The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-09-12
BOND ISSUE
PROPOSED TO /
IMPROVE CANAL
Engineer Swigart Completes
Survey of Irrigation Needs
and Submits Estimates
100000 DOLLARS NEEDED
Question of Bonding to be Voted ON
by Land Owners at Special
Election October 8

Chas. H. Swigart, the engineer in
charge of the work for the Columbia
Irrigation district, has compiled his
preliminary surveys and made his re-
port of the directors of the district.
Briefly, the report shows that the sys-
tenn is now in dangerous condition
that all of the fumes on the main
ditch and most of those on the laterals
must be taken care of at once, that
some spots are considered dangerous
on account of seepage and should be
lined with concrete. Further improve
ments considered advisable are out
lined. These include a system of dis
tribution designed to bring the water
to within at least half mile of each
forty-acre subdivision, enlarging the
system thruout, lining certain parts
with concrete, establishing new waste
ways, rebuilding old ones, building
new service gates, etc., etc. The re-
port contains recommendations and
estimates for a completed system
such as we will ultimately want, but
divides the improvements recommend
ed into three classes.
First: The improvements immed-
lately necessary for insuring water
for next year.
Second: The improvements neces-
sary to bring to Kennewick an ample
supply of water for all the land under
.he ditch.
Third: The ultimate improvements
recommended to secure permanence
of construction, economy in mainten-
ance, distribution, etc.
In considering the report the di-
lectors were confronted with the facts
that the time for work was at hand
and the season was too far advanced
to do all of the work desired for this
year; so they have adopted two-year
program Of immediate improvements,
feeling that labor and material will
be cheaper in a few years when the
balance Of the work can be taken up
and finished as required.
The first years program provides
for rebuilding or replacing all of the
fumes and other structures necessary
so as to insure reliable delivery Of wa
ter next year; lining certain danger
GUS stretches of the canal with con-
crete; enlarging, and improving GER
tain parts of the laterals and building
a distributary system as outlined. This
will provide for an increase in the wa
ter supply for next year which is con-
sidered ample to take care of all land
now under cultivation and which may
be developed later.
The second years work will enlarge
the main canal from the headworks to
Kennewick, finish the renewal or re-
placement of wornout structures, and
make further enlargement and inn
provement in the laterals; line with
concrete the most dangerous parts Of
the canals. This work win cost about
$40, 10000 and will bring the system
to such point that the balance of the
work recommended as necessary to se-
cure permanence of construction,
economy Of operation, etc., can be car
ried on from time to time as required.
This additional work planned for at
later date will cost about $170,OO0.OO
based en- the present high cost of la
Dor and material.
The directors feel that the plan as
outlined above is the best solution of
the problem They would prefer to
carry along the present system for a
few years yet if it could be safely
done without excessive repairs, but
this is not possible. A large sum must
be spent at once to assure getting a
double water right for the land now
cultivated and since this is true, the
directors feel that enough should be
added to the Immediate demands to
furnish an adequate supply for all
lands that may be developed.
!. Theynhaye therefore called an cleo
ton for October 3 to deter1pine wheth-
er the property owners wish to vote
tha SAd0 000 On Yendad t1st