407. Historical notes on ground-water development in California, May 1948

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

DIVISION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS WASHINGTON 25, O. C.

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE L191, TO AVOID PAYMENT or POSTAGE. 11300

4-r7, r

Historical L'otes on Grountiater

-..develo-iment in California

by

Carl -ahwer

-"enior Irric-tion -.mincer

soil ConsQrvution :Aryl**

1110600Neut history wells have played tn imparturt part

In the diMeievment of the arid regions of the world* in feet

the availability of water either from springs or wile

determinA, the possibility of human habitation or large areas

of the earth. Ater the Israelites were wandering in the

deserts of 1.gypt, oses 1ei *ea

to the rock from Whidh a

spring burst forth vhen struck with his staff. Abrehr,w and

Itwae fought the Yhilistinos in the valley of Gerar for the

wells from which they %atered their flookeit* Lneient cities

rope in the desert uhere water could be obtained from the

we:as* The tqcortance of these wells is attesteu by the

frequent reforcLee to th,;A in neicint literature. The peal,

of Solomon still su.ply Jerusalem with water and Jacob's wil

is still in t. mistence. The city of Beer-shoots vons nomed after

the well dug by Isaac's servants. Becr-shebs st

,

..nds In

Ialsstine to this duly, but whether the original well is in

existence it the present time or not, the voter for tiw city

is ixobably still drawn free the ground-

mater *apply. Rams

* Grouud•owater

C.7.- Tolman* McGraw lull Book

Catallagr.

AM,

See page* 6

to 15.

7.nd Athens, in thz days befovI th_ ..:-.oman engineers built the aqueductsdepended on wells for a portion of their water supplies*

One GI' the most famou* wells in the world was built at

Orvieto, Italy early in the 16th century,* It was 2(.70 feet

deep. and_ 42 feet in diameter* Twin sIJral staircases one

above the other, were excavated in the rock so that the water

carriera could go on one stairway and up the other ',ithout

interferinL ith ea(ih other* Joseph's well is another famous yell. ft was artmvLted in solid rock to a deuth of 297 feet*

7:1- the firA 1415 feet It core.eted of a It 13 feet wiae and

24 feet lc P17,:etz, onn endless chrAr were use to raise

the water th two lifts fr7,ym. a depth of 130 feet below this. level* The lover lift was operated by mules in a ehimber cut in the

rock at the 1C5-foot 1t;v01. A spiral staircase vns provided $e that t4e mulea could bc taker down to the lover rump and

also back tc the surface. The date A,J1- en this Jell vas dug is

uncertain, but evn tc(ir,y it 77emains as one of the outstanding exEmIles of well construction.

Drilling WRS first used in 1126 t Artois, France, in putting clown artesian wells* The discovery of artesian WW1* in FTW100iss folloed by the drilling of similr wells in Italy. Node= well drilling methods stem from the :joncer vork to those

arese ever, the arelert Chimse indepenently developed

simi-lar methods of drillingveils*

_AY

manual operation, they drilled

4 _{Ground-4ater, Its Development, Uses and Conscrvation,}

ii;dward Johnson, Inc* (Se ttees

wells up to 5000 feet deco to obtain the eat

Sarried by the

water at this depth4

litany of these old wells were probably used to a limited

extent for irrigation but the lack of peva of large eapicitY

restr ,cted their use :or this purpose. the difficulty in

rurlyinr. suffiol_ent water for irrigation was overcome by

construction of kt-nats which. are horizontal wellu consiitirL

of tunro/s serried for long distances urderuround until they

tarred

voter bearing forzation4

_{extening the tunnel}

into the w4ter Warier:

_{formation for a oomeiderchle distazc}

sot(1417,as nm171, larms sepp1ios o tater could be obtalneds

The Lnotxth el' the kolwAlms at groan& level, and therefore,

tine vnter 6,evelered Walt now by f1.3.-trrity to the 7.7x,int at

Nellflh It *t'te

_{Ilree l'07* trriTmtiont The}

_{wet ot tball}

_boasts

irf4 rertrieted to arms

_{'Ater, the topograrew was soak that}

the eround..telter sulrilly wee a* higher elefudiess Um

the

laws• to be irric,absoi• This **nation trequentity exist. Ita

AralleY8 adqsaisist to 140

mountai

113

attire the gressoliowater

su,play is derived tram

Mat Inc urrrv,i _{e. runoff}

_{I. roan the}

mvuntuln a1w90$40 The dilite of the first t' of ikaneetps Is

unknoun, but the city of /Azwr*. was suriaiod by a tame'

excavated ir

_{a.C.. Az extcnefte kumat systew was built}

in

_{ypt about 500 B.C.. It supclied IWO square miles of}

1,114 with weter

"fs .7

_.

_{In theilleMe0}

_{of time these}

04.

kanata fell into disuse, but 'later till flews frem some of

then* In modern timas they Wire thought to be springs Iasi

it vas only tWnsalOtri4ent coloration that their true mature

vas diacirrered* Sone of the turmela of this 117sterl are

believed, to be one 4andred miles long.*

Wailer

methods bemve been used in reitent times in

CaliesmatilesiodamilhOes to eminar 'water fOr trziestion SM

for dasellabe lamtIonvelki *Jess towels nro

'allot infiltration

ma3lsaimm4 A lemma of this type miss •orosmittod under the

bed of San Antonio Camcn for a tistansis of MO

feet to

suppletaunt the irrigation meter supply for the Ontario

aolony at Ontario Cripliforniao It was started in 1882 and

vas the first use of this method for deme1414*6 water in

Southern Ca1Uorni&,*

Zhis method use particularly effect..

two in the early dayo utan the groundmodater levels were near

the surface. aawevms. the extensive development or MEOW

for irrigation in these areas has liwessi the grauma. m*er

fts mudh no 200 feet in some instances authstaimislod int 0

greatly rodesed tho flow of the infiltration galleries*

method is ettL

wiped at present In the United States it

it still nods

f-ver in Iran, the land of its origin*

*Irrigation in ;erste by Eamtst by LA*

Artier Civil

lawincorine. Vol* 3* Le. 2.

Plararzy 1933.

**Irrigation in California* by 'w,U4. HSU Eral, _oreasnto,

California* 1888

mitliaragromsdavelopratent

for irrigation date fro the

introductienef Offisient pumping naisktenry ant

&cure.. Se

poor*

L1thc1z eentrifug4

Mee yam built

as early as 1754 it was not

until 1846 that satisfactory pumps of this type beams

ammilableo

riat.3e

rximps eremrufacturval inlingland* The Wren

^Om*

Gor-:PanY bee= th maradneture of elintriAl PumPlo

in Canfornis

in 1872 raid built the first deep wen turbine in 1901*

ate

:Pomona Congarry has been specializing in deep well turbines

since

1902* Prior to that time the company =axle piston Map* which

were used extensively on (arly hig32, lift installations in

C.A.ifornia* Many other esularries have built lumps for irrigation

zur;ocies but thaw list

aro rop100406stirs of these that balm

specialized in irrigation pumping eviiierelet*

The Gs ,kilk Canal at Livertside California was built in the

eighties and part

itsi Water supply was obtained from bl

artesian wells that discharged into the easel

Construction of

these wells was started in 1887** In 1889 the flow was

36

sub

to

feet per sccondo but insreased ground...water development

gradually

reduced

the flew,

,

aortas of artesian

well* Was

driIledlorthe

%An Antonio dater Company in 1898 to supply

additional water

to the Ontario Colony, in California* A tiewel was driver

to

tap these wells beintath the surface arid by this nessui

an int,

*Development antAUIetion of Water near Son Bernardinoo

Colton and iUrsi4e,

*alit*

• bY T•a• Up

ineett

*ater zppiy Itiper No* -Jo 1902*

iiatiore

flow

Land

Comelar

iss~NA

frau veils drilled in the

bid of th5

iel

River. This

project

%MS

developed by

Oeerve Cboffs and was comieneed in 1902* Alr-lift pumps were

used to raise the water. The systea was designed for a maxima

flow of 1500 inches from this source•*

wells

was obtaineL

ater for the Lairt Whittier

well was

sun

by

• :Ingsley in 1884 to

irrigate land nearcenona. Originally

the water

floe frana the well um-er

ar

about

imt

rttsitn prau e b4

to the

it ellaseit tie flow,

see

engine

was

Installed in

of 30

isehee0*

During the period frau 1880 to 1900

there was AL tremendous

increase

in irrigation develollaont ia Southern California and

durine th, latter portion of this period vben a long series of

dryrrimat occurred, seriaus

water shortages tareatammilmany of

the

_projects,

Artesian wells ceased to

flow and

as a

reaalt

pumping

had to be resorted to in order

to obtain mister for the

erejew

Lany

atriaift pumps were installed at

this tic tedelM00

grouPs

of

_{wells could be troestatat toys single cozpressor plum**}

Booms*

of their low

effitiestay these plants were

later replaced

by deep well turbines whisk bosom available in 1900. These

pumps had a much bliher efficiency the* the

air-lift instullationa•

*

The

Life of George

Chaffey, by J.A. Alsmandis

fp-Ulan

and Co. Limited,

lalbourne•

(30e page WO).

*4

_{Ground-water and Irrigation En}

Belts

Soothers Calif

water Jupply

Paper 219.

pre7Isure

but by

int there

iv=

by

AL

CAmkrae.3ower

The pimp had a capacity

loss in the Po thill

va1ter

C.

page 85.)

/*cording to data Matted by W.C. Mesdenball in tf.

Water Supply Paper 219t publiebed in 19089 there were more than

1000 wale in the Foothill area of 5euthern amlifornia at that

time. The earliest well reported. toes dug in 1867, but it isle

never used. Most of tbe wells were dug in the period from 1890

to 1903. All types of wells %Apr* inaluded in his ta'au:Laion and

the purpose for which they were duc or bored is reported, lie

states in this ve4port that them ',Imo. 38 flowing wells and 368

pumped wells in the Foothill area in 1905. In a silar report

on the Central Coastal ilain region of Southern :;aliforn at

143.0.30 .ater Supply Paper 14. 138, dated 19050 he lists 3300

wells of all types. These .1s111* were put down at about the

Seas time as those in the Foothill area. He states that 1635

se them were artesian wells in 1904 and that 175 of them were

eqaipped with, pempiag plants operated by electricity, steam or

mosItmee

laptimint

report by Mendenhall on .gestern Coastal Plain

region of Southarn Californtas 'tx,

,ter 3uppIy Papers

0. 139,

dated 1905, lists 2100 yells of all types (irrigations

Qclestic and stook) in this area. Of these wells 334 are

uquipped with encine or motor driven pumping plants. Water

5upp1y l'aper No. 137 on the .;.ostern Coastal Xlain region of

southern California by the sme author is also dated 1005.

It

lists 3000 wells of all types in this area. (if these, 400 were

equipped with pumvine 11;:xte and presumably were wed

for

irri-gations and 800

of the veils were

flawing (artesian walls) in

ioseda

Prom these reports it appears thAt there we

a

total of 1477

pumpinc plants taking water Pram wells in Soutilarn California at

about 1905* The reports (l_o not state how many of these plants

wcre used exclusively for irrication* but no doubt* nearly all

of tilt= were used for this purpose. lee

_{in a report dated}

y cndenhall* the statement is made that there were 14(

pumping plants in :ioatbern California at that time* This same

report lists a total of 597 pmgpift plants in the 3an Joaquin

V-11ey in Kern* Tulare* rimze* reeene. Medera* Merced* Stanislaus*

and ,;an Joaquin countiep,* This report also co twine the following

ctz,

_{,tement (page 29)1}

*The number

or wells

_{is about one.fourth thl4t of}

Southern California* the investment is one-third*

arid the product about enehalf, although the total

irrigible area or the San Joaquin Valley is nearly

ten times that of the southern field 1.nd the under.

ground loiters are probably in alWlar rat!

o. This

aemparissn, wren though the figures upon which it

is based are not complete* gives a graphic idea of

the development that :Jay yet be aecomplialed in

central California by thc full use of the ground.

water resources**

A

_{report by J016 -4Pins tt}

_{delta 1902 oontaina data}

on

854 wens la

_{rifitenot Tulare and 1:Angs counties* Practically}

all these wells are for domestic purposes* but the drAes of

construction inaioate that i:round-water development* although

Ground-Water of Sr

Mendenhall* D**S*G*.5* viater Supply Yuper 222* 1908*

(ee ,41,01 27)*

**Storage of Water on Lingo River, California, by J.B.

Lippincott, U*S*G*3* .ater Supply Paper 111044 58, 1902*

(See Pages 5(3 to 7V).

411144.1.6

not on such an extensive sea3d4 startea simultanc=sly with that

in aouthern Californ!a. A Later reTort on tLe .Amn Joaquin Vallny

dited 1916, but based on a survey L,ade in 19060

states that

there

v4cle 1C0 pumpine p1ct InLern County developing vat=

fron

'underground sources at that time for 10121.01111 purpose2 Usalating

irrigation and that there were 50 pumping plants in

tao

Bihar*.

field area used for irr

The data on wells in this

report :thew that ground.w.ter development started in Yern County

at the atxle tirie as in Struthers California*

Groundowator development In Z;outhcrn CaliftEimia zal,. in the

Sas JOaquin Valley since that date is shown by the reports of

the U.S. Bureau of the Census on Irrigation* The following

table camiled from the-e records gives the extant of tho use

of groundwater in 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940***

Ms

&Au in this

LIzmbr of paps*

wells in California at

var 01.1p dateidati:±t.te StKottaasi

AMR_

of :Iti61

s

Tear

State

Southern

San Joaquin

Sacramento

CaAifornia

Yalletz

190b

4

1910

14,558

6.414

3,b41

1020

25,401

3,699

11,149

3,503

1930

460737

3,639

23,584

3,450

1940

48,568

3,967

23,542

5,406

l!'1

)

unkping_da.14 re1707ted_rrAREA011W.A4.i1aila.aigiMP

*

Ground-Vater in San Joaquin Valley. by WoCip Ifersioaktoal

and etas:to. U•Zi•Ge'.;• 'tater ',upply Paper 398 191

(See pegs 290).

** Iriationu.CaZiforu12, U. S. Burtwu of the Cenue, 191,

1920. 1930 aid 1940.

table ahow that by 1910 the total number of runved went in the

Gan Joaquin Valley exoc.-e‘ked those in Southern California and

that by 1940 the number was six times as rrePt. These datc.

clearly demonstrate how accurately the prt4heey of nendenhalI

regarding the possibilities of ground-water develoilnent in t'

,3142 Joaquin Valley* which was -reviously re:,_,orte41. has camc to

pass.

Although the extent of tle utilisation of grord-water for

irrigation in California is a notable accomplishment and iu not

equalled elseWhore in the United States, there are other regions

of time world Viler° ground-wuter in used for irrigation to a

comparable extent though not in such an efficient rmnner. butts

and li.ent both irrigate Urge arose from this source. According

to Wilson,* 400,000 well3 in *wires. India irrigate 2,0000000

awes,' Meet of these wells are small and irzigste only from

1 to 4

_{acres *sell k.ith crude watcr lifting devices or.ernted by}

man tower or by bullocks. The lack of IyA,ecr precludes the

extensive use of

alleiltral iffsishirery.

_{14everth:1ese their procress,}

in spite of the difficulties

they bars

hod to avernome, is also

notable. At the present time modern methodil are being introduced

in these areas by engineers efteated in the Colleces of the United

Antes. Pumping in iaany areas in California is exceeding the rate

of recharge. For this reason it is not likely that the extent

Irrigation :44tgin,erinc, by Herbert H. wil

son, John _11

ay

am' Sons, hew York. 1011 (Ams page 10s).

et gro=d-wtor

_{1opmznt tr iiiL ta4z.v.41}

teriily in

the future, but more complete utilisation Ia still poasiblt in

othsr ,

_{,,-arta of the. world,.}

In-Irripxtion In California, by Am. ,...rmn Hallo Sacramento,

_1838*

Irriention near Bakersfield, California, by Carl I.. Crtuisky,

44,attr Supply Paper Eo. 17, 1898.

Irrigation near Yresno. California, by Carl

_{Grunal71, U.S.0.3.}

\otter Supply Paper No. 18, ISM

Irrigation near Merced, Caltforn!,7z by Carl E. Grans.Icy,

_U.3.0.8.

Water Su

_{i ply Paper Lo. 19, 1899.}

Underflow tests in the Itainage Asian of Loa AM.0144 River,

by

1:01ner Hamlin, 1T.3.G.. Water Juprly It,per No. 212i

19050

Development mld Applicction of .ater near 0-7.n 2ernaest!-44

and iiiverside, California, by J.B. Lippincott, U.3.-.

• -.ater

Supply rviler ro. 59, 1902.

threppod ,etter

_{riration L.nterprises of the Foothill Belt,}

30Whorn California, by W.C. RendenhaIl, 143.0.5. Water Supply

Pape*

_{219, 190840}

DeVelopment of ledergound Alters in the Eastern Coastal Plain

ion of SouthetilsOalifornia, by W.C. Mendenhall. %AA'S.

prl

_{y Paper 11,4 137, 1905.}

Development of amfiergroti.nd Waters in the Central Coastal Plain

Legion of .:).eutitent California. by W.C. Mendeths./1

_U.SoC.S.

ster Afprly Paper Jo. 13 1905.

Dovelo:wrt c%f Underground ftters in the Western Coastal /lain

Region of Uouthern California, U.S.G.J. Vater „JApply raper Ec.

1906.

Preliminary Report on the Ground alters of Szn JefAuln Valley,

California, by ,“,C.;. Mendenhall, U.S.G.S. eater Atpply iarer

_{No. 222, 1908.}

igribrisiogy

_{of San Bernardino Valley, Callfornia, by}

U.3.G.5. iter Supply Paper Nos 142, 1905.

OMSK

_{Water in San Joaquin Wiley, Californ4;,. by ...C. Yendenhall}

$ad afters, U.F‘.G1,34 kter Supply Pipe

7

No. Var,

_1016.

Total Amount of Pre

is

this imtht*

‘,rust

gyres L.

Fuller, listergrialid Water Papers. U.

?spar

O. 160, 1906•

Irrigation in Galifornit., by

P.W.

ioei,

L.

"PlY

.LLLCtin

Use of Underground water for irrigation

at Pomona. Galifornia

by C..6. Tait. i.i.,344-44/.. Bulletin

2361 1911.

Irrigation in lhe San Joaquin Valley,

%..alifornia, by V.R.

U. . .

Bulletin 239, 1911.

Ittc

i_stribution and use of gator in Modesto

and Turloak Irrigation

-

striots,

liforni, by Prank A4ame,

JMl1tth Lo. 150,

1905.

Small irrigation Pum ing Plante,

'by Carl Rohwer and VER. Iswis

iszessys Bulletin No. 18670 1940*

rutting Down and ieve1opivg\dells for

IlwrighILion. by Carl liohuvr,

U.S.D.A. Circular No. 546 1941.

Design and o-eration of 34=11 Irrigation

lupin:

Ilohwer,

cirouar Lc, 678, 194.

Use or Water in Irrigation,

Go-vany Inc., Nov York, 1026,

Principles of irrigation Prttctice, by J

Company, Lew York, 1916.

Practieul Irrigation and Pumcing, by B.1.121em1ng

Sons, Inc., Yew York. 1911.

irrigation z.ngineering, by Ilerboxt 1.

Wilson Jol

Sim Uric, 1911.

irrigation laimoiples and 1-r ctioes. by 0.4.

Ismaildsisa,John

%viler and 3ons, Inc. 1932.

The Life of George ChaffeY by J.A. Alexander.

114Millian and

co.

Lta.,

nelbourn. 1928*

Ground ater Its

develomant, Uses and Co

ti

liennison, Ldward E.• Johnson Inc. 1047.

Ground tlater, by CJ.

Tolman, MeGrawKill Book COM a

Nest

,

York. 1937.

1

t.vii11 Book

The

John

air,

and

I' the

v40114111%

ico

di

19,40•

or 1890

Q.

1/-Historical Notes on Ground-Water Development in California

by Carl Rohwer

Senior Irrigation Engineer Soil Conservation Service

Throughout history wells have layed an important part in the development of th id region3of the world. In fact the availability of water either from Trings or wells determined the possibility of human habitation of large areas of the earth.

when the Israelites %:ere wandering in the deserts of Egypt,Hoses led them to the rock from %thich a spring burst forth when struck with his staff. Abraham and Isaac fought the Philistines in thb valley of Gerar for the wells from which they watered their flocks.* Ancient cities rose in the desert where water could be obtained from wells. The importance of these wells is attested by the frequent reference to them in ancient literature. The pools of 3olomon still supply Jerusalem with water and Jacob's well is still in existence. The city of Beer-sheba was named after the well dug by Issac's servants. Beer-sheba stands

+-c rf3 LA)

in Palestine but whether the original well isdridie- in exis4 ence the- pre•le

t)r----A or not i the water for the city is probably still drawn from the ground-water suppl. Rome and Athens, in the days before the Roman engineers built the aqueducts, depended on wells for a portion of their water supplies.

* _{Ground water by C.F. Tolman, McGraw Hill Book Company, Inc.} See pages 6 to 15.

One of of the most famous wells in the world was built at OrYfieto, Italy early in the 16th century. It was 200 feet deep and 42 feet in diameter. Twin spiral staircases, one above the othe4ere excavated in the rock so that the water carriers could go dovn one stirway and up the other without interfering with eachLther. *e cannot help but marvel a- the skill lown by the workers of long ago in digging tlrse wells. Joseph's well at Cairo was excavated in solid rock....=iiime depth um6 297 feet.

;7 4 A

206for

the first 165 feet consisted of a pit 18 feet wide and

24, feet long. Buckets on an endless chp,in were used to raise +his ‘c-reol

the water from a depth of 150 feet below. 1-ThA lover lift was ^

operated by mules in a chamber cut in he rock at the 165-foot level, A spiral staircase was provided so Lhat the mules could be taken down to the lower pump and also back to the aurface.*,

60t-c. Lolls +11 UJ t.AJOS Cit.) 9‘ • unc, bot„ e• "41;4 ,cc,0_1134.9 (-4 ,•,!: -411- 4,1-0 VI C, Cl put." r, 4 Well Q,f Grt

Drilling was first used

in

1126 at Artoid, France,

in puttim

down artesian wells. The discovery of artesian wells in France was followed by the drilling of similar wells in Italy. Modern well drilling methods stem from the pioneer work in tiecse•areas. However, the ancient Chinese independently developed similar methods of drilling wells. By manual operation, they drilled wells up to 5000 feet deep,7r--o 64c-kib)

*-An e-. kA)cA4e v•-•

u4- 4¼m-,

el)

4+1

Many of these old wells were probably used

ci Co 0 le n

to a limited extent for irrigation, but the lallof pumps of large capacity restricted

their use for the purpose. Thr, difficulty in supplying sufficient water for irrigation was overcome by the construction of Kanats,

* Ground Water, Its Development, Uses and Conservation,

-3-which are horizontal wells consisting of tunnels car Irsd for long i_stances undergrounduntil they tapped a wetel bearing formation. By extending the tunnel/into the water bearing folmation for considerable distance--sometimes many miles, large suppliesof water could be cbt,,ined. The mouth of the Yanat was at ground level, and therefore, the water developed would flow by gravity to the point at which it was to be used for . irLigation. The.:use_.of the Kanats was restricted to areas

*MEP

.iiere the topography was/such-that the ground-water mapply was at a higher elevation than the lands to be irligaged. This

condition frequently exists in valleys adjacent to high mountains wherithe ground-water supply is derived from melting snow

and the runoff from the mountain slopes. The date of the first use of Kanats is unknownlbut the/city of Nineveh was supplied by a tunnel excavated in 800 B.C. extensive Kanat system was built in Egypt.about 500 B.C.

1,1) %\,-Hc-1 ,1-4,11.12) of land In the course of time

It supplied 1800 square these kanats fell into disuse., but watey still flows from some of them. In modern times they le:e thought to be springs and it was only through recent

ex-ploration that their true nature was discovered. Some of the tunnels of this *rstem are believed to be one hundred miles long.*

Similar methods have been used in recent times in California and elsewhere to sup-ly water for 4 rrigation rnd for domestic purposes. These tunnels are called infiltration galleries.

A tunnel of this type as excavated under the be of San Antonio Canyon for a distance of 2850 feet to supplement the irrigation

*Irrigation in Persia by Kanats, by M.A. Butler, Civil LngineerinE, Vol. 3 No. 2., February 1933.

-.4-water supply for the Ontario Colony at Ontario, California. It was started in 1882 and was the first use of this method for developing water in Southern California.* This method was

particularly effective in the early days when the ground-water levels were near the surface. However, the extensive develop-ment of pumping fOr irrigation in these areas has lowered the ground-water as much as 200 feet in s'ame instances and has dried up or greatly reduced the flow of the infiltration galleries. This method ”(seldom used at present in the United States, but it still finds favor Ln Iran, the land of its origin.

Modeill ground-water development for irrigation dates from the introduction of efficient pumping machinery and sources of power. Although centrifugal pumps were Jouilt as early as 1754 it was not until 1846 that satisfactory pumps of this type became available. These pumps were manufactured in England.

The Byron t'ackson Company began the manufacture of centrifugal pumps in California in 1872 and,bUilt the first deep well turbine in

1901.. The Pomona Company has been specializing in deep well turbines since 190-‘. Prior to that time the company made piston pumps which were used extensively on early high lift installations in California. Eany other companies have built pumps fo

irrigation purposes but those listed are representative of those that have specialized in irrigation pumping equipment.

The Gage Canal at Riverside, California was built in the Eighties and part of its water sup ly was obtained from 51

*Irrigation in California by Wm.killHall, Sacramento, California. 1288.

-5-Corruc4

c\

" , - 7j'41

artesian wells that discharged int4he canal.A In 1889 the flow fvera-44ese wells was 36 cubic feet per second, but increased

ground-water development gradually reduced the flow. A series of artesian wells was drilled by the San Antonio Water Company in 1898 to supply additional \ater to the Ontario Colony, in California. A tunnel was driven to tap these ells beneath the surface and by this means an increased flow from the wells was obtained. ater for the East Whittier Land and Water Company was obtained from wells drilled in the bed of the San Gabriel River. This project was developed by George Chaffey and was commenced in 1902. Air-lift pumps were used to raise the water. The system was designed for a maximum flow of 1500 inches from

this source.** A well was sunk by S.B. King=:-ley in 1884 to irrigate land near Pomona. Originally the water flowed from the flowed

under artesian plessure, but by about 1892 the artesian pressure had dropped to the point where it ceased to flow. A centrifugal

pump

driven by a 30-horsepOwer gas engine was installed in 1898 Or 1899. The pump had a capacity of 30 inches.**

-During the period from 1880 to 1900 there was E tremendous increase in irrigauion development in Southern Califo]nia and during the latte".t portion of this period when a long series of dry years occurred, serious water shortages threatened many of the projects. Artesian wells ceased to flow and as a result

pumping had to be resorted in order to obtain water foOhe crops. 1(*The. Life of George Chaff ey, by J.A. Alexander,

MacMillan

and

Co. Limited, Melbourne. (See page 370). -***Ground-water and Irrigation Enterprises in the Foothill

' Belt, Southern California by WalterC. Mendenhall, UppS, 'Water Supply Paper 219, See page 85d

4(

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-6-Many air-lift pumps were installed at this ,time because groups of wells could be operated by a d ngle cor(ipresa,or plant. Because of their low efficiency these plantsrwere later replaced by 'deep well turbines which became available in 1900. These pumps had a much. higher efficiency that) the air-lift installations.

According to the data reported by W.C. Mendenhall in U.S.G.S. -vrater Supply Paper, 219, published in 1908, there were more than 1000 wells in the Foothill area of Southern California at that time. _{The earliest well reported was dug in 1867 but it was} never used. Most of the wells were dug in the period from 1890 to 1903. All ty- _{s of wells were included in his tabulation and} tie purpose for which they were dug or bored is reported. He states in this report that there ite e 38 floing wells and 368 pumped

wells in the Cucamnnui t Pomona and Pasadena quadrangles in 1905. In a similar report on the Central Coastal Plain region of Southern California, U.S.G.S. Water Supply Paper No. 138, dated 1905, he

lists 3300 wells of all types. These wells were put down at about the same time as those in the Foothill area. He states that 1635 of them we_e artesian wells in 1904 and that 175 of them were equipped with pumping plants operated by electricity, steam or gasoline. Another repot by 1:endenhall on Western Coastal, Plain

region of _{Southern California, U.S.GS. ater Supply Paper, No. 139,} dated 1905, lists 2100 \ells of all types (irrigation, domestic

and stock) in this area. Of thes wells 334 are ec,uiloped with engine or motor driven pumping plants. Water Supply Paper No. 137 on the Eastern Coastal Plain region of Southern California by the same

-7-author is also dated 1905. It lists 3000 wells of all typed in ti is area. Of these, 400 %:ere equi_ped \ith pumping plants and presumably were usec_ for irrigation, and 800 of the wells were flowing (artesian veils) in 1904.

From these reports it appears that there was a total of 1277 pumping plants taking \ater from wells in Southern California at about 1905. The reports do not state how many of these plants were used exclusively for irligation, but no clubt, nearly all of them were used for this pur ose. .adsewhere in a report dated 1908* by hendenhall, tne statement iAmade that there were 1400 pumping plants in Southern California at that time. This same report lists a total of 597 pumping plants in the San Jo quin

Valley in Kern, Tulare, Kings, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties. This report also contains the fol_ow-ing statement (page 29): "The number of wells is about one-fourth that of Southern California, the investment is one-third, and

the product about one-half, although the total irrigable area of the San Joaquin Valley is neally ten times that of the

southelsn field nd tne underground waters are probably in similar

c ratio.

Tnisi

amfarison, even though the figures upon which it is based are not comrlete, gives a graphic idea of th(- develop-ment that may yet be accam lished in central California by the full use of the ground-water resources."

A report by J.B. Lippincott,: dated 1902, contains data on 854 wells in Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties. Practically all these wells are for domestic purposes, but the dates of construction

*GroVnctWater of San Joaquin Valloy by ia1terC4 Kendenh U.S.G.S.,. Water Supply Paper 222, 1908. (See page 27).

**Storage' tf ater on Kings River, California, by J.B. Lippincott U.S.G.S. Water 312 ply Paper No. 58, 1902. See pages 5,, to 79.

-8-indicate that ground-water develoment, :-1though not on such an extensive scale, started simultaneously with that in Southern California. A later report on the San Joaquin Valley dated

1916, based on a survey mIde in 1906, states that there were 100 pumping plants in Kern County developing water from underground sources at that time for various purposes including

74-h oi""

irrigation and4there were 50 pumping plant in the Bakersfield area used for irrigation.* The data on wells in this report show that ground-water development started in Kern 'County at the same time as in Southern'Califo=nia.

Ground-water acvelo-ment in Southern California and in the San Joaquin Valley since that date is shown by the reports

oil. i_he_ _CCH.50.5

1.5.

of the •Gliaaaiiii.s Bureau on Irrigation. The following table compiled /‘

from these records gives he extent of the use of ground-water It

in 1910, 1-20, 1930 and 1940.** The data in thiqtable how ti-at

Number of pumped wells in Calf ornia at

various dates as reported by U.S. Census Bureau Number of pumped wells

8an Joaquin

-

stcfmarento

-Year State Southern

Total California Valley Valley

1900 * * * * 1910 14,558 3,494 3,541, 1920 25,401 3,699 11,149 .1.•••••••••• 3,508 1930 46,737 3,639 23,584 5,450 1940 48,568 3,967 23,542 5,406

*Pumping data not reported prior to 1910 by„..Census Bureau, *Ground Water in San Joaouin Valley by i.C. Mendenhall and

others, U.S.G.S. Water Supply Paper 398, 1916. See page 290. ,

*Irrigation-California, U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1910,1920, 1930 and 1940.

by 1910 the total number of pumped wells in the San Joaquin Valley exceeded those in Southern California and that by 1940 the number was six times as great. These data clearly demonstrate how

accurately the prophecy of Mendenhall regarding the possibilities of ground-water develoment in the San Joaquin Valley, which

was previously reporte.d, has come to pass.

Although the extent of the utilization of ground-water for irrigation in California is a notable accomplishment and is not equalled by other arag.€ /tin the United States, there are other regions of the world where ground-water is used for irrigation to a comparable extent though not in sun' an efficient manner.

India and Egypt both irrigate large areas from this source. According to Wilson,* 400,000 wells in Madras, India irrigatet 2,000,000 acres. Most of these wells are small and irrigate only from 1 to 4 acres each .ith" crude water lifting devices operated by man power or by bullocks. The lack of power p the extendive use of modern machinery. Nevertheless their progress)in spite of the difficultiethey have had to overcome is also notable, &4iter present time modern methods are •eing introduced in these areas by engineers dducated

the

Colleges of the Unit ed 'States.' rPt,

%-)" ,A10".-\ 10

\-4.4:c-Ancs

,

7-F or.- •k-los re.(5, 0i1 k Of

VIC

C. ka. +11 CS+

-k-kt,e_

#

+. 9ro

onci- wairee

e,Y.c..\

rn ”+". 41 ere-,

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*Irrigation Engineering by Herbert M. Wilson, John Wiley and Sons, New York. 1911 (See page 103).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

rri.q

04- 1611

66 acIt )co r ilia

scic _{r-1,N e?14O, tain-•}

Irrigation near Bakersfield, California, by Carl E. Grunsky, U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 17, 1898

Irrigation near Fresno, California, by Carl E. Grunsky, U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 18, 1898.

Irrigation near Merced, California, by Carl E. Grunsky, U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 19, 1899.

Underflow tests in the Drainage Bastin of Los Angeles River, by Homer Hamlin, U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 212, 1905. Development and Application of Water near San Bernandino, Colton and Riverside, California, by 3.1. Lippincott, U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No.

59,

1902.

Ground Water and Irrigation Enterprises of the Foothill Belt, Southern Ja_Liftbrnia, by W. C. Mendenhall, U. S. G. S. W ater Supply Paper 219, 1908.

Development of Underground Water's in the Eastern Coastal Plain Region of Southern California by W. C. Mendenhall, U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 137,1905.

Development of Underground Waters in the Central Coastal Plain Region of Southern California, by W. C. atendenhall,

U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 138, 1905.

Development of Underground Waters in the Western Coastal Plain 11Wion of Southern California, U. S.

G. S.

Water Supply Paper No. 139, 1905.

Prelimenary Report on the Ground Waters of San Joaquin Valley, Ca/ifornial by W. C. Mendenhall, U. S. G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 222, 1908.

The Hydrology of San Bernardino V alley, California, by W: C. Mendenhall, U. S. G.

$.

Water Supply Paper No. 142, 1905.

Ground Water in San Joaquin V. alley, California, by W. C. Mendenhall and etwaro, U. S. G.

8.

Water Supply Paper No. 398, 1916.

Total Amount of Free Water in the Earth's Crust Underground, by Myron L. Fuller, Water Paper,Papers, U. S . G. S. Water Supply Paper No. 160, 1906.

Irrigation in california by F. W. Roeding, U. S . D . A.

Bulletin 237, 1911.

Use of Underground water for Irrigation at Pomona, Calif. by C . E. P alt. U.S .D.A . Bulletin 236, 1911.

Irrigation in:Trhe San Joaquin Ulley, California, by V. M. Cone U.S .D .A. Blinetin 239, 1911.

The Distribution and use of Water in Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts. California, by filmic Adams, U.S.D.A. Bulletin No. 158, 1905, Small' Irrigation Pumping P±wetsby Carl Rohwer and M. R. Lewis, U.S.D.A. Farmers Bulletin tio. 1857, 1940.

Putting Down and Developing Wells for Irrigation ,by C an Rohwer, U.S.D.A . Circular tio. 546, 1941.

pfrl

Design and operation 6f S maill Irrigation Pumping Pkettill N by Carl Rohwer, U. S.D .A. circular no. 678. 1943

Use of Water in irrigation iby S amuck Fortier/ McGraw-Hill Book Company Inc.New York, 1946.

2rinciples of Irrigation Pra.tice lby John A . Widtsoe, TheMcMillian Company, New York, 1915.

Practical Irrigation and Pumping i by B. P. Fleming, John Wiley and Sons,inc. New York. 1911.

Irrigation Sngineering,by Herbert M. Wilson, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1911.

Irrigation Principles and Practices,40. W . Israelsen, John Wiley

and Suns, Inc. 1932.

The Life of George ChaIfeyx by J. A. Alexander, MacMillian and C o. Ltd. Melbourne. 1928.

Ground Water, It development, Uses and Conservation, by E. W. Bennison, E dward E. Johnson, Inc. 1947..

Ground Water,by C. F. Tolman, MdGraw-Hill Book C ompany Inc. New York 1937.

U. 5 . Bureau of the Census Irrigation reports for 1890. 1900 1910, 1940, 1930 and 1940.

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