Irrigation

[webfoot]

On a cool breezy May morning. And so begins every morning of my life for the next four and a half months. I normally change the water in the morning. After this morning I am thinking I should do this in the afternoon until the weather warms up. I told the wife that and she said what difference would it make. I replied about 20 degrees. She was talking about the water. I was talking about the weather.

 

[webfoot]

When you put the water on a field where the cows spent the winter it is sure easy to see where the water is going. In a few weeks it wont be so easy to see.

 

[Mountain Cowgirl]

Great photos that bring back good memories. How many acres do you irrigate? Sounds like you have water 24/7 during the season and not on an acre-foot allotment.

 

[webfoot]

I have 67 acres irrigated. There is no allotment here. And there are two ditches, one for each side of the valley. Both of the head gates from the river are on my property. Nothing like being at the head of the ditch.

 

[leanin' H]

Man I'm happy y'all have water. We we be lucky to have water for the next month. Then it will be gone.

 

[Faster horses]

I have 67 acres irrigated. There is no allotment here. And there are two ditches, one for each side of the valley. Both of the head gates from the river are on my property. Nothing like being at the head of the ditch.

In SW MT we were at the head of the ditch, but we didn't have the first water right, so we had to irrigate early and keep water as long as possible. One good thing, we didn't have to hay a second cutting....now water...but we always got a first cutting because Mr. FH was on top of getting the water early.

 

[webfoot]

The Unity reservoir is reported to be full. Last week the Dam man was dumping water that just ran by and out to the Snake. He slowed it down and is just dumping what is coming in. But there is still more water than I can take out. I have both ditches running full.

 

[webfoot]

In SW MT we were at the head of the ditch, but we didn't have the first water right, so we had to irrigate early and keep water as long as possible. One good thing, we didn't have to hay a second cutting....now water...but we always got a first cutting because Mr. FH was on top of getting the water early.

I don't know about others rights but mine date back to 1872. Their rights can't date back much earlier than that because that is about when people first started settling here. The Oregon trail first went through here in the 1840's but people didn't stop here until later.