The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-07-30
IRRIGATION
WATER FOR
EVERYBODY
BLACKFOOT MAKING STRENUOUS
EFFORTS TO SAVE ALL CROPS
BY SECURING WATER FOR ALL.
NEEDS ONLY PROPER DIsTRI-
BUTTON.

Thirty years ago this summer
few claims were being taken along
the rivers near Blackfot, and it was
said that good crops had been raised
wherever they had been sown and
watered. 1t was not considered very
practical to undertake getting water
out Of Snake river, owing to the size
and depth of the stream. The Black
foot was considered better, but some
suggested that as the Blackfoot was
small it might some day be exhaust
ed Some secuted the idea, and all
agreed that there was water in Snake
river for all, and that 1t would never
be exhausted. The trouble was to
get 1t out into the canals. During
that same summer there were people
camping near town who wanted to
reserve their homestead rights until
the reservation was opened so they
could get some Of the Indian lands.
There was talk that it might be
opened to settlement soon There is
the same talk now.
Ten years ago this month Snake
river went dry at Blackfoot, and in
the midst of tremendous losses of
crops, hundreds Of acres of wild lands
were inundated in parts of the val
ley merely for the purpose of holding
the rights to certain volume in their
respective canals. The courts took
jurisdiction and distributed the
water.
The Jackson Lake reservoir was
built to store water for the settlers
on the Minidoka project, federal
reclamation and for several years
there has been little scarity of water
owing to the care exercised by the
water commissioners in the distribu-
tion. This year the reservoir was
drawn upon earlier than usual, and
last week the Minidoka settlers fail
ed to get their water at all, notwith-
standing it was flowing in a mighty
river from the reservoir. 1t went in
to the canals along the way. They
protested, and on Monday morning
the gates were closed pending ar
rangements by the water commission
ers the length Of the river, for dis
4 4rihYt;nD of vyotar ooo0rdino - fha
terms Of the decree. During the day
the plans were completed by wire,
and the gates were again opened.
The natural flow of the river at the
dam at this period belongs to the set
tiers from Blackfoot up, but all the
stored water belongs to the Minido- 1
kans alone, and the commissioners
are doing their best to deliver it.
Last Saturday the lieadgates of the
American Falls canal were closed,
and the company filed injunction pro-
ceedings to prevent the closing. The
gates we're already down when the
document was filed, but arrange
ments were made by which they were
opened late Saturday night, and the
case was heard before Judge Cowen
on Monday. The injunction was dis
solved, leaving the water commission
ers free to regulate the flow through
the gates.
This is the first time in many years
that 1t has been necessary for the
settlers to work in the river to turn
water into their canals, and consid
cradle Of that is being done now.
H. G. G. Rich was in town Tuesday
and reported that The Peoples Canal
company placed strong frame Of
timbers in the stream, placed heavy
hog wire netting on them, then
placed straw against that on the up
per side, and very quickly raised the
water ais much as they desired, add
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