The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-04-19


head of Milk river. The construction
of the dam and canal was recom-
mended to congress by the secretary
of the interior in his last report; and
the following is an extract from a
progress report on the subject, made
to the division of photography of the
United States Geological survey, by
Mr.. Cyrus Babb.
"These st. Mary lakes receive the
drainage from the high peaks of the
Rocky mountains, but instead of con-
tlnuing easterly across the plains, as
do the rivers further south, the wa
tiers overflow northerly by st. Mary
river to the Saskatchewan river and
are lost in Hudson bay The east
erly course, which appears to be the
original or natural direction for the
waters to pursue has been blocked
by the glacial debris left near the
foot of the mountains. In this low,
| irregular country are a number OF
small streams, most of which are
tributary to Milk river The proposed
canal will restore what may be called
the original preglacial drainage and
allow the waters from the Rocky
mountains to continue eastward down
the slope of the country.
milk river, heading in the low, |
rolling country east of the foot of the
mountains, has a general northeast
erly direction, the two principal
branches, North Fork and South |
Fork uniting after crossing the Can
adian line The stream thus formed
flows easterly for $50 miles or more,
where it bends to the southwark and
again enters Montana, finally empty
ling into the Missouri river. The
broad Milk river valley in Montana
consist of a generally rolling coun-
TRY, adapted to irrigation. The water
Isupply from the river is, however, de-
lficient, owing to the lack of high
mountain area at the headWaters
The diversion canal, as planned, will
restore the mountain catchment area
, to this stream. 1t is proposed to
build a low storage dam at this point
about three-fourths of a mile below
the present. outlet of st. Mary lake.
This dam will have maximum ele-
walton of so feet above the bottom
of the river and will form a reservoir
of a capacity of 100000 acre-feet.
This reservoir will serve to hold the
flood waters and the supply received
from the melting snow in the noun
tains. The head of the diversion
canal will be on the right hand or
; eastern side of the dam. 1t will con-
time down along the right bank OF
the river for about seven miles, then
turn easterly through a low gap.
"The water of the st. Mary river
:. is not used in the United States; but
I in Canadian territory, seven miles
9 north of the international boundary
b line. is a canal, completed in 1900.
# Between the site of the proposed dam
e at the foot of st. Mary lake and the
head of the Canadian canal, consld-
e cradle number of large streams dis
charge into St. Mary river, furnish
d ing an amply supply for the land irrl-
II gated in Canada. 1t is not believed
that any international complications
can arise concerning water rights
since the water which it is proposed
to store and divert occurs wholly
within Montana and it would be I'M
possible for the Canadians to store
and utilize this flood water, even II
needed in their canal
The length of the proposed st
\ Mary canal from its head on st
4 Mary river to the North Fork of MILF
4 river, is PA miles, and the cost o.
4 construction, including dam and head
4 gates, and the drop at the Nortf
4 Fork, will be $687.000.
n The canal has been planned to car
q ry 1900 cubic feet per second, an'
\ the amount of acreage to be re
\ claimed is estimated at 10000 acre
j of public land, which would have
4 probable value of $35 per acre, o
q $4,000 900 and would sustain popu
N lation of $4,000. By storage in tn
II lower Milk river valley the area O
reclaimed land, including the use Q
n Milk river, can be increased to 3Oo
600 acres. The extension of the cana
from North Fork to South Fork, an
lts turning it into this latter stream wi
up have certain advantages over the pl
wv have certain advantages over tn
nd plan for stopping the canal at Mort
Fork. The total cost of the cana
er- from the head to the South Fork
ay Milk river will be $1,173,OO0, and il
III length will be 1913 miles.
jill If the water is turned either int
90 the North or South Fork of Mil
~ river, it first finds its way into Ca
-'0 ada before it can be used in tt
lower basin. The valley proper
the Milk river in Canada is compar
SIX lively narrow, and has little irrigab
nj land, so that any proposition on
large scale must contemplate usi1
lst the high bench lands above.
Milk river, in Canada, from Il