Topics in Kansas History: AgricultureIrrigation
Aridity, especially in central and western Kansas, was a major obstacle to the advance of the farming frontier. Generally, the limited rainfall was not sufficient to allow farmers to pursue the type of agriculture to which they had been accustomed. Although dry farming techniques eventually made some areas relatively productive, there was no substitute for adequate moisture. Whether for family or livestock use, or for crop irrigation, farmers and ranchers had to find a way to tap the underground water supply. Water for farming can come from three places: rainfall and other precipitation (rain, snow, sleet), surface water (collected in ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers), and groundwater (underground pools or aquifers). The introduction of the windmill helped farmers tap the underground water supply. "The windmill was like a flag marking the spot where a small victory had been won in the fight for water in an arid land," said Walter Prescott Webb, a Great Plains historian. Although windmills were used for some irrigation-such as fruits and vegetables-their primary function was pumping water for households and livestock. Windmills were manufactured in several Kansas towns. During the drought years of the 1890s, more farmers began to tap the underground water supply. Windmill-powered pumps placed groundwater into a reservoir pond. Water could then be run through ditches to the field when needed. In most areas, windmill irrigation proved unsatisfactory on a large scale. One alternative in southwest Kansas was to divert water from the Arkansas River. Nearly 100 miles long, the Eureka Irrigation Canal was one such effort. It was completed in 1888 and served Gray and Ford counties. In western Kansas, where water can be more than 100 feet below the surface, more powerful irrigation equipment was needed. The introduction of the internal combustion engine in the early 20th century helped provide the power needed to irrigate this water supply. In 1920 crops on 95,000 acres of Kansas farmland were being irrigated. Eighty-five percent of that land was located between Dodge City and the Colorado line. Most of the irrigated crops were alfalfa, wheat, and sugar beets. Irrigation during the late 19th century forced lawmakers and other state officials to confront issues of water rights. Enthusiasts formed local, state, and national organizations to further irrigation interests. Before entering political office, Joseph Bristow published the Irrigation Farmer and was active in several regional irrigation conferences. In 1895 the Kansas Legislature created the state Board of Irrigation and appropriated $30,000 for irrigation experiments. The reduced flow of water in the Arkansas River caused by ditch irrigation led to a battle with Colorado, Kansas' upstream neighbor, over the limited supply of river water. This legal dispute continues to this day. Find resources on irrigation. 
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Parts
of Kansas get more rainfall than others. Kansas farmers have always
had to make decisions about what and where to plant based upon how much
water was available. Because of the lack of moisture in many parts of
Kansas, farmers in those areas had to look for other ways to water their
crops.
