THE IBBIGATION AGE. 



239 



Upon all these farms careful records are being kept 

 as to the cost and profits and it is thought that the work 

 at the three stations will form a valuable object lesson 

 to thousands of farmers who are settling upon the 

 semi-arid lands of Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and 

 other states. The practical value of this class of work 

 cannot be overestimated, aiming as it does at the utiliza- 

 tion of a vast body of land which can never, by the very 

 nature of things, be included under any of the reclama- 

 tion projects. If a method of tillage and a system of 

 utilization of the underground waters and storage of 

 flood waters can be devised, by which it will be possible 

 to make the farming of these new western lands rea- 

 sonably certain and profitable, great wealth will be 

 added to the several states interested. 



RECLAMATION SERVICE NEWS. 



Water is now ready on a portion of the South Side canal 

 north of the river, as well as on the Inlet canal of the Belle 

 Fourche irrigation project, South Dakota, for 12,000 acres 

 of land. 



The Gunnison tunnel in Colorado was advanced about 

 329 feet during the month of March. The work was very 

 seriously interfered with by the heavy flow of water in both 

 headings. 



The Highland Water Company has conveyed to the United 

 States the Highland canal, together with all water rights, etc., 

 for use in connection with the Salt river irrigation project, 

 Arizona. 



In connection with the irrigation of the Blackfeet reserva- 

 tion for Indian Service, surveys are to be immediately started 

 on the final location of the canal either from Two Medicine 

 river or Badger creek. 



Water is now being furnished over the entire canal sys- 

 tem of the Carlsbad irrigation project, New Mexico. At the 

 present time 8,443 acres have been qualified for water and the 

 area is being rapidly increased. 



The Pathfinder dam, North Platte irrigation project, 

 Nebraska- Wyoming, is now 81 feet above foundation and ris- 

 ing at the rate of 15 feet per month. Three thousand cubic 

 yards of masonry were laid during March. 



A decision has been reached to resume active operations 

 in the lower Milk river valley. Plans for the construction of 

 the Dodson flood diversion canal are under discussion, for 

 the irrigation of 21,000 acres in the vicinity of Malta. 



The Secretary of the Interior has given public notice 

 that water will be furnished, beginning with the season 1908, 

 to lands under the Truckee-Carson irrigation project, Nevada, 

 lying in Township 18 N., R. 30 E., and T. 19 N., R. 30 E., 

 M. D. M. 



The March report from the engineer in charge of the 

 Truckee-Carson irrigation project, Nevada, shows that 335 

 homestead filings, covering 28,000 acres, have been made up 

 to date. This is exclusive of a number of new settlers who 

 have purchased private holdings. 



Contract has been awarded to Maney Brothers, of Win- 

 nemucca, Nevada, for the construction of the South Branch 

 canal, Klamath irrigation project, Oregon-California. The 

 work involves the excavation of about 300,000 cubic yards 

 of material. The contract amounts to $78,996.70. 



About 300,000 acres of land near the Minidoka irrigation 

 project in southern Idaho have been withdrawn from all forms 

 of disposition under the public land laws, pending a thorough 

 examination to determine whether it will be possible to irri- 

 gate the tract or any portion of it by a pumping system 

 operated by power generated at Minidoka dam. 



The following public lands in New Mexico have been 

 temporarily withdrawn from all forms of disposition under 

 the public land laws, in connection with the Rio Grande irriga- 

 tion project : New Mexico Principal Meridian. T. 13 S., 

 R. 2 W., all Sees. 1 to 26 and 28 to 32 incl. and Sees. 35 and 

 36 ; T. 14 S., R 2 W., all Sees. 1, 2 and 5 to 36 incl. ; T. 14 S., 

 R. 3 W. ; T. 13 S., R. 4 W. ; T. 14 S., R. 4 W. This with- 

 drawal embraces 112,000 acres. 



On the Payette-Boise project the first contracts have been 

 let, providing for the construction of twenty-four miles of 

 laterals, involving 100,000 cubic yards, and a part of this work 

 has been taken over by the farmers. On the Minidoka project, 

 Idaho, contracts are now being advertised by the water users' 

 association. 



Contract has been awarded to J. E. Hilton, of Vale, South 

 Dakota, for constructing a portion of the South canal, Belle 

 Fourche irrigation project, South Dakota. The contract in- 

 volves the excavation of approximately 160,000 cubic yards 

 of material, and according to the terms of the contract it is to 

 be completed by March 1, 1909. The price quoted is $28,241.50. 



Allan Macdonell, Laredo, Texas. 



A Reader of the IRRIGATION AGE for Twenty Years, Whose Letter Re- 

 newing His Subscription Was Published in Last Number. 



From recent investigations in connection with the Chey- 

 enne river irrigation project, South Dakota, it has become 

 apparent that certain lands withdrawn from the public domain 

 are no longer necessary, and the Secretary of the Interior has 

 therefore restored approximately 148,000 acres lying in Town- 

 ships 5 to 10 S., Ranges 1 to 9 E., Black Hills Principal 

 Meridian. 



The following lands have been withdrawn from any form 

 of disposition under the public land laws in connection with 

 the Grand valley irrigation project, Colorado: Ute Principal 

 Meridian. All Townships 1 S., Ranges 1 and 2 E. Sixth 

 Principal Meridian. All Township 10 S., Range 98 W. ; all 

 Township 11 S., Range 98 W. This tract embraces about 

 92,000 acres. 



The railroad to Laguna dam is now completed and in use, 

 the first shipment, consisting of four cars of cement, having 

 gone over the line on March 17. Prior to the completion of 

 this road all supplies and material required in the work of 

 building the dam had to be hauled from Yuma, and it is 

 estimated that the saving in freight rates effected by the build- 

 ing of this railroad will greatly exceed the expense incurred 

 by the United States in its construction. Heroic efforts will 

 be made to close the Colorado river during the next low 

 stage, and the new railroad will be of great service in this 

 connection. 



A message from the project engineer states that the 

 Garden City pumping plant, Kansas, was put in operation 

 April 1. The pumps are working smoothly and water is run- 

 ning the entire length of the Farmers' canal. As the Arkansas 

 river could not be depended upon to supply water to gravity 

 canals, the engineers devised a scheme to utilize the under- 

 flow. About 300 wells were sunk, the combined length of 

 which exceeds four miles. These wells are in groups of ten 

 each and vary from 12 to 15 inches in diameter. Each group 

 will be operated by its own pumping plant, and all pumps will 

 be operated by electricity generated in a central power station. 

 The water from the wells will be lifted into a concrete lined 

 conduit which discharges into the main canal. During the 

 irrigation season this leviathan pumping plant will lift 30,000 

 acre feet, or about 11,000,000,000 gallons. 



