IRBIGATIOX INVESTIGATIONS ON CACHE CREEK. 187 



DUTY OF WATER. 



The investigation on Cache Creek did not begin until June 26, when the 

 irrigation season was so far advanced that it was impossible to make satisfactory 

 observations as to the quantity of water needed in this locality to secure the best crop 

 results. 



With a view to reaching some general conclusions along this line, the statistics 

 collected from the users of water under the Moore Ditch were carefully studied. 

 But it was soon evident that no conclusions of value concerning the duty of water 

 could be reached by the studj' of results obtained under such adverse conditions as 

 here prevailed. The statistics collected from the pumping plants were more satis- 

 factory, in that the time of using the water was under the control of the irrigators 

 and the crop returns were better: but as few of them were pumping at the time 

 when we made our investigation, we had in most cases no way of determinmg the 

 depth of water used except bj' computation from the reported capacity of the pump 

 and the acreage reported as irrigated per day. The depths were all computed, and 

 a table showing the duty of water and the crop returns was prepared for publication; 

 but a studv of the table shows that either the capacit}' of several of the pumps is 

 much overrated or that water is used with great exti-avagance (in pumping the cost 

 is an effective check on extravagance), and we saw no evidence of such excess in the 

 use of water on these tracts as the reports would indicate. The probabilities are 

 that the owners of the pumps are mistaken as to their capacitj-, and that the volumes 

 used are much less than the computations show. The table has therefore been 

 omitted from the report. Next year the observations in this locality will begin with 

 the irrigating season and be continued throughout the year under conditions more 

 favorable for accurate measurements and with greater certainty of teaching safe 

 conclusions. 



PRESENT CONDITIONS AND POSSIBILITIES OF YOLC COUNTY. 



With the exception of the few pumping plants described, the Moore Ditch holds 

 the field. The capacitj* of the ditch as managed is utterly inadequate to the demands of 

 the territorj" covered. Except for those who are most favorably situated, there can 

 be no certainty of obtaining water when desired. When water is most needed there 

 are always more users wanting it than can possiblj- be served. The lack of certaint\', 

 or, rather, the certaint\' that all can not get water, operates to discourage the growing 

 of crops requiring irrigation. The cost of leveling the land and preparing the levees 

 for flooding, which is almost the universal custom here, is no small item of expense. 

 Unused levees are not only useless, but are impediments to cultivation and harvest- 

 Jug. The water user, disappointed in getting water for lands already prepared, 

 has little encouragement to continue or extend his efforts. The more progressive 

 fanners, who are convinced that the growing of grain is impoverishing the soil and 

 who would gladly change to a mixed husbandry' with rotation of crops, are still 

 compelled to grow wheat year after year at a loss. With water these lands will 

 produce four to six crops of alfalfa annually, aggregating 5 to 10 tons per acre. 

 With this alfalfa and the other forage crops that would be possible with an assured 

 supply of water, the growing of cattle and sheep, the feeding of range stock, and 



