The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-04-25

Some apprehension is felt down the
liver over the effect that the danling
0; the Okanogan river at this point is
gong TO have on the Aay high water
in the Okanogan. And there is some
reason for being neT Gus. IL has been
some four weeks since the hill floods
siuiced enough mud in the OkanCgan
llveT at this point T. create Z dam
.Ialf mile in length and completely
stopping the flow OF water in that
stream. IL is one of the s'rangest
freaks that has occurred in this upper
country. A river, 200 feet wide, carry
ing off large volume of water. is so
blocked that the outward flow has
been stopped for a month. The Okla
hogan river is fed by Osoyoos lake, a
large sheet of water which is really
only an enlargement of the river.
While there has been no drainage from
the lake for four weeks there has been
a steady flow of water into the lake AZ
the north end until at the presen. time
the lake and river has raised until rhe
flats on the river shore are as widely
covered with water as is usual at the
time of high water in the spring. and
still the dam holds Now at the time of
the spring freshets caused by the melt
ing Of the SHOWS in the mountains the
Similkameen river is the stream that
goes on a rampage. 1t empties into the
Okanogan river short distance
81 -f- .h1.
the water backs up into the Okanogan
river and into lake Osoyoos, which acts
as a vast reservoir. fhe unusual sight
OF the Okanogan flowing up stream is
to be seen almost every spring Now
that the lake is as full as it ever gets
if the Similkameen should commence
rising rapidly and it comes up with
rush when warm weather does set in,
there would be no room for the surplus
water in Osoyoos lake and naturally
the river would rise far above the nor
mdi spring flood mark. In that case all
. re low lands down the river would be
Z oGjed and much damage done. Both
Omak and Riverside would be
in danger of getting a ducking |
In order to prevent a disaster
Of that kind it will be neces-
sary that Osoyoos lake be drained TO |
its normal level. and as up to date no |
provision has been made TO aid the !
river in cutting a channel through the |
long barrier of earth now clogging up |
the river bed 1t Is a question If the |
faka could he draipad hafora tho com
ing OF high water sufficiently to take |
care of all the water that would back |
up FRONT the Similkameen The Com |
mercial Club voted to pay the cost of
cutting channel through the dam,
but that has not yet been completed.
Mr.. Jackson, who is in danger of hav-
ing his land swept away, or that the
river may cut a new channel across
the land, Is now working on ditch
that may start the water flowing 10
/ the south. Mr.. Lund, who was here
Tuesday, reported that considerable
apprehension was felt among the resi-
dents along the valley and expressed
the opinion that the people along the
river, and especially at Riverside and
Omak would be willing to bear part
of the cost of cutting out a channel in
the river bed. Up to date the dam may
have been looked upon as curiosity
or joke played by nature and while
we are no alarmist Ce feel that 1t is
| time that the community wakes up
and considers the serious side of the
question. Oroville may not be in any
particular danger but there is trouble
| brewing for our neighbors down the
river if the dam continues in place
many more weeks