File:Principles of irrigation engineering, arid lands, water supply, storage works, dams, canals, water rights and products (1913) (14597890837).jpg

Identifier: cu31924073873089 (find matches)
Title: Principles of irrigation engineering, arid lands, water supply, storage works, dams, canals, water rights and products
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Newell, Frederick Haynes, 1862-1932 Murphy, Daniel William
Subjects: Irrigation Agricultural engineering
Publisher: New York : McGraw-Hill Book Company
Contributing Library: Cornell University Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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pes toward the valleys render the conditionsfavorable for economical development of irrigation. In Utah, forexample, the almost innumerable small streams from the WasatchMountains issuing upon the desert valleys at frequent intervals,enabled the pioneers to build their small irrigation canals at theminimum of cost. Relatively few large structures were requiredand the steep slopes permitted the water to be carried out in narrowchannels but still at a sufficient elevation to cover the irrigable landsin the valleys below. The Soil.—The soil of the arid regions differs essentially from thatof the humid regions in that disintegration has taken place underconditions where the earthy salts have not been so completelyleached out. Many of the soils have been built up by wind action,others are alluvial or delta deposits brought out upon the marginof the valleys by the streams issuing from the high mountains.Still others have resulted from sedimentation in fresh-water lakes. IRRIGABLE LANDS 11
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12 PRINCIPLES OF IRRIGATION ENGINEERING As a whole, the soils are more highly productive in their naturalcondition than those of the humid regions, excepting possibly thoseof the swamp lands. One of the most notable characteristics of the agricultural soilsof the arid region is the deficiency of organic vegetable matter. Thefirst effort of the skilled irrigation farmer is to supply this lack.Fortunately, alfalfa, one of the most valuable of the forage plants,is also valuable for supplying organic matter to the soil. Thisplant also has the property of obtaining nitrogen from the air, andgiving it to the soU, through the activities of bacteria which inhabitnodules on the roots. As soon, therefore, as the soU has been brokenup and partly subdued by planting a grain or similar crop, alfalfais put in and after a few cuttings the green plants are plowed under,thus supplying the soil with the necessary organic matter, and mak-ing it capable of producing subsequently large crops of potatoes,s

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