East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-11-18
TWO RESERVOIR SITES
ON M'KAY UNDER
PRELIMINARY SURVEY
Each Has Estimated Capa.
city Of $4,000 to 10000
Acre Feet.


Now that the war is practically az
an end the irrigationiss Of the wesl
end of Unlatilla county are more than
ever turning their attention toward
the developing of farther reservoir
sites for the storage of flood waters
for irrigatIng additional acres Of sage,
brush lands.
During the past two months the
reclamation service in this work has
been making preliminary surveys OF
reservoir sites on Mckay creek, west
of Pendleton. Two sites for possible
reservoirs have been located, and at
one of these test pits are now being
sunk at the proposed dam site. Each
of these reservoir sites mas an esti-
mated storage capacity of $4,000 to
10000 acre feet Of water. If the
government should decide upon util-
izing the water Of Mckay creek it Is
nor probable more than one Of these
will be built
Two sites ON Mckay Creek.
The Mckay creek Valley is occupied
by many farmers and is very fertile
One of the possible reservoir sites IL
at the mouth of Mckay creek can
yon qshort distance south of where
that stream flows into Umatilla river,
about two miles from Pendleton
while the other is five miles from
here. farther south up the Mckay
valley. One point that is said to be
more favorable for the south reservoir
site is that it is less highly developed
by the farmers of the valley. and
would require less material for the
building of the dam.
An advantage it is claimed for a
on Mckay creek over many
other locations is that it will not be
necessary to make canals to convey
the water to the reservoir or to carry
it away, The flow of the creek win
be used to fill the resrvoir, and then
as the water is needed for irrigation,
after the spring and early summer
flow of the Umatilla river is over. it
viii be allowed to flow down the creek
and river beds to the intakes of the
canal near Echo The winter and
spring flow of McKay creek is ample
to fill one reservoir and II is thought
might be sufficient to fill the two
should both be built. -.
The stored water of a reservoir on
creek would be supplemental
to the present Hermiston reservoir on
Cold Spring, and could also he used
for the Furnish Ditch Co. and the
Western Land & Irrigation co. pro-
iects as wen as for several smaller
the unstored flow of the Umatilla
river.
Government Makes Surveys.
The preliminary survey work has
been done under general Instructions
from the interior department to obtain
advance information as a basis for new
work. or enlargement of existing lT.
and drainage projects
the acountry. that may he
on by the government in the
reconstruction period after the termi-
nation of the war 1t is reported a
plan is being talked of tne govern
ment adopting a policy of Construct
ing reservoir and irrigation projects
at the expense of the nation at large
instead of at the expense of each in
dividual project; althous.. all canals
and bitches from the reservoirs to the
AsiiuA To ne uilGaNFA WttiAA tN NiAaA NVN
Ia the land to be benefited The ad
option Of this plan, however, is YET
an uncertainty
II is possible now. with the coming
of peace practically a certainty, that
the construction of the project on
Mckay creek may be tuysen up in
1918 If such should be the case. ir-
Of the country to he wa
tered think it possible it may be
during the year 50 that
water may be stored during 1890 and
-,av hc available for their land dur
ing that season
For some years past surveys and
Investigations have been s.iade by the
with the hope OF secur-
ing additional storage capacity for
water for the irrigation projects OF
the west end of Umatilla county. Ten
or more sites have been considered.
iuf construction has never been un-