meth Pin OF THE 
USDEDARTHENT OFARICLTURE % ig 
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. JAyNeE, 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 
Norp.—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 
