Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-10-03
TO WORK ONLOST
river Project
Revised Plans of Utah Con-
struction Company Ac-
cepted by Board.

Work on the Big Lost River irriga-
ton project held up because of the OBJ
jections raised to some OF the specifi-.
cations especially those OF the Mackay
dam by Engineer Lippincott. to whom
the plans were submitted, may proceed
Immediately and the Utah Construc-
ton company has been so notified. The
men and machinery for the work have
been awaiting word rom Boise to go
ahead This was not possible until the
land board acted. The board met yes
terday afternoon, all members present
except Governor Alexander, and on the
suggestion of Edwin Snow, counsel for
the Utah Construction company, ac-
copied the revised plans and specifica-
tons as presented under date of Sept
81. Attorney General Peterson, acting
as chairman of the board; State Audi
tor Huston and Miss Bernice Mccoy.
state superintendent of public ,nstruc-
ton, voted to accept the plans. Sec.
rotary of State Barker voted against
acceptance.
1t was ctated at the board meeting
the plans meet all of the objections
raised by Engineer Lippincott. The
citizens of Mackay laid the plans be-
fore this well known engineer and
asked his criticism. He pointed out
weaknesses in the manner of recon-
structing the Mackay dam as proposed.
1t is understood that the boards ac-
ton means that the famous Mackay
dam can be built under the revised
plans with the objections of Mr.. Lip
pincott met or In other words, the dam
will be erected with little fear of it ever
going out. The plans are said to take
the foundation far below the river bed
and to bedrock. The trouble with the
former construction work was that the
dam did not rest on bedrock and water
passed under 1t. This structure has
been the bone of contention for years,
and has played no small part in daho
politics. The land board some time
ago accepted and entered into con-
tract with the Utah Construction COM
pany to rebuild the irrigation project
but the objections -aised held up the
work.
REPORT OF ENGINEER.
State Engineer Smith recommended
approval of the revised plans in the
following report:
81 hand you herewith, in duplicate,
revised specifications and plans for the
remodeling of the Mackay dam. These
were submitted by the Utah Construc-
ton company the 23rd inst.
I'm my judgment, the revision COM
plies fully with the criticisms offered
by ]. P. Lippincott on the previous
plans submitted.
THE revised plans call for a dam
160 feet wide at crest, with upstream
slope Of to l and down stream slope
2 to 1. which makes the width of bot
mt. q
earth dams of this height is about 80
feet, which is an indication of the I'M
usually massive construction proposed.
1.-The specifications provide that as
the work on the dam progresses, the
water level is to be carried up in the
reservoir, so that a constant test is had
of the safety of the dam.
"A substantial spllway of ample ca
pacity is provided for by the plans and
specifications and a cutoff wall Is
specified, which, in my judgment, will
prevent any flow of water under the
dam of sufficient amount or velocity
to in any way endanger the structure.
AT all stages of the construction,
careful and thorough inspection of the
work should be made by the state en-
gineering department to insure that
first class work is done.
Experience with other reservoirs
has shown that seepage loss, which is
Invariably excessive at first, is gradu-
ally reduced a very considerable
amount through the natural sitting of
the reservoir. In addition to this nat
ural sitting, in the case of this reser-
voir, this loss is to be still further re-
duced by artificial means through
sluicing into the stream suitable ma
terial from the adjacent slopes to be
deposited in the bed of the reservoir,
Being satisfied that the structure
called for by these plans and specif-
cations will be safe, l have approved
same and transmit them to you for
your action"
DESPONDENCY. .
When you fee. discouraged and de-
40 ,@% ri,