BULLETIN OF THE 



i) 



No. 155 



Contribution from Office of Experiment Stations, A. C. True, Director 

 December 23, 1914. 



(PROFESSIONAL PAPER.) 



WOOD PIPE FOR CONVEYING WATER FOR 

 IRRIGATION. 



By S. O. Jayne, Irrigation Manager. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



During the period subsequent to 1880, the manufacture of wood 

 pipe has grown to be an industry of considerable magnitude, and 

 the use of such pipe is a matter of economic importance. On the 

 part of many there has been some skepticism as to the merits of 

 wood for water conduits. On the other hand, there are those who 

 have had too much confidence in it. As a consequence, the value of 

 wood pipe has often not been adequately appreciated, while in other 

 instances it has been overrated. Many points upon which opinions 

 differed at the beginning could be settled only upon the evidence of 

 time and experience. Such experience, extending over a period of 

 more than 30 years, affords a great deal of information bearing upon 

 various points which have been and are still to some extent debatable. 



The facts relating to the use of wood pipe and practice in its con- 

 struction and operation during this period should, if gathered to- 

 gether and carefully analyzed, be sufficient to settle most of the dis- 

 puted points and establish its status beyond further serious ques- 

 tion. That there is need of such information is evident. The 

 capital already invested in wood-pipe lines throughout the United 

 States amounts to* many millions of dollars, and this amount is being 

 increased annually. Protection of present investments, therefore, 

 demands that existing pipe lines be maintained and operated in 

 accordance with what experience has shown to be the practice most 

 favorable to long life ; and future investments should be safeguarded 

 by and profit from all available knowledge bearing upon the design, 

 location, and maintenance of such pipe lines. 



That advantage of available knowledge has not in every instance 

 been taken may be seen by inspection of much recent work. This 

 has doubtless been due largely to the difficulty of obtaining desired 



Note. — This bulletin will be of interest to irrigation engineers, owners of irrigation 

 works, water power companies, and water departments of municipalities. 



61133°— Bull. 155—14 1 



