STATE OF MONTANA 3 



IRRIGATION IN MONTANA 



Records show that irrigation in ]\Iontana had its bejriniiino- in the Bitter 

 Root Valley in 1842, when Father De Smet, of the Catholic Mission, irrip-ated 

 a garden planted with seeds from Colvillo, Washington. During the follow- 

 ing eight years, wheat, potatoes, and other produce were grown under irriga- 

 tion in that settlement. After J\Iajor John Owen purchased the mission build- 

 ings and equipment in 1850, irrigation of crops "was continued. 



Following the settlement of Alder Gulcli in Madison County in 1863, 

 bottom lands were irrigated with crude and small ditches by miners after 

 placer Avorkings gave out. In the Gallatin and Beaverhead Valleys, which 

 were among the first to be settled in ^lontana, irrigation developed rapidly. 

 Bottom land settlers first built individual ditches to irrigate their private 

 lands but it soon became necessary for them to combine and build ditches 

 co-operatively for their lands. For many years the direct flow of streams 

 was sufficient to meet the seasonal demands for water. As the amount of 

 irrigated land increased about each settlement, and the supply of direct flows 

 of streams became inadequate, the principal of priority developed, with the 

 first in time being the first in right. Construction of stoi'age reservoirs to 

 impound flood waters for use as needed, followed as the next major develop- 

 ment in irrigation. 



Montana now ranks fourth in the amount of cropland and pasture under 

 irrigation. California, Colorado, and Idaho are the tliree leading States. In 

 1945, crops were harvested from more than 1,725.000 irrigated acres in this 

 State having an aggregate value in excess of forty-eight and one-half million 

 dollars. These irrigated acres amounted to 22 per cent of all harvested acres 

 and the value of their crops amounted to 31 per cent of the total value of 

 all crop production. Importance of irrigation in Montana is appreciated more 

 in times of drought than during periods of good rainfall. For the ten years, 

 1929-1938, referred to as the drought period, 22 per cent of the harvested 

 acreage was irrigated and the value of production from these irrigated acres 

 the total. In 1936, the year of most severe drought, 32 per cent of the cropped 

 acreage was irrigated and the value of production from these irrigated acres 

 was 63 percent of the total. 



Although irrigation is found in all of Montana's o6 counties, most of the 

 irrigated land is located in central and western portions. Beaverhead county 

 heads the list with approximately 210,000 acres, most of which is wild or 

 meadow hay. The other nine leading counties in order of importance are 

 Ravalli, Teton, Gallatin, Yellowstone, Madison, Carbon, Lake, Powell, and 

 Pondera. 



Virtually all Montana crops are grown to some extent on irrigated land. 

 Sugar beets are at the top of the irrigated crop list, with practically all acre- 

 age in this category. Dry beans follow as a close second with more than four- 

 fifths of the acreage irrigated. Approximately three-fourths of the dry peas 

 and two-thirds of the potatoes are now grown under irrigation. xVlfalfa hay 

 acreage is 62 per cent irrigated and nearly half of the alfalfa seed and wild hay 

 acreage is in this group. Among the grains, oats has been most prominent with 

 about 30 per cent irrigated followed by barley with around 15 per cent. Prior to 

 1942, a larger percentage of the barley acreage was irrigated ; a sharp expan- 

 sion of its acreage since then has been largely on dry land. A small propor- 

 tion of the wheat, corn, rye, and flax acreage usually comes under irrigation. 



P. J. CREER. 



Agriculiuvdl ^statistician. 



