The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-03-12

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EIzHANXlZENT
An event of far reaching Importance
and marking the partial consummation
of plan to transform TO agricultural
uses the largest body of sage-brush
land embraced in one project in the
United States has just occurred at
Boise. Idaho.
In the presence of a large number
Of settlers and residents of the val
ley, the big headgates of the newly
constructed government dam in the
Boise river were opened and the pent-
up waters gushed into the broad canal.
For months the settlers on the south
side of the project have been watch
ing with deep interest the progress of
the work on this structure, for upon
its completion rested their hopes OF
an early and abundant supply OF wa
ter. The dam is located eight miles
southeast of Boise where the river
emr,ges from its canyon. 1t is of
cyclopean concrete founded on COM
pact gravel. The spillway. or dam
proper, is PIG feet long so feet wide
at tie base and 81 feet high. Along
the downstream toe of the dam and
securely fastened to it is timber
apron. This apron is so feet wide
and 13 feet deep on the lower side. 1t
is built up of 12x12 timbers bolted to-
gether and the spaces between the
timbers filled with rock and gravel
At the west end of the spillway is a
logway four feet lower than the spill
way crest, and just west of the log
way and forming the west abutment
of the dam is the fish-ladder This is
Of concrete, as are the tunnels, which
were built for the purpose Of divert
ing the river during the construction
of the dam proper. These tunnels are
closed by two 6xSfoot cast iron gates,
and will be used when need arises for
sluicing the silt from the reservoir
The main canal with capacity of L.
500 second feet. heads at the extreme
west end of the dam, and the water
is taken through eight 5x9foot cast
iron controlling gates supported by
concrete piers and abutments.
AS the big headgates were opened
and the life-giving waters guShed into
| the canal the scene was viewed with
varying emotion by the throngs gath
cred there. The engineers gazed with
satisfaction at the beautifully finished
structure; the farmers saw an abun-
dance of water in th-ir canals or
chards laden with fruit. and enor-
NOUS yields of grain and alfalfa But
to the statesmen came visions of a
new Idaho, an Idaho with possibili.
ties unsurpassed by any state in all
the golden west. They saw home on
every 40 acres Of the project, rural
population of not less than $4,000
people, and $4,000 more people living
in the cities and towns which have
been growing by leaps and bounds
| since the initiation of the government
system gave assurance of an ample
water supply From conservative esti-
mates OF a decade ago on the value
of irrigated land and crops it took no
complicated calculation to figure out
that more than $1S,000,000 worth of
taxable property in land values alone
wisl be added to the wealth Of the
state upon the completion Of the
project. and that crops worth not less
than $6,0O0.000 viii be grown annually.
Already new railroad lines are being
built through the agricultural area,
new mines are being opened, and the
stock raising industry increased.
Put let us follow the progress OF
the water taken from the Boise dam.
Thu canal extends for "a miles to a
point on Indian creek above Kuna
This creek then carries the water for
eiest miles, when another canal II
MES long carries it to the Deer Flat
reservoir. Occasionally along this
route a smallee ditch diverts water
/ to supplement the supply from other