RECLAMATION WORK IN NORTH 



DAKOTA 



BY 



H. N. SAVAGE 



Supervising Engineer, U. S. Reclamation Service. 



"THREE pumping projects are under 

 consideration in North Dakota, 

 and drawings and specifications have 

 been developed for each of the three. 



The Buford-Trention project con- 

 templates the irrigation of 8,000 acres, 

 which may be increased to 20.000 or 

 more in case the land owners desire 

 to avail themselves, of the opportunity. 

 A water users" association has been or- 

 ganized, stock subscriptions made, and 

 a contract is being executed with the 

 2 :retary of the Interior which will 

 insure the early construction of the 

 work. 



The Williston project looks to the 

 irrigation of 12.000 acres, which may 

 be increased to from 35.000 to 40.000 

 whenever the land rs make satis- 



factory arrangements. A water user- 



-Delation has been organized and a 



.tract will soon be executed and 

 transmitted to ti ; ~etary of the In- 

 terior for his appro 1 



The Xesson project involves the ir- 

 rigation : _.ooo acres. A water 

 us- lss :ation has been organized 

 and stock ----- - ns are now being 



received. It is expected that the land 

 rs ill enter into a contract and 

 - ime : th 5 -rtary of the 

 Interior at an early date. 



These three projects are located on 



the left or north side of the Missouri 



River, in the extreme western pa- 



Xorth Dakota. The fall of the river 



ght tha- " - not possible to 



take out a canal and distribute the 



. : >re pumping 



The abund- 



fuel in the immediate 



vicinity makes possible the develop- 

 ment of power at an economical cost. 

 \ ery careful topographic surveys were 

 made during the season of 1905 of all 

 the lands in the vicinity of each of 

 these projects. The engineers have 

 made a very careful study of the to- 

 pography in order to develop the most 

 economical and efficient location for 

 distribution cam. Is. 



The plans developed contemplate 

 power stations located adjacent to the 

 lignite mines and the transmission 



:trically of the power generated. 

 < wing to the changeable current of 

 the Missouri River careful considera- 

 tion has been given to the establish- 

 ment of at least one of these pumping" 

 stations on a barge. The electrical 

 actuation of the pumps by motor 

 makes this plan not only feasible but 

 very attractive. The pumps would be 

 connected with the canal on shore by 

 flexible joint pipes, and the barge 

 would accommodate itself to varia- 

 tions of water level in the river, and 

 also if the river should move in nearer 

 shore or leave the present shore alto- 

 gether, the barge could readily follow 

 the channel, and by an extension or 

 decrease in the length of the barge pipe 

 continue to deliver water, thus pro- 

 tecting the irrigated crops against any 

 change in the river. 



The land owners are evincing a 

 great deal of enthusiasm regarding the 

 development of these projects, and it is 

 hoped that actual construction can be 

 begun th> - - n. A livelv movement 

 in real estate has already taken place 

 in anticipation of the early construc- 

 tion of the work ; . 



