32 
supply canal, it often happens that the short high flood period is not 
sufficient to till the reservoir. This condition has retarded reservoir 
construction somewhat, the greater growth being in increasing the 
capacity of reservoirs already constructed and in enlarging the inlet 
canals. There are numerous undeveloped sites in the district, the 
more important of which are enumerated further on. By the use of 
these and the enlargement of the inlet canals very little water indeed 
would escape and then only in time of unusual Hoods. 
The great incentive at present for the construction of reservoirs is to 
supply water to late crops; sugar beets are becoming a factor in the 
water problem and require considerable late water; potatoes likewise 
require irrigation late in the season, and winter wheat, now so popu- 
TtrSu 
JAN. 
10 20 
FEB. 
10 20 
MARCH 
10 20 
APRIL 
10 20 
MAY 
10 20 
JUNE 
10 20 
C 93 
TZW^ 
JULY 
10 20 
AUG. 
10 20 
SEPT. 
10 20 
OCT. 
10 20 
NOV. 
10 20 
DEC. 
10 20 
y<r (/ire 
Fi<;. 1.— Diagram showing the water supply from Big Thompson Creek, and the manner of its use. 
lar, must be irrigated in the fall. With alfalfa, followed by potatoes 
and beets, and these in turn followed by winter wheat, even the rota- 
tion of crops docs not lessen the demand for reservoir water. In the 
diagram (fig. 1) the average water supply for the different months of 
the year is represented graphically, platted to accord with the figures 
given in the tables of discharge. It will be seen that there is a surplus 
available for storage from October to June, while there is a demand 
for stored water during June, July, August, and September. On the 
plat the dotted lines represent the average amount of water used during 
each month. In arriving at these quantities estimates were obtained 
from several of the former water commissioners and from the present 
commissioner of the amount of water used for direct irrigation each 
month and the amount drawn from reservoirs. They furnished esti- 
