The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-14
PIPING WATER TO A DESERT.
ENGINEERING FEAFS Planned
FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA,

The Gold NIinlnS Region o. COOIEardie sun =
piled with water &C a Cost Of 1lAs
OOO.OOO-Th system 10 &c Repeaied
20 irrigate Other Wateriess regions.
1t is expected that the next few years will
witness the development OF the most re-
markable system Of water carrying ia
western Australia hat has ever been seen,
The plan In to repeat. again and again, the
successful engineering work that Ia row
supplying the great gold mining region
Of Coolgardie, far out in the desert Of the
interior. with plenty Of water brought from
the coast mountains, 32S miles away.
This western AutrsliA desert contains
perhaps the largest wsterless regions Ia
the world. When David ". Carnegie
made his second journey across II, several
years ago, he travelled 500 miles without
finding anything that suggested a permA-
nent source of water.
For many days he saw nothing but prickly
spinifex covering tho sand ridges, which
were forty to fifty feet in height and ex-
tended east and west parallel With n
another. He wrote that he crossed more
than eighty Of these sand ridges N eight
hours travel.
But under these repellant sands lie the
krchJ kOhu ENcouICCS VI WOotCAA =
that are nov supplying mora of the metal ;
every year than all the rest Of the m
wealth. When the rush Of miners to this
great thirst region began, the eager search
and the frantic strife for water vras ,
times vrsgicsl.
The Government sought for underground >
sources of supply, but most Of this waters
was found to be SO i~mpregnated with salts ,
that it wss unfit for use. Engineers finally
devised a plan OF water delivery from b
western coast mountains, about twenty
miles 10 the south of Perth, which involved {
the largest pumping scheme that, has yeb'
been carried into operation in any part OF the!
world.
The works were completed only two yeafs;
ago and they are attracting all the more
attention because the population that M
paying 81, OOO, 600 for them In still quite
small. .
The amount Of rainfall in the basin Of ths
Helena River, which flows through thes
Canning Hills south Of Perth, Is about 500
inches a year. II was ound that by inn
pounding this river a supply OF 100000!
gallons a day would be available for trans
portation into the interior.
The problem was to transport this water
a distance of $50 miles, for it was proposed!
to extend the aqueduct to the Kalgoorie
digRings, east Of Coolgardie, and this has
been done. Numbering, the place where
the Helena River was damned is only about
300 feet above the sea, but the surface of
the desert to which the water was to be car
RED is about 1850 feet above sea level. 70
the water was not only to be transported
a. far as from New York city to Lake Erie.
but to be lifted during the process about
1900 feet.
The water which collects back Of the dam
in the Helena River forms a fine lake seven
miles in length. The big delivery pipe that
carries the water is not buried in the soil.
but lies on the surface or in open trenches.
for there is no danger OF freezing.
There arc eight pumping stations. a little
more than forty miles apart. and the water
is kept moving UP IN long but very gentle
incline. 1t finally reaches a reservoir MANY
miles west Of C~oolgardie. and from this point
Rravitation takes IL to the $1,000 inhabitants,
Of the Coolgardie mining camps and to the
Kalgoorlie region beyond.
This water is sold out there in the desert
at a comparatively small price considering
that interest must be paid on the money
borrowed to develop the works. IL sells
for about rs cents a thousand gallons, and
It supplies not only those distant mining
camps, but also some twenty or thirty
settlements on the way to them. and small
pipes carry water to stochmen or villages
miles away from the main line.
I'D to this time the consumers have been,
able to obtain all the water desired Of tbs
very best quality and at all times of theyesrX
Stockmen along the route b had supplies
their animals from scanty wells that might
rundry at any time have ostthi fear, for tho
pipe line is an unfailing source OF good frssA
water at an INES.
There has been no Interruption OF Gina,
how on account Of accident TO tho ptmpak
because extra pumps are installed ut every
station for use In case OF need.
Il Is TO give the widest possible apptoaH
ton to this great idea whose practicabtity,
has been so thoroughly demonstrated that
the people Of western Australia are now
turning their attention. The rivers do no9
come from far in the interior, for the ratn&aIk
IN too small for have much surface fow.
But nearer the coast the precipitation ~
quite large, and engineers are now working
on plans for saving all Of this water that cau'
be collected and sending it out through!
pipes far into the interior, not only TO supply
mines, but also to give life TO many thou
sands of acres Of farm and grazin lands. %
that the agricultural and grazing industries
may be far more widely extended over The.
country than was formerly thought poes:
sible.
CAETOG mr. M0NTvg RAGATEYTMsA