212 



THE IERIGATION AGE. 



results attained were in a measure satisfactory, still a flow 

 of only 300 gallons a minute could be obtained. To in- 

 crease this meant the sinking of additional pipes. This, 

 it was found, would only add to the friction that would 



Water flowing from discharge pipe of pump. This flow, through a 10- 

 inch discharge pipe, is 800 gallons per minute. This flow in 

 summer, when cold will not retard it, is about 1,100 gallons per 

 minute. 



have to be contended with in lifting the water, and so it 

 was decided to sink an open well, cribbing it in order to 

 hold back the sand. Wooden cribbing was first tried, but 



this was found to be useless- and a concrete was used in- 

 stead. A well 12 feet in diameter, with a concrete crib- 

 bing one foot thick, reinforced, was then sunk into the 

 gravel and through the quick-sand. This work resulted 

 successfully in holding back the sands. The major part of 

 the water, it was found, came up through the bottom of 

 the sump. By means of small pieces of wood, specially 

 grooved and set in the concrete, openings were left in the 

 walls of the cribbing so that water could flow in from the 

 sides, as well as come up through the bottom. 



When this cribbing had been sunk to a depth of 7 

 feet below the water level continuous pumping developed 

 a flow of 800 gallons per minute. This flow, obtained in 

 the coldest weather when the temperature averaged zero 

 almost every night, means that when the water is most 

 needed, viz., in the summer months, the average flow will 

 be greatly in excess of 1,000 gallons per minute, since cold 

 weather retards the flow of water from one-third to one- 

 half. This means that from one well 12 feet in diameter 

 and 13 feet deep water enough has been developed for 300 

 acres of land, pumping only during the irrigating season. 



What the further development of this same system 

 means to eastern Colorado can only be imagined. At the 

 present time there are twenty millions of acres of land 

 lying east of Denver, the greater portion of it uncultivated 

 because of lack of water. The soil here is equal to that 

 of any in Colorado. Underlying these lands are large 

 bodies of sheet water. The surface and flood waters in 

 the west have already been appropriated. The underflow 

 waters will next be utilized, and when they are brought 

 to the surface lands now desolate will be the homes of in- 

 dustrious thousands, and will be made to bring forth in 

 abundance food for the country's millions. 



There are many places where land can be watered by means of gasoline engines and centrifugal pumps, just as shown in thi 

 In this case the highest point on the land to be watered is 15 feet above the water in the irrigating canal. The water i 



ie scene above. 



the rate of more than 2 cubic feet per second. A Dempster 12 H. P. Four Cycle Gasoline Engine furnishes the power and does the work 

 easily. The land shown was taken as a desert claim, but by pumpina: the water to the highest point it is now as valuable and productive 

 as any land watered directly from the ditch. 



In many localities the water can be pumped from wells, creeks, lakes, etc., and much worthless land reclaimed. 



