they have been fully equal to those of 

 other sections of Gallatin Valley and superior to those of man}^ other 

 parts of the State. 



Barley and hay are the principal crops under this canal. Some ten 

 or fifteen years ago little but grain was raised, and in order to increase 

 the diminishing yields recourse was had to summer fallowing. A 

 field which produced barley, wheat, or oats for one or two years was 

 summer fallowed for one season and then replanted to grain. Largely 

 through the efi'orts of the Montana Experiment Station this wasteful 

 method of irrigated farming was changed to one of scientific rotation. 

 It was demonstrated repeatedly that better crops were obtained after 

 red clover than after summer fallowing, and in consequence much of 



