The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1920-07-01
Estimated Cost of Construction
. of Irrigation System is $175
~ Per Acre
$4,000 ACRES TO BE WATERED
Water to be Taken from Yakima at
Prosscr with Big Pumping
.~ Plant near Chandler

The u. S. Reclamation services re-
port on the Kennewick irrigation pro-
ject which has been completed and
turned over to the district shows an
estimated construction cost of $175.00
per acre, or total of $6,125,000 for
the irrigation of the $4,000 acres. The
report is in detail showing the estimat-
ed cost Of the different units, the type
Of construction, the boundaries and a
classification of the lands. An ad-
vanced copy of the report was deliv-
cred some time ago to the State Re-
clamation board and is being recheck-
ed and verified preparatory to outlin-
ing the plans for financing the project.
Concerning the project the report
says:
This district is located entirely with
in Benton county in the vicinity of the
towns Of Kennewick and Kiona. The
net irrigable area is estimatedeto be
$4,000 acres. The elevation Of The
lands range from 400 to 700 feet above
sea level. A preliminary land classi-
fication with special reference to wa
ter duty has been made. A water sup
ply of three-acre feet per acre on the
land with miximum rate Of delivery
of 6 acre-feet in thirty days has Leen
assumed in making the estimate Of
the cost.
The status of ownership Of the ir-
rigable area of the district was ap-
|proximately as follows on April 5, 1920
Vacant public lands, 6,400 acres; des-
ert and homestead entries not yet pat
ented 900 acres; state lands LOO a.;
N. p. railway, 3,70o; private lands %
900 acres.
Briefly the plan Of irrigation is to
divert water from the Yakima river
at the Prosser dam, carry it down the
north bank of the river 10.6 miles to.
a point opposite Chandler. Here the
water will be dropped 120 feet into a
pumping plant of 5000 horsepower
capacity equipped with hydraulic tur-
bines directly connected to centrifugal
pumps. The pumps will discharge
into steel pipe 10s inches in diameter;
this in turn will empty into the main
canal on this side Of the river. This
canal will be approximately 80 miles
in length and will have its terminus
on the first bench back Of Hover. Of
this canal the report says: "The canal
location is mostly thru easy country
and the soil conditions are favorable
for unlined earth sections without un-
due seepage loss. The main canal as
projected includes three miles of pipe
line, three miles Of concrete lined ca
nal and 500 feet Of concrete flume."
The only large structures on the
canal system is siphon near Kiona
5000 feet in length and one near Wis
ia 9,400 feet in length. There will be
drop of 100 feet in the Vista siphon
and here will be installed a hydro
electric plant with capacity of $40
XIV. The power developed here will
be transmitted distance of ten miles
to two pumping plants that will pump
water to irrigate approximately $500
acres which lie above the main canal.
The life of water by these plants will
vary from 40 to $50 feet.
Concluding the report says: "The
preparation of preliminary construc-
tion plans has been undertaken for
the more important structures con-
nected with the power canal, the
Chandler pumping plant, and the main
canal system. These plans accom-
pany this report and estimate. They
have been approved by the chief en-
gineer Of the reclamation service as
being suitable for estimating pur-
pocasv