The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1916-03-22
DRAINAGE CONSIDERED At
UNION DISTRICT MEETING
South Side Water Users Confer
With Senior Engineer Cole and
Project Officials on Question.

JHb oOutu OlAe W dlef users ASSOcl-
alton, presided at a well attended
meeting at the Union School last
Wednesday evening that was called
TO consider the drainage situation
Various phases of this important
question were brought out in a dis
eussion participated in by Messrs.
& W. Latin, j. S. Gray, E, E. Bas-
sett, c. P. Whitney, Senior Engineer
D. w. Cole and Project Manager
l. G. Hough and others.
There was unanimous recognition
of the urgent need for drainage on
the project, and without exception,
those who expressed themselves
urged the necessity for the immed-
late initiation OF a movement for
bringing about the construction of
an adequate drainage system.
Mr. Cole described the drainage
situation in other projects in his
district and gave a very interesting
account Of the the construction of
Grains on the Boise and Minidoka
projects.
Both of these projects have had
drainage difficulties similar to those
on the Truckee-Carson Project, and
the plans adopted and carried
through are similar, in many re-
spects, to the tentative plan propos-
ed for this project and submitted
to an informal vote in May, 1915.
The work consist of the con-
struction OF open drains mile or
more apart. Wherever possible
these drains are located in natural
creek beds, similar to the South
Fork which the local project plan
contemplated utilizing to the fullest
extent.
The main drains were dug first,
and later when their effect could be
fairly well determined, spur drains
we're constructed as needed
The Minidoka drains have been
completed, and have been very sue
eessful in unwatering seeped and
alkaline areas. In one instance q
full crop of oats was raised on a
tract that only year before was in
tules.
Tie estimated cost per acre on
these two projects ranged from s11
to $14 per acre, and these sums
were voted by the water users to be
added to their construction charges
and repaid under the 20-year plan
on the Minidoka project, and in 10
years on the Boise project. How
ever, in building these drains
considerable saving was made un-
der the estimates. and the water
users have authorized the expendi-
ture of a part of these savings for
spur drains.
From the above it will be seen
that the estimate of $500 per acre
for drainage on the Truekee-Carson
project is not high as compared with
the Minidoka and Boise estimates,
but as all of these estimates con-
tain a margin OF safety, it is be-
iieved that a saving can be made ON
the Truekee-Carson project as on
the other projects
In the discussion it developed that
a large number of vested right own
ers favor and will support action
to better drainage conditions.
Among the suggestions as to
practical means of securing united
support was from the Project Man
ager that the entire matter be
placed in the hands of the Water
Users Executive Board. which is
the only local agency properly
equipped to successfully handle a
matter of this kind
A resolution was unanimously
adopted by the meeting instructing
the executive board to take hold of
this matter as soon as possible and
endeavor to bring forward a feasible
working plan that will command un-
tied support.
II was pointed out that the main
difference between conditions on the
Truckee-Carson project and those
projects where drainage works are
now being installed lies in the mat
ter of organization. The projects
where the water users are legally
organized in associations or dis
tricts are making progress through
the systematic and authoritative ac-
ton of the water users such as is
possible only through the agency of
an organization fully representing
all water users under the project.
On Saturday G. Budd Williams
and j. s. Gray, representing the
South Side Water Users Assoeia-
ton, conferred with the Project
Manager regarding steps to be talk
en- to bring the drainage question
to a vote and to get actual construc-
ton started at the earliest possible
date. The board of directors of the
South Side Water Users Associa-
ton met at the home of G. Budd
Williams on Sunday afternoon and
adopted resolutions asking the Rec
lamation service to furnish assist
ance to the project water users as