Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-01-09
THE wILL,sroN PROJECT.
First Attempt at Irrigation In North
L Dakota Described.

First Attempt at Irrigation In North
. Dakota Described.
The actual pumping Of water from
the Missouri river into the canal sys.
tenn of the Williston irrigation project
was begun in October, and until cold
weather prevents, tests of the ap.
paratus and the gradual filling and
printing of the main canals and pres.
sure pipes will continue in order that
the system may be in good condition
to deliver water for next seasons
crops.
Great interest attaches to this
project by reason of the fact that 1t is
the first to be undertaken in North Da-
kota and also because of the unique
engineering features in connection
with it.
The Missouri river has a habit Of
constantly cutting its banks and
changing its channel, SO that it was
found impossible to locate any struc.
ture for the diversion of water by
gravity without mourning enormous
expense to protect it from the scour
of the stream. Moreover. the grade
was fiat and a gravity canal would
be Of prohibitive length.
Fortunately, large beds Of Ignite
were discovered in the vicinity, afford
ing cheap fuel, and the engineers con-
ceived plan of building a power
house at the coal mines and conveying
electrical power to the river. The
pumps are placed on floating barges
which will accommodate themselves
to changes in the river channel and in
the water level.
The water is delivered through
pipes with flexible joints in several
basins located at sufficient distance
from the shore to be safe from en-
croachment by the shifting river.
From these basins the water will be
pumped into canals to cover the irriga.
BILE lands. The basinss also serve for
the purpose of settling silt, large guam
titles Of which are carried in solution
by the Missouri river.
On Sept. Is the steam turbine gen.
Grating machinery was started for the
first time and on the following day
the electric power of $4,000 volts was
sent over the transmission line to the
intake pumping station. On Sept %
the two pumping unites located on the
barge were started. Since then the
pumping system has been operated at
various tones, raising the water grad.
ually in the settling basing SO that the
banks could be puddled wherever there
was any indication Of weakness.
A semi-gas producing furnace de.
signed for burning Ignite coal is used
AS the mine is carried further into
the vein the quality of the coal i'm.
proves, and the little difficulties ex.
perienced in starting the plant to ope.
rating satisfactorily are being over.
come. 1t is expected that 5000 acres
will be irrigated in 1908.
The Williston power house will also
supply power for the Buford!Trenton
project, transmitting it by wire TWEEN.
ty-two miles. The installation of the
electrical apparatus and the four
pumping units in the station which
receives the power from Williston has
been completed at Buford, and the
pumping machinery has been mounted
on the barge tliis month.
Some obstacles have been encoun
tered in securing right Of way for the
transmission line, but the wires will
be manufactured this winter, and It is
hoped to have them placed on the
poles early in the spring. 1t is ex.
pected that more than $500 acres can
be supplied with water under the Blu.
ford-Trenton project in 1908.