Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-02-19


and slipped further down the canyon
In such a manner as to leave sue
cession OF Intervening depressions ex-
tending transversely across the cam
yon. In course Of time these depres-
sions gathered the drainage water
from the tributary slopes and have
become lakes. Including Lake Waha.
there are five of these basins.
Storake Capacity Of Lake.
"Tha. present water surface OF Lake
Wah& covers 70 acres. The next In
size being Middle Lake with a sur
faee of six and a fourth and the next
being Mud or Lower lake, covering
four and three fourths acres, the two
smaller known as Twin basins which
are practically dry and at this time
have a bottom surface area Of from
two to three acres each. At this time
the depth of water in Lake Waha at
the deepest point is 80 feet and there
are now In the lake 4SS3 acre feet Of
water. and at the highest stage. which
occurs usually in the spring after the
snow melts the lake contains 6S63
acre feet. over 400 soundings have
been made and the bottom of the lake
accurately plated. If the surface Of
the water were raised to the height
Of the lowest place in the rim OF the
lake, the greatest depth would be PIT
feet; the surface area. would be some
thing over 200 acres and the contents
would be 24.80O acre feet. At present
the greatest depth Of Middle lake is
Al feet and by constructing a dam Al
IN tuh no hn In
creased to $50 feet and the contents
Of the lake would be 1856 acre feet. A
dam 70 feet in height will raise the
water in Mud or Lower lake 100 feet
above the present surface and will
give the reservoir capacity Of 1926
acre feet. The contents of the Twin
basins with a dam 20 feet in height
= 44S acre feet. The combined storage
capacity Of these five reservoirs will
be 1889 acre feet.
1.-The Waha- Lewiston Land and
Water company are at this time the
owners OF most of the lands surround
ing these reservoirs and are acquiring
the remainder by purchase and con-
demnation proceedings. The company
are now proposing to construct along
lance Of about IS miles, a catchment
ditch to intercept the flow from a half
dozen or more streams descending
from the mountain. and divert this
water into storage reservoirs at Lake
Waha. 1t Is planned to intercept the
runOff from drainage area of about
81 square miles and II necessary this
catchent system will be extended to
include more drainage territory. AS
Stunning the annual precipitation over
this area to be SO inches. and that 70
per cent Of this will be available for
Appropriation in the shape OF food
water and that this company Is en-
titled to and can provide for the APP
preparation Of SO per cent of this flood
water runoff. there would then be
available for filing the storage res
ervoirs 26640 acre feet. which would
be within. practically. 90 per cent OF
the aggregate capacity Of system res
ervoirs.
1.-THE company has under advise.
nent plans, which at this time are
not sufficiently matured to make pub.
lie. for increasing measurably their
storage system and also extending
nelr catchment System.
1T is proposed to terminate ths
catchment ditch In a large chamber
or penstock excavated In solid rock II
the side OF the mountain. and from
this penstock a system Of reinforced
concrete pipes will convey the water
to the respective reservoirs, and these
tn turn will be inter-connected by 6
system Of pipes and tunnels.
From the outlet Of the lower lakt
the water will descend through a large
Iron pipe to the intake OF the distrib
uttng system. The length Of thi!
pipe Is about $500 feet and the drop O,
fall Is 400 feet
The tremendous energy developed
BY dropping IS millions of tons Of
water annually 400 feet within a dis
lance of less than three fourths OF &
mile can scarcely be realized withou
careful consideration. The plans To-
controlling end utilizing this powe,
have not yet been matured, but II II
reckoned as one Of the valuable as
sets OF the project
I'm the vicinity of the lakes and
situated upon the lands belonging t.
the company are four large spring.
ana no water could be purer or bet.
ter: The combined discharge Of these
spring Is approximately eight million
gallons per day. 1t is proposed to util.
ize the flow Of these springs for a sys.
q tenn Of domestic water supply which
will be entirely separate from the ir.
rfgation system. and 1t il proposed tc
utilize the energy developed by drop.
ping this volume OF water 1000 feel
In distance Of 20 miles by converting
1t into electric power for lighting and
other purposes with the idea, OF SUP.
plying each owner Of the land to be
irrigated with both domestic water
with fire protection and electric ligh,
and power.
system Establishments.
The Waha-Lewison Land and Wat.
er Company are the owners at this
time of about 1000 acres: most Of II
= situated within reasonable distance
Of Lewiston. and they have under op-