The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1908-07-11

BILE. Practically no rock work is in
volved. Several very heavy earth cuts
would have to be made, for which pur-
pose the steam shovel equipment, now
employed by the government on the
upper Deer Flat embankment, could
be very profitably used. The rest of
this canal construction could be done
by the land owners under the cooper
alive plan.
Power Possibilities.
A large amount of power could be
developed at this dam site, which
would be available for use in pumping |
water to several tracts of land in the
vicinity, which can not be reached by
gravity. One of the largest of these |
is the Succor creek tract, for the irri-
cation of which Snake river would |
furnish an unfailing water supply.
Another tract within reasonable dis
lance is the Dead Ok fiat in Oregon,
plans for the reclamation of which
are now under consideration by the
reclamation service in cooperation
with the landowners. The construc-
ton of the three dams referred to, the
two on the headwaters of the Boise
river, and the Black Rock canyon dam,
| would not be very expensive, but the
benefits which would result are al
most beyond estimate. Nearly every
other feature of the project would be
greatly advanced. In fact, these works
almost constitute the key to further
development under this enterprise.
| Work on the three dams could be be-
neously, while the land owners could
devote their energies to the construc-
ton of the necessary canals. BY this
means the contamination of the rec
lamation plans of this project in their
entirety could be brought about in the
shortest possible time, perhaps
within the next five years.
The form of public announcement
to be made by the secretary of the in
terror has been subject of correspon-
dence and conference with the Wash
ington Office for more than six months,
and has been finally agreed upon. 1t
will probably be made by the secre-
: tary next December. The terms of
: this announcement are based upon the
| theory that the project in it's entirety
: will be completed practically in pur-
suance of the general plan of reclama-
ton, which was submitted nearly four
, years ago.
t Vast Areas Involved.
: The area of land directly involved
< in the project, or that which will re-
Q ceive water, amounts to about $40,
Y 900 acres, 100000 of which are deser
( in character. The division of the pro
!, ject now nearing completion will, a
d before stated, irrigate 10000 acre
: of desert lands and benefit total O
l. 100000 acres, but this is only littl
y more than one-half the area con
q tanned in the project, nor does tn
d project itself contain all the land
1t susceptible of reclamation in this lC
a cality. The five great tributary va
n leys of the Snake-the Boise, Payett'
D Weiser, Malheur and Owyhee-contai
lie together about 650,000 acres of iris
Id able land, one Of the largest irrigabl
lie areas in a single body to be found
Or the west. All of these lands are e.
st ceedingly fertile and capable of yielt
e. ing the best results obtainable in a
q, most any part of the west by intensiN
be cultivation. Only a little more ths
n one-third of this area is at present III
he der cultivation. An adequate wat
he supply can be provided for all of it.
Id The work which has been unde
or taken by the government has been
OF tremendous advantage to this local.
Dir for it would have been almost impo
on sible, owing to the nature of land
IS tie, to have united all interests a.
lat successfully carried out any 9th
ay plan of irrigation of as great magl
IN tude as has been accomplish
ID through the agency of the governmel
ST. 1t has been the especial function
me the reclamation service to make
ter designations. surveys, and plan for
be construction of works and to SUPP
ct, wise such construction.
be Splendid Work.
he In view of the conditions viii
lat exist on this project, none of this VIC
ing would have been feasible had | Il
been for the splendid organization
ur- the land owners in the shape of
ca Water Users association. which v
Use brought about chiefly by the hea
ion cooperation of few of the lead
yn- citizens of the Boise and Payette v
der leys, and this must be the relations
and interest of the two agencies VIII
are conducting this work until 1t
lied finished. Without the co-operat
ear and support of the land owners
of government can do nothing. In Fl
bile in the absence of such support th
for is no reason why the United Sta