The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1904-05-14
MINID0KA PROJECT
BrIef Outline Of the Government
Irrigation Works Lately
Decided On.

proved the plans OF the engineers, says
the Pocatello Advance and has set aside !
out OF the reclamation fund, the sum OF !
s., 500. 900 for the work OF constructing
an immense irrigation system. Water
is to be taken from tht Snake river at
the head OF the Mnidoka rapids about
six miles south Of Minedoxa. station
on the Oregon Short Line railroad, and
spread over the great Snake plains
AT the point OF diversion the forma-
ton in the bed of the river is solid lava
rock. and the conditions are very favor
able for the construction of a dam 80 ieet
high and the divergence of water on
both sides OF the river into canals for the
irrigation OF lands Under them. Above /
the dam site for many miles the stream
is in a canyon or very narrow valley
from forty to fifty feet below the bench |
lands, and the dam when constructed
will back the water up for distance
of about 35 miles Surveys OF the river
show that it is possible to irrigate by
gravity about 6s, 900 acres Of good land
in addition to this it is possible to divert
about 1000 cubic feet of water per sec
ond. which is appropriated by vested
rights below, and by turning this back
into the river generate over 10000 horse
power, which can be used to pump an
ample supply of water to about $1,000
acres OF land lying above the gravity
canals, making total area irrigable
from this project Of about 10000 acres
The engineers estimate that the cost
! of irrigation will be about $500 pei
acre. Similar lands, when reclaimed,
are sold at from $40 to 800 per acre.
!. 1t is proposed to erect rock filed
I dam across the Snake river at the point
. of diversion. TIE material for this dam
will be excavated from the upper end OF
the main north side canal. 1t will con-
sist of an embankment of loose rock 575
= feet in length with masonary top wall
II The rock emhankment will be l2ls feet
T. wide at the top and will be carried si2
= feet above extreme food level. Their
y, will be spillway on the south side o
= the river about 1000 feet long. Thi
d spillway will be leveled up in place by {
= low niasonarv wall
" The north side canal for about 4,5O
IN feet at its upper end will be in rock. l
N will be 81 feet wide and carry water to
depth Of 10 feet. At the lower end o.
" this section win be located the powe
tation where 5000 second feet OF thi
N water will be discharged through wheel
re under a head of 80 feet. The power dc
AZ veloped will be- transmitted about !
> miles to the pumping station on til
south side Of the canal, where it viii
applied in lifting water to lands lyir
above the gravity level. The preseI
minimum supply for this purpose
1000 second feet, enough to develop IL
400 horse power This amount can
, increased by storage to 1900 second fec
- or enough for more than 1000 hor
power
H. In addition to these power possibi
. ties. more than 1000 horse power Ct
be developed from the 900 second ie
of irrigation water which will fall 20 ft
at this point. This amount OF pow
will be available for purposes other th
irrigation. The power station is desil
ed to utilize this falling water duri
the irrigation season and at other tim
From the power house the canal
have capacity oi 900 secoud feet a
will irrigate by gravity 10000 acres
land. 1t will be located on praetiea
level ground. and after the first six mi
will be. entirely IN earth.
The south side canal win have a
pacity Of 500 second feet for the first
miles. or to the pumping station.
will only irrigate about 5000 acres
gravity. At the first pumping stat
res $50 second feet will be lifted to hei
r OF "a feet, and l5s second feet to a hei
Ms OF 25.5 feet The last amount will
I'm, carried on down the valley and will
,av- gate u, 400 acres Of Land. The
amount, $40 second feet, will be car
IN easterly about 1000 feet in C
Nav where 522 second feet will be lifted
TO height OF % feet, and 22O second fee
gain this amount will be distributed
nee. this level The remainder will agail
moss lifted TO height of 295 feet.
fore 1t is recommended by the engin
at that the homestead entry under
and project be limited to so acres, eN
within two miles Of townsite "
amount is limited to 40 acres, and
sl'S believed that all lands will be enter'