Montana farmer-stockman. [volume], October 01, 1948, Page 23, Image 23

About Montana farmer-stockman. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1947-1993

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
Montana Irrigation Needs
Slogan Might Be: "Use Shovel Less, Head M ore 9 *
By H. L. DUSENBERRY, Extension Irrigation and Weed Specialist
PLANS ARK UNDER WAY for
large scale irrigation development in
Montana, The Columbia and Mis
souri basin development plans when
completed would put over 1,000,000
acres of new land under irrigation.
It will supply supplemented water
or provide drainage for early 500,
000 acres of land now under ixriga
tion.
In addition to the proposed irri
gation, power, wildlife conservation,
flood control, navigation, and mu
nicipal water supplies will be devel
oped as a part of the vast plan. With
plans of this scope and magnitude
in the public hopper, it seems wise
to sit back and look at the irrigation
needs for Montana.
Let us first raise the question,
Why do we need more irrigation in
Montana? Land use adjustments
have been made over the past 20
years that have improved our dry
land agriculture. The operating units
have been adjusted in size to im
prove farm family income. Meth
ods of farming now practiced and
varieties of crops produced under
dryland reduce the hazards of
drouth to a minimum. Stock water
development, flood irrigation, and
range improvement through reseed
ing and deferred grazing are making
headway toward increased livestock
carrying capacity on the range. All
this and more would indicate that
Montana dryland agriculture is rap
idly getting on a more solid footing.
These trends have reduced the pub
lic demand for irrigation at the
present.
Limited Opportunity for Youth
Now let us examine the other side
of the picture. Large power ma
chinery and consolidation of farm
operating units have reduced the
population on our dry farms as well
as our farm labor requirements. In
a sparsely settled state like Mon
tana, the opportunity for youth is
very limited. A continuation of dry
land agriculture will reduce rather
than increase the opportunity for
rural youth.
Irrigation development on 1,096,
330 acres of land will provide farm
units for appproximately 8,000 new
farm families. It will provide op
portunity for about 16,000 new fam
ilies to livelihood in
adjacent to new irrigated land. It
will provide additional incentive and
opportunity for the development of
processing plants and associated in
dustries. It will help to stabilize
agriculture in drouth years.
It will increase the tax base and
make additional public service pos
sible. It will provide opportunity for
increased livestock feeding in Mon
tana to supply the rapidly growing
western market with beef and pork.
As individuals we may not need new
irrigation, but as a state we can only
grow by developing our resources.
As a nation the day may soon be at
hand when more food is needed for
our people.
Adjustment to Needs
What about the needs of the peo
ple on the land in this far-reaching
development plan? The reclamation
law has certain limitations which
may slow down development. One
of these is the present method of
reshaping the ownership pattern
for new irrigation projects. For some
projects the present law is adequate,
and for others it is not. The matter
of land preparation and develop
ment has been too slow and painful
for efficient utilization of resources,
Legislation is badly needed which
will provide more alternatives for
the operators now on the proposed
projects and more assistance in the
matter of land development for irri
gation. This legislation should be
planned and outlined by the farm
ers themselves to assure workability.
All this has had ta do with new
development. One of the common
mistakes our government has made
is to forget about a project after it is
promoted and constructed. Many of
the difficulties arise at this point.
"Grew Like Topsy"
Many of the simple stream diver
sion projects in western Montana
"grew up like Topsy" without any
planning or guidance. The outcome
was too many ditches that duplicate
the actual need, too many ditches
in the wrong place, and too many in
dividual ditches where consolida
tions would increase efficiency. Irri
gation structures are badly needed
on most irrigation projects in the
state to reduce water loss, save labor
and prevent erosion.
Land preparation and improved
methods of spreading water could
easily reduce the water requirèment
and labor requirement to one-half
on many projects in Montana.
Summary of Needs
In summing up the needs in irri
gation for Montana, the list of para
mount items would probably go
something like this for new projects:
1. Careful study and planning be
fore projects are developed.
2. Public interest and assistance
during the development stage of a
project.
3. A continuing intensive educa
tional program during construction
and after the project is in operation.
For old projects:
1. Reorganization of ditch distri
bution systems including consolida
tion of division ditches where pos
sible and elimination of many of the
farm ditches.
2. More canal structures including
drops, chutes, siphons, flumes, head
gates, and weirs.
3. Land preparation including
leveling and dikes.
4. Improved methods especially
more border dike and contour ditch
systems to replace ditches running
out on the high points in a haphaz
ard fashion.
5. Means of measuring the water
delivered to the land.
6. Avoidance of over irrigation of
lands.
7. Drainage of waterlogged lands.
8. Weed control on ditch banks.
Equipment such as canvas dams,
siphon tubes and gated pipe is find
ing a place on many of our irrigated
farms.
Probably our slogan for irrigation
should be, "Do most of the work be
fore the water is turned on; use
your shovel less and your head
Most of the farm jobs are
more.'
being mechanized rapidly, Irriga
tion also has a lot of possibilities
in this direction, but most of it has
to be done before the water reaches
the field.
■
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"We All Agree
JOHN DEERE MILLS
Make Better Feed"
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w
d riZ give lots
lesi feed If you «erre it chopped
or ground to my taste. That
COM for the rest of the cow», too.*
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more milk and waste
TVANIEL MOORE of Bettendorf,
Iowa, is "happily married" to
his John Deere Feed Mill. The year
'round, Mr. Moore keeps his mill
busy earning money processing
feed for his dairy cows, pigs, chick
£M i
drm puttin' on three pounds a
day and am never ofl feed since
my boss bought a John Deere
Roughage Mill. He'll make a good
profit oa the whole herd of us. y
Does it pay? "You bet it pays!"
says Mr. Moore. "For example,
last spring I processed two tons of
chick feed
of corn, 600 lbs. of oats, 200 lbs.
of choice alfalfa, 400 lbs. of bran,
200 lbs. of shorts and 1000 lbs. of
baby chick concentrate at a cost of
$194.00 based oa actual market
price of feeds used. The same com
mercial feed would have cost me
$250.00. Similar savings have been
made in every feed-making job.
"What's more, when you process
your feeds, there's no feed
waste. Your feed goes farther—
earns more money in meat or milk."
NOTE: An early issue of "The
Furrow" will carry a complete story
on Mr. Moore's experience with a
money-making John Deere Mill, Be
sure to read it.
consisting of 1600 lbs.
«4
d My youngster» sure make pig« of
themselves on ground feed slops;
And they grow like weed», too. y
hunk
f
d Yep
,,, I've noticed my hens »re
on the nest more than usual, and
that means bigger egg produc
tion. They say lt T » because of the
better home - grown feed we're
getting. And it keeps me fit, too. y
Ses the full line of profit-stretching
John Deere Mills at your John Deere
dealer's. Write today to John Deere,
Moline, HI., Dept. K.T., tor free de
scriptive folders.
01
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m.
mm
m
Deere
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d My
they used to be, but
ground feed I'm getting along
LUNDIS
teeth aren't so
th that
Don't hesitate to write lb an advertiser in MONTANA FARMER-STOCKMAN
for further information about his product. He will be glad to be of service to
you. Tell him you read his ad in MONTANA FARMER-STOCKMAN.
ETi
my#* l
ANTIFREEZE
I
(Petroleum
Type (P) Permanent
Special Price to Quantity Buyers
We Carry a Full Line of Army Truck Ports
CARL WEISSMAN & SONS, INC.
327 Third Ave. S.
Great Falls
Phone 6597
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SEND US YOUR CHANGE OF ADDRESS 6,
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us at least two weeks before you move. A
MONTANA FARMER-STOCKMAN, Great Falls, Montana ^