The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1911-08-24

August Is. 1911
John F Pierce. Esquire.
Parma. IDAHO.
Dear Mr. Fierce:
l have just received yours Of the
10Th instant and hasten to answer. I
believe considerable Misrepresentation
.xists among the people OF your sec
ion OF the state with reference to the
tsitude OF myself ard other members
II the state land board in regard to
he Black Canyon Irrigation propect
and its connection with the storage
proposition on Payettc Lake. will
i've you my ideas with reference to
he matter and | believe these ideas
re shared TO a great extent by the
other members OF the state land board
l desire TO state first that | con-
slider the Black Canyon proposition
IS the most important land PROPOSE
ion before the people of idaho today
have been personally familiar with
much OF this land for over forty years.
regard the land embraced in this
reject as being in the future the most
aluable land in the state. The soil
5 deep and rich. there is no alkali, the
ormation IS such as to give perfect
'rairage the situation of much of the
md. especially upon that part facing
make river. will render it free from
-osts in the spring and make it pc
uliarly adapted TO fruit raising
Whenever the water is applied to this
md We vif have one of the most
rosperous communities in the state
The benefits 10 be derived from the
,rening Of 'he lard will not pertain
. Parma ard other towns in that i'm
acdiate vicinity alone but will equally
pply to all Of the towns in this sec
ION and believe will help Boise City
D a greater extent than will the com
etion Of the government reservoir
Arrow Rock This project will do
aore to brild up this section of the
tate thai any other effort that has as
ct been thought out, and I believe II
the duty of every citizen, especially
f every officer, to assist in every pos
lille way the completion of the work.
Several matters must be taken into
consideration in connection with the
ropcct First, the water supply must
e assured. Second, the cost must be
;uch rs 70 permit the application Of
he water to the land and leave a
Proper margin for future profit to the
owners of the land. Third, and most
important OF all, after it is ascertain
a ef,,t 10 zheot,.oI a,,I
hat the cost of so obtaining it and
pplying il TO the land will not be pro
ribitive. the money must be raised to
complete the works and bring the
water to the land itself.
The water supply can be obtained
Tt must come from the north fork of
he Payette The big Payette Lake
-ould be used as a reservoir to supply
he needed water in its entirety. This
f done, however, entails a vast ex-
'ense in condemnation of lands and
sill undoubtedly give rise TO iitiga-
ion which will continue for years and
would result in impairing the Payette
lake and that vicinity as summer re-
sort for the people of southern Idaho.
The main value OF the state lands and
private holdings in the immediate
--icinity Of the lake depend at the pres
-.'i TIME upon the adaptability of that
section as a summer resort, and an
tempt 70 use the lake as reser-
Dir will necessarily affect its value
r that purpose to a very great ex-
nt unless the amount Of water stored
IN the lake is fixed at an amount that
i'll not OF itself be sufficient to irri-
gate the lands proposed to be watered.
10 not believe. therefore. that it is
rsoticable TO use the lake itself as a
-c@ervoir to any greater extent than
reiaining the waters until late in the
~,ason At about the high water mark.
70 permit il to be used to any greater
extent will result in long carried out
litigation accompanied by heavy dam
7Ess and will undoubtedly prevent the
Development OF the lands in the new
district for many years. Several other
reservoir sites connected with this
"tlin site have been mentioned. IL Is
conceded by the engineer for the pro-
iect. as ! understand him, that Z con-
siderable body Of water can be i'm
pounded in the little Payette Lake
with comparatively small expense BY
20 doing no hardship viii be worked
on any person. II has been urged by
parties interested in the projee, that
the state land board should permit
the little Payette Lake TO be used as
a reservoir and the big Payette Lake
to be so used and permission given to
lower its waters five feet. and it IS
said that by so doing a sufficient water
supply will be had. but the board is
satisfied that by so doing the litiga-
ton mentioned will be sure to follow
and heavy damages will be sustained
that must be paid by the district.
There is the lake called the Upper