The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-06-10
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1908.
PROJECTS.

While the work of the government
reclamation service in Montana 10 a
matter of personal interest to the citi-
zens OF this state, the projects in
course of construction in other parts
Of the countryi are worthy of consid.
Grafton. They contemplate an add.
ton to the agricultural resources OF
the west that will increase its popuIa.
ton and wealth to an extent that can.
not be accurately estimated.
One of the largest undertakings OF
the reclamation service is the con.
struction OF the Roosevelt dam in the
ella river in Arizona, which will i'm
pound water sufficient to irrigate 1907.
600 acres Of land .slThe stored waters
from the great Roosevelt dam will be
allowed to flow down the river and will
there be recovered by another dam
about forty milestbelow, being turned
into canals leading from both sides
of the dam to the north and south of
the stream. This, 1.-THE Granite Reef
dam, is nearly completed and water
is being utilized for the irrigation OF
the thirsty lands in the beautiful val.
ley in which lies the capital city Of
Arizona.
Farther down the river, below the
confluence Of the ella and the Colo
RADIO, is the Yuma:tproject. Here a
large dam, about 4,s00 feet long, is
being built across the Colorado river
to raise the water and throw 1t into
canals on each side, that on the west
or California side running down par.
allel with the streamland crossing un.
der it at the towniofDYuma. This dam
is notable from the fact that it is
founded on the soft sands or mud of
the river bed and 10 about ten times
as broad az it is high.
In Colorado q tunnel nearly six
miles long Is being built to take the
Gunuison river from its bed and un-
der a mountain mass to the Uncom.
paghre valley, where nearly 200, 600
acres will be irrigated in the vicinity
Of the town of Montrose. This tunnel
10 nearly completed, about a mile Of
rock being yet to be pierced. A part
of the main canal system leading from
the lower end Of the tunnel has been
finished, and it is hoped that in 1909
the Gunnison river will be flowing
through the tunnel into the fertile val.
ley renowned for its apples and other
fruits.
In southern Idaho a large dam has
been built across Snake river TO take
out the water of this stream and irri.
gate abouttsO. 900 acres Of land which
was formerly desert and covered with
sage brush. Here hundreds of fam.
lilies have been established within the
last two years. Thousands Of acres
of land have been cleared and are
now in crops. Farther down Snake
river in the vicinity of Boise a dam
is being built across the Boise river,
taking the waters into . large depres.
sion known aslDeer nat, where q res.
ervoir is being formed by building
two large earthen dams. These have
been completed and the feed canal is
now in operation.
A project th~atlsuggests great irriga'
ton possibilities along the Missouri
river and other streams is a pumping
plant constructed by the reclamation
service near Williston, N. Oak.
which is now in operation. The luc'
tuations of the Missouri are so great
and the erosion OF its banks so rapiC
that it Is not deemed practicable Il
put a pumping plant on the river. \
coal mine on government land is be
ing operated about five miles from tn,
stream: the coal is being converte,
through steam turbines into electri
power: the electricity is trausmi,te'
down TO the Missouri river where
operates large pumps placed upon
floating barge. This barge is take
out Of the river during the winter an
launched again in the spring after tn
ice gorges have moved out. Water
pumped from the barge into a settlin
basin. From there it flows northerl
to the power station where it is agai
lifted into distri butiug canals whic
radiate acrOss the wide undulatin
valley In all directions.