84 THE IR RIGA T10N A GE 



authorities in our investigations wherever they have been undertaken 

 and demands for our work far beyond our ability to meet. 



While the earnestness with which these demands are pressed is 

 very largely due to the urgent needs of localities and individual 

 farmers and ditch owners for the remedying of evils affecting their 

 immediate interests, it is also beginning to be seen quite clearly that 

 the questions involved in this and kindred investigation have a direct 

 bearing on the problems which are of national and even international 

 importance. On the supply of water for irrigation and its equitable 

 'distribution depends the permanent existence of civilized life in one- 

 third the area covered by the forty-eight States and Territories of 

 the Union. Questions relating to irrigation are vital not only to 

 agricultural, but also to all other interests of this vast region, and 

 the ultimate solution of the problems relating to irrigation will be 

 found not only in State legislation and administration, but also in the 

 ^action of the National Government. Most of the streams used for 

 irrigation cross State lines, and some of them run partly in foreign 

 countries. 



The nation still owns large areas, the development of which will 

 necessarily depend on national land laws recognizing the importance 

 of extending the irrigated region as far as possible. Sooner or later 

 these questions must be taken up by the United States as well as by 

 the individual States and settled on a just basis and in accordance 

 with actual conditions. What is needed in this matter at the present 

 time above everything else is the impartial ascertaining and record- 

 ing of the facts relating to irrigation in this country. It is this task 

 which this Department has set for itself. It is believed that an 

 efficient organization for the prosecution of this work has been estab- 

 lished and that in this way a basis has been laid for the prosecution 

 and extension of the work as rapidly as the necessary conditions of 

 the investigations arid the available funds will permit. 



In view of the urgent need for the extension of these investi- 

 gations, I recommend that the appropriation for the ensuing fiscal 

 year be increased from $50,000 to $75,000. 



