Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-08-24
In His Annual Report Prof New,
ell Reviews Conditions in
This State.
UTAH LAKE SCHEME COMES FIRST
The Next in Importance is the Bear
River Project Which Will Irri.
gate 100000 Acres,


part Of witch Is devoted TO conditions
in Utah and the projects proposed for
the reclamation OF arid lands in this
state, lie says In part,
UTAH LAKE PROJECT,
"The most important project for the
development Of the arid lands Of Utah
is that which involves the cmplete con-
troll Of the water entering Utah lake
or Jordan river. The situation is pc
cuar, but the engineering features are
not especially difficult. The compca-
lions arising from vested rights will
cause the greatest delay"
Mr.. Newell then explains that Utah
lake is broad, shallow body Of water,
from which evaporation is so great
that probably more water disappears
into the air than is put to beneficial
Use. 1t is not economical as a reser-
voir and its value could be increased
by decreasing It's area IL, at the same
time, the storage capacity could be
maintained by providing for a greater
annual rise and fail of the diminished
surface. II Is to the advantage OF Utah
county TO decrease the area Of the lake,
az by so doing the broad extent Of the
marsh land would be reduced and the
cultivated areas extended, BY storing
all Of the water possible In mountain
valleys and keeping II from reaching
Utah lake until the time of the year
when II IL needed, n double benefit
would result to Utah county In making
available a large summer flow OF the
streams and IN keeping to the minimum
the area OF flooded valley below.
The efforts Of the department at the
present time are being directed toward
arranging som scheme by which the
vested rights will be harmonized, the
rights Of all preserved, aud the surplus
water made available for disposal, so
that the proceeds may repay the cost
of the work. in case II Is undertaken by
the government. "rhe scheme Is be-
lleyed 10 be feasible" says Mr.. New
ell but II will require great care, per-
severance and tact on the part OF those
having 1t IN hand" He refers 20 the
lfdi WI INV put VI lHbNf INV VI dWlllh
water from Utah lake, that any inter
ference with the level Of the lake may
disturb their water supply but when q
plan IL eventually worked out he be-
lcves these fears can be allayed,
BEAR RIVER NEXT.
Next in importance 10 the complete
control OF Utah lake Is the full utili2a-
ton OF the waters of Bear lake" con-
tinues the report Water Is taken out
Of Bear river by q number Of canals
I'm Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, through
which the stream runs. The reglila-
ton Of the river and the best use OF
It's waters involve interstate problems.
From studies heretofore made, II is evil
dent that the key to the whole situa
tlon Is the control Of Bear lake. ii
has been determined that the main
source OF supply OF Bear lake Is upper
Bear river for while the river proper
does not flow into the lake, there Is
channel which drains the river and
empties into the lake. Investigators
now being conducted are intended TO
devise a means OF practically utilizing
Bear lake as storage reservoir for
imp0unding the waters that are now
annually going to waste In large guam
titles. II is found that a rise OF three
or four feet IN the lake will not ma
terially affect the surrounding coun.
try, but there Is some doubt az to
whether the lake, If thus raised, could
be prevented from overlooking into
Mud lake. from which II Ia separated
by low sand bar. In fact. It has
hnan AutnRnaln.I fhuf NsArlf N.f11
be necessary TO make this sand bar
sufficiently imperyious 10 prevent the
water Of the main lake escaping
through into Mud lake. The installa-
ton OF cutoff wall is looked upon
as necessary
There are no lands In the immediate
vicinity OF Bear lake that can be benc-
fitted by the stored water and the
only outlet from the valley into To-
cality where benefits are to be derived
II through Bear river The present
canal is unsuitable, being winding
and otherwise inefficient. and It is be-
lieved from preliminary examinations
that new channel will have to be
constructed. Such n channel would be
lils miles long, but would run through
meadows and swamp lands, and the
construction would be very simple Il
is also contemplated that canal nine
and a half miles long VIII be necessary
to divert into the lake the full volume
Of upper Bear river.
AVAILABLE LANDS.
Continuing the report says;
Bear river occupies unique posi-
ton In the arid land reclamation OF
northern Utah and southern Idaho, Al
ready Its normal flow In the irrigation
months is entirely appropriated, and
there yet remains thousands OF acres
OF valuable lands undeyoloped and arid,
DEPENDENT primarily upon Bear nyer
and It's tributaries for water supply.
Salt Lake, Weber. Davis and BoxeIder
counties In northern Utah are all short
of water Southern Idaho has
thousands OF acres without water Bear
river Is the natural source OF supply for
all these shortages. The expense OF
development from other sources, such
as small reservoirs on small mountain
streams, Is so great as TO make such
plans prohlbitlve, while II the water
supply OF Bear river can be regulated |
the elevation Of the river IA
vors the construction Of canals on such !
n scale as TO make reclamton not only |
possible but profitable"
II Is estimated that there Is ass 0O0 |
acre feet Of water available for storage |
on Bear river each year which is SUI |
hcient 20 irrigate more than 100000 |
acres Of fertile land
DUCHEsNE RIVER SUPPLY.
Du9hesne river Is the principal |
stream Of northeastern Utah. Through |
o considerable part OF It's course Il |
lows through valley lands which. |
though arid. contain tracts OF great |
fertility when Irrigated. Near its head |
Is Strawberry valley, containing large |
areas OF nearly level land and an aver
age elevation Of 1900 feet. The altitude
is rather high FOR general agricultural
purposes, but the land IL adapted to
grazing. The water supply Of this
valley II excellent, the streams having |
their heads In the Wasatch mountains, |
whose canyons sometimes contain snow |
throughout the year. For q number OF
sea sons this area. 20 The extent OF So Il