THE PRACTICE OF IRRIGATION IN 

 \ WASHINGTON. 



is 



t 



c IRRIGATED AREA HAS BEEN GREATLY INCREASED DUR- 



ING THE LAST THREE YEARS EXAMINATION OF WATER 

 RESOURCES BEING MADE BY NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 



t 



/ "T -V HAT the people of Washington IRRIGATION FROM THE COLUMBIA 



J. are turning more and more to RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. 

 ., irrigation as a means of developing the 



state's resources is shown by recent The Columbia River, including darks 

 Census Office reports. The statistics Fork > ^ads in the Rocky Mountains 

 covering the past three years, the period est of Helena, Montana. It crosses 

 since the census year 1899, shows a the northern part of Idaho and flows 

 very substantial increase in the area northwestward across the northeastern 

 under irrigation and the number of c rner of Washington until it reaches 

 irrigators international boundary ; there it 

 'Especial interest is now being shown makes an abrupt bend and flows in a 

 in the development of eastern Washing- general southerly direction until it turns 

 ton, owing to the fact that the United ' ves j a few miles be low the mouth of 

 States Reclamation Service is making Snake River and forms the boundary 

 a preliminary examination of the water :tween the state s of Oregon and Wash- 

 resources of the region with a view of m gton. 



determining the advisability of con- Next to the Colorado, the Columbia 

 structing national irrigation works. ^ the largest river in the and region of 

 About 2,600,000 acres of public land the ^ nlted States, its drainage basin 

 have been withdrawn from entry pend- Deluding parts of Oregon, Washington, 

 ing the result of this examination. In * dano > Montana, and a large area in 

 view of this the following account of Canada. The entire drainage area of 

 irrigation development in Washington ih * Columbia River is 216,537 square 

 up to the present time will be of value : miles ' about one-half of which belongs 

 Irrigation in Washington is confined to * Columbia River proper and one- 

 practically to the territory east of the half to lts mam bran ch, Snake River. 

 Cascade Mountains, which, ranging The Portion of Washington drained 

 north and south, divide the state into ^. the Columbia River is and and semi- 

 two parts dissimilar in topography, soil, and > and > except in a few localities, irri- 

 and climate. The Columbia ' River atlon 1S necessary for continuous suc- 

 drains all of the eastern territory. cessful farming. The valleys comprise 

 1 There has been considerable increase some of the most productive farming 

 * since 1899 in the irrigated area of the lan ds in the United States, having a deep 

 state and in the number of irrigated SGl1 of a PP ar ently alluvial deposits 

 farms. Beside the ditches actually mixed with volcanic ash with an under- 

 operated in 1902, there are a number of ^ n S bg d of clay. The soil of the up- 

 ditches, some of them covering an ex- lands 1S less fertile, but produces with 

 tensive area, which did not carry water Sllfficie nt moisture heavy wheat crops, 

 until 1903. 



In 1899 the number of irrigators in BELOW SNAKE RIVER " 



Washington was 3,513, and the number Most of the territory in Washington 



of acres irrigated 135,470- The figures drained by the Columbia River and its 



for 1902 are, respectively, 4,585 and tributaries below the mouth of Snake 



154,962. The cost of irrigation systems River produces crops without irrigation, 



in operation was, in 1899, $1,679,319, but for some crops, and especially for 



and in 1902 $2,330,758. The total hay and fruit, many find the artificial 



length of main ditches in 1902 was application of water desirable. 



1,095 miles. In 1902 the number of irrigators was 



(458) 



