The work of reclaiming the arid lands has been wonderfully accelerated
and widened in scope by the national government. The projects of the
reclamation service now include practically all of the available
waters of the Yakima valley for irrigating the lands therein. In
Yakima county alone there are probably
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260,000 acres now under ditch, and probably 50,000 more will be
reclaimed this season. This is probably not more than half the
lands in the county capable of irrigation. The fact that the general
government is in control of these projects insures as wide and
just a distribution of the available waters as possible. The cost
of irrigation, which is from $50 to $60 per acre, is paid by the
owners of the land in ten annual payments. There is also an annual
charge for maintaining the canals from $1.25 to $1.50 per acre.
These projects of the government cover the lands in Benton and
Kittitas counties also--both of these counties being in the Yakima
valley. The government is also engaged in managing an extensive
project in the southern part of Okanogan county, where probably
50,000 acres will be reclaimed.
There is a large acreage in Franklin and Walla Walla counties,
about the junctions of the Snake and Columbia rivers, to which
Pasco is central, which is arid. The government has once turned
this project down, but is now reconsidering it, and it is reported
that these lands will soon be put under ditch by the joint action
of the government and the Northern Pacific railway, which owns
a large portion of the lands.
Meanwhile private enterprises are reclaiming extensive tracts in
Klickitat county, and in fact nearly all the counties bordering on
the Columbia and Snake rivers in eastern Washington. It is probable
that there are more lands capable of irrigation in the state than can
be irrigated with available waters. This fact adds to the importance
of the question of what to do with arid lands when no water can be
put upon them.