Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-03-21
CREATE DRAIN
AGE DISTRICT
AS Means of Retaining Over
flowed Lands

- Nv a0ietGhn ~ Inc 0As JUG NAkleg
have taken another method Of pro-
tecting their property from damage
by overflow from the backing up Of
the water by the Post Falls dam
which may develop some interesting
situations as well as more complica-
tions in this celebrated case,
Under the statutes OF Idaho drain
age districts are authorized for the
purpose OF remaining overlooked land
and for preventing overiows which
are a damage to the Sc me. The set
tiers are now petitioning the board OF
county commissioners for the forma-
ton Of a drainage district and the
dredging. widening and Improvement
OF the Spokane river from Post Falls
to an extent which will prevent
the overflow of the lands In the st.
Joe valley and thereby reclaim the
same. The petition reads as fol-
lows:
Your petitioners respectfully re-
quest Of the Board Of County Com
missioners OF KootenaI county, Ida
no, that the hereinafter described
portion of Kootenal county, Idaho,
be organized into drainage district,
as provided by Title Fifteen t15l
Political Code OF the state OF Idaho,
and that said district and board of
commissioners thereof. be
given all the powers and rights con-
ferred by law upon such district and
its board OF drainage commissioners
when so organized. Said district to
be known and designated as drainage
district number one tho. - ofs the
county OF Kootenai. state OF Idaho.
And your petitioners represent
that the objects for which said dis
trict lis to be created, are. to protect
the lives and health OF all the people
residing within or adjacent to said
portion OF Kootenai county. embraced
In said district: to reclaim the lands
situated in said district. and TO en-
nance and increase the productivity
aud to facilitate the cultivation OF
the lands embraced In said district;
to drain standing water thereon, and
adjacent 10 sand lands. by the con-
struction OF bitches and by removing
from the Spokane river
and deepening and widening said riy-
err, in Kootenai county, Idaho, which
said distractions Interfere with the
proper drainage OF said district, in
that said Spokane river valley is the
natural and only outlet for the sur
face waters OF all Of said district and
is now In a condition which interferes
with the drainage herein contemplat-
ed aud the construction OF the sys-
tenn OF drainage herein contemplated
will relieve and adjust the wet mea-
dows and overHowed lands of said
district: and to improve and adjust
the channels OF all the streams, rly-
ers and waterways that form the
natural drainage system OF said dis
triet for the better drainage thereof.
And your petitioners state that
the herein proposed Improvement and
adjustment of said natural water
courses will not In anywise impair
the rights OF the public In said
streams for the purpose OF naviga-
tlon.v
Then follows a description OF the
lands to be reclaimed. covering many
thousands Of acres In the ST. Joe and
81. Maries valleys. These are the
lands involved Indirectly I'm the gov
eminent hearing now being had be-
tween the Washington Water Power
company and the government before
Register Batting OF the local land
Office. although the land that is d.
rectly covered by this inquiry is To-
Gated In the Occur d'Alene Indian
reservation and the hearing is for
the purpose of determining whether
or not a permit issued By the gov
eminent to overflow these lands shall
be cancelled and Its cancellation
would. Il is eontended. result in the
power company being compelled to
lower its dam at Post Falls, thus re-
dueing the level of the water in
lake and river and removing It from
the overlooked lands. The drainage
district plan 10 another method Of at
tempting TO accomplish the result de-
sired by the settlers.