The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-10-18
GOVERNMENT ENGINEERS
CONCLUDE THEIR REPORT
They Would Not Disclose Its COn-
tents, But Rumor Says 1t Fa-
vOrs the Tietan Project.

VOrS tne Iletan frOJeCt.
The corps of consulting engineers
of the reclamation department have
concluded the work they came here
to do, week ago, that of reporting
upon some project in the Yakima val
ley to the secretary of the interior for
his approval or non-apprOval as to
the merits in the case as viewed by
the engineers who have gathered the
data and been over the grounds. II
| the engineers have seen fit to recon-
mend any or all of the projects, the
secretary of the interior will no doubt
see fit to approve them at once, and
work will soon be commenced.
The corps of engineers left here for
Portland Monday afternoon, to be
gone two weeks. While here they
have been going over the data gath
cred on the Tietan project. This is
the one project they have been work.
ing over, and the report which has
been made bears upon this scheme
alone. The engineers would not d.
vulge the nature of this report. It
must come direct from the secretary
of the interior. AS to whether or
not 1t Is favorable is only a conjec-
ture. One Of the engineers is quoted
as having said that the Tietan project
alone could not be undertaken be-
cause of the impossibility Of storing
sufficient water in Dumping Lake to
make it feasible. The report will
cover this point and put at rest the
conflicting stories which have been
in circulation.
In two weeks time the engineers
will return from Portland and take
up other schemes under contempla-
ton. viz: The Kittitas, the Yakima
reservation, the Sunnyside extension,
and others.
After the work of the engineers
has ben finished and their reports
made to the head of the department
OF favorable nature, it will then be
up to the people to settle the COM
plicated question of water rights be-
fore the work can be commenced
| The settlement of the water rights
question satisfactorily to the reclama--
ton department would seem to be-,
then, the most important step in the
questions now pending
1t has been recently proven by the
latest investigations of the engineers
that the water which can be conserv-
ed is considerably more than was at
first reported. 1t was calculated some.
time ago that the amount of water
available for storage purposes would
equal about 100000 acre feet, but
the recent developments enlarge the
figures something like 10000 acre
feet. making 1t possible to raise be-
hind reservoir walls a volume of
water covering 100000 acre feet.
! This is a most gratifying discovery,
as it means that just 60, 900 acres
more of land can be covered by wa
ter than was at first calculated.
The reclamation people would pre-
fer to take up such project and keen
all the water of the Yakima, or as
nearly all as is possible, upon the
Yakima watershed 1t has been de-
termined that there is enough land
in the Yakima watershed to take I'M
all the water that can be stored in
the lakes. This is fact of great sig
niticance. There is land enough in
the Yakima valley available for ev-
cry drop of water that can be stored
The Sunnyside extension, of course,
involves the purchase of the Sunny
w
expression of opinion has been made
by any of the reclamation people. It
has been understood all the time that
the purchase of this property is con-
sidered desirable by them.
| The reservation scheme is one to
which Is attached considerable i'm
portance, owing to the fact that there
is some question as to whether or
not the Indian department has a right
to the water In the canal, which COW
ers about $4,000 acres on the reser-
walton. This canal was recently con-
structed by the government, but its
legality has already been challenged
insofar as taking the water from the
Yakima is concerned. The other side
OF the question involves the Yakima
indian treaty, which may have rights
superior to all others claimed.
| 1t would be better for all concern
ed In these great problems IL q sys-
tematic cooperation of interests,
could be arranged Congressman,
Jones is working for the accomplish
ment of this end. He recently rec-.
commended that Engineer w. H. Code
OF the Indian bureau be instructed to
take up the matter Of irrigation with
the reclamation engineers, and, after
looking into the matter, recommend
such legislation as will be possible to
bring the Yakima reservation under
the reclamation service. When this
mas been accomplished, another OBJ
stacle will be removed from what il
now retardfng the aovArnment frr,.