The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-04-03
IDAHO PEOPLE .
WERE IN EARNEST
The Result Is Millions to Be Spent
in Irrigation.
PAYETTE BOISE PROJECT
VAST POSSIBILITIES FOR THE
FUTURE.

washington, u. g, April 1.-The
Payette-Boise irrigation project in
Idaho has received the formal approval
Of the secretary Of the interior, who
recently set aside the sum of $1,000, 900
for initiating the work Of construction
This action on the part OF the secretary
has been anticipated for some time,
and is largely the result of the SPLEEN
did enterprise of the citizens OF that
section. For more than year the
land owners, organized into water
users association, have labored indie
fatigably to harmonic the many con-
hicting claims of private interests in
lands, canals and water rights, with
the result that today practically the
valley as a unit stands pledged to the
government enterprise
Great as the satisfaction Of the citi-
zens may be on account of the favor
able action of the secretary, it is no
greater than that felt by the reclama-
ton service, which has long recognized
the fact that the Payette-Boise prof.
Get is one of the most attractive in the
arid west and but for the many and
complicated private and corporate in
terests involved would have been Sc
eminent in Idaho. The people having
worked out satisfactory solutions to the
divers problems, are deserving Of the
success which has finally crowned their
efforts.
While the citizens were straighten-
ing out their difficulties the govern
ment engineers thoroughly investigat-
ed the physical conditions and worked
out comprehensive plans for irrigation,
which have been presented to and re-
wwnU FHnGn rNN
consulting engineers. These inVestiga-
lions show that the project is entirely
feasible from an engineering stand
point The lands to be reclaimed are of
excellent quality, and with the climatic
conditions prevailing are capable of
sustaining dense population The fer
tility Of the lands now under irrigation
insure the financial SOundneSS Of the
undertaking. Nearly 30 per cent Of all
the irrigabIe land in the valley is
pledged to repay to the government its
expenditure for providing permanent
water supply.
Lands to Be Reclaimed.
Briefly stated. the Payette- Boise
project provides for the reclamation of
$4,000 acres of land in these valleys,
SOC. 900 acres of which are now in a
desert condition. It is proposed to If
rigate $4,000 acres with the waters of
BaNGrte river. D4,UUU acres OF IillS area
being situated in the Boise valley; $4,000
acres situated on the south side of the
Snake river, a portion Of the latter
area to be supplied with water from
that stream, the water to be pumped
by means Of power which VIII be de-
veloped at the diversion dam on the
Payette river. The remainder of the
water which viii be used on this tract
Will be furnished by SuccOr creek, a
tributary of the Snake river. The re-
naming area of $4,000 acres IS situated
in the Boise valley and VIII be watered
from the Boise river. OF the lands in
the project about 71.000 acres are pub
lie lands subject to entry under the
conditions Of the reclamation act.
About $4,000 acres have been etnered to
date under this act; about 10000 acres
belong to the state Of Idaho. and the
remainder. about $4,000 acres. are in
private ownership, held in tracts aver
aging about 100 acres each.
Ample storage facilities exist on the
headwaters OF the Payette river, which
VIII be available for regulating the dis
charge of that stream, and which can
be developed at very reasonable cost
The principal storage for the Boise
lands is I'm the valley proper along the
line OF the power canals. Some storage
can also be obtained on the headwaters
of this stream and utilized for the IT.
rigation OF lands situated above the
level of the reservoirs on the plains
It will be entirely feasible to develop
a supply Of water for the late irriga-
ton of practically all Of the lands un-
der the project. as about 100 900 acres
OF land within the limits or the project
are already irrigated.
This work has been accomplished
through individual and community ef-
fort and private enterprise. but ha;
not been planned on very compTehens-
fve lines and the communities have
FOR TrTfI al.
opmcut OF the natural resources o.
these valleys. The plans which mus
necessarily be adopted in order to &C
comDlish the best results, owing to tho
magnitude OF the undertaking. are be
yond the reach of COmsIiuDUy effort
nor do they offer an attractive field FOL
the Investment OF private capital They
can only be carried TO completion by
the help Of the government.
The broad plans which the reclama-
tion service have under consideration
contemplate the construction of a di-
Nerting dam in Payette river and of q