1904 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



567 



the state by pumping from the streams 

 in the western part of the state, using 

 lignite as a fuel. 



A hasty reconnaissance of the state 

 was made, the report of Prof. Frank 

 A. Wilder of the North Dakota Geo- 

 logical Survey and maps of the Mis- 

 souri River Commission were studied 

 and field work then commenced, Mr. 

 P. M. Churchill, engineer, being placed 

 in charge. A party was organized at 

 Williston about September 4, and has 

 made preliminary surveys on the Bu- 



distance between these two points by 

 river is 300 miles. The average fall 

 of the river is about eight inches per 

 mile. Along the banks, especially the 

 left, are large areas of low flats which 

 are easily irrigable by pumping from 

 the river. Their elevation above low 

 water ranges from 20 to 35 feet. Back 

 of these are bench lands ranging from 

 40 to 200 feet above the river. 



Thus far it has not been deemed 

 feasible to divert water from the river 

 and distribute it by gravity to these 



Fifteen Lignite Beds in Single Section of Little Missouri River, North Dakota. 



ford-Trenton and Nesson flats, and 

 will continue working at Williston un- 

 til the season closes. 



' Near the last of September Mr. 

 James A. French, assistant engineer, 

 was directed to assist in this work with 

 his party, and has spent the remainder 

 of the season in field work in the vi- 

 cinity of Bismarck. The field work of 

 the present season has been devoted 

 chiefly to certain localities on the banks 

 of the 'Missouri River included be- 

 tween Fort Buford and Bismarck. The 



flats, owing to the low gradient of the 

 stream. Fortunately the local condi- 

 tions are favorable to the use of stream 

 pumping plants, it having been found 

 that large tracts can be supplied by 

 single plants with comparatively low 

 lifts and short canals. The supply of 

 water is abundant and fuel is cheap 

 and plentiful. 



The Buford-Trenton Project. 



On the north side of the .Missouri 

 River a series of tlats extend from the 



