32 
LOSSES FROM CANALS BY SEEPAGE. 
is deep in the ground, when crossing lines of drainage, or 
when located below other ditches or irrigated tracts. 
7. In the prevailing Colorado soil, when not intercept- 
ing seepage, the loss maybe put provisionally at from i to 2 
feet per day over the whole surface of the canal. In clay 
soils it is less, but still nearly one-half as much. 
8. The loss in carrying water in small quantities, is 
relatively larger than in carrying large amounts. The in- 
creased depth of water means increased leakage, but the 
carrying capacity increases faster than the leakage. 
8a. From the standpoint of economy, it is wasteful 
to run a small head. It is more economical to run a 
large head for a short time. In the management of small 
ditches the time system of distribution can be introduced to 
advantage, saving time and labor as well as water. 
9. It is wasteful to use two ditches or laterals when one 
would serve. 
10. The loss increases with higher temperature, being 
about twice as much at 80° as at 32''. 
[I. The loss increases with greater depth of water, but 
the exact relation needs further investigation. 
12. The loss will be lessened by any process which 
forms or tends to form an impervious lining or coating of 
fine material, as of clay or silt. The silt, consisting of fine 
sand, improves many soils. Clay is better and especially 
limy clay, the lime with the clay forming an almost imper- 
vious coating, 
, 13. Cement linings as used in California and Mexico 
are not warranted by the conditions in Colorado, nor would 
the weather conditions be favorable. Nor is the use of 
wooden stave piping for this purpose likely to be profitable 
in many places in the State, if at all on the larger canals 
at present, d'he silting process applied with discrimination 
will accomplish much at smaller cost. 
14. On small laterals glazed sewer pipes may save an- 
noyance often connected with the carrying of water in late- 
rals for considerable distances, which, with the saving of 
water, may make its use an object. One of the supply late- 
rals of the Colorado Agricultural College is of vitrified 
sewer pipe, over 4,000 feet of 12-inch pipe being used. 
15. Some particular sections in canals are subject to 
much greater loss than the canal as a whole. Hence 
water can be saved by locating the leaky place and reme- 
dying it. This may be desirable to do while it would be 
unprofitable to treat the whole canal. 
16. I here are many places where it would be ad van- 
