East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-05-27
IRRIGATION PROJECT,
BEST PROJECT YET RECLAIMED

Since the Umatilla irrigation pro
iect was formally opened today, the
following facts about the project, Ia
ken from a booklet prepared by Her
miston people and just isued from the
press Of the Hermiston Herald, viii
be intensely interesting.
Although the readers of the East
Oregonian are familiar with all fea'
lures of the project, yet there Is a
perennial freshness about the subject
and something new is discovered in
every item about the project.
The article from the booklet is as
follows, in part:
The Umatilla irrigation project, now
under construction by the United
States reclamation service, is situated
in the west portion of Umatilla coun-
-ty, Oregon, at the junction of the
Umatilla and Columbia rivers,
and consists of twenty thousand
acres of very productive sandy loan,
more commonly called volcanic ash.
It is triangular shaped, with the three
railroad points-Hermiston, Umatilla
and Cold Springs at the three angles,
to constitute shipping stations.
The soil is adapted to the growing
of all fruits grown outside of tropical
countries, is the natural home Of al
falfa, where from four to five crops
may be cut annually; potatoes, sweet
potatoes and vegetables of all kinds
will be gorwn successfully. Grain and
alfalfa crops pay well, but the farmer
will find the various fruits yield lar
gest returns. The soil is free from
alkali, and moreover, the slope Of the
underlying strata Of rock is such that
combined with a porus old, trouble
from this source is extremely improb
able. he climate is very warm in
summer and the season between frosts
is as long as, or longer than, any other
place in the west. The altitude be-
ing about $50 feet above sea level, the
danger of destructive frosts is reduced
10 a minimum.
This is an exceedingly important |
factor in fruit growing. report on
the project by United States gov
ters, Thomas NJ. Means, gives the
length Of the season as IA days more |
hours Of sunlight from April to Octo-
Der, inclusive, than southern Califor-
mia. He also states that there are 80 |
growing days more than in North |
Yakima and vicinity. The average
rain fall is about inches. The early
spring enables the producer to get
fruits on an early market, thus get
ting the highest prices obtainable.
No part Of the project is more than
five miles from railroad station.
About $4,000 acres are in private
ownership, patented and otherwise.
This land is held at $50 to $3.50 per
acre, not including water right.
The water for reclaiming the land
Is taken from the Umatilla river
through a feed canal rs miles long,
and held in reservoir which covers
about 1900 acres, holding $4,000 acre
feet Of water, or enough to cover the
entire tract Of 20, 900 acres to a depth
Of two and one-half feet during the
summer season after two full irriga-
tions have been had in the spring.
There is absolutely no danger of any
scarcity in the supply Of water. It
is brought by the government to the
highest point on each 40 acres. The
very best well water can be procured
at depth Of from 20 to 40 feet. The
Cold Springs dam Is now under con-
struction and when completed will be
81 feet high. 500 feet across the base
and, including the wings, will be $500