The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-04-26
KEEP HER NOSE
AGIN THE RANK
BY Fred r. Reed

1
solve themselves into action along
reclamation lines. Last year water
measurements and surveys were
made of the Snake river valleys, and
lines were run to discover where the
water would serve the land to the
best advantage. Fully $4,000 were
expended in surveys and detailed
work, and yet but few people know
this.
ALL engineers agree thbt the
American Falls reservoir is a neces-
sity in order to store large amount
of water, it being the greatest natural
reservoir site on the lower Snake
river, and if built on the plans talked
of will impound three million acre
feet of water.
Aside from the removal of the
town of American Falls land God
knows that little town--full of
good people TOBIAS had that dam
cloud hanging over them SO damn
long that it is nightmare-the
lands included in that site are not
valuable for farming, and no par
ticular damage will occur to anyone
| IL that site is covered with water, as
only few farms will be affected.
The writer in working for the re-
clamation of the arid acres of Idaho
and the storage of water of all the
Istreams where storage is practicable.
rhe building of these reservoirs will
solve all problems and relieve us all,
and we can then take up and solve
orr transportation problems.
A move is now afoot to make a
final survey of not only the POSSIBLE
tiles of the south Boise river, but to
serious ylconsider the possibilities of
Red Fish and Alturas Lakes for ad-
ditional water to help solve the
water problems of the splendid Sun
nyside and Mountain Home districts.
PRACTICAL investigations are to be
made of the Payette and Weiser
rivers, and storage reservoir sites on
both of these streams are to be To-
Gated, using such information as is
now at hand, so as to determine fully
and thoroly how all flood waters
now running to waste may be stored
and used on the arid acres of these
sections.
The Idaho Reclamation assOcia-
ton has dreams that will come true,
that when all the good people in the
various districts are fully aroused to
the realization of their needs and OPP
portunities, great and splendid
wedding of their valleys with the un-
appropriated waste waters of the
Snake, Boise, Payette, Weiser, Owy-
hee, Salmon and other streams will
occur. One system will poin another
and link by link chain of prosper
GUS farms will make Idaho surely a
land good to dwell in, good for Gods
children to solve their problems in.
The writer expects to see all the
irrigable country from American
dis W dlu lHCluuiHS w ooiihS wa
county irrigated every year by de-
pendable and absolute supply Of
water with no disappointments any
year, wet or dry. 1t really makes no
difference where the money comes
from so long as the construction is
well done and all concerned get a
square deal. The government, the
state or private capital all look alike
to the writer. We've got the land
and water, and storage and distribut-
ing systems can be intelligently
built. What we need is the money
to construct with.
But it is necessary to have thoro
organization of counties and districts
that-will reduce their problems to
facts, figures and surveys and then
they are in shape to do business. The
Idaho Reclamation association is
undertaking this great organization
work and will succeed if the people
will support it with money and with
their moral support. What is $780,
900 to raise in the counties from
Bannock to Washington, If the peo-
pie say so? 1t would not be four bits
apiece. With fund of that magni-
tude and with director from each
county to meet at some common
point every thirty days to discuss
problems and get right down to real
business it would not be long before
things would move and talk would
crystalline into action, and action
into ways and means and then into
construction, and the job is done.
We, the people, can do it If we quit
depending on the other fellow to do
what is really our business. Mean
ing by that, let every man and wo-
man in southern Idaho interested in
irrigation get busy-no matter how
much or how little we can do, let's
do it and keep on doing it, and our
efforts will be crowned with success.
Good roads are pushing distances
together. The auto truck and auto
mobile are making possible the de-
velopment of the interior Of dIaho,
THAT so long has been a faraway
problem) rich in mineral dreams.
Reclamation always proceeds good
roads and good roads are a mighty
builder.
1, rsx1rx