History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 62

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146

USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume III > Part 62

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

CHAPTER XIII

IRRIGATION, WATER SUPPLY, RAINFALL, STREAMS, ELEVATION, TEMPERATURE, RESERVOIRS, CONSERVATION, RECLAMATION, ETC.

Irrigation has been practiced as far back as civilization commenced, and the labor involved to raise the water has ever been the most troublesome problem. In early times many crude devices were employed. It is only in comparatively recent times that inexpensive and practical methods have been devised. The gasoline engine has proved to be the cheapest and best water raiser. To farm by irrigation, different methods from the old ones must be adopted. It succeeds best and almost invariably under intensive methods. It is necessary to carefully prepare the soil and thoroughly cultivate it. In all cases those crops which give the best returns should be selected; among them are fruits, alfalfa, rice, grapes, garden produce, especially celery, asparagus, strawberries, potatoes, hops, tobacco and cotton. The experiments of the Government, the agricultural college and the experiment stations have proved beyond all doubt that in localities where there is sufficient rainfall, particularly in the Black Hills region and along the stream valleys, the addition of the right quantities by irrigation at the proper time will double or triple the crop. Too much water will decrease the yield. In irrigation the aim in the Black Hills is to furnish about 70 per cent of soil satura- tion and no more.

A few of the advantages of irrigation are the following: Submergence im- proves the soil by depositing silt, new soil and organic matter ; increases the pro- duction by bringing more of the soil into use; destroys injurious insects and worms; makes the farmer independent of unconstant rainfalls; prolongs the harvest period of various crops if so desired, and executed ; makes farming profit- able in waste and desert places; enables the farmer to reclaim soil that is appar- ently worthless; enables the farmer to double and triple the crops on the same acreage without doubling or tripling the labor ; increases the number of crops that can be grown on the same acreage; introduces new plant food, such as carbon, potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen salts, etc. If too much water is used the air cannot reach the inner soil to replenish the plant food. At all times the farmer and fruit grower of the Black Hills takes into consideration the kind of soil he is cultivating. He must know just how much water it needs, how much humus it contains, also sand, clay, marl, lime, loam, peat, muck, gravel, etc. Sand is poor in plant food, but requires much moisture. Clay is hard to work, is apt to bake, but holds moisture well and therefore needs less water. It con- tains potash, lime, nitrogen, phosphorus. Loam soils are midway between sand and clay and usually have all the good features of both. They yield immense returns to irrigation. When irrigating light soils like loam, very small streams

440

441

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

of water should be used, otherwise there is danger of washing the plant food out of the soil. After irrigating it is important to keep the soil thorouhly culti- vated, for all authorities agree that it is full of capillary tubes through whichi moisture finds its way to the surface and evaporates. To conserve the water in the soil these tubes must be kept severed or closed by surface cultivation. The cultivated soil serves all the purposes of a mulch. This system is well observed in the Black Hills. They also understand how to treat alkali. The bases of alkali are soda, potash and ammonia. This is necessary to plant growth, but if in too large quantities is greatly injurious. This condition is remedied by culti- vation, frequent flooding, underground drainage and by growing leguminous crops. How much water to use is determined by the Black Hills growers through experiments. There are four methods used to apply the water-flowing, flooding, scepage and sprinkling. All make it a point to cultivate as soon as possible after irrigation in order to conserve the moisture. Sometimes gravity methods of supply cannot be used; then engines are employed, but this is always attended by greater expense.

In the western part of the state there are large areas of arable land which lie above the stream valleys and beyond the reach of any system of irrigation except that furnished by local reservoirs built to impound storm waters. In Butte, Meade and Pennington counties there are large quantities of this land. All through these counties can be seen such projects in working order. It should be borne in mind at all times that the old-time extensive farmer must surrender his ancient farming operations for the intensive system if he aims to practice irrigation. Intensive farming is hard and painstaking, but can be done largely by horse and engine power. Close attention along approved lines is necessary to insure success. As irrigation is the keynote to future success on a large quantity of the land of South Dakota, the facts concerning that system cannot be impressed too strongly and forcibly upon the understanding of farm- ers and their children. If they will begin gradually no time nor money will be lost. They should at once build reservoirs from which they can at first try in- tensive methods under irrigation on small tracts, which should be treated like a garden. It should also be borne in mind that irrigation without propitious con- ditions-good soil, frequent tillage, abundant fertilization and necessary aera- tion-will not succeed. The sooner the old-fogy farmers abandon their crude and unsatisfactory methods the sooner the state will come into its own and rise side by side with its sister states. Such a farmer will never succeed with irrigation. In all instances intensive farming with right irrigation has succeeded in South Dakota. Irrigation is simple when understood; but soils, fertilizers and plant life should be studied. The farmers of the Black Hills have combined their experience with the scientific knowledge of the experts with most gratifying results. When intensive farming through irrigation is taught in all the public schools, particularly those in the rural districts, scientific agriculture will ad- vance rapidly, and not till then. If all farmers will commence at once to irri- gate small tracts along intensive lines while conducting their usual farming operation-if they will thus start with reservoirs and irrigation an experimental tract of land of from two to five acres, and if at the same time they will quit laughing at the experts, who know much more about farming than they do, and commence to read the bulletins and other documents of the Government and

442

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

state authorities-they will take the first necessary long step towards the pros- perity of both themselves and the state. In their first experiments the farmers will learn much from the bulletins of the experiment stations and the agricultural college.

In a large measure the operations of dry farming may be conducted in accord . with those of irrigation and intensive farming. With the single exception of the amount of water used, the conditions are much the same. Where it is found difficult to secure large amounts of water, dry intensive methods should be em- ployed. These are now being employed on hundreds of farms in the state.

Where water is so important to the husbandman it is easy to understand the objects and importance of the water conservation movement that now has taken possession of the state. Why sensible people will let millions of acre feet of the best water in the world rush by their parched farms without an effort to store and save it, is one of the mysteries of husbandry. In spite of all precau- tions, much water is also seen going to waste even in the irrigated valleys of the Black Hills, through ditches that leak and through the unnecessary flooding of lands that are better off without so much water. It is the experience in the western valleys that irrigation areas are being called upon constantly to expand so as to annex additional tracts, and hence the call is for more water. All this demand can be met by the storage of flood waters. This situation may be seen under the Belle Fourche system, which utilizes the surplus. So do other systems. But it cannot be denied that despite all of these conservation methods, millions of cubic feet of water needed on the adjacent lands are allowed to go rushing onward to the sea each season. Very little has been done in the state to con- serve storm water; nearly all the efforts have been directed to the use of ordinary stream water. The storm waters are particularly valuable for the uplands, the hills and the tablelands, and there all farmers should commence storing such water in reservoirs for the drier months. Thousands of acres on these uplands now regarded as almost valueless would soon blossom as the rose were they to receive the water that falls near them or on them. Already many tracts of from forty to two hundred acres are being thus supplied with water from such reservoirs. Nothing is better to conserve the moisture than forests. There is every reason, then, to start the forests at the same time with the reservoirs. Upland reservoirs will build up the upland forests-just what is wanted. Already hundreds of such have been started in all parts of the semi-arid region. Recol- lect that co-operation in irrigation projects has thus far given the best results in South Dakota. The state water code should be amended and studied.

The Legislature of 1889 authorized the sinking of artesian wells for irriga- tion purposes, upon petition of the residents of a township. At the October session they passed this memorial to Congress: "Resolved, that the senators and representatives of the State of South Dakota in the Congress of the United States are hereby requested to urge the passage of a bill at the earliest date possible providing an appropriation for the purpose of making necessary sur- veys and of boring experimental artesian wells, so as to determine the feasibility and practicability of artesian irrigation, preparatory to the establishment of a system of irrigation for the state." An artesian irrigation convention was held at Huron in September-a mass convention. Committees were appointed to in- vestigate the subject and make report at a subsequent meeting. J. B. Hart, A. P. Robinson and L. M. Gibbs were the State Artesian Well Commission.

443

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

The Government Irrigation Commission visited the state in May, and among other duties inspected the artesian wells to see if they could be used for irriga- tion purposes. When their official report was finally made it stated that out of ninety-six million odd acres in the two Dakotas, about fifty million acres were within the arid belt or region; that the annual rainfall of this region was from fifteen to eighteen inches; that the James River Basin contained about seven million acres, of which 98 per cent was good for tillage, etc. While the report classed much of the land as arid, it stated at the same time that all of it would produce grass, small grain, etc. "Why, then," it was asked by the newspapers, "should the region be classed as arid?" Generally, the settlers felt that the report conveyed the false impression that the land was practically worthless. From all portions of the state came criticisms of the report. One newspaper said : "All that the people of the Dakotas will ever obtain from this commission has been obtained-namely, a statement that more than half of their domain is arid, and therefore incapable of sustaining agriculture. It does not matter that the report is a stupid misrepresentation of the true condition. It is official, was procured at the instance of the people, and it will stand." At once opinion was unanimous in the two Dakotas in support of a liberal appropriation for an irriga- tion survey, and the demand came from all sides that the general Government should appropriate also a sum sufficient to defray the expenses of rapid geologic and hydrographic inspection by which the forms of developing a water supply already named might be fairly outlined and located in connection with the physical features of the two states. In 1890 there were yet open to entry in the two Dakotas 21,000,000 acres. A law of Congress in effect in 1890 required the President to withdraw from settlement all arid land west of the 10I meridian, thus taking away more than one-third of South Dakota. It was claimed that the aridity of this tract was falsely urged in order to provide certain officials with large sums for its reclamation. The congressional repre- sentatives of the two Dakotas made herculean efforts in the fall of 1890 to prevent the withdrawal of these lands from settlement. In fact it required earnest statesmanship to establish the point that these lands were just arid enough to entitle them to an irrigation appropriation, and not arid enough to place them under the operation of the law forbidding their settlement. The truth was that the residents wanted more settlers and wanted them earnestly. Naturally, there- fore, they presented the most attractive features and failed to mention the others, just as every salesman fails to mention all the defects or demerits of his goods. But the Government report brought out all the defects as well as the merits of the so-called arid belt. The real damage in the report was due to the ignorance of the officials as to the possibilities of irrigation, moisture conservation, dry farming, drouth-resisting crops, etc., all of which were developed at a later date until the so-called arid belt is slowly disappearing. No doubt now exists that sooner or later practically every foot of South Dakota soil will be under culti- vation.

An irrigation convention of both of the Dakotas was held at Aberdeen in August, 1890, there being present 250 delegates. The following committees were appointed : On resolutions, legislation, canal systems, artesian well systems and memorial to Congress. The big question was, Is irrigation desirable? Among those who took part in the proceedings were L. H. Hale, C. M. Harrison, A. W.

444

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

Burt, F. H. Hagerty, F. A. Brown, H. S. Williams, D. M. Evans, Ira Clark, Reverend Gardner, State Engineer Coffin, Director Powell, and Ira Barnes. The convention appointed a committee to negotiate loans to farmers who wanted to sink artesian 'wells for irrigation purposes and to procure the necessary legisla- tion. It was shown that a good well would cover a square mile with from sixteen to twenty inches of water in a year; that this, added to the moisture from the clouds, would give a grand total of about thirty-five to forty inches. The plant- ing of trees, it was believed, would draw more rain, temper the hot blasts, and help to extend all crops. It remained for science to reveal the truth about rain- fall, irrigation, alkali, etc.

The conditions affecting irrigation are not the same in all parts of the state. In territorial times, and later in early statehood times, the attention of agriculturists was called in periods of drouth to artesian water as a means of irrigation. As early as 1890 the office of state engineer of irrigation was created, and at first nearly all his efforts were confined to the use of artesian water. He investigated the wells and encouraged the sinking of others, and the purchase of machinery to supply artesian water both for power and irrigation. He likewise accepted artesian wells for township authorities in order to legalize their con- struction and to enable them to float bonds to defray legally the cost. But the methods were long and roundabout, the cost was very great, and the effects of artesian water on the soil were gravely in doubt, so that interest died away when for several years in succession welcome and abundant rains came and the hot winds of July and August were absent.

In 1897 the office of engineer of irrigation was abolished by the Legislature, and a professor of the agricultural college was required to carry on the irriga- tion measures. He at once began a system of crop raising with artesian water used for irrigation, and later in a bulletin announced the degree of success he had attained.

It was shown early in 1890 that there were two principal ways to irrigate in South Dakota: (1) By damming up creeks for the formation of reservoirs; (2) by the use of artesian water. Already it was known that the whole James River Basin was in the artesian district. This basin was known to extend from a short distance below Yankton up to Jamestown, and was from one hundred to one hundred twenty-five miles wide. There were indications also that it ex- tended to the Red River Valley and to the Missouri Valley, and perhaps farther westward.

In November, 1890, Edwin T. Nettleton was appointed chief engineer of the experiment irrigation project in all the West, and Robert Hay, chief geologist. They began operations in the James River Valley at once. They inspected the irrigation project at Huron where 509 acres were flooded with artesian water obtained at a depth of 810 feet. The water was conveyed to the land by five miles of ditches.

In April, 1890, the Government Irrigation Commission reported 135 artesian wells in the James River Valley. No doubt there were many more semi-artesian. At more than a dozen places irrigation with artesian water was in operation with what at first seemed good results. Companies for this purpose were formed at Yankton, Redfield, Huron, Mitchell, Mellette and other smaller centers of population. Already irrigation with this water was practiced by farmers from

GOVERNMENT DIVERTING DAM, BELLE FOURCHE

445

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

Yankton to Jamestown, North Dakota. It began to be noticed at this time that when the wind blew heavily sand was thrown out of many of the wells; that when it blew from certain directions the pressure and flow were less, and that the minerals in the water were injurious to crops unless applied under certain conditions and at certain times.

In January, 1892, Col. E. S. Nettleton of the Government Irrigation Commis- sion, reported that the James River Valley artesian basin was about 40,000 square miles in extent and that the artesian sandstone tipped to the north, so that while the artesian water was reached at 500 to 600 feet at Yankton, it was necessary to go down 600 to 1,800 feet at Devil's Lake to secure it. This made irrigation with the water expensive at the start. There was thus a dip of from 700 to 1,000 feet between the two places. On the east it extended well over into Minnesota and on the west it reached far beyond the Missouri River-almost as far west as Deadwood. He reported this water available for irrigation. It was late in the nineties that the rage for artesian wells abated considerably owing to the fact that the water therefrom for drinking, household, stock and irrigation purposes was found not to be as good as stream water owing to the mineral salts it con- tained. The large amounts of sulphur and iron in the water were sufficient, it was found in practice, to injure lawn grasses, crops, the teeth, and all vessels used to contain water. Thus already the cities had come to the use of water from running streams whenever possible. Shallow wells were dug along fresh water streams in order to obtain through seepage the water from the streams rather than that from the artesian wells or from the soil. Pierre and other cities secured comparatively good water by digging big wide wells near the Missouri River and other fresh water banks, but even there the water con- tains minerals that stimulate the kidneys and bladder. This water would be excellent for a person needing such a remedy. Yankton and other towns and cities have found it necessary to go to river channels for their household water supplies. Thus artesian water for irrigation and even for domestic use is not as popular as it once was.

The big irrigation convention at Redfield in 1896 was the most helpful ever held in the state up to that date. It organized and carried out many practical and successful plans and reforms and was controlled by expert irrigationists. This convention recorded the fact that many lakes of the state were drying up, due probably to the attacks upon their sources of supply-the artesian water reservoirs under ground.

To the National Irrigation Congress in Chicago in November, 1900, the following delegates were appointed by Governor Lee: Carl Jackson, S. A. Cochrane, J. M. Woods, A. G. Williams, Charles L. Hyde and John Scollard. The delegates brought back many new ideas as to what was best to be done on the subject in this state.

An important fact of history is that by 1900 irrigation by artesian wells had gone out of custom. This circumstance was due to several causes: (I) The water itself was not suited for irrigation unless handled exactly right; (2) few learned except by costly experience how properly to handle it; (3) cultiva- tion of the soil conserved the annual rainfall and made irrigation not so neces- sary; (4) it was found that ten inches of water put into actual use when needed was as good ar better than twenty inches with one-half wasted; (5) there

446

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

was thought to be a slight increase in the actual rainfall; (6) the hot and de- structive winds of July and August were tempered by the vast cultivated fields and the groves; (7) the varieties of grain and grass used were drouth resistant - could come to vigorous maturity on less moisture than formerly. All of this was an unexpected and marvelous outcome. Fifteen years earlier it was not dreamed that the natural conditions could be thus improved. Intelligent study conquered the apparently insuperable obstacles. The future has in store equally as momentous and important improvements. Will the husbandman accept them or sit back, denounce the elements and call the scientist a "college farmer"? Time will tell the truth to more progressive. spirits and build them happy and sunny homes on bad lands, range wastes and gumbo hills.

An irrigation expert station was established at Brookings in 1891 with Col. E. I. Nettleton, chief engineer of the Department of Agriculture, in charge. Associated with him were B. S. La Grange, practical irrigationist ; W. W. Follett, government irrigation engineer ; F. F. B. Coffin, artesian well inspector and engi- neer. These men were members of the United States Artesian Well and Irriga- tion Inquiry Commission, with headquarters at Huron. At this time R. O. Rich- ards was manager of the Consolidated Land and Irrigation Company, which had from 700 to 800 acres under artesian irrigation near Huron. Richards said the problem was how to use the artesian water economically and effectively. All his crops were better than those on surrounding farms where irrigation was not used. He estimated an $8,000 crop from 400 acres; he had 300 acres in wheat, 50 acres in corn, 300 acres in flax, besides big fields of oats, barley and potatoes. He was complimented by the government experts.

In the fall of 1891, upon invitation, officers of the Chicago & Northwestern and Great Northern railways, members of the State Board of Railway Com- missioners, representative business men from St. Paul, Minneapolis, Sioux City, Sioux Falls and other cities, visited the home of the Consolidated Land and Irrigation Company at Huron to witness the results of the threshing. The wheat field was carefully measured before the crop was harvested, and as the grain was cut, bound and fed to the thresher it was weighed as it came therefrom. It averaged 53 bushels and 20 pounds per acre. It was grown on irrigated land.

In May, 1892, Congress appropriated $10,000 for South Dakota artificial rain experiments. Representative Jolley tried hard for $25,000, but failed to get that sum. Pettigrew's bill appropriating $40,000 for such experiments passed and became a law, $10,000 coming to this state.

In April, 1892, a bulletin of the Agricultural College considered the subject of irrigation by artesian wells. It said, "All of the experiments go to show that irrigation by means of artesian wells is a success in South Dakota, and there seems to be no reason why the James River Valley, once famous for its fertility and productiveness, will not become one of the most prosperous agricultural sections of the United States. It has all that is necessary-the fertile soil and the water which may be obtained in abundance from artesian wells." But it was shown that the water had to be let on at the right time, that it brought up the alkali from the subsoil, but was not bad for wheat, barley, oats, corn, potatoes, sugar beets and generally was good for gardens. The artesian water contained salts of lime, potash, magnesia, soda, which were used in the forma- tion, in part, of ammonia which was a solvent and thus available for plant food. But the water lacked organisms.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 62

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146