Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1904-09-08

In Sections Dependent on COlum bia
and Snake Rivers.

James G. Camp, reclamation engineer,
reviewing investigations made during
the past season, does not indicate y
bright irrigation future for those locali-
ties in Eastern Oregon and Washington
which are dependent upon the Snake
and Columbia Rivers for their water
supply.
An investigation was made last year
to determine the feasibility of irrigating
large body of land on both sides of the
Columbia for 20 miles above the town of
Umatilla. 1t was found that the grades
are so steep end the distances which
water would have to be carried are 80
great that irrigation in that region from
Snake River is impracticable.
The practicability of irrigating lands
near Pasco, Wash. north and east OF
the junction of Snake and Columbia
Rivers, was also investigated. There is
a fine body of land lying between the
wheat belt on the highest benches and
these rivers, but as all bat narrow
strip of perhaps 2000 acres would re-
quire ditch at an elevation nearly 700
feet above sea level and $50 feet above
the river. it is equally as impracticable
as the Umatilla project.
The possibility of obtaining water
from Columbia River at Priest Rapids.
40 miles above Pasco, was next investi-
gated. 1t was found however, that in
order to divert this water onto the lands
near Pasco, it would be necessary to
construct bitches in the sides of the
perpendicular clay and sand bluffs,
known as White Bluffs. AS these bluffs
are constantly caving in, it became ap-
parent that such ditch was out of the
question. These conditions led to the
belief that the irrigation of the Pasco
lands by gravity ditch from Columbia
or Snake River is not feasible. What
might be done with pumps, using gaso-
line or electricity generated by big
wer plant located near Priest Rapids,
and transmitting power by wire to diff
ferent pumping stations was outside the
scope of Mr.. Camps Investigations.
ut is practicable" adds Mr.. Camp,
"to turn the Palouse River westward
into the Washtucno and Sulphur Lake
region and thence to the lands around
Pasco. A small ditch of about 5O-sec-
ond feet capacity was taken ont ten or
twelve years ago, about ten miles above
the larger falls of Pslonse rlyer. 1t fol-
lows the east side of PaIouse River for
seven miles, then crosses the valley by
pipe line, continuing down the west
side to the Washtucna gap, which it
crosses with long cAt 20 feet deep in
the center. From this point it follows
natural channel. Owing 10 poor con.
structon and loss of water in loose
gravel and pipe line, this ditch has
never been operated successfully. Any
scheme to utilize the waters of Pa
louise River would have TO depend
larg lv upon reservoirs, as the maxi
mum flow of the river occurs before the
irrigation season begins. There was no
opportunity to investigate the possibility
of reservoirs. 1t is said that Sulphur
and Washtucna Lakes, across the d.
vide, are available sites. and that many
broad gulches toward Pasco and Rock
Lake and other lakes near the head
waters might also be available"
An investigation was made of the pos
sblities of utilizing the waters of
Umatlla River for the irrigation Of
lands on both sides of that stream be-
low Pendleton. On the north side of
the Umatilla the high bench land ex-
tends from Pendleton to within Is miles
of the Columbia. 1t rises abruptly
from the river, the bluff being often al
most perpendicular solid basalt. The
deep canyons make a very difficult
slope on which to construct a ditch.
Private surveys Indicate that canal to