Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-12-28
IRRIGATION Of SOUTHERN IDAHO
LANDS N G|GANTIC PROJECTS one
GREATEST FEA1s EVER ATTEMPTED

Investigations ana stuufeS OF storage
sites and irrigable public lands. The
result OF these Investigations indicate
the practicability Of controlling the
larger portion Of Snake river waters
now wasted over Miner dam, and
their utilization in the valley above.
One controlling feature Of the en-
cheering work to be done Is con-
structed on a mile-long dam 100 feet.
high at American Falls, where res
ervoir covering $4,000 acres of bot
tom land Is to be created. This will be
the largest reservoir for irrigation in
the world. The cost of the dam Is es
timated at $15,000,00O. The construc-
ton Of the dam dooms the present
city Of American Falls to destruction.
as large part of 1t lies within the
area which will be below the surface OF
the lake created by the dam. The pres
ent site is not an advantageous one.
The city occupies a depression, and at
certain seasons is mosquito ridden. A
splendid site near by, level and on
commanding plateau, is available and
it Is proposed to lay out a new town
and transfer the old one to this site.
The planning of a new city Ii to be
done by the best known experts In the
country In order to assure the Ameri-
can Falls citizens that their new home
will be the last word In city planning.
II is estimated that the removal will
cost $1,000,000 at least.
ONLY PART DEPENDENT.
The successful carrying out of these
plans for tanning the Snake in part
only are dependent upon congressional
appropriations. A large fund for con-
struction can be provided through the
sale Of rights in the reservoirs. The
requests for such rights already
amount to reform $5,O00,000 to $6,000,-
900. The state has approved the segre-
cation of 100000 acres involving ex-
penditures of $65.000,000. The reclama-
ton service has withdrawn 10000
acres in the Minidoka project, the rec
lamation Of which may cost $10,O00,OOO.
This Is practically all public land, and
Is being considered in connection with
Secretary Lanes soldier settlement
ment plan Funds to reclaim these
lands must be provided by congress.
In the development OF large areas in
the valleys of the Boise and Payette
rivers and elsewhere In the Snake river
valley the formation Of irrigation dis
tricts will enable the land owners to
finance the work. especially IT, 1t Is
known that the construction work Is
to be under the supervision of the rec
lamation service.
ARE SHOW PLACES.
Large as the cost estimates are, the
faint hearted who are likely to pre-
dict failure should not forget that in
the Snake river valley today It's irri-
gated sections from the Wyoming line
to where the Snake river forms the
boundary of eastern Oregon are the
show places of the great American
desert. The Minidoka and Twin Falls
projects. containing 44S,000 acres of
irrigated land produced in 1918 q crop
valued at $4,000, 900, or an average of
$50 per acre. according to the state
engineer. The Boise and Payette val
leys are equally well known for their
abundant and valuable crops. In the
upper valleys, where the season Is
somewhat shorter the crops are re-
stricted to cereals. sugar beets, hardy
vegetables. and forage crops for live
stock, which latter constitutes an i'm
portant and profitable industry. The
accumulated data by careful investiga-
tioin and study furnish indubitable
evidence that IL the engineering works
can be constructed within the estimate
of $l00 to S125 per acre to furnish a
guaranteed water supply, the lands
benefited can easily bear the charge,
together with interest 'on payments
spread over a term of years.
+. REGION OF INTEREST.
Geographically the whole region is
of extraordinary interest. In ages
gone the Snake river valley, which Is
400 miles long by 40 to 60 miles wide,
was an arm of the sea which slowly
rose above its waters. Its climate was
sem-tropica1, as evidenced by the re-
mains of prehistoric animals of warm
regions. The valley during period
covering millions of years was the
scene of a series of tremendous vol
canic eruptions. during which the
mountains in the north, east and south
belched forth rivers of molten lava
which flowed out and covered 1t hun
dreds of feet deep. Not less than IL OF
the flows have been definitely To-
Gated. The soil which Is composed OF
decomposed rock which has not moved
from where 1t was originally deposited
This rock Is known as Columbia river
lava, or basalt, and II liz overlain In
many places with volcanic ash borne
by the winds and distributed gener-
ally over the lava plain: The COM
bination of decomposed basalt and
volcanic ash furnishes an excellent type
of soil for the production of all varieties
of crops which are dramatically adapted
to the region. The most valuable crops
are the seed crops in the growing OF
which the Snake river valley is be-
coming famous. All the country is
familiar with the perfection, excellent
quality, and high percentage of GER
mination Of numerous seed crops like
red, white and alsike clovers, alfalfa,
beans, peas, etc. all OF which command
the highest prices In the large markets.
The growing of these seed crops though
requiring care and intelligence, Is very
profitable, and gross Yields OF from
$500 to $500 per acre are not uncom-
mon.
Popular conception OF the Great
American desert has changed mate
rally since the facts concerning its
subjugation have become more widely
known. This vast empire Is now gen.
orally recognized as an asset whers
once II was held as a liability. The
marvellous development which has
taken place In numerous valleys In the
arid west has sounded a new note In
agriculture. and already has produced
a new phase in rural life. As a peosSs
we are slowly beginning to regard the
Great American desert as heritage
n enormous value. the future granary
from which We are to gather the har-
vests Tor millions of our people. The
explOita ton and nerS,1n n ant dayalon-