The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-07-14
Rotary Club Told How
Land May be Reclaimed
Continued from page one
source but the Blackfoot drainage
basin. He said that his work of
reclamation hegan NTH thn aAua,, az

source but the Blackfoot drainage
basin. He said that his work of
reclamation began with the study of
how to write reclamation law, and
the framing of the Carey act named
for Senator Carey Of Wyoming, and
his first activity for any project in
this part Of the country began when
the congressional committee visited
Jackson Hole in 1902 to see IL the
waters of Jackson Lake and the rest
OF that drainage basin could be used
IN wyoming or should belong to the
Snake river valley and Idaho, and
the result of the visit was the support
of his contention that 1t could be
used nowhere else but in Idaho and
10y natures decree belonged to Idaho
and could not be diverted anywhere
else or kept from coming across the
state line, so we began to base plans
and legislation accordingly and the
Jackson lake reservoir was built
and surveys made to see IL It were
possible to reclaim the Dubois pro-
ject, an empire named in his own
honor by the men in congress in
recognition Of his advanced study Of
reclamation as 1t had to do with leg
islatiOn and the management Of the
water In its broader sense involving
the rights of states and federal gov
eminent.
When the committee from Wash
ington had looked over the Jackson
lake country and tho Dubois project
and Birch creek, they came to Black
foot and rested few days at his
home and INDUCED in the luxury Of
bath tub in his house, 1t being a |
pioneer bath tub having few con-
temporaries in the village. While
they rested and talked reclamation |
Mr.. Dubois interested F. H. Newell,
chief Of reclamation, to go with him
for drive over the semi arid lands
lying along the Blackfoot and Port
Neuf rivers where they open out
upon the Snake river plains, and
Newell said there were so many
larger bodies of land awaiting the
application of water he could not
recommend a government appropria-
ton for this land, but that If private
capital could be obtained to reclaim
it he would recommend government
aid. Mr.. Dubois tried to secure the
capital and failed, but afterwards
induced the Indian department to
build the Blackfoot reservoir and the
system of canals under it. They had
enough money to build a good dam,
but they built poor one, and they
built a canal system that seemed
large at the time, but in view of
development it proves to be
entirely too small and must be en-
larged to accommodate even the 50,-
600 acres they contemplate watering
and is susceptible of enlarging to
water more than 100000 additional
acres tho we have only $4,000 acres
to water. The lands lie on Presto
bench, on the low bench near the
foot hills Of the reservation, on the
high bench adjoining it and between
Pocatello and American Falls.
The way to water them, Mr.. Du-
bois said, Is to make a real dam at
the Blackfoot reservoir, one that will
be high and strong and safe, i'm
pound what water we can in the
basins above 1t and in the canyon be-
low it. By building dam in the
Blackfoot canyon below where
Wolverine flows in, the waters OF
Corral creek and other tributaries
that come into the river below the
Blackfoot reservoir can be saved
from running into the sea in fall and
winter and early spring and have it
where it can be used for Presto bench