El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-05
UNCLE SAM s GASES
BEING PUT into
GARDENS
CONTINUED From Page 10,

which makes Clear lake reservoir,
and there are other storage projects
which will ultimately irrigate this vast
tract of land.
The Orland project in northern Cali
fornia is also progressing. About u
percent of the work is completed, and
the East Park dam there will store
water for about $4,000 acres The dam
is $50 feet high, and 1t has reservoir
capacity of As, 900 acre feet. This lies
about 90 miles north of Sacramento on
the Southern Pacific railroad. The
greater part of it will be opened this
year.
The Heart of the Rockies.
Some of the biggest schemes which
the government now has under way
lie in the heart of the Rockies, or,
rather, on the great western plateau
In Utah we have the strawberry valley
project, which will redeem $4,000 acres.
1t is now 45 percent completed In
Nevada is the Truckee-Carson project,
which involves more than 500 miles Of
canals and $4,000 feet Of dykes and
dams This, when finished. will irri-
gate 100000 acres. and the first unit
is now ready.
And then there Is the Boise project,
constructed at the mouth OF a can
yon not far from Boise City. This turns
the waters Of river into canal,
Is furnishing electric power to pump
water on to lands which are too high
for the gravity canals. The total area
which in the non-irrigated season
throws them into a reservoir which
will store $4,000 acre feet.
The Minnadoka project is already
irrigating the Snake River valley, and
there under ditch is 1900 acres, and
about $4,000 acres are being irrigated
by pumping.
In Colorado the Gunnison river has
been carried under mountain 1000
feet high by a tunnel six miles in
length into the Uncompahgre valley.
This Is a part Of scheme which
eventually will irrigate 400 acres.
and the engineering connected with it
is most remarkable The tunnel was
made in eight-hour shifts, the work
being kept up day and night, and It
was completed in the shortest time
upon record In one month 523 feet
were made, and one gang of laborers
dug out 1900 feet In one year
Some Operations In Texas and
Nebraska.
/ have already written Of the Path
finder dam This is connected with the
Nebraska project on the North Platte
river, and it includes a diversion dam
500 feet long and 20 feet high which
has been built across that river near
the station Of Whalen- An interstate
canal carries the waters stored IN ire
Pathfinder reservoir through this dam
over the lands Of wyoming and Ne
braska- This project is abouz tree
been dug to length of 100 niles.
and the men are now at work upon
reservoirs which are to be filed during
the nonirrigating seasons. The watered
lands are being settled and are yield
ing abundant crops
An interesting situation Is that OF
the Rio Grande project, which is just
across the river from Mexico, and as to
which Mexico objected, as it diverts
the waters Of the river which forms
the boundary of the two countries
This matter has been settled by the
reclamation service placing its dam
near the station of Engle. on the Santa
Fe system, and agreeing to give the
republic of Mexico an annual supply
OF $4,000 acre feet of water. The
reservoir which will be made VIII have
a capacity Of about $500. 900 acre feet.
and 1t viii irrigate 10000 acres. The
work Is already In progress there. A
railroad has been built from Engle to
the dam site.
Some Pumping Projects.
In North Dakota the government |
proposes to pump the water from |
floating barges in the Missouri river |
using the cheap Ignite coal which Is |
found everywhere in that region. BY |
this means 1t will irrigate the Bench |
lands in the vicinity of Williston and |
Trenton, ultimately retaining per- !
haps 10000 acres. During the past !
year about 240O acres have been .rri-
gated in this way.
In South Dakota the Belle Fourche I
project has been SO percent completed. |
This is an important system, including |
4 storage reservoir. an enormous stor- /
age dam and a large canal The pro- /
ject will water 100000 acres of land. +
Of which about half is already sun
piled.
Frank G. Carpenter.