THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



147 



in mind the amount of water likely to be required 

 in determining the size and the grade, and in the 

 question of the last item it will be kept in mind 

 that unless the spillway is lined with either timber, 

 stone or concrete, that there will be a decided ten- 

 dency to wash or erode. Besides the spillway there 

 should be adequate arrangements made to take care 

 of the draining of the impounded water behind the 

 dam in order that the water surface may be lowered 

 and any repair work or cleaning necessary can be 

 readily done. 



As to the headgates, the size and type of these 

 will vary according to the size of the project and 

 the essential features to be considered in their erec- 

 tion are that they are easily operated, water-tight, 

 and designed sufficiently strong so as to allow for 

 extraordinary conditions. There also should be a 

 grading device which would allow the individual 

 raising or lowering the gate to estimate very closely 

 the quantity of water which was passing into the 

 main ditch. Headgates on smaller ditches may be 

 constructed in various ways, all of them being on 

 the principle of weirs without end contraction and 

 graduated so as to show by inspection the amount 

 of water that is passing through. 



In conclusion will say that in constructing a 



dam the essential features to be considered are as 

 follows : The point where the foundation is the 

 safest, distance across is the shortest, the accessi- 

 bility of the material, also as to the type to be con- 

 sidered, the size of the dam as well as the above 

 items must be carefully considered in order to de- 

 termine as to just what type will prove the maxi- 

 mum efficiency at a minimum cost. 



It may sometimes be necessary to make two or 

 three estimates on different types before it can be 

 clearly shown as to just which type is the best to 

 use, but a little time taken in doing this preliminary 

 work, together with the comparatively small cost 

 of same, is more than repaid by getting the right 

 type of structure, economically designed, and the 

 cost as compared to the putting in of a type that 

 is expensive to start with and eventually fails is too 

 small a per cent to be considered. 



It is hard to emphasize the fact strong enough 

 that there should be careful preliminary work be- 

 fore the construction of any dam for any purpose, 

 for the reason that in the event of a failure the re- 

 construction is a great deal more expensive than the 

 original, and the work that has been done in the 

 first place is practically always more or less a total 

 loss. 



LEGISLATURES TRYING TO AID IRRIGATION 



SEVERAL of the legislatures of Western states 

 are tackling the irrigation laws situation with 

 vigor this year. All are working toward conformity 

 of irrigation laws among the various states and for 

 more stability of irrigation securities. 



The lower house of the Oregon legislature has 

 passed one bill allowing the state to purchase irri- 

 gation district bonds, and another allowing irriga- 

 tion districts the right to sell electric power de- 

 veloped within the project. 



Governor George A. Carlson's recommenda- 

 tions to the Colorado legislature promise to bear 

 fru.it. He said : 



"It is recommended that the laws respecting 

 irrigation districts be investigated and revised. 

 Great injury has been done outside investors and 

 the state through the sale of valueless irrigation se- 

 curities. The wording of the present laws on the 

 subject leaves opening for unscrupulous promoters 

 to sell worthless irrigation securities by represent- 

 ing that the sums paid therefor are expended under 

 the direction of the county treasurers in the coun- 

 ties included in the particular district. It is un- 

 conscionable for the state to permit longer the use 

 of its name in aid of fraudulent stock selling 

 schemes. 



"Many of the districts of the state are now 

 under a very heavy bonded indebtedness and with- 

 out sufficient water supply. This often results in 

 ruin to the land owners in such a district, great in- 

 jury to the credit of the state, and much loss to the 

 investor. 



"Irrigation is of prime importance to the de- 

 velopment of Colorado and should be kept a safe 

 field for capital to enter. The wrongs done already 

 are of such magnitude as to menace seriously 



further irrigation development in the state, and we 

 cannot afford to permit the continuance of this con- 

 dition. The state should provide an effective su- 

 pervision over the issuance of irrigation securities 

 so that all stocks and bonds issued represent bona 

 fide and sufficient water supply." 



MORE IRRIGATION IN IOWA 



Muscatine Island, near Muscatine, la., a noted 

 truck gardening spot, is rapidly becoming an irri- 

 gated area. Irrigation plants were installed this 

 fall on the farms of Thomas Seright, William Cor- 

 bin, R. F. Parmalee, and extensions have been made 

 to the plant on the F. X. Schaefer farm. 



Although irrigation has been used on Musca- 

 tine Island previous to the past summer, it was not 

 until then that the real need of it was demonstrated. 

 The sweet potato crop was helped especially by 

 irrigation, as the growth of the potato was quicker 

 and more steady than without. 



Some of the non-irrigated potatoes could not 

 be sold this fall because they were cracked by 

 quick growth. The irrigated potatoes were all 

 smooth and in good condition, and matured more 

 quickly than the others, giving them an earlier and 

 better market. 



IRRIGATION COMMISSION 



Senator Seegmiller has introduced a bill in the 

 Utah legislature to create an irrigation and water 

 rights commission. The duty of the commission 

 is to investigate conditions and report on needed 

 legislation. The state engineer, attorney-general 

 and president of the Agricultural college, with two 

 others to be named by the governor, are to make 

 up the commission. 



