Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1909-08-13
WATER POWER YET
THOUSANDS OF UNDEVELOPED
HORSEPOWER IN N. W.
Interesting Report by Prof. Waller
About Different Propositions-Lar
Number of Rapids and Rivers Can
Develop Unlimited Amount of Energy
Spokane Supplies Many Cities.

Millions of horse power of undevel-
oped energy is contained in the streams
in the state of Washington, according
to special bulletin just issued by the
United States department of agricul-
ure. The report, prepared by O. L..
Waller, professor of civil engineering
in the State College of Washington,
under the direction of Samuel Fortier,
chief of irrigation Investigations, says
in part:
At Cabinet Rapids the fall is 10
feet in 5000 cubic feet, and the energy
equals $4,000 horse power. At Priest
Rapids the fall is ~ feet in 10 miles,
and the energy of the stream is 18S, 900
horse power.
''ln the section known as Grand
Dalles, which includes the cascades at
Cello, Ten Mile Rapids, The Dalles,
Three Mile Rapids and Two Mile Rap
ids, the fall is 80 feet, 20 feet of which
is a sheer fall at Cello. The minimum
flow is rated at $4,000 to $1,000 cubic
feet second and the minimum energy
of the stream is 100000 horse power,
of which the fall is "a feet in 5000
feet and the minimum energy of the
stream is $1,000 horse power.
'Besides the large falls and cascades
referred to, there are many others from
Kettle Falls down to Rock Island.
While the Snake river has much swift
water, the removal of dangerous rocks
would make it navigable from its mouth
to some distance above Lewiston, Ida,
and consequently it does not afford
many promising power sites,
''The power in the Spokane river has
already been developed in several
places, namely, Post Falls, the city
pumping station at the series of rapids
and falls at Spokane, and at point
nine miles below Spokane, and at a
point opposite Reardan. In all, 1OO,-
600 horse power has been developed.
Some of this acts directly on the tur-
bines of the city pumping plants or of
flour, feed and sawmills. The greater
part, however, is converted into cleo
tricity at high voltage and transmitted
long distances for light and power In
general, nearly all the light and power
used in the state, with the exception
of that developed by the lumber indus
tries, which burn slabs, edgings, saw
dust, etc, is supplied from hydroelectrie
developments.
"Most of the towns and cities in the
Inland Empire are supplied with light
and power from the Spokane river
while interurban railways supplied with
power from the same source are rapidly
threading the rich wheat and produce
belt of Washington and Idaho.
"The fall of the Methow river is %
of 400 cubic feet second. Along its
course from Twisp to it's mouth there
are many fine power sites where dams
could be thrown across the river and
economical development be made.
"The minimum flow from Lake Che
Ian is about 812 cubic feet a second
the fall $50 feet and the energy about
5000 horse power. The development
here will be simple and quite ineXpen.
sive. If the lake storage were used to
equalize the flow the above could be
greatly increased.
| F'The minimum flow of the We
natchee river is about $50 cubic feet
second, only about 25 per cent OF
which is used for irrigation purposes,
and that only in the lower valley. For
II miles through the Tumwater canyon
and before emerging into the agricul-
tural valleys this stream is a raging
torrent. The Great Northern Railroad
company has almost completed a power
plant at Chiwaukum, in the Tumwater
canyon, where it will develop 10000
horse power, with which to operate
trains through the Cascade tunnel
There are yet great undeveloped power
possibilities along the river, probably
more than can be utilized for many
years to come.
'Since much of the water now used
and much of the stored water later tc
be used in the Yakima valley will be
distributed to lands pretty well down
the valley, it will be possible to de
yelop a considerable amount of power
from the water before it reaches the
Agricultural lands upon which it is to
used finally, and there is great nee6
such power for use in domestic in
stries and to be distributed over thu
nsely populated districts for light ant
wer.'
Mining Engineers Coming.