The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-08-05
ONE PROJECT BEEN PRONOUNc.
ED FEASIBLE BY NATIONAL
RECLAMATION SERVICE.
Echo Proposition Will Probably be Ia.
ken up by the Government
Next Year.

The reclamation service has an
nounced a feasible project from the
Umatilla river, on the east side. OF
from $4,000 to $4,000 acrs of land
which can be supplied with full waite,
supply and 10000 to 10000 acres
which can at the same time be proyid-
ed with flood water or winter irriga-
ton. says the East Oregonian.
John T. Whistler, district enginee,
for the reclamation service in Oregon
in an interview today says:
AN excellent small project exists or
the east side Of the Umatilla river be.
low Echo. This region mas generally
been conceded by the service to be-
long largely to the field of private in
terests, since several enterprises are
already under process of construction
or are contemplated. The reclamation
service, however, has worked out a
plan for a feasible propect of from 25,-
900 to 10000 acres. The greater part
of the land coming under the project
is either patented or entered upon
and therefore the reclamation service
can only present the plans proposed tc
the people interested for their accept
ance or selection.
The general plan proposed is to d.
vert water from the Umatilla by a feed
canal between Is and 20 miles lone
into what is called Cold Springs res
ervoir site. A dam there to hold the
water 80 feet deep will impound a suf-
ficient supply alone for $4,000 acres
About 1900 acres of good land is esti-
mated to lie under the reservoir, and
by using one irrigation in the Spring
direct from the river it is thought the
entire $4,000 acres can be provided with
an absolute and assured full sup
ply.
Lying above the reservoir distribu-
taries, but below the feed canal will
be from 10000 to 10000 acres of ir-
rigable land which can, by increasing
the size of the feed canal, be supplied
with flood water or winter irriga-
ton.
All plans proposed by the reclamation
service provide for structures of tine
most permanent character which will
thus reduce the cost of maintenance to
minimum. The plans also provide
for all necessary drainage. A perma
nent diversion weir or dam will be
provided at the point of diversion OF
the Umatilla river.
The reclamation act itself provides
that payments for government water
rights shall be made in 10 annual pay
ments without interest. The plan in
other projects has been to make the
first payment due in December after
the first full seasons irrigation.
The government lien required on all
patented lands before construction will
begin, cannot, however, be foreclosed
until another year, allowing, therefore,
two entire irrigating seasons before
the first payments can be required
The cost per acre estimated on, in
cludes all maintenance for the 10
years during which payments are
made.
Final estimates cannot be worked
out for some time, but it seems prob
able the project will cost little if any
in access of $50 per acre for the fully
irrigated land and $40 for the flood or
winter irrigated land.
It should be understood that these
figures are only approximate and that
final estimates may change them ma
terially. They are given now in order
that the project may be considered as
promptly as possible and to the end
that if it is desired by the people I'M
der the project that the government
take it up, it can be done with as little
delay as possible.