The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-19
Surveys Of Reservoir Sites.

Although Congress refused at its last
session to begin the work OF building water
storage reservoirs for the irrigation OF arid
States, 1t long ago authorized and provided
the means for surveys OF the sites for such
reservoirs, and an interesting document
compiled by the Interior Department
shows how far this work has progressed.
1t began over ten years ago, In 1888,
with the appropriation OF $1,000 for In
vestigations and for the selection Of sites
for reservoirs, bitches and canals. while
the next year $25O,00o was set apart for
the same objects. This work was done by
the Geological Survey, which prepared
maps exhibiting tho drainage area OF
streams, the elevations OF catchment basins
and other hydraulic details. while 1t also
measured the flow Of rivers and estimated
the cost Of dams.
In Arizona tho principal reservoir surveys
have been on the Gila and its tributaries,
although private enterprise has made them
on the Salt aud the Verde. In California
they have been within the high Siorras
around Lake Tahoe and on the headwatcrs
OF the Truckee, the Stanislaus. the Tuo-
lumne, and tho MERGED; in Colorado, on
Tue HtduN dlttS VI hho ~ A'"iS,
on the Snake and its tributaries and on the
Blackfoot in Montana. largelyon the Sun;
in Nevada, on the Truckee. Carson, and
other streams flowing from California in
New Mexico, on various rivers and creeks;
In Utah, on Bear and Utah lakes, and on
the Sewer and its tributaries.
These Investigations have shown that a
great proportion OF the arid lands never
can be irrigated at n profit. The natural
conditions are not favorable in some cases,
and hundreds Of sites pointed out to In
y~estigators have been found unsuitable for
reservoirs. The most common drawback Is
that too high a dam would be required {;
again, for n basin OF sufficient capacity
the length OF dam is sometimes too great
occasionally the foundations are not good /;
or there may not be enough water
shed. On the other hand. in storm re-
Rions there may be dangers OF overtop-
ping and washing away a dam OF earth
by a cloud-burst, just az In the bins
town food. and in such cases there must
either DO enormous wast8ways around
the dam, or 1t must be built Of masonry,
like the Swcctwater dam in California.
Finally, when built, the value OF the reser-
voir may be destroyed by great quantities
OF silt brought down, and hence methods Of
disposlng OF this must be adopted.
The leading photographic basins now
proposed. for which estimates have been
made, are as follows:
Upper Missouri! Basin. for Montana and
North Dakota-Suu River system $500. 900
Uppar Missouri Basin. for wyoming; also
Plato Basin. for Wyoming and Ne
braska. including Sweetwater and La
ramie system. ..,.,.... 900. 900
Platte and Arkansas basins. for Colorado
and Kansas, including South Platte res.
ervoir. $500. 900. and Arkansas Liver.
$500, 900 Observation-Disclosures. 1000. 900
Rio drandc, for Colorado and New Mexico.
Including PuOrco and pecos rivers. ,,,.,. $780, 600
Colorado River drainage. for Arizona
ouesn Creek reservoir. ...........,.. $780, 900
Balt Lake drainage. for Idaho and Utah
Bear Lake system. ...,.... "..,...-... $50. 900
Columbia River drainage for I~dAho-SnAke
River system ...,....,. 2bo.oo
Columbia River drainage for OreRon-WAl.
lAwGllA. MAlheur and Owyhee rivers. $40, oOO
Columbia River drainage for Washing
ton-YAkimA lakes ......,-........ $50. ooo
Interior basin drainage fo- NevAdA-Don-
nsr Lake and Humboldt River. .,..,.,,., 10000
California drainAGe-Kings. San Gabriel
and Santa Ana riyers. ............. 600, OOC
Total .,".,".. b.oOo.O oC
Capt. CTVrTRNDEN has recommended that
the WyonEng basin should lead of, II reser