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FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



September 



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387 ; the number of acres irrigated, 

 8,252 ; the number of irrigation sys- 

 tems in operation, 135 ; the cost of con- 

 struction of the operated systems, $45,- 

 998, or an average cost of $5.57 per 

 acre irrigated, and the total length of 

 main ditches, 99 miles. Irrigation was 

 chiefly from the Walla Walla River 

 and its tributaries. 



IRRIGATION FROM SNAKE RIVER. 



Snake River enters Washington near 

 Lewiston, Idaho, and joins the Colum- 

 bia near Pasco. In 1902, 911 farms of 

 Washington, with an irrigated area of 

 4,968 acres, were watered from this 

 river, its tributaries, and the springs 

 and wells in the drainage basin. There 

 were operated 77 irrigation systems, 

 representing an initial expenditure of 

 $109,853, or an average first cost of 

 $22.11 per acre. Tnere were 68 miles 

 of main ditch. Most of the irrigated 

 land lies in Asotin county. From Aso- 

 tin Creek and its tributaries S i o farmers 

 irrigated 3,225 acres from 6 irrigation 

 systems, costing $94, 100. The total 

 length of main ditches was 26 miles. 



IRRIGATION FROM THE YAKIMA RIVER. 



Nearly four-fifths of the irrigated 

 acreage of Washington and nearly half 

 of the irrigated farms are found in the 

 Yakima Valley. The Yakima River 

 has its source in Keechelus Lake, on 

 the eastern slope of the Cascade Moun- 

 tains, in Kittitas county, Washington, 

 and flows through Kittitas and Yakima 

 counties, joining the Columbia River 

 near Kiona. 



There has been since 1899 important 

 development of irrigation systems in 

 the Yakima Valley. Two large canals 

 liave been constructed, and the older 

 systems have been extended. Some of 

 these systems had difficulty in securing 

 water in 1902, and unless storage reser- 

 voirs are constructed in the mountains, 

 it is not probable that there will be any 

 further important development of irri- 

 gation from this river. The total num- 

 ber of farms irrigated in 1902 from the 

 Yakima River and its tributaries and 

 from springs and wells in the Yakima 

 Valley was 2,505, and the area irrigated 

 121, 705 acres. There were operated 255 



irrigation systems, which cost $1,968,- 

 555, or an average cost of $16.17 per 

 acre irrigated. The total length of 

 main ditches was 6 1 8 miles. More than 

 half of the irrigated area in the valley 

 is watered from the Yakima River di- 

 rect. The principal tributary of the 

 Yakima River is the Natches River, 

 which in 1902 supplied water to 575 

 farms, having an irrigated area of 

 20,232 acres. 



Irrigation from the Columbia River be- 

 tween the mouth of the Okanogan River 

 and the mouth of the Yakima River is 

 practiced chiefly for fruit growing. In 

 1902 there were 500 irrigated farms, 

 having an irrigated area of 14,378 acres. 

 The irrigation systems, 189 in number, 

 cost $168,364, or an average initial cost 

 of construction of $11.71 per acre irri- 

 gated. There \vere 209 miles of main 

 ditches. About half the irrigated farms 

 in this division are watered from the 

 Wenatchee River and its tributaries. In 

 1902 there were 253 farms, having an 

 irrigated area of 3,285 acres, watered 

 from this stream. There were in opera- 

 tion 34 irrigation systems, which cost 



$95.755- 



While the percentage of increase of 



irrigation from the Okanogan River and 

 its tributaries since 1899 has been large, 

 the irrigated area is small. There were, 

 in 1902, 62 irrigated farms and a watered 

 area of 2,257 acres. The 45 irrigation 

 systems in operation cost $12,374, or 

 an average first cost of $5.48 per acre 

 irrigated. The total length of main 

 ditches was 34 miles. Most of the irri- 

 gated land is watered from the Similka- 

 meen River and Conconully Creek and 

 their tributaries. 



There is ver} r little irrigation in Wash- 

 ington from the Columbia River and its 

 tributaries above the mouth of the 

 Okanogan River. In 1902 there were 

 126 irrigated farms, with an average 

 irrigated area of 18.9 acres, and 78 irri- 

 gation systems representing a construc- 

 tion cost of $14,369, or an average cost 

 of $6.05 per acre. 



IRRIGATION IN WESTERN WASHINGTON. 



The western or coast portion of the 

 state is humid, and irrigation is not 

 generall}- practiced, but, owing to the 



