The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-03-26
The PROPOSED DIVERSION.

Stofi ~ ti"t "hiSh thAS ~
from study or from grave pursuits
and as We are not inclined to study
nor are we in pursuit of a grave, We
propose to allude briefly to Won
Schmidt's proposed diversion of the
waters Of Lake BigIcr, and TO make a
Suggestion which, if acted upon by
will obviate the threatened litigation
and at the some time furnish the cities
of California with an abundance OF
water fresh and pure as that proposed
TO be diverted from its present course
through Nevada.
Following the shore of the lake, the
outlet of the Truckee river is fourteen
miles beyond the California line, and
the river rises and runs about fifteen
miles in that State before reaching
Nevada. At the outlet, the river is
fifty feet wide, with an average depth
of five feet and a velocity OF three
hundred and forty-two feet per
minute, making the capacity of flow
l23, 20,O00 cubic feet, or 923, 100, 900
gallons every twenty-four hours.
From this flow Won Schmidt proposes
to divert 1857, 200 900 gallons daily,
leaving (apparently) $50, 400, 900 gallons
to u through the Truckee. We say
apparently, for the reason that it has
been estimated the lake receives daily
of surface flow of water 1900. 600, 900
gallons, or $40 900 900 gallons more
than escapes by the Truckee, and $780,
900. 900 gallons more than the Truckee
and the proposed artificial conduit
combined could carry off. Whether
the diversion of a fraction over one
ninth of the water now carried of by
the Truckee river would work any
actual damage to riparian proprietors
along the course of that stream, would
be a question difficult of solution by
the Courts; and wheth9r the removal
of the pressure of 49,, 900, 900 gallons
daily from suh-aqueouS outlets would
not sufficiently diminish their flow as
to allow Won Schmidt's water to be
drawn exclusively from the surplus
influx, would also be question diff
cult to determination certainly the
limited area of the lake would pre-
clude the possibility of the evapora-
ton of $40, 600, 200 gallons of water.
Settle these questions as we may. how
ever, the facts and figures herein given
precedent to them would initiate
against the State of Nevada in case of
litigation on the subject.
utlitigation will be the least of Won
Schmidt's difficulties in diverting the
waters of Lake Bigler. He proposes
to tunnel the Sierra Nevada noun
tains-stranger still, he proposes a
tunnel only three miles in length. To
reach the level of the lake on the
western slope of the mountain by the
shortest route, he must drive for one
of the CANYONS with which the west
ern slope is serrated. The nearest of
these is that of the north branch of the
South Fork of the American river,
which is at least six miles on an air
line from the head of Emerald Bay,
and twenty miles from the outlet OF
the Truckee. II he takes the water
from, , h.. Two, or ( lta riyar.SItln lT tho
lake, he must drive tor Grizzly Can
Won Through which flows the south
branch of the Middle Fork, or to the
middle branch of the Middle Fork of
the American river. To reach the
level of the lake in Grizzly Canyon, a
tunnel would have to extend TO the
RubicOn, a distance of at least fifteen
miles; and to find an outlet through
the canyon of the middle branch, the
granite cliffs west of Greek George
Station on the Georgetown trail must
he passed, which would give 4 tunnel
in that direction a length of about fif-
teen miles. 1t will therefore be seen
that the shortest cut through the west
ern chain is from Emerald Bay, a
arm of Lake Bigler, to
the lower cascade of the north branch
of the South Fork, four miles above
Slippery Ford. THIS would bring the
out under a stream of water
pouring down from lakes situated
more than 1000 feet higher than Lake
stream IS enduring and
water as pure IS that of the Truckee,
and with a capacity of flow more than
adequate to supply Won Schmidt's de-
mands. The tapping of these lakes
would say the San Francisco Water
the expense of boring the