The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1920-01-21
CALL ON INTERIOR DEPT.
TO FORBID POWER PROJECT
Directors of the Truckee.C Carson Ir-
rigation Board Passed Protest Mon.
day Against Power Project

u"t hfsss1bst OWCT
The directors of the Truckee-Car-
son irrigation district met Monday
afternoon and after considering var
ious matters. including additional
plans for the construction of a COM
prehensive system of drainage for
the Newlands project. an undertak-
ing that is shortly to be set afoot.
took cognizance of the announced
plans of the Canyon Power Company,
generally known here as the Nevada
Valleys Power Company, wherein the
power company's management would
appropriate certain power develop
canyon at Vista, short distance be-
low Sparks and passed resolution
calling on Nevadas senator's and
| congressman to emphatically oppose
the carrying out of the scheme.
Senators Pittman and Henderson
/ and Representative Evans are urged
to request the interior department to
forbid the opening of the land in the
Vista neighborhood or to grant any
rights that would allow the matur-
ing of the plan.
This action of the irrigation dis
trict's directors is promised on the
doctrine of the greatest good to the
greatest number and is taken in pro-
lection of the new plan of the recla-
nation authorities for the develop
ment of great storage scheme as an
adjunct to the Newlands project to
take the place of the Lake Tahoe
plan under consideration for nearly
two decades, 1t being alleged that
the construction of a canal and pow
er plant at Vista would annul the
possibilities now presented within
the Spanish Springs reservoir site.
This site lies northeast of Sparks and
is the only known alternative to the
Tahoe scheme. There, according to
data furnished this paper. 800. 900
acre feet of water may be stored with
the construction of a great earthen
dam and If constant demand were
to be imposed upon the Truckee riv-
er flow for power purposes below the
point of diversion to the proposed
reservoir the seasonal runoff would
fall far short of supplying the
amount of water needed.
It is also asserted that the build
ing of the Spanish Springs reservoir
would make the Newlands project
entirely independent of the Lake Ia
hoe water supply and make possible
the inclusion within the irrigated area
OF the project the several extensions
long held In allegiance until the time
when an adequate amount of water
had passed into the control of the
federal reclamation department. In
cluded would be the Pyramid, Fern
ley, Hazen and Lahontan Bench ex-
tensions, comprising an area of new
land greater in extent than the total
now irrigated from the projects dis
tribution sysem. There would also
be certain lands within Washoe
county that would receive irrigation
benefits from the Spanish Springs
reservoir, which when completed
would make possible nearly twice the
amount of storage hoped for by the
fulfillment of the Lake Tahoe plan.
The irrigation district officials
have been informed that the recia-
nation service officials would short
ly start the work of prospecting the
Spanish Springs reservoir site and
diamond drill crews will be explor-
ing there within the next few weeks.
The dam under contemplation at
Spanish Springs will be similar in
construction TO the Lahontan dam.
yet its construction will be vastly
more feasible as an engineering un-
dertaking than the Lahontan task
and it is believed by the reclamation
officials that the work may be com
pleted within a period OF two years
from the date of commencement.
1t is estimated roughly by those
conversant with the plans in mind
that the proposed Spanish Springs
reservoir would cost In the neighbor-
hood of 100000. Its completion
would free the Newlands project
from interstate involvement, which
in truth has been a bane of this irri-
cation system. United States Sena-
tors Henderson and Pittman are
avowedly committed to the Greater
Newlands Project Plan and may be
counted upon TO lend their good Of
fices to any logical plan that will ir-
crease the supply Of water for arid
fonA Aayafn AaSa