506 ANNUAL EEPOET SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1919. 
irrigators, are very unsatisfactory and should be enlarged and im- 
proved. The cultivation of the lands is gradually extending and 
slow improvement is being made in the use of water, which is very 
wastefully applied to the lands. Efforts are being made to introduce 
the rotation system and to charge for water on an acre-foot basis, 
which will be necessary before early practice in the economy of water 
can be hoped for. The excessive application of water is manifested 
by a rising water table and the destruction of the fertility of some 
of the land. Agriculture in general is successful, and the settlers are 
prosperous. 
The Boise project in Idaho includes the Arrowrock and Deer Flat 
Reservoirs, which have been completed, and a canal system, which 
now delivers water to the main body of the project. Contemplated 
extensions will be made gradually to conform to better practices 
regarding the use of water which is sufficient for irrigating about 
40,000 additional acres of land if used with reasonable economy. 
Public notice was issued in 1917 announcing the charges on the com- 
pleted portion of the project, but the water users brought suit to 
escape a portion of the repayment, and this has been tried in the 
United States court. A preliminary opinion has been handed down 
by the court, which holds that the full cost of the project must be 
paid by the beneficiaries, but withholds decision upon several points 
of detail. 
In addition to the main project, the United States, under 11 special 
contracts, delivers storage water to about 150,000 acres of lands that 
are served by independent systems. The current year has been one 
of excej)tional drouth, and it was preceded also by a very dry year. 
It is the general opinion, as expressed by the water users and the 
local press, that the benefits the past season from the storage works 
constructed by the Government have been greater than the total cost 
of those works in the increased product upon the lands served by 
stored water which would have been without water except for these 
works. The project as a whole is very productive and successful. 
The Minidoka project in Idaho as originally planned has been 
completed, but several extensions are possible and desirable. The 
project is in two portions — that which is served with irrigation water 
by gravity has been formed into an irrigation district which operates 
the canal system serving it under contract with the United States; 
the j)umping unit on the south side of the river is operated by the 
United States. The results of irrigation in this region are very 
striking and exceptionally successful. 
The Huntley project in Montana is practically completed, and is 
one of the most successful and thickly settled projects of the service. 
Drainage work is in progress and some enlargement of a portion of 
