The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-01-03
A BIG RECLAMATION PROJECT

Just now much attention Is given
in print to suggestions of reclamation
of desert lands, the draining Of over
flow lands and the utilization of log
ged off lands, the object being to pro-
vide lands for discharged soldiers. or
sailors who may desire to get back
TO the soil Among the propositions
discussed is the reclamation OF what
is known as the Quincy Flats" the
immense acreage in the new county
of Grant that has always been CLASH
suggested the feasibility OF watering
those lands by system of irrigation
where the water was to be drawn from
Wenatchee lake. Indeed, the PROPOSE
ton went so far that the people of
the state were called upon to vote
upon the issue of vast sum in bonds
in order to carry out the project. Very
wisely the people rejected the propo-
SAL We chance the word wisely be-
cause we never believed that the
project was feasible and the state
was called upon to shoulder an enor-
nous burden simply to carry out an
experiment that did not look attrac-
tive on it's face. Now it is proposed
that the government finance the
Quincy Flats project this time the
water to be conveyed from the Pend
d'Oreille river. Upon this plan very
large volume of water must be con-
veyed in pipes and bitches a great
many miles, and i'm order to surmount
some of the difficulties of construc
ton the plans call for an eighteen
mile tunnel at one place. 1t would
seem that the cost of such a project
would be prohibitive even in coun-
try where money is talked in billions.
We have heard it suggested by pri-
vate individuals, and at first glance it
seems far more feasible than any plan
heretofore advocated, that the land
to be reclaimed could be watered by
pumping from the Columbia river. A
dam could be put in at Priest rapids
that would generate almost unlimited
power With that power water could
be raised to the flats, or to almost any
height, by say lifts of IS feet. With
the Columbia river as source Of sup
ply there would be no limit to the
water available. The dam and the
necessary equipment would cost
hardly fourth of what it would cost
to convey water from either the Pend
dOreille river or from Lake Wenat-
chez. Furthermore. with the water
power that could be developed by a
dam at Priest rapids the government
would have extra electric power
either for lighting purposes or energy
to sell eight months in the year. The
watering of the Quincy Flats would
make available thousands CT acres
that are now useless for productive
purposes, or any purpose at all 1t
would give value to land that is with
out value. 1t would provide homes
and means of livelihood for hundreds
of families. 1t is "consummation
devoutly to be wished" but the means
Of accomplishment so far suggested
read good deal like pipe dream.
We are not we'll enough posted on
hydraulics to know If the pumping
proposition is at all feasible, but it
strikes us to be as worthy of consid-
GRAFTON as proposal to carry river
of water-for it would require a small
river to water the flats in question
-one or two hundred miles and III
doing so overcome numerous almost
unsurmountable Typographical diff
culties.