Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1889-08-03
A GREAT WORK.


The Senate Committee on Arid Lands is due
on this coast in the middle Of August. Peo-,
pie are naturally taking great deal Of in
terest in all irrigation topics, and the Arid
Land Committee. appointed by the State
Board of Trade, has held two or three impor.
tant meetings lately.
Last April Colonel Lyman Bridges Of San
Francisco was appointed divisional civil
engineer Of the United States Geological
survey Department, Of which Major Powell
is the head. Colonel Bridges was at frs,
offered Montana, but peremtorily refused.
BY the request Of Senators Stewart and Jones
he was given charge Of the Lahonton divis
ion. which consists If tie great basin lying
east of the crest Of the Sieras in California
and all the State Of Nevada. This includes
all the territory from Oregon and Idaho to
the Gulf Of California. Col. Bridges this
morning gave full account Of his work TO .
representative Of the Post, aud some inter.
esting facts were ascertained.
COMPANIES At WORK.
There are two thoroughly organized par.
| ties now in the field. The first is ut the head.
waters Of the Carson river, and the second at
the headwaters Of the Truckee basin. in the
high Sierras. These parties are locating
reservoirs to store the Aoed waters and con.
duct them out onto the plaieaus and plans Of
Eastern California and the State Of Nevada.
Natural lakes and reservoir sites for building
dams have been sele cted. Among these are
Bonner and independence lakes. The form.
er will be increased to four times and the
latter to rec times its present capacity. A
reservoir will be made out Of the dam Of the
Truckee river above Truckee City. and also
out Of Eagle lake. This will give fine
water power and store the water for such
cities IS Reno on the Truckee. BY building
dam At the outlet Of Lake Weber its capac
ity for the storage Of water will be doubled.
THE LITTLE TRUCKER.
Two reservoirs have been located on the
little Truckee. below Lake Weber. From
this water can be turned either into the 81
ezra valley and all the ada cent valleys near
the line of California and Nevada. These
reservoirs, together with the Bonner lake
reservoir. can also supply a large amount Of
wafer on the plateaus Of Nevada. All the
surplus water from the above named dams
and lakes and the Truckee river sinks into
Pyramid lake.
i
| Thus far account has been taken of the
waters OF the Truckee. The Truckee river
will then be turned above Wadsworth to the
plains and plateaus southeast Of Wadsworth.
| This will prevent the waters Of the Truckee
from sinking into Pyramid lake. There is
also = tunnel from Lake Tahoe TO the head
Of the Car.on valley. and . magnificent
reservoir site has been established and located
a, the head Of Hope valley canyon. on the
west fork Of the Carson river. This will
have surface Of i've miles Of wafer fifty fee,
in depth. In this connection it may be stated
that Bonner lake will be raised twenty feet.
THE CARSON RIVER.
On the middle fork Of the Carson river At
Pleasant valley dam and reservoir have
been loca.ed. The latter will have a surface
Of four square miles with an average depth
Of forty feet.
| On the east or main fesk Of the Carson
river. At Silver King canyon and valley, there
is reservoir site that will impound water in
an area Of about three square miles, forty to
fifty feet in depth. At Wolf creek il emp,ies
into the east or main fork Of the Carson near
Silver King canyon.
Half q mile above the mouth Of Wolf
creek, at its junction with the east fork Of
the Carson river, another site has been Sc.
lected covering two square miles. This will
locate and preserve the surplus or Aood
waters of the upper Carson, TO be brought
down As required to the main or grand reser
voir, which has been located in Long valley.
The dam to complete this grand natural
land locked reservoir is located one and one
half miles above Carson valley. 1t is capable
Of holding six square miles Of water with an
average depth Of forty feet. The waters
from the west fork Of Hope valley reservoir
will be conducted to this grand reservoir. in
Long valley by canal from Hope canyon.
through Diamond and Ouch valleys. This
is . distance Of four miles.
THE HORSESHOE BEND.
The east fork Of the Carson forms june.
ton in Alpine county California, making the
east fork the main river below the point
about twenty miles above Long valley. As
there is narrow gorge through solid rock
half mile below Horseshoe bend, q dam
will be built through it to throw the man
river back to Horseshoe bend. Here narrow
divide between the main river and Long
valley not over one thousand feet in length
will enable tunnel through this divide to
deliver xuch an amount of water al NAV he