The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-12-02

Progress OF, the EnterprlSe.--En-
gineer Hannah Gives Authentic
News of Importance.
The report Of the Weather Bureau
Department of Agriculture for Sep
TENDER is just received This repor
contains an interesting article on til.
Payette- Boise Reclamation Projec
BY F. W. Hannah, project engineer
which should prove of great interes
to the readers of The. Tribune Tn.
history and progress of this projec
follow:
Preliminary Investigations were be
gun by the Reclamation Service o.
the Payette-Boise Project in 1903, an.
in the month Of December of tina
year steps we're taken by some of tn
= leading citizens of the Payette ant
Boise valleys toward a preliminary
organization of the landowners Or
March 4, 1904, committee of this or
ganization addressed a communica
ton to the Secretary Of the Interio'
setting forth the general irrigation
conditions in the valleys, agreeing t.
form a permanent organization of til,
landholders upon the approval of tn,
project. This communication wa
printed as Senate Document 247 anG
was referred to the Director Of tn,
United States Geological Survey, whC
recommended to the Secretary of tn
Interior that surveys and examina
tons of the project be continued. Fol
lowing this recommendation a perma.
nent organization of the landholders
of the valley was formed on Angus
10, 1904, under the title of the Pay
cite Boise Water Users Association
In pursuance of the recommendation
of the Director of the Geological Sur
vey to the Secretary of the Interior
general Investigations of the projec
were continued and were brought to e,
conclusion during the field season o
1904.
On March 81, 1905, favorable rec
concentrations having been made a
to the feasibility of the project, TIL
Secretary of the Interior approved
the project and set aside 81 100000 70
use in starting work. Immediatel,
following the approval of the projec
negotiations were instituted for tn
transfer to the Reclamation Service o
the New York Canal and for the pur
chase of the lands lying within tn
site of the Deer Flat reservoir, an
general surveys relating to the soutl
side unit of the project were pushe'
to completion by the close of 1905
On February /, 1906, bids were opene
for the construction of the Bots
River diversion dam, the main sout
side canal to partial capacity leadin
from this dam to the Deer Flat reser
voir and for the upper Deer Flat an
lower Deer Flat embankments.
In March, 1908, excavation of tn
canals and laterals of the Distribute
system was begun under the coopei
ative plan with the Payette-Boise w.
ter Users Association, and the COZ
struction. Of the structures therco
was undertaken by force account, 9
which basis the work proceeded unit
September 10. 1900 Subsequent
this date, construction of the struc
ures on the distribution system III
81 H., force account
hcfn~e aud Nh, excavation Of the II
erals has been done by the settlers
means of small contracts,
In the original undertaking of Il
project lands lying north Of the Be,
.pive- in the Boise and. Payctte VI
levs wee comprchendrd il the hmi
of the project. but no work has be-
,'ere on this portion Of the eroic'
$ except of very preliminary inves
yative character Recently there h
tren formed what is known rs t
Black Rock Canyon Irrigation d
trict, comprising the settlers of II
portion of the project for the purpo
of taking up the construction of an
rigation system for all the lands orr
ina'ly included in the north side pc
ton of the Payette-Boise project.
oc7tion and Climatic Conditions
The Payette- Boise project is loo
ed in the southwestern part OF lda
in the valleys of the Snake aud Bo
rivcrs in Ada and Canyon COUNT
The average elevation of this irriga
area above sea level is $500 feet,
average rainfall is about Is incl
and the range of extreme tempe
lures is from 100 degrees to -28