The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-05-15
West Side Drain Carrying Nearly
One-Fifth of Total Ca
pacity at Present
FLOW WILL BE GREATER
IN FALL, SAYS GILMAN
Underground Streams Travel
Long Distances-Final SettleI
ment With Contractors Being
Made by City Commissioners

y total average of more than 5000,
oO0 gallons of sub-irrigation water i
being poured out from the mouth OF
the West Side drain, or trunk sewer
every twenty -four hours. This is theI
report made by City Engineer n. M
Gilman on the efficiency OF the BID
pipe line up to date, after numerous
measurements of the flow. and ia
thought to be not more than half tht|
probable flow later in the season.
Measurements made "Wednesday
showed water = inches deep at Yak
ma avenue. and at South Third ave-I
nue. and Maple street The pipe al
Yakima avenue is SO inches in dia
meter, at the lower place AZ inches|
The manhole at Third avenue and
Maple is also below the sections con
tanning open joints. so the flow ID
the mouth Is the same as at that
point. Twelve inches of flow in the AZ
inch pipe. is approximately ~ pe9
cent of the total capacity, A. second
feet, or about eight second feet. ThiS|
means about 60 gallons a second.
This immense quantity of water isI
being intercepted all along the base o |
the terrace west of Seventh avenue
as showed by the fact that the flow
at Yakima avenue is nearly as great
as that below, and instead of collect
ing under the business section Of thd
city until ii finds outlet into the rived
at various points as far south as Park
or. Is taken directly by means of thd
drain and the open ditch into which
1t empties.
Water Flows Long Distances
MIR. Gilman says that the water
which has underlaid the city every
year may have flowed. not only from
"a k,,t
lower Selah, above Selah Gap. In
support of the contention he points
out that the river bed is In most
places so full of sediment that sub
irrigation water cannot penetrate it.
while the Lower Yakima avenue
bridge was being constructed" says
Mr.. Gilman, "the excavation for one
pier was made first. Then the exca-
walton for the pier on the opposite
side of the stream was made. 1t was
found In making the second excava-
ton that operation of pumps in one
would lower the water in the other.
This showed conclusiveIy that the
water was being carried ina pervious
stratum below the river bed, and en-
tirely shut off from the river flow. In
the same way this water that flooded
easements might have come not only
from the terraces west of the city, but
from as far north as Selah, and after
1T had risen high enough 1t must have
found drainage outlets at least us far
south as Yakima City. and possibly
even below Union Cap
Final Settlement Soon
The city commissioners in session
this afternoon ordered the issuance of
warrants to ID. c. Daniels for $3,557-
81. the balance due on his contract
price of $43,0SS.47. less $S,617.69. The
latter item represents 90 per cent of
the total contract. and will be paid
over as soon as a small uncompleted
portion of the work Is accepted. Tho
specifications provide that the CON
tractor shall furnish bond to the city
for all necessary repairs on account
of faulty construction for u period of
a year