The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-10-21
TO RECLAIM LAND.
Between Crossport, Idaho,
and Nelson, B. C.
ALONG THE KOOTENAI River,
About 10000 Acres In Kootenai
County Could be Reclaimed.

Mr.. w. w. Schlecht, assistant
engineer Of the reclamation service,
recently made a reconnaissance
trip along the Kootenai river be-
tween Crossport, Idaho, and Mel
son, B. c.. in order to determine
the practicability of reclaiming
about 80, 900 acres Of land between
Crossport and the international
boundary line, which are flooded
during the high stage Of the Koot-
enai river. This high stage usual
ly lasts until the latter part of June
at which time the season is too far
advanced to raise any of the
indigenous fruits and vegetables,
and only grass for hay can be
raised.
At Crossport and above this
point the stream is torrential and
the banks are high and prccipitous,
but below Crossport it is sluggish
and meanders through a valley
averaging two miles in width.
Mr.. Schlecht reports that this
valley is typical flood plain, the
banks being from S to IS feet high
er than the major of land lying
farther back, but they are cervassed
in many places and are very pre-
vious, thus giving the water, dur
ing the high stages of the river
free access to the lower land.
Between Crossport and Kooten-
al Lake there is but one large
tributary, which empties into the
river in Canada, but there are at
j least II small tributaries which
discharge considerable water dur
ing the high stages of the Kooten-
al. Considering the pervious
nature of the soil and the numer-
Gus streams which would also have
to be dyked, it is not believed that
dyking the banks is feasible Or
practicable.
The fall of the river between
Bonners Ferry and Lake kootenai
is not over 10 feet, while the differ
ence in elevation OF Lake kooten.
al between high and low stages is
at least IS feet, therefore enlarging
or Strengthening the channel of the
river would not improve matters,
! because it is considered that the
il the lake is the chief controlling
factor governing the stage OF the
river. AS Kootenai Lake has ar
area of at least 40 square miles and
raises IS feet each year in spite ol
the fact that it has a continuous
outflow, a storage reservoir above
Bonners Ferry would have to holc
at least 500, 900 acre feet in order
to reduce the high stage OF the
!, lake 10 or IS feet, and a reservoir
of this capacity would probably
, flood as much land as it is intended
to reclaim.
There are two other possibl.
ways Of relieving this valley of it
excess OF water, but in both case:
the regulating would have to b'
done in Canada. There are be
tween 20, 900 and 80, acres o
land in Canada north Of Porthlll
Idaho, which would be reclaimed
One plan is to divert the excess
water through canal into til;
Columbia, providing the land
along the latter river would not b'
} damaged thereby, and the other i
to enlarge the outlet OF LAX
Kootenai below Nelson. Furthe
. investigation in Canada, however
would be necessary in order to de
termine the practicability OF thes
schemes. While it will be neces
sary in some way to lower tn
! water in the lake from II to I
feet, yet some controlling strnctur
would probably have to be put i
below Nelson in order to preven
the lake from falling to a stag
wh.cl. wo.ld hinder navigation.