The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-01-27
IRRIGATION IN YAKIMA
RESERVOIRS NECESSARY
Thousands of Acres, Now Without
Water, Possible of Reclaim
alton.


ment controlling the geological survey,
T. \. Noble has the following regarding
the possibilities of irrigation in the Yak
ma valley:
Irrigation in Washington has been de-
veloped most largely along the Yakima
river, and number of large canals have
been taken out at different points along
its course. At the headwaters of the
river and of its principal tributaries are
several large lakes that might be used
for storage purposes. Attempts have
been made by several persons and cor
porations to obtain possession of these
lakes, but so far as can be ascertained
the title is still in the government. Tenn
porary structures have been built or pro-
jected in the hope of getting possession
of the lake in the interest of one or an
other of the canal companies operating
along the lower part of the stream. Re
quests have been received to have in
vestigations made along the Yakima riv
er, and various projects have been looked
into. The present condition of land own
ership, however, and of title to water,
make the interposition of the govern
ment delicate matter. On the one
hands are people asking that no interior
ence be had with private development;
on the other are citizens demanding that
the government should supplement the
existing systems.
The lands that might be reclaimed
may be considered in four sections and
classified as follows:
"First-Lands in the Ahtanum basin,
lying between Cowiche creek and All
tanum river. These lands are of three
different characters: ~ A higher por
ton, composed of 'scab' lands, which
have not been taken into consideration;
~ the bench lands that lie between the
scab land and the present irrigating ca
nails, all situated favorably for irriga-
ton and of the best quality; (3) irrigat-
ed lands that lie below the present irri-
CATION canal
"Second-Lands in the Cowiche basin.
lying between the north and south forks
of Cowiche creek. This body of land is
of excellent character, is easily irrigated
and the slope is suitable for drainage.
"Third-Land lying on the ridge be-
tween Cowiche creek and the Naehes
river This land with the exception of
numerous rocky points of small area
that rise above the level of the soil, is
of excellent quality and lies well for
both irrigating and drainage.
Fourth-Lands in the Wenas BASIN
The lands lying in this basin could be
irrigated by conducting water from Tie
tan river across the valley of the Naches
just below the mouth of the Tietan
through pressure pipes, which would be
about 5000 feet long. Thence the water
could be conducted by flume, OF ditch,
around the side of Cleman mountain to-
ward the east, distance of about seven
miles, to a point where the flume would
cross over a low divide between Naches
river and Wenas creek. From this point
the land would be irrigated by laterals
surrounding the BASIN The lands in this
basin are already partially irrigated
from Wenas creek by small irrigating
bitches.
"The irrigable lands lie on sloping
hillsides, and are already partially irri-
gated by the Selah valley canal which
takes water from Naches river, lust
above the mouth of Tietan river. These
irrigated lands are of excellent quality
and are now in high state of cultiva
tion 1t is feasible to irrigate the un-
irrigate lands from the same source of
water supply.
The proposed flume line would take
the water from Tietan river at about
200 feet elevation and conduct it by
fiume or other conduit around the south
side of the canyon TO a point about two
miles above the mouth of Tietan river.
where is is proposed to excavate a tun-
mel to bring the water into the valley
of the north fork of Cowiche creek.
thence it is proposed to build distribut-
ing canals covering all lands below the
1000 foot level. This flume line will be
the most difficult part of the work, yet
it is perfectly feasible to construct II
The length of the flume line would be
between four and seven miles The
amount of good land that could be irri-
gated and the approximate length of the