116 



lumbia which, if materialized, will be of great value in extending the area 

 irrigated by pumping. 



A consideration of pumping in other districts is of interest to show its 

 feasibility. In eastern Washington water is being pumped in one case to 

 an elevation of 250 feet above the source of supply. In the citrus district 

 of southern California lifts above 200 feet are not unusual and it is con- 

 sidered profitable to pump 460 feet. In the Pomona district of southern 

 California, the cost of pumped water averages $15 per acre for one acre 

 foot when purchased from irrigation companies, while for smaller private 

 plants the cost is often greater. In 1905 the Irriagtion Investigations 

 Office of the United States Department of Agriculture made tests on 

 various pumping plants and these show that the cost of pumping at private 

 plants of 10 to 100 horse power with lifts of 100 to 300 feet, varied from 

 $10 to $90 per acre for one acre foot of water. 



There is a limit beyond which it is not economically feasible to pump. 

 In the California citrus districts lifts above 400 feet have been profitable. 

 For the orchard lands of British Columbia equally high lifts should be 

 profitable, for the net return per acre from a good apple orchard is usually 

 more than that from a citrus orchard. A citrus orchard 10 years old 

 should average a net profit of $100 to $150 per acre. The net profits from 

 apple orchards 10 to 12 years old in the Yakima Valley are given in bul- 

 letins of the United States Department of Agriculture as $200 to $600 per 

 acre. With profits larger than those obtained from citrug orchards in 

 southern California, what has been considered feasible in pumping there 

 is at least equally so for the apple orchards of British Columbia when no 

 other more economical source of water supply is available. However, for 

 small pumping plants and small areas the writer believes that it is well 

 not to exceed 200 feet, while for larger plants lifts of 400 feet may be 

 economically feasible. 



