SUGGESTIONS IN IRRIGATION 

 , DEVELOPMENT. 



By CHAS. E. RICHARDS, Cal. Sec. National Irrigation Association. 

 (Read before the Farmers' Clubs' Institute, Los Angeles, Cal.) 



The investigations into and discussions over the problems of irrigation, which 

 have been carried on for the last few years, particularly the last year, more particu- 

 larly the last few months, most particularly on the 14th and 15th days of November last 

 at San Francisco, all this agitation has above everything else demonstrated the fact that 

 irrigation, though a complex and highly scientific problem, is nevertheless perfectly 

 capable of solution. The factors, however, in this solution should be neither good 

 guesses of incompetent men, nor foolish guesses of good men, but should be sound 

 deductions from facts by scientific men, by keen business men. 



That irrigation is absolutely necessary throughout all the arid and semi-arid 

 West, is now a self-evident proposition; that in the near future a large portion of 

 the garden truck and fruit produced in the Eastern part of our country will be 

 raised under irrigation is the prediction of our eminent agriculturist, based upon 

 close observation over a long period of years. The study of irrigation, therefore, 

 should euflst attention, and demand scientific investigation in all parts of our 

 country. 



In Southern California, the center of intelligent and successful irrigation, it is 

 unnecessary at this date to study the problem in its general application, for we all 

 appreciate the benefits of irrigation and understand to a degree its principles; I will 

 therefore confine myself to stating what should be the course in planning an irriga- 

 tion system in any particular locality. 



There are six cardinal points, and not only should none of them be overlooked, 

 but each should receive most careful preliminary examinations. 



1. What is the exact legal status of the land to be irrigated and of the water 

 supply to be used? 



2. Is this location, this soil, suited to development under irrigation. 

 3 What crops can be grown and what would be the average per acre? 



4. How much water will be required to produce an average crop? 



5. What water tax can the increased productiveness of the land easily afford 

 to pay? 



It will be noticed that in order to answer these questions the service of lawyer, 

 a civil engineer, a chemist, an agriculturist and a financier are all needed and the 

 conclusions of such a body of men, if guided by a large measure of common sense 

 would be correct. An approximate answer can be given to every one of these ques- 

 tions and after making ample allowances for contingencies, there is no reason whv 

 an irrigation system cannot be as successfully carried on an engineer's plans as a 

 house can be built upon an architect's specifications. Each of the?e six questions 

 is a complex problem, and each should demand more time than I can devote to all 

 but without attempting to make the paper exhaustive. I will give a few deduction* 

 from the experience of the last few years. 



1. What is the exact legal status of land* and water? 



The legal status of land is generally not difficult to obtain, and it is self-evident 



