WATER APPROPRIATION FROM KINGS RIVER. 295 



southwesterh' course from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, passes to the east and 

 south of Campbells Mountain and discharges into Kings River at the Narrows. It 

 flows in a wide, deep gorge from foothill base to the river. Southward from 

 Wahtoke Creek are several minor creek channels, which carry water only in very 

 wet seasons and sink, or spread before reaching Cross Creek. 



After the purchase of the 76 Canal sj'stem by the irrigation district in 1890 

 more branch canals were necessary. These were constructed, under the direction 

 and supervision of the district engineer, by private parties, from whom they were 

 then bought, payment being made with irrigation-district bonds. About 150 miles 

 of branch ditches were thus constructed at a total cost in bonds of $133,000. The 

 entire district is now covered with branch canals, which are rarely more than 2 to 3 

 miles apart. 



The area of land to whose surface water is now actually applied is estimated by 

 the district officers at 50,000 acres. The distribution of water is in charge of a canal 

 superintendent and seven assistants called "ditch tenders." 



The soil of this region is for the most part a sandy loam, with coarse, clayey 

 sands near the eastern border of the district, and finer, lighter sands toward the west. 

 Much alkali is in the soil to the west and southwest of Traver. Hardpan subsoils 

 are common at 2 to 5 feet below the surface. Ground water before 1883 was 20 to 

 50 feet. It was nearest the surface in the southern and western portions of this 

 district. Irrigation is causing the water table to rise, particularly near Traver, 

 It now stands at 2 to 6 feet at Traver and at 5 to 8 feet at Dinuba. 



Water is usually available for irrigation from February until the end of July. 

 There is practically no restriction upon the use of water by irrigators. No measure- 

 ments are made. Each irrigator takes all the water he requires and when he can get 

 it. Where used on a small scale, land is occasionally prepared for it by subdivision 

 into small rectangiilar checks. This was the preferred system when water was first 

 introduced into the vicinity of Traver. Now the contour-check method of irrigation 

 is finding more favor. The reason for this preference seems to be due not only to 

 reduced first cost, but also to the fact that it requires less cutting down of surface 

 soils than the level-check method of irrigation. The uncovered subsoils are often 

 found to be relatively barren. Orchards, vineyards, and summer crops ai"e quite 

 generally being irrigated by the furrow method. Grain land, if wet at all, is irrigated 

 by spreading water over the surface from small ditches or furrows, usually before 

 sowing, preferably soon after harvest. 



This being one of the canals of most recent construction, it is one of those which 

 would be most benefited by a final adjudication of rights. Most of the other canal 

 organizations have been forced to recognize the inexpediency of trusting to legal 

 tribunals to determine relative rights to the use of water on the basis of existing 

 laws and facts which are apt to be more or less distorted. The preferable arrange- 

 ment seems to be to make agreements with each other, stipulating how the water 

 should be apportioned when there is less than enough for all. Alta Irrigation District 

 being in the most favored position for a diversion of water from the river, and being 

 comparativelj' a recent claimant, is beset by riparian owners and by other appro- 

 priators, and has not only, on complaint of riparian owners, been decreed to have no 

 right to divert any water, except for a very limited amount of riparian land, but in 



