The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-02-20
DEFINlTEDATA0N
TABLE ROCK DAM
Survey Shows Reservoir
That Will Store
Many Acre Feet
Of Water.
HELP is A SIX ED
O. S. L. Wants Canal
Companies to As
sist in Work

Additional data has just been OBJ
tanned relative to the river abov
Table Rock, the proposed site Of tn
new reservoir, says the Idaho Fall
Times. Information has been re
ceived from the o. S. l.. GOVERN,
their survey of that portion of tn,
river and their notes gives the dis
lance from Table Rock to GardeI
creek, in Conant valley as sixteeI
miles and the fall 1876 feet. Thi!
gives an average fall of little ovel
eight feet to the mile and dam al
Table Rock 1876 feet high would bach
the water to Garden creek, and Ii
estimated would impound something
like 100000 acre feet. A dam zoe
feet high would store sufficient water
to develop practically the whole Of
the upper country. 1t is estimated
that this dam could be put in foI
two million dollars.
The committee has sent out notices
to the various canals of the upper
country requesting that they send in
the small amount of one-fourth of a
cent for every inch of water owned
by the canal, for the purpose of max
ing a preliminary survey. Many OF
the canals have responded and it is
anticipated that enough will send in
their amounts to make up the needed
sum by the middle of February. If
the survey can be started at that
time it is figured that definite re-
port can be made by the middle Of
March.
From present indications our WIN
ter is about over-at least the snow
producing part has passed. Ranch
up the South Fork country, all re-
port that the snow at this writing is
actually less now than at this time
last year. 1t is reported that the
divide between Victor and jackson
Hole contains only two feet of snow,
whereas last year at this time there
was four feet on this divide, and that
in normal years there is eight feet.
This proves to us that the snow
fall in that country is but 25 per cent
of normal, and only SO per cent of
what existed there at this time last
winter. These reports show the con-
dition to be much worse now than
last year, and it is an unpleasant
memory as to what happened in this
upper valley last summer.
The winter of 1917 and 1918 was
a very heavy one as far as depositing
snow in the mountains that form the
great watershed of the south fork of
Snake river. In the spring of 1918
we had the highest water known to
these parts in many years. The
became thoroly saturated
with water in 1918, and this did
much to help out in 1919. Last year
was the dryest known in this country
for many years and we have to start
out this season with the knowledge
that the mountains were the dryest
and contained less water than for
many years past, which would natur-
ally affect this seasons supply even
If we had plenty of snow this winter
But with less supply this winter
than we had last, and the dryest year
in our agricultural history in connec-
ton Herewith the outlook for this |
seasons supply of water is anything |
but encouraging.
We are not pessimists, but we feel |
It our duty to outline conditions as |
hey are and call attention to the |
heed of safeguarding against re-
,urrance of this condition which |
threatens our very existence in this
upper valley which depends upon ir-
'igation. This valley is rich and
veil able to build reservoir to for
,ver protect against. just such emer-
,encies that We are face to face with
low. Two propositions have been
tut up to the farmers. They should
It least make the necessary investi-
,ations and soon determine which is
he best for them to take, and then
uild the reservoir best calculated to
erve this upper valley.
There was lot of water carried
yer in the Jackson Lake reservoir
rom 1918 to help out in 1919, but
this, conditions were
UGH that there was not sufficient
-ater from the small watershed
bove the reservoir to fill this reser-
oll AlolC Ihdll IliCC-LOul LIS CdpdC-
y last spring. Last summeB the
ates of the Jackson dam were
oisted clear of the water the latter
art of July and were not again low
red till the irrigation season was
yer, so we start out this year with
lie jackson lake empty, and unless
e get lot more snow than we US
ally get from now on till spring;
lis reservoir won't be over half full
hen the irrigation season starts
ext summer, and there will be
eat scramble for water during our I
rigation season next summer. OF +
urse We cannot remedy this condi-
IN now, only by all the farmers get 6
lg the water in their canals and
tches and filling this country up !
tn water before the usual time !
len water is turned out. +
This will help us much and also v
Id the water up here in our under s
ound reservoir for the people be- b
", SO they will get it in July and d
Igust. This early irrigation and
ing up of the canals and bitches,
ails and ponds on all farms it