The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1905-10-19
TO RECLAIM A VALLEY
Details of Irrigation Project at
Klamath Falls, Ore.
VAST GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKING

William e. Curtis Tells How ESQ, 900
Acres OF Land VIII He Redeemed.
Lakes to Be Drained, Canals Dug
and a Railway BEizt-Nntural Re-
sources Science VIII Make Avail
able.
klamath Falls is one Of the Oldest
places in the state Of Oregon There
has been town there for half a cen
been made raising sheep and cattle,
but owing TO it's lack of transportation
facilities and inaccessibility the town
has not made much Roadway It's iso-
lation has beelfbroken in uDon. how
ever, and klamath Falls is bound to
become q place Of great Importance
soen because Of an extensive irriga-
ton project which the federal govern
ment has undertaken there under the
reclamation act. It is proposed to re
deem 100000 acres of land at cost Of
about $4000,OC0 This will require
large force of laborers and an immense
amount of material which will give
temporary population and activity to
the town, while not less than $4,000
people will ultimately take I'D farms
upon the reclaimed land, says William
e. Curtis, the Chicago Record Herald
correspondent, writing from Klamath
Falls.
On both sides of the boundary line
between California and Oregon about
midway between San Francisco and
Portland and about 80 miles east of
the Pacific coast, between the Cascade
and the main range of the Rocky
Mountains, lies the klamath basin, an
extensive tract, embracing some half
nl&lion acres of land, all of which is
now practically worthless except for
cattle ranges But by drainage and
irrigation it can be made worth from
$50 to $3.50 an acre. About two-thirds
of this land is in Oregon and one-third
In California. The valley has a mean
elevation of 400 feet. From north
to south it is about thirty miles in
length and varies in width from one to
twenty five miles. About 10000 acres
are now under cultivation. The re-
mainder is used fer pasturage.
About one-haf Of the Klamath basin
Is occupied by a string of lakes, the
largest of which are known as Upper
Klamath, Lower klamath, Tule, Clear
nd Goose lakes, with several other
bodies Of water of lesser Importance.
It is proposed to drain Lower klamath
lake, which las an area Of 10000 acres,
al average depth of eight feet and an
elevation Of 4, 142 feet, and Iule lake,
which has an area of $4,000 acres, va
ries from five to twenty-five feet and
has an elevation of 4,6S4 feet. Several
smaller lakes and swamps which sur
round them will also be drained and
reclaimed The bottoms of these lakes
are known to be Of fertile soil. At one
time, according to the traditions Of the
Indians, both of them were dry, or at
least We're very much smaller than
the Indians going north and south il
the Klamath country used to cross
what is now Lower klamath lake.
Upper klamath lake and Clear lake
are to be made permanent reservoirs to
receive and stove the drainage of the
surrounding mountains for irrigation
purposes and a system of canals will
be dug to carry away the surplus wa
ter into the klamath river, which flows
through the valley sluggishly from
north to south for distance of twelve
miles, then turns abruptly to the west
and dashes through picturesque can
yon to the Pacific. To drain the two
lakes mentioned a canal fifteen miles
long, with a grade Of 200 to 800 feet,
will be dug from them to the river,
which will carry off all the water.
When the lakes are drained and their
necessary for their cultivation as well
as upon the uplands, but in Upper Kla-
math lake nature has not only provid-
ed an ample reservoir and all the wa
ter that can possibly be needed, but has
formed the topography SO as to make
It's use simple and convenient. The
main canal, which will distribute the
water throughout the west part of the
klamath basin, will be forty miles
long, with fifty miles of laterals anu
waste canals. It will have a slope OF
one foot to the mile. In order to reach
parallel valleys tunnels are being bored
through intervening ridges. The east
side Of Klamath valley will be sup
piled with water from Clear lake,
which will be made a reservoir large
enough to receive and store the drain
age Of a large area. A third reservoir
will be built in what is known as
Horsefy valley to supply land that is
slightly higher than Clear lake.