The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-06-13

nish abundance of storage for al! the
water necessary to reclaim all of the
lands of the valley which can be re-
claimed at reasonable cost. The
water flowing through Union Gs2
just below North Yakima is esti-
mated at about 100000 acre feet
per annum. To secure enough water
to bring about the reclamation of
the lands which it is feasible to ir-
rigate it is estimated that about L.
100000 acre feet will be required
for storage purposes. This can cas-
lily be secured at the lakes mention
ed. 1t is estimated that about 49,
900 acres of land can be reclaimed
in Kittitas valley; $4,000 acres west
of North Yakima, under the Tieton
project; about 10000 acres under
the Sunnyside project; about 100, 900
acres of the allotted lands of the va
kima Indian reservation, and. about
$4,000 acres below Prosser and ex-
tending to Kennewick, to be here
after known as the Benton project.
"The foregoing may be termed
the Yakima project in its en-
tirety, and represents all the gov
eminent ultimately expects to do in
this valley. 1t is the intention to
proceed with this work as rapidly as
the money available will permit. 1t
can be taken up with advantage in
separate units or sub-projects. The
ultimate cost of the entire develop
ment of the valley is estimated at
from $12,000,000 to $15,00O,000,
and, consequently, it will be num-
Der of years before it is completed.
1t is probable that the Tieton pro-
ject will be practically completed so
that water can be placed on the land
in the spring Of 1908 and proceeds
will begin to come in at once from
the sales of water rights and be
available for further development.
The Sunnyside system will be grad
ually developed and extended as rap
idly as money is available, and very
likely 1907 will see the money COM
ing back to the reclamation fund
from this project.
eWhen the Tieton and Sunnyside
sub-projects are completed the next
portion of the Yakima project to be
taken up will undoubtedly be the
reclamation Of the Kittitas lands.
The reports Of the engineers, so far
as they have gone, indicate that the
cost per acre for retaining these
lands will be quite high compared
with the cost of the reclamation Of
the other lands, but it is to be hoped
that further investigation will de-
velop a project for that valley en-
tirely feasible, and which will re-
suit in the reclamation of many
thousands of acres Of fine land at
reasonable cost. These lands are
very productive, and will stand
high cost They are so situated, too,
that much seepage water will return
to the river to be used in irrigating
lands below.
"The Benton project should be
the last one developed, because it lies
at the foot of the valley, and in or
der to determine just the amount of
water that will be available for irri-
CATION purposes it will be necessary
that the lands above be first reclaim
ed in order that the benefit derived
from the return of the seepage water
may be determined with reasonable
accuracy. This is also by far the
largest sub-project in the valley, in
volving as it does the reclamation
of almost 100000 acres. Its cost is
estimated at about $6.000,000.
ut must not be expected that
lands and water rights will be Sc
cured under the government pros
poets at low cost and those who
do expect this will be disappointed.
1t is to be doubted whether the first
cost will be as low as the cost of Sc
curing lands and water under pri-
vate irrigating canals. The govern
ment will construct its reservoirs
and canals in very substantial man.
ner and without any idea Of recon
struction. The difficult parts of the
work especially will be constructed
in the most enduring way possible.
The work will also be done under the
eight-hour law. This necessarily will
make the first cost of the work
high, SO that the water rights will
be expensive. 1t should not be over
looked, however, that this in the end
will result in a lower maintenance
charge and avoid large expenses for
repair. Payments for water rights
will also be made upon easy terms.
These probably will be paid in ten