UPDATE: Heard from a volunteer at the (very minimally staffed) local
historical society: "The farmer installed a bridge across the ditch
so he could move his machinery across to the adjoining field."

I have my doubts. I'll shoot it again, but I really don't think the
bridge is wide enough or the boards strong enough to support vehicle
traffic. And as of 2005, the farmer didn't own BOTH of the adjoining
sections (though that could have changed). Besides, the bridge is
halfway down the field without a barn or tractor storage shed in
site. Why not access your field closer to the paved road/barn/corner
of field?

He also says the ditch system was installed AFTER the WPA era
(1930s). But that doesn't seem to mesh with the antiquated state and
style of the bridge.

RW

"MNRebecca" wrote in message
...
UPDATE: Heard from a volunteer at the (very minimally staffed) local
historical society: "The farmer installed a bridge across the ditch
so he could move his machinery across to the adjoining field."

I have my doubts. I'll shoot it again, but I really don't think the
bridge is wide enough or the boards strong enough to support vehicle
traffic. And as of 2005, the farmer didn't own BOTH of the adjoining
sections (though that could have changed). Besides, the bridge is
halfway down the field without a barn or tractor storage shed in
site. Why not access your field closer to the paved road/barn/corner
of field?

He also says the ditch system was installed AFTER the WPA era
(1930s). But that doesn't seem to mesh with the antiquated state and
style of the bridge.

RW

Thanks for the update.

You can research at the County Recorder's office to see who owned each
parcel over time. Although one or both parcels could have been leased out,
too.

I thought the bridge might have been useful for moving livestock.

Moving livestock and/or pumping water would suggest locating the structure
at the middle of the parcel's side along the ditch. Equipment, not so (I
agree with you - that would suggest placing the bridge closer to the road or
barn).

On Fri, 28 May 2010 08:47:35 -0700, MNRebecca wrote:

UPDATE: Heard from a volunteer at the (very minimally staffed) local
historical society: "The farmer installed a bridge across the ditch so
he could move his machinery across to the adjoining field."

I have my doubts. I'll shoot it again, but I really don't think the
bridge is wide enough or the boards strong enough to support vehicle
traffic. And as of 2005, the farmer didn't own BOTH of the adjoining
sections (though that could have changed). Besides, the bridge is
halfway down the field without a barn or tractor storage shed in site.
Why not access your field closer to the paved road/barn/corner of field?

He also says the ditch system was installed AFTER the WPA era (1930s).
But that doesn't seem to mesh with the antiquated state and style of the
bridge.

RW

Then it is confirmed that it's an irrigation ditch system? Did he give a
better date on when it was dug than after the 30s? Or what government
agency did it?

Imo not much can be determined from the condition of the wood deck, other
than it not being used for anything heavy recently. The original deck
has long since rotted away. And, the bridge was not necessarily new when
it was place over the ditch; it could have been salvage.

Were it not for the fact that the bridge is so narrow, getting from one
field to another is a reasonable explanation. Farmers do sometimes share
equipment/work across property lines. And my grandfather's farm had a r-
o-w across a neighbor's property to get to another parcel he owned. What
a farmer of that era here did when faced with a small stream was drive
across it. I know nothing about irrigation ditches but by guess is there
are rules against that sort of thing.

"Wallace" wrote in message

I thought the bridge might have been useful for moving livestock.

Moving livestock and/or pumping water would suggest locating the structure
at the middle of the parcel's side along the ditch.

The only way that would work for moving livestock is if the bridge was
located in the corner of a field that is no longer there. Livestock are
very difficult to move to a point in the middle of a fenceline or stream.
Fences to move the livestock along into a narrowing point is what would have
been needed.

"Wallace" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
"Wallace" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
"Wallace" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
"MNRebecca" wrote in message

But would there
have been ditches WITHOUT such bridges in the first place? How did
you get the water out of the ditch and onto the field without the
bridge/pump system?

Of course there would have been. Watering can be moved out of the
ditch by hand very easily using a simple syphon method and that is
common enough even today. See pic on this cite:
http://www.pump-zone.com/piping/pipi...ing-sound.html


only if you turn the whole world on its head. Siphoning from a lower
to a higher point sounds like a perpetual motion machine. Are you
trolling?

Are you really stupid or are you just trying to appear that way?

There you go, as expected. Your picture does not match the picture from
the OP. Height of water intake and outgo matters when siphoning.

The OP asked a) whether there would have been irrigation ditches without
bridges, and b) how did the water get out of the ditch and onto the field
with a pump. My response answered both of those questions. Ask someone
for help if you can't understand that.

Ah, you are changing your story, the mark of a true troll! (Longevity on
a group had no bearing on the determination of a troll).

I haven't changed my story at all. You just can't read competently.

She was asking if there would have been THESE ditches without such
bridges,

No, that was not the question asked. Try rereading what was written.

The question was 'would there have been ditches without these bridges' (the
answer to that is yes, there would have been). The next question was 'how
did you get the water out of the ditch and onto the field without the
bridge/pump system' (the answer to that is the syphon system I mentioned and
that Dean also knows about).

and how would you get water out of THIS ditch without a pump.

No that wasn't the question asked. No mention whatsoever if 'these' ditches
or 'this' ditch.

You answered
neither question, but possibly brought confusion to any reader who might
not understand how siphons work.

You need to get out and look at irrigation ditches and how irrigation is
done. As Dean mentioned, these days pumps are mostly used but that is not
the only way to apply water from an irrigation channel and nor is the
irrigation channel shown by the OP the only way irrigation channels look at
all times or across a whole farm.

If you got out and actually looked at irrigation channels and you might have
some sort of clue about how they could be used without access to a pump.

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
u...
"Wallace" wrote in message

I thought the bridge might have been useful for moving livestock.

Moving livestock and/or pumping water would suggest locating the
structure at the middle of the parcel's side along the ditch.

The only way that would work for moving livestock is if the bridge was
located in the corner of a field that is no longer there. Livestock are
very difficult to move to a point in the middle of a fenceline or stream.
Fences to move the livestock along into a narrowing point is what would
have been needed.

The ONLY way? Ridiculous. We have gates in the middle of a fence and move
the cattle through them all the time. Not too difficult.

You need to get out and look at irrigation ditches and how irrigation is
done. As Dean mentioned, these days pumps are mostly used but that is not
the only way to apply water from an irrigation channel and nor is the
irrigation channel shown by the OP the only way irrigation channels look
at all times or across a whole farm.

If you got out and actually looked at irrigation channels and you might
have some sort of clue about how they could be used without access to a
pump.


I am fully aware of farm and ranch irrigation and drainage systems. You
keep trying to say I don't know about or understand siphons. I keep telling
you siphons won't work with the ditches the OP is concerned about.

Goodbye!

"MNRebecca" wrote in message
...
UPDATE: Heard from a volunteer at the (very minimally staffed) local
historical society: "The farmer installed a bridge across the ditch
so he could move his machinery across to the adjoining field."

I have my doubts. I'll shoot it again, but I really don't think the
bridge is wide enough or the boards strong enough to support vehicle
traffic. And as of 2005, the farmer didn't own BOTH of the adjoining
sections (though that could have changed). Besides, the bridge is
halfway down the field without a barn or tractor storage shed in
site. Why not access your field closer to the paved road/barn/corner
of field?

He also says the ditch system was installed AFTER the WPA era
(1930s). But that doesn't seem to mesh with the antiquated state and
style of the bridge.



It could also be that the ditch was initially constructed as a drainage
ditch, and also (or later) used for irrigation. Check into any districts
that may have built the ditch. It sounds like there must be a fair network
of these ditches.

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
u...
"Wallace" wrote in message

I thought the bridge might have been useful for moving
livestock.

Moving livestock and/or pumping water would suggest
locating the structure at the middle of the parcel's side
along the ditch.

The only way that would work for moving livestock is if
the bridge was located in the corner of a field that is no
longer there. Livestock are very difficult to move to a
point in the middle of a fenceline or stream. Fences to
move the livestock along into a narrowing point is what
would have been needed.

Not exactly true ALL the time. Growing up we had a herd of
40 cattle plus a few milk cow's. We moved them from point A
to point B all the time and it's was 1 mile in traveling.
Us kids did it
ourselve's all on our own. And they had to cross a 200
foot wooden bridge. Crossing the bridge and all the
stomping sounds
they made, did not bother them. Drove them right down the
main
that was the main road at that time.

Cows may not be the smartest animal in the land but they do
learn.
When they know they're leaving a field that's been eaten up,
they
won't fight the roundup as they know they're literally going
to greener pasture.

Been there.

Donna
in WA

"Lelandite" wrote in message
...

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
u...
"Wallace" wrote in message

I thought the bridge might have been useful for moving livestock.

Moving livestock and/or pumping water would suggest locating the
structure at the middle of the parcel's side along the ditch.

The only way that would work for moving livestock is if the bridge was
located in the corner of a field that is no longer there. Livestock are
very difficult to move to a point in the middle of a fenceline or stream.
Fences to move the livestock along into a narrowing point is what would
have been needed.

Not exactly true ALL the time.

True. Milking cows are an exception to that rule. They know the routine
better than their humans do.

Growing up we had a herd of
40 cattle plus a few milk cow's. We moved them from point A
to point B all the time and it's was 1 mile in traveling. Us kids did it
ourselve's all on our own. And they had to cross a 200
foot wooden bridge. Crossing the bridge and all the stomping sounds
they made, did not bother them. Drove them right down the main
that was the main road at that time.

Cows may not be the smartest animal in the land but they do learn.
When they know they're leaving a field that's been eaten up, they
won't fight the roundup as they know they're literally going
to greener pasture.

"Wallace" wrote in message

I am fully aware of farm and ranch irrigation and drainage systems. You
keep trying to say I don't know about or understand siphons. I keep
telling you siphons won't work with the ditches the OP is concerned about.

And I keep telling you that the OP did not ask a question about any specific
irrigation channels. The question was a general one about how to get water
out without a pump. If you have the knowledge you say that you do, you
should be able to apply it. You have shown no capacity to do that.

"MNRebecca" wrote in message
...
What is this bridge for, exactly? Here it is, from both sides:

http://personal.morris.umn.edu/~webb...ndeBridge1.jpg
http://personal.morris.umn.edu/~webb...ndeBridge2.jpg

Some info:
1. It's old (obviously). Boards (for walking across) seem too rotted
to hold much weight.
2. I don't think it's wide enough for a tractor to drive across, but
it's obviously not just for human foot traffic, right?
3. The ditch of water beneath it is maybe 10-15 feet wide. I think
it's a man-made tributary from the Chippewa River. It seems to run
neatly along the boundaries of farm quarter sections in the area. The
bridge seems to connect two farms across the water.

Was the water used for irrigation, do you think? What role did the
bridge play? Thanks if you can help (or direct me to another source).

Interesting reading!
The Patterned peatlands of Minnesota
By Herbert Edgar Wright, Barbara Coffin, Norman E. Aaseng


http://tinyurl.com/2awmpwt


http://books.google.com/books?id=GeV...0ditch&f=false

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
u...
"John Gilmer" wrote in message
"Bob Noble" wrote in message
...
It looks more to me like that is a bridge used to support a big pump
for some kind of irrigation. Note the pump in the middle with the
overhead to rise the pump.


I suspect that the "bridge" served to hold a "hydralic ram" which uses
the velocity of the water to pump a small portion of the water to the
level of the surrounding fields.

Nope. Hydraulic rams need a head of water above the pump so that the
water drops into the ram. - its the action of the water falling into the
ram that makes the pumping happen.


Nope, yourself.

You just don't understand how a hydralic ram operates.

It uses the kinetic energy of a stream to raise a small portion of water
well above the level of the stream.

"John Gilmer" wrote in message
net...

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
u...
"John Gilmer" wrote in message
"Bob Noble" wrote in message
...
It looks more to me like that is a bridge used to support a big pump
for some kind of irrigation. Note the pump in the middle with the
overhead to rise the pump.


I suspect that the "bridge" served to hold a "hydralic ram" which uses
the velocity of the water to pump a small portion of the water to the
level of the surrounding fields.

Nope. Hydraulic rams need a head of water above the pump so that the
water drops into the ram. - its the action of the water falling into the
ram that makes the pumping happen.


Nope, yourself.

You just don't understand how a hydralic ram operates.

It uses the kinetic energy of a stream to raise a small portion of water
well above the level of the stream.


John, you are wasting your time.

On May 26, 5:51*pm, "FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:
"John Gilmer" wrote in message
"Bob Noble" wrote in message
.. .
It looks more to me like that is a *bridge used to support a big pump for
some kind of irrigation. *Note the pump in the middle with the overhead
to rise the pump.

I suspect that the "bridge" served to hold a "hydralic ram" which uses the
velocity of the water to pump a small portion of the water to the level of
the surrounding fields.

Nope. *Hydraulic rams need a head of water above the pump so that the water
drops into the ram. *- its the action of the water falling into the ram that
makes the pumping happen.

Odd. My neighbor back when I was kid supplied his entire household
and livestock with one. There was no "drop into the ram" - it ran
purely on the stream flow. I realize I am wasting my time but...

A ram operates by a stream of water in a pipe suddenly being stopped
by a valve. the resultant surge compresses air in the champer which
pushes a small amount of the water into the discharge pipe through a
check valve. Vavlves reset and the flow is reastablished only to be
stopped again. Wash, rinse, repeat. It does not pump much water each
cycle but it operates 24/7. A cycle repeats every few seconds.

You could look it up on the 'net.
Harry K