The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-12-11

per NO. Z53 as Zs2 square miles. Ac
cepting the latter publication as cor
. rect. II will be noted that the drainag,
area above the headgate of the Ess
Fork Irrigation District is about Is Del
cent Of the total area. Undoubtedlj
. the area above the headgate woull
furnish more water in proportion to III
; area than would the entire water sheC
: above Winsns. This comparison il
: therefore Of little value except e
Z show in a general way the relation be.
! tween these areas. 1t is probably safe
, TO assume that one-fifth of the dis.
I charge at Winans passes the headgats
i OF the East Fork Irrigation District.
) A complete record of the flow of the
! river at Winans is available for the
year. 1906 and otherwise the records st
this point are of little value. The
river at Winans reached the stage of
, 555 second feet on August 22. 1906. II
! the above assumption that one-fifth of
this amount passes the headagte of
the East Fork Irrigation District is
! true, low water flow at this point
would be Ill second feet. However,
the record for 1906 is more or less mis-
leading owing to the fact that il does
not take into account the diversion of
. water through the large canals taking
! water from the stream above the point
Of measurement. On March 10, 1906,
the flow at Winans station was l,240
second feet, while at low water stage
on August 22, 1906, the flow was 555
second feet or considerably less than
half. Should the same ratio hold good
this year, with reference TO the meas
urement on the East Fork made by
Mr.. Kay on the 29th of March, .it will
be readily seen that the 678 second feet
would be reduced to considerably less
than $50 second feet during the low
state. While it is admitted that the
measurement on March 29th was made
at the more or less high water stage.
1t Is apparent that no high water oc-
CURED on or about March 20. 1906: We
are therefore bound to believe that the
results obtained by these comparisons
are practically valueless.
In summing up we may say that we
have no records whatever upon which
to base even an approximate estimate
OF the available water supply for this |
project.
This stream has a glacial source and
the flow shorld be we'll maintained |
throughout the year, but whether or |
not it will be sufficient for the irrt9a-
tion of the $4,000 acres of land in
cluded in the East Fork Irrigation |
District, we are unable to state.
Water Rights
According to the attached exhibits
1t would appear that the East Fork Ir-
rigation Company's water right was
initiated in 1895, or prior in time to
any other right of any magnitude on
that fork of Hood river. According to
the measurement made by Mr.. Kay,
the safe carrying capacity of the canal
is 6l.6 second feet, or at the rate of
one second foot for 100 acres, sufficient
to irrigate 6,l60 acres. However, if
Mr. Kay's estimate of one second foot
for l6O acres is sufficient. the water
supply would irrigate IL, 320 acres.
In addition to the above appropria-
tion, the East Fork Irrigation District
on The 9th day of September, 1912, filed
in this office an application for a per-
NIT to appropriate 200 second feet of
the waters of the East Fork of Hood
river and is still pending. protest
has been filed by the Oregon Lumber
Company against the granting of this
application, which protest is also pend
ing. This protest would Indicate that
the Oregon Lumber Company claims
an appropriation of $50 second feet, |
but it is understood that the point of B.
diversion is located below the junction
Of the East and Middle forks of Hood
river and Is therefore impossible to /,
determine to what extent the Lumber !
claim, if substantiated. /.
would affect the water rights of the
Irrigation District in question. |,
According to letter from George :
R. Wilbur, copy of which is attached
a valid appropriation of 100 miners
inches ors25 second feet has been made
by the Mount Hood Irrigation Company
IN the East Fork of Hood river, the !
point Of diversion being a short dis
.ance below that of the District. This
appropriation is subsequent in time to :,
he original appropriation by the Irri.
cation Company, but prior to the ap-
llication now pending before this Of
ice. 1t would appear therefore, from
he information available that the East Y
fork Irrigation District will take by
from the East Fork Irriga-
ion Company, the prior water right to
he extent of GIG and for any addi- T
ional water which may be required
must depend upon its application now
lending before this office, subsequent
n time to the 25 second feet appropri-
tied by the Mount Hood Irrigation !
company and the $50 second feet ap-
)ropriated by the Oregon Lumber
company. This would seem to render ;,
his appropriation of doubtful value.
1t is explained by those interested in
he organized district that in case
here is insufficient unappropriased
later in the East Fork, that prior
lights may be condemned to supply
ny deficiency. Many conditions would
eeessarily have to be taken into con- 4
Iteration with reference to the con. ts
emnation of prior rights. d
1t is probable that prior rights for h
over purposes can be condemnd for n
providing that no other 81
lghts of equal public benefit would be n
tfected by the use of the condemned
preparation for irrigation purposes.
~ the time water would be required
y the East Fork Irrigation District
or irrigation purposes, it may have CT
cen appropriated by other persons for CT
he same purpose. at point below the al
regon Lumber Company's power plant Il
nd if so, it would probably not be G
lbject to condemnation. These facts o
re brought out for the consideration
the directors of the Irrigation Dist II
ct in order that the matter may be vi
ally considered and thoroughly under Is
.ood before definite action is taken,
fecting the purchase of the East n
ork Irrigation Company's property o.
nd the issuance of bonds. liz
Valuation of the Present System in
The valuation of the present system of
admitted by MIR. Murray Kay, engin- r.,
N for the district, has been gone over
a very general way and as far as :,
IN be determined without field ex- pt
nlnatiOn the renort renreSants a very M