, 1905-04-11
TUESDAY, APRIL IL, 1905.
NORTH PLATTE IRRIGATION PRO
JECT.

Field, The Republican is enabled to
give the public a concise statement in
relation to the reclamation work nov
in progress on the North Platte river.
Coming as it does from the engineer
in charge of the work, the accuracy OF
the information can be relied upon.
This project contemplates, first, that
building of the reservoir on the North
Platte river fifty miles above the town
of Casper. The river will be damned
at a point three miles below the mouth
of the Sweetwater, the location being
a granite canon about 200 feet deep,
so feet at the bottom and 175 feet at
the top. The dam will be OF masonry
acres, the capacity being one million
acre-feet. The entire flow of the Platte
river at this point passes through the
reservoir and can be stored. The
stored water will be turned loose and
allowed to run down the river to the
headgates of the several bitches under
contemplation, thus giving assurance
of an ample supply of water at all
times.
The waterway will be over the gran
tie ridge at both ends of the dam, no
dam. Power may be developed here
whenever necessary. The elevation Of
the reservoir is about $500 feet above
sea level.
The first canal, contemplated below
the reservoir, heads about eight miles
above the town of Casper, on the north
side of the river and extends easteriy
to a point about opposite Douglas.
Wyoming. The amount of land under
the canal is about 10000 acres. Pre-
liminary surveys and estimates only
show that the cost of reclamation will
probably exceed $25 per acre. Most
of the land is in private ownership.
The second canal is on the north
side of the river, heading about oppO-
site Glenrock and extending to Grin.
1t controls about 10000 acres. The
cost will probably be in excess Of $25.
Most of this land is in private owner
ship. Preliminary surveys only have
been made.
The Goshen hole canal heads at the
town of Guernsey, where a diversion
dam 100 feet high is necessary. The
length of the canal will be about 140
miles. of which 81 miles are in tunnel.
The area of land covered is about $780,
900 acres, a large part being public
land. The cost of reclamation has not
been definitely determined but 1t will
probably be in the neighborhood OF
$35 per acre. The feasibility of the ca
nal has not yet been passed upon, fur
ther investigation being necessary.
The Fort Laramie canal. heading
about eight miles above old Fort Lara.
mic on the south side of the river, 1t
covers some $4,000 acres, about equal
ly divided between Wyoming and Ne
braska. twenty-five thousand acres
are luCluuSu III IN VI IN
$50, 900 acres under the Goshen hole
canal. Preliminary surveys only have
been made but the indications are that
the project is feasible.
The Interstate canal heads at the
same point as the Fort Laramie ca
nal, namely eight miles above old Fort
Laramie. There will be a diversion
dam of concrete 300 feet long, raising
water ten feet above the bed Of the
river. This canal will be an enlarge
ment of the Whalen Falls canal. About
1000 acres lying under the canal will
be irrigated by the Whalen Falls Canal
company. 1t is expected that the wa
ter will be available for this land in
the summer of 1906. Contracts for the
first forty-ive miles of the canal Will
be let May 10th, the advertisements
now running. This first forty-fve
miles carries the canal nearly to the
state line and it is expected that the
contract for the next fifty miles Of ca
nal will cover some 10000 acres in
Wyoming and some $4,000 acres in Ne
braska almost all of which is public
land. The canal, when completed, will
cover probably 100000 acres of land
and is hoped that it will extend as far
east as Bridgeport. the cost per acre
will probably not exceed $35 per acre.
The Whalen Falls canal has a prior
ity calling for $50 cubic feet per sec
ond Of water but has no reservoir
right. It is proposed to build all the
laterals from the main canal, reaching
practically every farm area. These
farm areas Will probably consist OF 80
acres Of good arabic land. the home
stead entry probably being limited to
that amount. 1t ID also proposed to
build other canals on both sides Of the
river in Nebraska. probably by the ex-
tension Of existing canals. This mat
ter has mot been Investigated but we
hope to bring $4,000 acres more under
s~eultivattca by this means. The area
~ be irriGated. especially that in Ne
a easka ana II tho Goshen Hole, is COM
F1S+--t -aas 49, 4. ~mA about NroA