Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-04-24
ARID LAND RECLAMATION.
A California Experiment of Interest in
IRRIGATION.

- oIHla experiment OF interest IN
Irrigation.
Storage of water on Kings river.
California, is the title of No. IS of the
water supply and irrigation papers of
the United States geological survey,
now III press. Kings river drains the
western slope Of the Sierra Nevada in
Fresno county, Cal, from Mt. Whitney
on the south to Mt. Goddard on the
north. Fully so per cent of the drain
age basin is now included within the
boundaries of the Sierra forest re-
serve, a matter of prime Importance
to the irrigated lands below, for it
means the conservation of the stream
The river debouches from its mountain
drainage basin on the plains of Fres-
no, Kings and Tulare dointies, some
times spoken of as the Kings river
delta, which are near the geographical
center of the state, and present great
variety of climate and soil Fresno
and HanfOrd, the principal towns, are
about 200 miles from San Francisco
and Los Angeles.
Lumber, gold, copper, petroleum,
grain, oranges, lemons, many varieties
of deciduOus fruits, grapes, ,raisins,
wines and brandieS are produced in
this region in commercial quantities.
There are more than 100000 deciduous
fruit trees in Fresno county. There
are about 10000 acres of vineyards. 1t
ir 1O ic;, Of
MIA. The citrus belt, as is the case in
southern California, is a narrow strip
of land at the base of the mountains.
Irrigation is necessary for all vari-
cites OF agricultural products, grain
possibly excepted. There are about
625 miles of main irrigation canals,
covering $4,000 acres of land on the
Kings river delta. A good water right
adds about $50 an acre to the value of
valley lands, and about $50 an acre to
the so-called frostless foothill lands,
where the citrus fruits, the most valu-
able crop. could be raised with an in
crease of the present supply Of water,
which has been diverted chiefly to the
lower lands. The present combined
capacity of the Kings river canals is
stated to ba approximately 1000 cubic
feet a second; in September, 1898, the
supply fell to about 145 cubic feet a
second. In the last season the profits
from the irrigated districts around
Fresno were in excess of s., 200, 900.
Land without irrigation supply sells
here for $40 an acre; the same land
with a good water right sells for about
$50. Hence the Importance of the
water power development considered
in this report, which is on the middle
fork of Kings river, above all diver
sions for irrigation or for storage.
Kings river can be relied on, in spite of
occasional dry seasons, for a great
water supply, draining, as it does
Lap square miles of area from banks
of perpetual snow.
In the investigation Of the Kings
ported on reservoir sites. four of which
were then surveyed. Of these four
sites two should be utilized, and stOr-
age work should be begun by building
| the Clarks valley reservoir, with a
35-foot dam, followed by the construc
| ton of a 140-foot dam at the Pine Flat
site
The Pine Flat site. on the main
| Kings river, five miles below Trimmer
| just above the diversions of all irriga
| ton canals. has an elevation of coo
! feet. and the dam would cost 81, 425,
| GOO. This reservoir could be used as
a governor for filling the Clark's val
| ley reservoir and then for holding the
surplus water The experts conclu
sions are: That the observed flow OF
Kings river for the season Of 1S97-9S
may be taken as a minimum; thai
these minimum years will probably
occur about once in 10 years; tha'
there will be enough water in Novem
Der to February, inclusive, to fill ever!
year the Pine Flat reservoir, with {
capacity Of 1887 acre-feet; that il
nine out of 10 years there will bt
enough water to leave the Pine Fla
reservoir full for use after July 1; tina
water that would De stored in the Pin,
Flat reservoir is water that would
otherwise be lost; that the Pine Fla
reservoir would irrigate the most val
liable lands in Fresno and Tulare coun
ties, now dry and unproductive; tina
the cost of storage would be S1S.23 al
acre-foot, and the earning power o
the reservoir fully double that amount
The Clark's valley site is in Fresh,
county. Is miles east of Sanger. an,
has the stage road to Wildwood and TIN
arroyo of Wahtoke creek through tn,