Bulletin Volume 158-160 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...most of the reservoirs being 10 cents per yard, most of the eartli being obtained near by, necessitating only short hauls. In the computations following, 10 cents per cubic yard will be assumed as the cost of all such work, though with high embankments and longer hauls the cost will increase; but for embankments up to 10 feet there should be no material increase in cost of construction. The earth or clay for embankments is usually plowed and then handled by drag scrapers. Reservoir capacity with reference to the size of a given plant may be conveniently reckoned in terms of the number of hours the total flow from the supply of water will require to fill the. reservoir. The total area irrigated by the aid of artificial reservoirs is in the neighborhood of '2,000 acres. One of the most important factors in improving the irrigation facilities of the country and utilizing its resources to the fullest extent is the judicious use of reservoirs. Natural reservoir sites are few and often inconveniently located. In much of the country in Texas, on the other hand, artificial reservoirs may be built entirely in embankment wherever desired, provided the subsoil is suitable for retaining water. These reservoirs could be used for the storage of artesian well water, river water supplied by gravity, or pumped water. A study of the use made of artesian well water indicates that of the wells which are used for irrigation only about 20 per cent of the total available water supply is actually utilized, the remainder going to waste, although under present conditions the wells themselves may have reached their practical limit of irrigation. In other words, throughout a great part of the year well water not desired for irrigation will go to waste. Artesian wells will be subject t...