38 
SEEPAGE OK RETURN WATERS FROM IRRIGATION. 
and is far better than other records available. Some of the figures 
will be referred to later. 
§ 27. On the Lower Platte the extent of the irrigated area is 
not so well known as on the Poudre. This portion of the valley 
includes two districts—Water District No. 1, from the mouth of the 
Poudre to the east line of Morgan county, just below the head of 
the Tetsel ditch, and No. 64, from that point to the State line. In 
the report of the Commissioner for district No. 1, for 1890, the total 
amount irrigated is given as less than 11,000 acress. In 1892 it is 
given as 43,760 acres. This latter is probably excessive.. The 
amount is reported in 1895 as practically the same, distributed 
among the ditches as follows: 
Acres. 
The Hardin ditch_ 525 
The Hoover and Illinois ditches- 720 
The Putnam ditch- 1,875 
The Weldon Valley- 6,250 
The Fort Morgan-<-12,600 
The Platte & Beaver-14,080 
The Platte & Beaver Supply- 9,500 
Deuel & Snyder- 1,000 
In district 64, through the courtesy of Mr. Patterson, the Water 
Commissioner for that district, we are given the following approxi¬ 
mations : 
Acres. 
South Platte ditch-3,500 
The Pawnee_4,700 
Schneider_2,600 
Sterling Irrigation Co-4,400 
Henderson and Smith-1,275 
Sterling No. 2_1,800 
Low Line_1,900 
Springdale_3,200 
Powell and Dillon- 930 
IliIf & Platte Valley-5,000 
Small ditches-6,000 
Or a total of_--35,000 
This makes a total acreage for the valley of about 75,000 to 
80,000 acres. With an average inflow of 340 cubic feet per second 
from the mouth of the Poudre river to Iliff, this is an inflow of 
one cubic foot per second from 220 to 240 acres irrigated. This is 
far more than in the case of the Cache a la Poudre. It is to be 
noticed that in the case of the Platte, a relatively large proportion 
of the irrigation is given to the bottom lands, which are used for 
Iiay. The principal exceptions are in the vicinity of Fort Morgan 
