East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-05-28
ENGINEER WHISTLER REVIEWS
UMAT|LLA IRRIGATION PROJECT

one 70-ton steam shovel, five 16-ton
locomotives, miles of narrow gauge
track 35-pound rails), so dump cars
OF 4yard capacity, one orange pee
excavator or land dredge, rock
crusher, hosting engine, portable en-
gine, 10 dump wagons, etc.
The unprecedented flood of Feb
ruary 1907, down Cold Springs can
yon made It seem advisable to pro-
vide more ample spillway. This
was done by change in plans which
provided a greater length and also
by increasing to the amount of one
foot the height Of the dam, to allow
greater depth Of water over the
weir.
The spilway as now constructed will
automatically take care of a flood
or thesame maximum amount as oc-
CURED last year, and would even take
care OF the greatest known flood OF
the Umatilla river before It would
overflow the dam proper. 1t may be
mat excessive caution has been used
In the design of this feature. but in
view of the awful disaster that would
occur with the failure of the dam. Il
was felt that the increased expendi-
ture was fully justified.
The Puget Sound Bridge &Dredg-
ing company commenced construc-
ton of the feed canal September 1
1906, and the contract was completed
August 6, 1907.
Preliminary work was begun at
Cold Springs dam December 1, 1906.
but the first train load of gravel was
not dumped until March IL, 1907
and the work will probably be COM
pleted by the middle of June 1908.
about 10 months of actual construc-
tion work.
The work on the distribution svs-
TEN is about 40 per cent done. All of
the bids for the second schedule of
the first unit advertised for the con-
struction of main distributaries and
laterals were rejected, and the work
was readvertised and let in small Sec
lons that could be easily handled by
local contractors. with a resultant
saving of more than IL cents per cu-
bic yard. or half the previous lowest |
unconditional bid on 10000 cubic |
yards Of material, or about $4,000.
over 10 miles of laterals and dis
tribution canals have been construct |
ed, making total with the feed canal |
of about 100 miles of canals and later
ais.
There have been more than 2,OOO.-
OOO cubic yards of earth and rock
moved in the work on this project.
or In other words enough to cover a |
lO-acre tract to a depth of 124 feet.
OF this there has been $4,000 cubic
yards of rock and 10000 cubic yards
Of hardpan or cement gravel. Nearly
5000 cubic yards of concrete has been
placed, requiring a train load of ce-
ment
There are 20 concrete structures in
the project that have cost $1,000 or
more. Though no important struc-
lures have been made of wood II
has required at least two train loads
IF lumber for ties temporary trestles,
forms for concrete, quarters, small
bridges, etc.
Many Pipe Lines.
More than half the irrigable land
lnder the project lies on ridges that
ire cut off by intersecting depres-
lions, and a number of pressure pipe
ines are necessary. The total length
II the larger pipe lines, 80 inches to
Is inches in diameter will be six and
! quarter miles. Reinforced concrete
Will be used for all but one of these
ines, and may also be used for that
me. Nearly two miles of these larger
,ipe lines have been built and are now
arrylng water under maximum pres
ure of 55 feet.
Approximately one mile of the pipe
low in operation is 46 inches in di-
meter. This pipe is reinforced with
-16 inch wire coils imbedded in the
oncrete. To make these coils for this
after line, a little less than mile
Ong, so miles of 5-16 inch steel wire
vas required. miles of longitudinal
teel rods was required and 25 miles
f small lacng wire.
This pipe requires nearly half
Million gallons of water to fill 1t, and
iill deliver 40 million gallons of wa