The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-04-19
PROVO RESERVOIR
OPEN IN FORM
A Big Crowd Attends and Wit
nesses the Opening EX-
erciseS.
ACCOUNT OF WORK:
RECLAIMS GREAT TRACT
The Great Syphon Is Special
Feature of Interest to
Attendants.
Special TO The Tribune.

Special To The Tribune.
PROVO, April 1S.--A good sized crowd
Of people went up the Provo canyon to-
day to the formal opening Of the Provo
Reservoir company's irrigation project.
The Provo Reservoir company was In
corporated In the year 1908 by the fol-
lowing directors; Joseph r. Murdoch
Joseph Il. Keeler. Stephen l.. Chipman,
j William knight, George If. Brmhall
Abel John Evans, James c. Jensen and
David a. Broadbent.
The purpose for which the company
is organized is TO supply water Tor un.
irrigated lands in the northern part OF
Utah county. extending from the noun
tains southeast of the mouth of Provo
canyon westerly below the foothills TO
the point OF the mountain at the Jordan
narrows. from which point the water can
be taken by gravity 10 Draper. in the
south end Of Salt Lake valley. The
amount OF land that can be covered by
this project is about 10000 acres. part
OF which is now used for dry farming.
but the greater part has never been
brought under cultivation. There Is no
question about the character OF the soil
or It's behavior when brought under cul-
tivation. from the fact that all along
the line of the canal the most Valuao Die
now prohtably grown. Nor is this land
to be redeemed away of on the desert,
or in Isolated places. but 1t Is near the
homes OF the people where every mod
and churches, are already established.
Next tn the primary" or old rights
to the waters OF Provo river, which are
now owned by the inhabitants of Provo
City and surrounding country, the Provo
Reservoir company has made a hllng on
the flood waters of Provo river TO be
used on these lands during the season of
high water. and i'm connection herewith
they have also secured 100 second feet
of the flood waters OF Beaver creek,
which is a tributary OF the Weber river.
" he =
Provo river and be used as long as
available.
When the food waters OF both streams
are no longer available. the waters from
the reservoirs. which are located at the
head of Provo river. will be released TO
flow down and be reclaimed 10 finish up
the irrigation OF the lands still reQuir-
ing water.
There are seventeen lakes at the head
OF the river. which have been filed on
for reservoir purposes the maximum
pacity OF which is II 900 acre feet OF wa
ter. 1000 acre feet OF this belonging 70
the TimpanoSos and the Wasatch 1rriga-
ton companies OF Wasatch county leav-
ing balance of 10000 acre feet availa-
BILE for use I'm this county.
IL is estimated that sufficient water
will be available during the entire sea
son 10 take care OF one-half Of the land
with ordinary crops. and the other half
in fruit trees or that tbe whole area may
he properly provided with water for tree
culture.
The present construction from the in
take Will carry $50 second feet OF water
onto tho Provo bench. where the distri
button will be made. From the top of
the bench the canal has been finished
fun size for a distance OF two miles.
Approximately 1000 acres of land viii be
provided with water this year. and as
rapidly as the reservoirs are completed
and the canal extended. more land Will
be brought under cultivation each year
until the land owners under the system
arc supplied.
II is the purpose OF the company to sell
the water and the system outright TO the
consumers who will take control OF Il as
soon as II is paid FOR by them.
Big Jump in Land Values,
Before this project was started, land
on Provo bench was selling Tor Sl5 TO $50
per acre, Now the same lands are sell
ing for 5000 to $3.50 per acre when sup
piled with Provo reservoir water, for
which the company is charging $40 per
acre for primary right. AT first the ques-
tlon of storing water in reservoirs on
Provo river was contested in the courts
by residents of Salt Lake county. but the
court decided that the storing of flood
waters on the upper levels would not nee
cssarlly deprive those on the lower lev
els Of any water, II is the intent Of tho
OF the company that no individual or cor
poration having prior rights will be de-
prved Of the water which may belong to
them. After the court had decided that
the company could proceed 20 build res
crvoirS. the next question confronting the
promoters was one OF finance. The state
land board was appealed 10, but other
projects were ahead, An appeal was
then made 10 private parties and $4,000
was raised from one Of the directors to
start the project, After this the work
was taken care of by Uncle Jesse Knight
Work on the diverting dam and intake
and the distributing system commenced
September 1909, and has progressed very
rapidly. The intake is opposite Cavter's
station near the mouth Of Provo can
yOn. where cement dam is constructed
across the river. In order 10 place this
on q solid foundation II was necessary To
blast and remove hundreds of tons OF
rock. Cement measuring weirS have also
been constructed The water is diverted
TO the south side of the river, and con-
Quoted down the canyon in an earth ca
nal. ten feet wide In the bottom and four
feet deep, for distance of 1000 feet:
then VI passes through a rock tunnel 6N7
feet for 100 feet. and from the outlet Of
the tunnel through steel numc for 1000
feet into 2j0-foot rock tunnel The
last tunnel acts as pressure box from 4
which the water is forced into hve-
foot redwood syphon. which carries the
water across the river 10 the north sid
OF the canyon near Olu1Stcd, The syphon
cmptcs into cement pipe 200 feet long.
and from that into the old Blue Cllfr ca
nal which has been extended and enlarged
and carries tie water two miles. whore
II is distributed, cement dams and weirs
having been constructed at convenient
points for tho diversion OF the water. The
cost so far has been upwards or $4,000
and IL ia estimated that the system when
completed. including the reservoirs, viii
he about $500 900.
In addition 10 the river water and tho
water of the lakes mentioned. the com
pany controls The water of the Ontario
tunnel, which enters Provo river above
self 10 irrlgatc all the land which is pro-
posed 10 cover this season