The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-06-28
MINING THE RIVER BED;
RETURN LARGE PROFIT
STATE OWNS CHANNEL AND
MAY LEASE-LoWER THE
OUTLET OF LAKE.

The recent visit of Robert n. Bell,
state mine inspector. to this section
was for the purpose of making a re-
port to the state land board with re-
spect to the proposal to lease the bed
of the Occur d'Alene river below Old
Mission for dredging purposes, a COM
pany composed largely of Wallace
people having applied for that right.
Mr.. Bell was here during the recent
high water and was much impressed
with the damage suffered by ranchers
along the Occur d'Alene and st. Joe
rivers, as well as by other property
owners along those streams and the
shores of the lake. His observations
led him to open up an old question,
that of lowering and enlarging the
outlet to the lake as means of pre-
venting a repetition of these damag-
ing floods which occur periodically.
Upon his return to Boise Mr. Bell dis
cussed these subjects in the States
man, from which the following is
taken.
Crops Ruined.
Mr. Bell reports the mosts serious
flood condition that ever has been eX-
perienced in the history of that part
of the state. He says the settlers on
both the Occur d'Alene and st. Joe
valley bottoms have suffered more Sc
rious damage through high water this
year than ever before in the history
Of the country, and that on thousands
of acres of bottom lands the settlers
have little prospect this year of OBJ
tanning any crop at all, which will re-
suit in the seriouss loss of crop pro-
duction and stock food over an area
embracing $4,000 acres.
Lumber Yards Damaged.
The high water in Occur d'Alene
lake also has damaged extensive low
lying sawmill lumber storage yards at
several points on the borders of the
lake, and these conditions have start
ed an agitation among the settlers Of
the Occur .d'Alene and st, Joe valley
in which the state land board is to be
invited to act, in the hope that some
permanent relief from these annual
spring flood conditions may be OBJ
tanned, he says. Committees of set
tiers have been appointed to study
the situation with view to diking
operations on the main Occur d'Alene
and st. Joe river bottoms, but more
particularly with the thought of Wild
i,,u tla of IF hn lal xn
dredging out the bottom of the Spo-
kane river for several miles and in
creasing the gate discharge capacity
of the Post Falls dam of the Wash
ington Water Power company with a
view to preventing excessively high
water levels in Occur d'Alene lake,
which it appears is caused by the
gorging of the narrow outlet with
sawmil debris and gravel in the bed
of this stream.
Cost $4,000 to 100000.
The cost of these plans of flood
prevention is variously estimated, by
the different interests involved at
from $15O,OO0 to 100000. Mr.. Bell
thinks the subject is worthy of the
serious consideration Of the state land
board and that it should be given the
advantage Of detailed survey and
study by the state engineer. The con-
sequences of such an operation would
probably involve in some degree the
established power levels of the
Washington Water Power company
that have been acquired at cost of
several hundred thousand dollars.
However," he said, Il was gratified
to find in an interview on the sub
ject with the officials of this company
at Spokane, consistent with its re-
cent liberal attitude in the matter of
community interest in the extensive
territory it serves, a decided willing
ness to discuss these problems, and
believe the broadening and deepening
of the head Of the Spokane river
would be feasible scheme for de-
creasing the excessive high water lev
els of Lake Occur d'Alene by three OF
four feet.
"The problems. however, need thor
OuBH llFcSli5dtiOii Wy SoHiPOIShe civ
high class engineers before being I'M
dertaken, to get definite estimate OF
costs and the resulting effects the
work would have on present estab.
lished dockage rights and navigablt
rights ON both the Occur d'Alene ant
st. Joe rivers, where additions
channel dredging would probably bt
involved to maintain the present nav.
igation advantages, especially on thu
st. Joe river as far up from the lak'
as the town of st. Maries."
Mineral Dredging Feasible.
The proposed mineral slime dredg
ing on the Occur d'Alene river, Mr.
Bell considers entirely feasible. ant
he says it would be an advantage t,
the navigation of that stream, espe
cially If the material was permanent
ly lifted from the bed of the STREAM
and treated at stationary points OF
its banks.
1T appears from recent suprem
court decisions that the state of Ida
no, contrary to former opinions, ha
the sole right Of ownership to tn
hada ~ N a vi ua h1a 81 raa me hafWaan Nh