The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1919-04-23
Project CELEBRATION TO
Be HELD AT LAHONTAN
Lahontan Reservoir Will Soon Be
Full for First Time-Cele-
bration Proposed

The Lahontan reservoir will be
full to the spillways by the middle
of June. With maximum capacity
of 100000 acre feet the seasonal in
flow up to Monday morning, less
evaporation, had sufficed to create a
supply of $4,000 acre feet. The
peak of the seasonal runoffs of the
Carson river watershed always occur
in May and June, past photographic
figures showing that during these
months the Carson river discharges
into the reservoir basin at the rate
Of $4,000 acre feet of water for each
month in an average sense. At the
present time the daily inflow is 1900
acre feet.
With water stored to the maxi
mum and flowing over the spillways.
the depth at the retaining dam will
be about 100 feet. Although the
present is the fifth season when the
dam has been used, 1t will be the
first when the maximum storage has
been attained, the highest previous
figure being reached last year, when
l72,o00 acre feet OF water was
stored.
The use OF the spillways for
the first time will probably
be the occasion for a cele-
tration that will commemorate in
fitting fashion the epoch marking
date. Project Manager John f.
Richardson Is keeping accurate ac-
count Of the water supply at La
hontan and has suggested that when
the great basin has finally been filled
the residents of Fallon, Hazen, La
hontap, Fernley and the other COM
munities of the project should join
In project picnic to be held ct tho
dam, where general program may
be arranged that will be interesting
and enjoyable.
Certainly, a full reservoir will
have more than ordinary significance
for the residents of the entire pro-
ject. for insurance is thus given that
an ample supply of water for all ir-
rigation purposes is on hand for the
districts served from the reservoir.
which include all of the settled por-
tions of the project, with the excep-
tion of the Fernley and Hazen dis
tricts. These from the nature of
things must always depend upon
water from the Tahoe watershed.
When the Newlands project has
finally been brought to the one hun
dred per cent stage of completion.
the Tahoe water will be depended
upon to annually furnish 6S per cent
of the Lahontan reservoir storage,
and before the several project ex-
tensions can be consummated il will
be necessary that the project shall
have the undisputed right to the use
of as much as 10000 acre feet of
Lake Tahoe's storage capacity, as
compared to $4,000 acre feet now
available under the terms of a tenn
porary working agreement which
has been in effect between the recla-
nation service and the owners of
Tahoe rights. In other words, the
fullest development of the Newlands
project is entirely contingent upon
the fullest development of the stor-
age possibilities of Lake Tahoe, a
happy condition that is now antici-
pated for early consummation.
The urgent necessity of providing
homes for returned soldiers is play
ing no inconsiderable part in matur-
ing plans relating to Lake Tahoe wa
ter, outlined as long ago as 15 years,
and are providing logic for argument
and incentive for action, which may
combine for an early adjudication of
very troublesome and badly in
volved situation.