The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-06-14
ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The following is the report submit
~ N the directors Of the West Okan-
nm Valley Irrigation district by the
.s,,ueer employed to carefully go ov-
!, the ground and present his views
upon the project:
Oroyille, Wn., May 81, 1912.
n ,he Officers and Directors of the
West Okanogan Valley Irrigation
District:
Centlemen:-
n accordance with your instruc-
inns. have made careful eXamin-
stion , OF the territory extending from
usAthawk on the Similkameen river
N NcIaughlin's Canyon on the Ok
..oe,n river, this being the terminus
\ the South Branch of the East Ok
,roean Valley Irrigation District. and
n section 30, Township 81 North,
r,aee n East, on the right bank OF
~ 0ksnogan river, being the terminus
the South Branch of the West Ok
snana Valley Irrigation District, be-
- about three miles below the town
z Toaasket, and North from the town
Z 0roville to the International BOun-
dry Line.
Thb project contemplates the rec
hnation Of the irrigable lands along
the 0kanogan and Similkameen rivers
n the above named territory, and
prth from the junction OF the Simil-
hmeen and OkanOgan rivers along
he shores Of lake OsoyOos to the In
t,rmational Boundary Line.
The lands covered by these projects
ne d so-called benches and slOping
IVA, nearly level along the Okanogan
liver at elevations of from about 900
70 l,lo0 feet above sea level, with us
ully gentle slopes and a few abrupt
unaces where the land drops from
As higher to the lower bench. All
NJ ayailable for agricultural purpos-
Il The most Of these lands, in their
ntural state, grow abundant bunch
rass and more or less sage brush.
iAe soll, as Is developed by local ex-
,ninations, Is largely of volcanic Ori-
n, but there is considerable of the
ntalled granite wash" containing
| tua. both Of which classes of soil are
nlhH productive and particularly
Aaptsd to the successful growing of
u kinds Of fruit as we'll as alfalfa
~ gsasral agricultural and horti-
ullasal products.
GENERAL PLAN OF IRRIGATION.
~ method Of introducing water on
2nn44 r clearly. shown by the
t05xf14' fUri111ng q purt
u report.
n main canal. owned jointly by
u hst and West Okanogan Valley
lriptcn Districts. has its intake on
y elt bank Of the Similkameen river,
~ follows the same for a distance Of
lSsut ten miles. Up to this point the
ulal Is doing duty and carries the
sler Tor all Of the lands of both Dis
rEslt amounting to 1884 acres. Here
inverted syphon carries enough
,Mf Tor 4,Sl5 acres across the Sim
aaneen river for the South Unit of
= West Okanogan Valley Irrigation
u3nct lands. For the next 3-5 mile,
= canal carries water for all East
1aosan Valley Irrigation District
~ amounting to ABA acres, and
= North Unit Of the West OkanOgan
1ue! Irrigation District lands,
anouhtins to 1,OS5 acres. Here joint
~lefshlp Of the canal ends and the
- UKanogan Valley Irrigation Dis
aMs water Is carried across the Ok
.Ah river In an inverted syphOn
M~ Z W In the main line. From
" point the North and South
saches or divisions are made, the
JNn along the left bank of the Okan-
~ nver and the North branch going
a 70 the International Boundary
~ ). on the right bank of lake Osoy-
~ ~ tne West Okanogan Valley Irri-
!aon District branch canal extends
a along the left shore of lake
afy Line.
WATER SUPPLY.
ny. ,ae water supply for this project is
,.s. 1 rom the Similkameen river
G.s N.Y. y miles up its course from the
W. IHaOean river, or about one and one
~. @lles below the town of Night
M = an elevation of about LOO
i ,.,o sose sea level. Like most rivers
t,su Ss district, 1t has it's lowest dis
r,.M.. generally In the late fall and
sno occasionally food period
k.s 'smoer. The gaugings that have
n,,nae u.aue on this stream indicate a
~ um How OF about $4,000 cubic
vs,ls ., second of time. This usually
wt y. ~ May and continues through
nv.ss hrieattng season to discharge
9s' t,ma oI 1000 cubic feet per second
tlss = ms amount of water to be
In ~ uo'll the river for the irriga-
NM. 'and and safe allowance for
M ~ ~ ana evaporation amounts to
IN ~ 'M leet per second. AS there
as~ v'aer canals taken out of the
M lower down and as nearly all
tnsI ,ster shed lies within the ma
loup,,,n est reserve and among high
m a n ranges where is continual
MI ,1,,l slll readily be seen that there
hDals says be an abundant water
" PiUJcCl.
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
hsrSO SOs y Planned, water is to be de-
A,crs. each legal subdivision of
han inese laterals will be near
w,e ,Issed Iar'ed IN wood, as the trans
t~ onss ps OF the country is too great
tAlhh ~ uitches. 1t is planned to es-
"a htass.s hte.suring weirs at the head of
s.aser ana and turnout for each wat
tadAd - '1ng the lateral 1t is in
t,sr N ~ nav. nave the irrigatOrs use the
Tue 49, urn or rotation, on the basis
4 ~ OF the farm unit and crop
Y Aavs 'erea so that each irrigator
s amounts to from one to