Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-06-08
The Fort Buford- Glendive 1rri-
cation Project.


cation Project.
Glendive, Mont, June l, 1905.
Contract between the Secretary Of
the Interior and the Lower Yellowstone
Water Users Association has been
signed BY the officers of the association
and forwarded to the Honorable Secre-
tary OF the Interior for his approval
and signature.
The contract provides for the con.
struction OF the Fort Buford. Glendive
Irrigation Project by the federal gov
eminent under the provisions Of the
National Reclamation Act, approved
June II, 1902. '...
The Water Users Association guar-
antees the repayment in ten annual
installments to the !Eeclashstion fund,
the coast OF constructing the irrigation
works. s~~.. ~
The project is located between Glen
dive, Mont, and Fort Bnford. N. D..
along the north or left side of the yell,
iowstone river. -. J.. -,
Sixty.seven thousand acres will be
brought under irrigation. The dyer.
sion works will consist Of a dam ZOO
feet long across the Yellowstone river
at APPOINT 10 Smiles below Gl-ndive.
This dam will raise the surface OF the
water during low flow Of the river about
five feet.
Heavy masonry intake works will be
constructed at the head of the canal
the flow of.the water being controlled
by twelve fve.foot circular pipes fitted
with gates.
The main canal will have length Of
sixty miles. 1t is designed with bot
tom width with 233 feet and will carry
water 10 feet deep. 1t has maximum
carrying capacity Of $40 cubic feet per
second which is equal to 1850 acre feet
per dsv.
Section 4.of the National Reclamation
Act authorizes the Secretary of the In
terror to let contracts for the conetrnc.
ton of irrigation works. Cids for con.
structng the first "a miles of this main
canal were opened in Glen,live today
by board of government engineers
consisting Of H. N. Savage, supervising
engineer for the northwest; c. II. Fitch,
supervising engineer. Denver, Col. ii.
A. Storrs, electrical and mecanical
expert. and +. E. Weymouth, engineer.
Fort Ru lord. Glendiye project.
Bids were also opened at the same
time and place for constructing a
government telephone system. which
will be located along the main cana!
line and extend from Glendive through
the entire project and ultimately across
the Missouri river to Mondak, Mont.
Plans are being prepared for the dam
to be built ACROSS the river, and surveys
are being pushed rs rapidly as possible
locating the balance Of the main canal
line and all the lateral and distributary
system. H. w: Murean, engineer,
department Of soils. reclamation service,
is now classifying all the land under the
project preliminary to determining and
establishing the boundary lines for each
unit farm. .,
Subject to the approval Of the Score
tary OF the Interior. it IS likely that
additional contra cts will be ready TO,
advertisement some time during the
ensuing year.
While the Water Users are required
by law to repay the, cost of constructing
the works, every effort has been made
to arrange for the people now living ir
the valley to have an opportunity to dc
all the work they desire and can handle
With their teams and equipment.
In advertising for constructing later
ais and distributaries, the policy of the
reclamation service has been to divide
the work and receive bids on very
small contracts to enable local peopl =
haying a few teams to take contracts
and carry them cut in accordance with
the reclamation law.
There will, Of course, lie ample oppor
tunity for all the farmers having teamf
to work for the contractors, and laborerf
without teams will also he in demand.