The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-15

tHeSS TWO rivers, DOln at low water
and at high water. A station is al
ready established at the mouth Of
the Swan river. To set at the amount
Of water passing through these rivers
requires time. and considerable work
of the most careful nature.
1t also becomes necessary to know
how much water passes out of the
lake through the Pen dOreille river,
thus getting at the possible amount
siderable, by making proper estimates
of the water coming through the
creeks and adding this to that of the
rivers, then comparing with the water
passing through the river at the out
let
This measurement can only be done
by stringing cable across the river
at Poison, where it is narrow, and
measureing from a car fastened to
the cable. This will entail some ex-
pense, but is the only way it can be
done, as there are no bridges across
this river. and all along the current
is swift and strong, and the river is
difficult to work in.
Furthermore to get at the amount
of water that must be cared for il
widening the outlet it is necessary to
keep an accurate record of the height
of water in the lake during the entire
year, know about how high it gets
above low water mark, and the times
of greatest height. Still further there
is necessity for a map of the lake,
that the surface may be determined,
estimated in cubic feet, and from the
flow at the outlet, having given the
depth, width and current, the time
necessary to carry off the water may
be determined.
AS a beginning Tor this work, Mr..
r. II. Chapman, Of the United States
geological survey, this summer estab-
lished two points on the banks of the
lake, visible from almost any place,
that is one or the other of the points
may be seen from any place on the
lake. One of these points is estab-
lished near Dayton postotfice, the 9th
er near Poison postofuce.
1t will thus be seen that the prob
lem is large. There is no desire to
lower the surface of the lake. and
thus decrease it in size, which could
readily be done. Last summer | went
over the entire southern end in our
launch, and estimated that to lower
the lake five or six feet would uncov-
er many thousands of acres of land.
To decrease the size Of the lake would
be to lessen the evaporation. This the
people of the region are averse to do
ing, as they are so fortunately stu
ated owing to the proximity of this
and other similar lakes that irrigation
is not necessary. The rainfall of the
region is something over 80 inches,
as compared with Is or II at Mis-
soula annually.
BY knowing the surface Of the lake.
its annual rise and fall, the width Of
the outlet, the current in the lake, the
current at the outlet, and the depth
also at the outlet, it then becomes
possible to state whether widening the
| lake is possible. ana how wide it
must be made to carry off the water.
This also will give an idea of the
amount of material to he displaced,
and the approximate cost, hence the
seems preposterous let it be so, bur
to the writer it seems the only way
of getting at the subject
Now it does seem strange that with
all the cry of waste of water in Mon
tana, there is section of the state
that has too much water, and wants
to get rid of it. And the amount to
be gotten rid of is no small item
either Moreover, owing to the rainfall
of the region, there does not seem
to be the demand for the water 70!
irrigation, for they do not irrigate
and do not need the water.
The readings at the lower end oil
the lake have been made since Apri
: 20, of the present year. At that time
the guage was established, and has
been read every day since, generally
!. twice day. At the time of the es
tablishment of the guage the height
of the water was G.5 feet This does
not mean this high above anything
as the suage is set on an arbitrary
, point, and all that is desired is t
! note the iluctuation of the water. TIL,
t particular thing to be secured is 4
> put the guage at a depth so that i
{ will never be out of water. even a
the lowest. or have the water aboy,
Y it at the highest.
,. On the afternoon of Nav Q the lax