The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-24
EXAMINED THE DAM.

mite on the MarySvaIe Reservoir.
KIT now develops that some of the
citizens Of Sewer county take eXcep-
tions to the work being done by the
MarysvaIe Reservoir company, in Sc
vier canyon, and a convention of the
water users and owners along the
river was recently held at Richfield,
for the purpose of devising ways and
means to protect the rights of them
selves and the other people of Sewer,
Sanpete, Juab and Miliard counties.
A committee was appointed by the
convention for the purpose OF making
an examination of the dam and reSer-
Voir now being constructed. That COM
mittee has reported, and Secretary
William II. Seegmiller sends The Her
aid * sull copy and extract of the
minut They are as follows;
Richfeld. June 16, 1895.
To Simon Christensen and Members Of
the Sewer River and Sewer County
Water Adjustment Convention:
Gentlemen-Your committee ap-
pointed to inspect and make report
on the Marysvale reservoir, respectfully
submit the following:
Your committee. with the exception
of Jos. W Fairbanks, and on invita-
ton ofWilTiam H. Seegmiller, met at
the dam of the MarysVale reservoir at
10 a. M June -.
We found a dam for a reservoir in
course of construction on the Sewer
river, in Sewer canyon, at a point
about q quarter of a mile north of the
mouth of Deer creek, and from 'MaryS-
vale about four miles. Considerable
earth has already been put into the
dam, also considerable rock aHi mason
vsy17? has been done in preparing tue
lsl<lsr way or gate.
Ehe dam viii be about 800 feet long
and twenty feet high. with frCiIi ten
to twenty-five feet of rock 0riprap) on
the south side of the earthwork. 4
rock wall for bulkhead, now being con-
structed is to be tWenty-seVen feet
high and ten feet thick, laid in lime
mortar and pointed with cement. a
waterway. forty feet long. with a
paved floor of hammer dressed rock
eighteen inches long Cor deep, set in
cement, a continuation of large rock
placed 50 as to max a bottom over
which 10 pass the water to a distance
of twenty-five feet below. Very heavy
red pine timbers are being prepared
for the construction of the gate with
costs twelve by sixteen inches, so ar
ranged that five-fOOt plank, two and a
half by six inches, viii be used in
raising and letting off the water The
reservoir will be about two miles long,
with an average width Of about LOCO
feet, and an average depth of about
five Aset. The walls for bulkhead do
notst on a foundation O. bed rock.
but on a mixture or combination If
rock and gravel The channel Il the
river is TO be changed and filed with
earth. The only way to pass water out
of the reservoir will be through the
forty-foot gate.
Your committee are Of the same
opinion as expressed By Government
Engineer Newell. when investigating
this same site years ago, That the
reservoir viii in five or six years fill
up with sediment, located as. it is on
the main channel and carrying so
much sediment, during springs high
water and floods, that occur almost
annually in July and August We sug-
gect that of naces ;.tv Out efforts must
be directed to higher localities for a
secure, sure and permanent source of
water supply and recommend the ap-
pointment of a standing committee. to
investigate available reservoir sites
with a view 10 the storing of all the
water necessary for lands now being
cultivated and those available in Sc
Vier county. We also suggest that in
quiry be made by your convention con-
corning the legal right Of any COM
pany 10 establish a reservoir on the
main Sewer river, which would be a
standing menace 10 many people Iiv-
ing below 1t, and an impediment to the
natural highway for conducting water
TO parts OF Sewer, San Pete. Juab and
Willard counties We are of the oDin-
ion that obstacles of the kind men
tiQned should not be tolerated if the
Is& will protect the people in causing
;1ieir abandonment or in enioinine
their construction. Complications and
prevention Of development must ensue |
If the needed protection can not he !
secured. We further suggest that if +
possible the government engineer he |
secured to investigate the safety OF the /
reservoir. The state or national irrl |
cation associations might aid in bring I,
ing this about if solicited to do so.
Your committee are unanimous in |
the opinion that there are points of !
weakness and prospective danger in
the construction of this dam and unite
In a desire that through your body the
Judgment and skill of a competent en-
gineer be secured to pass upon the
question. lhtls settling, so far as can
be, the anxiety of SO many people liv-
ing in Sewer county affected thereby.
]. A. ROSS, Chairman.
w. II. SEEGMILLER.
Secretary OF Committee.
.IulIs19 report ac5spted; committee
r - standing committee. W. H