Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-20

a scheme 70 pick up miles across country
and dump It into the basin OF the Carson
river, scattering part OF 1t along the way.
/ This was the base eof several connected
| schemes intended to unite the four prin-
| cipal drainage basins OF the state. A total
| Of about 100000 acres of arid land are thus
| to be brought under intensive cultivation
| The project in it's entirety involves the ex-
penditure OF about 100000
The contract for the main Truckee-Car-
| son canal was let in September, 1903, and
the canal was formally opened on June H.
1906, the third birthday Of the reclamation
service
Settlers 20 the Fore.
! Another project which has been COM
pleted Is the one called the Minidoka, In
southern Idaho. There are about 10000
acres on both sides of the Snake river
that have been reclaimed. There was no
hesitation on the part OF settlers there.
They locked into the promised land, en-
tered their claims and began to prepare
70 work their farms just as soon as Uncle
Sam supplied the water They drove wells
! to secure water for household uses, but
there was not enough to be obtained by
this method to do anything with in the
way of farming. Every elghty-acre tract
in the district has family on Il. Three
towns have sprung up and q railroad has
been built through. Two years ago there
was not a single inhabitant on the land;
now there are more than 1000.
one Of the biggest projects undertaken
was that OF the Uncompahgre valley. In
Colorado. II involved the transfer of the
entire Gunnison river from it's canyon bed
! to the valley OF the Uncompahgre. This Is
to be accomplished by means Of a tunnel
nearly 1--WE miles long, which will pierce
the divide between the two valleys. The
now OF water In the river varies from only
about TOO feet In very dry seasons to more
than 1000 In hood. The tunnel viii carry
| 1900 second feet and the excess in flood
times will take the old course OF the river
The cost OF this york will be nearly $780,
900. but It VIII irrigats more than 10000
acres Work IL now being pushed rapidly
on the tunnel
| Down IN the valley Of Salt river, in
Arizona. IL another OF the big projects Of
the reclamation service. made famous by
the name Roosevelt, given to the great
dam In process Of construction. This dam
\ will rise to a height OF 2Ss feet and will
! be almost q mile long. 1t Il sixty miles
| above the town OF Phoenix 10 which fine
wagon road has already been constructed.
/ The Roosevelt dam viii hold back 1900, OO0
acre feet Of water In an artificial lake
twenty-five miles long and 200 feet deep
against the masonry. II viii regulate the
supply Of water for 10000 acres in the
vicinity Of Phoenix. The power developed
at the dam and In the various drops In the
canals will be utilized 10 increase the
water supply in Inc valley.
The village Of Roosevelt, which has
sprung up at the dam site, has q popula-
ton OF 1000. although every one OF ia
citiEens knows that tenures there II limited
TO the time when the dam begins TO hold
back the waters Of the river. for the town
site win be covered eventually BY over 90
feet OF water and the substantial business
houses. schools and churches will all have
| 70 be torn down.
A reclamation OF the work OF the rec
lamation service 70 January l. 1901. shows
that II has dug i.a5i miles Of canals, OF
nearly the distance from Washington q
Omaha. Some Of these canals carry whole