110 



THE IRKIGATION AGE. 



quently happens that water is found throughout most 

 of its course during the entire season. Yet the value 

 of this stream may be greatly increased by storing the 

 flood waters. A measurement of the river at Superior 

 during the flood in July of the past year showed a dis- 

 charge of nearly 15,000 cubic feet per second, while 

 another in September of the same year gave a discharge 

 of 154. These are the maximum and minimum meas- 

 urements for 1902. 



The streams heretofore mentioned show that dur- 

 ing some seasons an infinite ratio exists between the 

 maximum and minimum discharge. But now we come 

 to a river where these conditions do not exist. I refer 

 to the Loup, in which this ratio is sometimes as low as 

 1| for the season and seldom reaching above 4. The 

 lowest actual measurement made on this river since 

 continuous records were begun in 1895 was at Columbus 

 in July, 1901, which showed a discharge of 1,211 sec- 

 ond feet. The greatest amount similarly found at the 

 same station was on August 10, 1902, giving a discharge 

 of 7,685 cubic feet per second. The ratio of this 

 maximum to minimum for the extremes in eight years 

 is 6.34. The exceptional uniformity in the flow of this 

 river is nicely illustrated in a diagram published in the 

 Fourth Biennial Report of the State Board of Irriga- 

 tion, entitled "Nebraska and Colorado Streams, Com- 

 parative Mean Discharges for Six Years, 1895 to 1900, 

 Inclusive," showing at a glance the means for the six 

 years of the mean daily discharges for the months 

 of April, May, June, July, August, September and 

 October of the Loup at Columbus, North Platte at 

 Camp Clarke, Arkansas at Canon City, and the Cache 

 La Poudre at Fort Collins. The agricultural district 

 in the neighborhood of Grecley, Colo., depending en- 

 tirely upon the Poudre River for its water supply, has 

 a world-wide reputation. What the possibilities for 

 development along this line in the water-shed of the 

 Loup River, with nearly three and one-half times as 

 much water and a uniformity of flow that is not ex- 

 celled by any other river in the country, can only be 

 imagined. Extensive surveys have been made for the 

 utilization of the waters of this stream for power pur- 

 poses, and we are undoubtedly living in a period that 

 will see the construction and operation of some of these 

 plants. 



Next in importance I would name the Niobrara 

 River, draining the northwestern part of the State and 

 emptying its waters into the Missouri. The land 

 through which this stream flows is not nearly so well 

 adapted to agricultural purposes as the southern and 

 eastern parts of the State. The country is rough and 

 heavily rolling and the river banks are high, so that 

 although it has a discharge, measured at Valentine, of 

 from 800 to 1,200 cubic feet per second, and is remarka- 

 bly Uniform in its flow, irrigation throughout a large 

 portion of its course is impracticable. It has, however, 

 a heavy fall. Surveys made near its mouth show a 

 fall of over 10 feet to the mile, so that the condition 

 on this river makes it principally valuable for its possi- 

 bilities in power development. 



One who has traveled across Nebraska on the F. E. 

 & M. V. Railroad cannot but be impressed with the 

 beauty and richness of the Elkhorn Valley. Extending 

 on cither side to the hills beyond are green fields of 

 corn and smaller grain, broken by patches of shady 

 timber, dotted here artd there with villages or farm 

 houses. Through it all winds the cool waters of the 



Elkhorn River that has brought to this valley its wealth 

 of peace and contentment. 



On motion of J. S. Hoagland it was ordered that 

 the papers read before this convention, and particularly 

 the paper read by Mr. Stevens, be printed in the Ne- 

 braska Irrigation Annual, and that it be given as wide 

 circulation as possible, because of its interest to the 

 public. 



The committee on resolutions submitted the fol- 

 lowing, which was unanimously adopted : 



Whereas, An investigation by experts in charge 

 of the irrigation work of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture has been instituted and is still in prog- 

 ress for the benefit of the water users of the States of 

 Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado; and 



Whereas, The said experts have made arrange- 

 ments for carrying this work to completion, and we be- 

 lieve that the funds appropriated for this work in former 

 years have been economically expended and with great 

 beneficial results to communities concerned; therefore 

 be it 



Resolved, That we respectfully request and urge 

 that when the agricultural appropriation bill is under 

 discussion on the floor of Congress, the recommendations 

 of the secretary of agriculture and the director of the 

 office of experiment stations relative to this investiga- 

 tion be thoroughly indorsed by the honorable representa- 

 tives of the State of Nebraska in the Senate and in the 

 House of Representatives; and be it further 



Resolved, That the secretary of this association 

 be instructed to forward forthwith a copy of this reso- 

 lution to each member of the Nebraska delegation in 

 Congress. 



Resolved, That the right to obtain support from 

 the soil lawfully occupied by him belongs to every citi- 

 zen of the State as an inherent and natural right, and 

 where such right may not be fully enjoyed without 

 diversion of water from the running streams of the 

 State, and its application to the production of crops, the 

 right to so divert and apply the water exists, and should 

 at all times be so declared and maintained by all legis- 

 lative and judicial authority. 



"Whereas, There is no adequate method provided 

 by the district irrigation law of this State whereby an 

 irrigation district may disorganize and settle its busi- 

 ness affairs; therefore, be it 



Resolved, That the committee on legislation of 

 this, association is hereby instructed to prepare and pre- 

 sent to the present Legislature a bill providing a just 

 and equitable method whereby an irrigation district may 

 disorganize itself and settle its business affairs. 



WTiereas, The operation for seven years of the 

 Nebraska law providing for the control and distribu- 

 tion of the waters of the streams iised for irrigation has 

 been marked by an especially orderly and progressive 

 advance of the irrigation industry and by an almost 

 complete absence of expensive litigation in regard to 

 water rights; and 



Whereas. The operation of this law enables the 

 irrigator to have the priority and extent of his right to 

 the use of water determined practically without ex- 

 pense, in marked contrast to the experience in this 

 respect of irrigators in nearly all other States; and 



Whereas, Said law has also permitted the irri- 

 gator to rest in the assurance that his rights so deter- 

 mined will be promptly and effectively enforced; and 



Whereas, The administration of the law has been 

 characterized by honesty, impartiality, tact and judg- 



