310 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



nearly 38,000 acres from which the town derived its 

 name was ceded to Captain William Goodwin Dana by 

 the Mexican Government in 1835. 



Most of the descendents of this notable character 

 who are now living still reside in or around the town. 



The progress and history of Santa Maria Valley 

 are so closely interwoven with Nipoma, that although it 

 is in an adjoining county, mention of the valley would 

 be incomplete without its association. 



It was the pleasure of the writer to have met 

 Samual A. Dana, one of the remaining sons of Captain 

 Dana, who with his family is now a resident of Nipoma. 

 Through the courtesy of this worthy son, the following 

 facts were obtained: 



There are 20,000 acres surrounding the town of 

 the finest land on the Pacific Coast and in the not dis- 

 tant future, when Nipoma will have better railroad 

 facilities, and a class of fanners who appreciate the 

 value of small tracts on the intensified plan of farming, 

 the apple, pear and walnut industry will make this one 

 of the wealthiest and most productive spots in the state. 



The soil is exceptionally adapted for the cultiva- 

 tion of these fruits, and the land values are compara- 

 tively low when the enormous profits to be derived are 

 taken into consideration. The wonder and mystery of 

 it all is that such opportunities should have for all 

 these years lain fallow. 



LINING OF DITCHES AND RESERVOIRS TO PRE- 

 VENT SEEPAGE LOSSES. 



(Concluded.) 



BY PROF. B. A. ETCHEVEKKY, BERKELEY, CAL. 



The prevention of growth of vegetation is an im- 

 portant item and is quite an expense, when in most cases 

 the ditch or lateral must be cleaned out several times 



That oil will prevent vegetation and the burrowing 

 of animals on the banks and bottom of the ditch is 

 clearly shown by the example near Lemoore, previously 

 mentioned. 



That oil will prevent scouring to a great extent and 

 will allow a much higher velocity of flow of water 

 than the earth ditch may be expected, when we con- 

 sider its resistance to wave action at the Ivanhoe Res- 

 ervoir, and the resistance of oiled roads to cutting 

 under the action of running water. This toughness 

 of oil lining was also noticed in filling the experimental 

 ditch each morning. When the water carried by the 

 wooden flume discharged into each ditch through the 

 gate it had a fall of at least one foot. It was difficult 

 to prevent the sloping ends of the earth and puddle 

 ditches from being badly cut up by the erosive force 

 of the falling water. These ends had to be well pro- 

 tected with heavy canvas, and even the erosion could 

 not be altogether prevented. The ditches lined with 

 oil resisted the erosion and showed no cutting, although 

 they were not protected with canvas. 



A letter from the superintendent of the Modesto 

 Irrigation District, dated January 21, 1907, states that 

 the ditches were examined by him after the recent heavy 

 rainfalls. The banks of the earth ditches were badly 

 washed where the water ran in; the clay puddle was 

 slightly so, but the oiled ditches showed absolutely no 

 sign of wash. The oil linings are all hard and firm and 

 scratch almost like concrete. 



This resistance to erosion will permit in a saving 

 of cross-sectional area due to the possibility of giving 

 the water an increased velocity. The higher velocity 

 will prevent the deposition of silt to a great extent 

 and there will be a consequent decrease in the cost of 

 operation and maintenance. 



The puddle lining in the experiment showed a sav- 



2. Table showing Results of Experiments. 



Excluding the preparation of the ditch. (Last two columns.) 



during an irrigation season. (2d) The resistance to ing in seepage nearly equal to the heavy oil lining 



scouring, on which depends the velocity which the water when 3 2-3 gallons of oil per square yard was used, 



can be given. (3d) The prevention of squirrels and and a greater saving than the other oil linings, 



gophers from burrowing into the banks and bottom of puddle lining, whose thickness was 3^ inches, would, 



ditches. no doubt, if made thicker, be more efficient than any 



