70 AGRICULTURE 



of crop per unit of water always becomes smaller as more 

 water is added. The less water is used in irrigation, the 

 more crop is obtained for the water used. In Utah, land 

 is plentiful, water is scarce; it is more important to get a 

 large crop for each acre-foot of water than for each acre 

 of land. 



11. Kill the weeds. Weeds use up as much water 

 as do many profitable crops. It costs usually 2,000 pounds 

 of water to produce one pound of weeds. Killing the 

 weeds will leave more water for our crops. 



12. Repair the leaky ditches, Tremendous quantities 

 of water seep from most of our canals and ditches. Stop 

 the leaky places! It will often pay to cement the whole 

 canal. 



13. Measure the water. Land is measured carefully, 

 but water, more valuable than land, is seldom measured. 

 Great progress will be made by Utah as soon as farmers 

 faithfully measure and keep an account of the water used 

 on the land. This is one of Utah's greatest irrigation 

 needs. The Cippoletti Weir may be used by any farmer 

 for the measurement of water. 



TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION 



1. What systems of irrigation are used in your state? 

 Is the one most commonly used the best? If not, suggest 

 any changes that would bring better returns. 



2. What method is used for securing water and bring- 

 ing it to the state and local projects? Make a drawing 

 showing the system of distribution from the water source. 



3. How are the water rights determined? By state 

 laws? By federal laws? By private companies? How 

 are water rentals determined? Name and explain the prin- 

 cipal irrigation acts, both state and national. Write to your 

 congressmen and state legislators for copies of the laws. 



4. Locate on the map the leading reclamation projects 

 of the western states. Name them. How do they differ as 



