The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-17

AS the city grows Il has become eVt@
dent that some other water supply
sources must be obtained. Mill creek
for instance, between Parley's and Big
COTTONWOOD, has a large flow and could
be usedstO advantage. In fact, the con-
duit was built with this end in view, as
it is sufficiently below the creek level
to allow the water from that stream to
be diverted into it and thence into Par
ley's reservoir.
The city is also DESTROYS OF obtaining
rights in Little Cottonwood, and the
conduit can easily be extended across
the Big Cottonwood gorge and thence
two miles along the mountain side to
this creek.
More Exchanges Desired.
In order TO secure this water. how
ever, some scheme must be devised to
exchange Utah lake water with the
property owners who have the rights
in the creek. The present canal is not
advantageOusly located for this pur-
pose, as it is too far below the base OF
the mountains and much of the water
needed lies to the east Of it.
1t is now proposed 10 extend the East
Jordan canal, which runs from the JOr-
dan NarTOWs along the base of the
mountains to Little Cottonwood, as far
as Mill creek, where it will connect
with the old city canal The city could
! then eXchgn-e water rights with the
farmers Of ParIey's and Mill creek. and.
also some owning rights in Big COttOnE
wood, who live between the mountains
and the canal. and give them Utah lake
water This would give the city prac-
tically the entire flow Of the three
creeks named, and would mean that it
would be safe from a water famine for
all time.
Company is Directing.
The proposition to allow the city to
use the East Jordan canal does not
meet with approval by the canal COM
pany composed of farmers, which owns
it, and the city recently started suit 70
condemn d right of way for its Utah
lake water through this canal. If the
suit turns out well the old canal from
The NarrOWs to Mill creek will be aban-
dOned and the new route three miles
further east used in its place. This new
canal will be able to distribute water
to any part Of the east bench, and
down as far south as Murray.
lrrigate 1900 Acres.
The conditions involved in the ex-
change of water rights in the region
surrounding Salt Lake are particularly
acute. The waters from the streams,
now used chiefly for municipal supply,
have been diverted during the past for
ty years to irrigate an area Of about
Il, 900 acres. The land comprising this
area is owned in small tracts of about
fifteen acres each, and is generally in a
high state of cultivation.
Most of the area is devoted to the
production of fruits. vegetables. sugar
! beets and alfalfa, and with sufficient
water for irrigation yields abundantly.
The average value Of the land and
/ Improvements is about $40 an acre,
making the whole area worth nearly
/ 50 100000.
Not Good fer irrigation.
The water from the mountain streams
/ is pure and clear. but its temperature
is too low and its flow too variable TO
/ best serve the purposes of irrigation.
| On the other hand. for domestic con-
sumption and municipal use the water
/ is Well suited and also favOTably stu
ated. The dependable flow from the
/ four streams is only about fifty second
! feet in the low water period. while at
/ flood stages il is often as high as 800
| second-feet. A low flow generally oc-
ours late in the irrigation season with
the result that, while depending on
the streams. the maturity of a fun
! crop Oil OH tduu ullutA All5abAoA -
never realized.
Better for Farmers,
The water from Utah lake, on the
other hand, is turbid and much warmer
than the mountain water, which with
other conditions, render it entirely un-
suited for domestic consumption, al
though quite preferable to the noun
tain water for irrigation.
| Furthermore, the lake is at so nearly
the same elevation as the city that
water cannot be delivered from il to the
latter by gravity under sufficient head
to preclude the necessity of pumping
into the distribution mains
At the same time the lake is suffi-
GENTLY above the irrigated areas, for
meTly dependent entirely upon the
mountain streams. that water can be
Continued on PAGE 9.