The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-09-19
BOARD ON DRAINAGE
FILES complete -,
REPORT
Drainage Needs of Pioneer and
Nampa- Meridian Districts
Are Covered.
WORK BEGINS AT ONCE

Aoo SAouAu NC 0IdlHeO CUSC-
want Contract With Nampa- M err
dian Dlstllct-Wor VIII Start the
First of December.
When Secretary Lane was visiting
the fayette- BOISE project, he promis-
cd the people that he would appoint
committee OF engineers to lnveStl-
gate the drainage problem IN the Plo-
neer lrrlgauon district. He made
the appointment and the committee
mas submitted Its report to the super
Vlsing engineer, r. +. Weymouth.
Engineer Weymouth will proceed IN
accordance with the report OF the
BOARD, Wnich Is as follows:
he undersigned Board of Engi-
neers has CONSIDERED present seepage
conditions III THAT portlon OF the Bose
PROJECT lying III the vicinity OF Cald-
wen and Nampa.
Z. The lana lies on a general slope
IRON the Main South side Canal,
ieeulng the Deer FIAT reservoir, on
the south to the BOISE river on the
north. This body OF land is traversed
by the Rldenbaugh, Phyllis and the
Caldwell canals; tine former serving
lands In the Nampa- Meridian Irriga-
ton district, and the last two irrIgat-
ing lands IN the Pioneer Irrigation
district.
5. Irrigation OF high lands has had
the ordinary result OF causing raise
IN the water table of the lower lands,
which condition has been made worse
by the absence tor long distances or
surface channels and by the general
presence below the upper soil of
stratum OF gravel and sand. In the
natural depresslons in the lower lands
the ground water surface has been
hest possible benefits, regarding the
on the surface, converting fertile
lands into swamps and inJuring adj
joining and somewhat higher lands
by the formation OF alkali on the sur
lace.
4. This condition has become so
! serious in the lands included in the
Pioneer irrigation district that the
people in the district have entered in
to a contract with the Reclamation
service, which, besides completing the
districts water rights from the Ar
roWrock reservoir, provides for the
expenditure by the service, to be re-
paid by the district, of $350,OOO for
the construction OF deep drains in the
! principal depresslons. The manner
OF procedure IN the expenditure OF
this money has been one OF the sub
jects considered by this board. Two
electric drag line eXcavatOrs have
been purchased and are expected to
be installed and to commence work in
December OF this year.
). The program to be followed
should ann at reducing future damage
to minimum and securing the ear
hest possible Elements, regarding the
district as whole. In order to de-
eide this matter, survey is now
being carried on to determine the
limits OF lands already fully water
logged and OF lands threatened with
rum, and until this survey is complete.
no intelligent program can be laid
down. In deciding on such program,
moreover, 1t is beIleved that the Su-
pervlslng Engineer should lay the
facts, when ascertained, before the
| districts board of directors, so as to
obtain their advice.
8. Water-logging OF lands is not
confined to the Pioneer district, but
has during the last few years extend
| ed gradually up along the bottom OF
/ the draws into the Nampa-Merldian
district. These conditions have late
! ly grown worse SO rapidly that it is
! apparent that deep drains in this dis
trlct will be necessary if the swamp
ing OF large areas OF excellent land
| is to be arrested and prevented.
7. 1t is OF Importance that the
drainage work in both districts pro-
coed in such manner that no addition
al damage may result to lower lands.
While it would be advantageous to
start on drainage work in the Nampa-
Meridian district at an early date, SO
far as water-logged lands within this
district are concerned, it is our opin-
ion that such work must await at least
the partial completion of drains in the
lower district, now being hurried al
fast as possible.
s. An important question in regard
to constructing a drainage system in
what manner the lands benefited can
be made to pay the cost. The dis,
trct contains about oO,OOO acres, OF
which less than one-half is definitely
pledged to the Boise project. 1t Will
, be necessary before general project
unds can be justly used Tor the pur'
: pose OF constructing drains IN the
district, either to secure a definite
pledge from lands not now bound, OF
enter into some equitable contrac'
= with the district, intended to accom-
l plish the same result OF making al
4 lands benefited pay just share Of
e he cost.
g. This board after examining
seepage conditions over the entir'
area involved had the advantage l.
d meeting with large number OF own
S ers OF land in both districts above
:. mentioned and 10 discuss frankly tn,