The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1921-10-05
Project Manager Is Opposed
10 Alternative Drainage Plan
olds hat Its Adoption Would Necessate New
with Government, Besides Being More Expensive
and Probably mpracticabe

the board or directors which cOnSid-
cred this new plan has recommended
TO the board that construction of the
diagonal drain be deferred for a
year or more until the effect OF wa
ter running into Carson Lake could
be aseertained, while a minority OF
the committee has recommended
that the project manager be request
ed to change the plan to the new
scheme and upon his failure to agree
TO the new scheme that the matter
be referred to the Secretary of the
Interior for final decision as proyid-
ed in paragraph 6 OF the contract.
You have requested me to write
you letter setting forth my views
on the proposed new plan for drain
age.
After conference with Mr.. Burk-
holder and Mr.. Walker and with
their aid and advice have made a
careful study of such data as was at
hand and as a result have reached
the following conclusions:
take 1t that any scheme of dis
posal of drainage waters by evapor-
alton in Carson Lake will eventual
ly lead to an increase of alkalinity
which Will in time render the sub
merged areas and certain marginal
lands unit for pasture or other use.
The terrace reservoirs proposed
will not furnish sufficiently low out
let for the drains. The proposed up
per terrace or principal reservoir
contains 5000 acres and has total
length of about IL miles and an av-
erage width Of about three-fourths
of a mile. The greatest depth OF
the reservoir will be approximately
two feet. The second proposed ter
race reservoir is perhaps ten miles
in length, contains 5000 acres and
has an average width of about one
half mile. This likewise would have
an extremely shallow water depth.
Ii is proposed to discharge water in
to these two reservoirs at the north
ern end of same and It was appar-
emily assumed by the proponents of
the new plan that water would flow
TO the extreme ends without mater
ial loss of head. The reservoir bot
toms are certain to become covered
with swamp vegetation which will
offer resistance to any water motion
with the result that there will be a
backing up and probably gradual
filing of the outlet drains and
spreading of drainage water over
the irrigable lands north of the
lake.
The unregulated use of drain wa
ter with its varying rate of flow will
not be a satisfactory way to irrigate
pasture land. Water must be ap-
piled at the right time and in the
right amount TO produce the best
results. The 5000 acres in the up
per terrace If it acted as a reservoir,
as claimed, would be largely lost for
pasture purposes for 1t would only
grow water grasses of relatively
poor food value.
In the event of repetition of floods
such as took place In 1862 and 1869,
accompanied by breaking of the
leyees of Old River and the break
Ing of canal banks on the system
south of the Old River, unless some
cutoff wasteway was provided, such
as the diagonal drain. to safely car
ry the flood waters towards Carson
Sink, Carson Lake would impair
drainage of the marginal lands or
perhaps food them until sufficient
time had elapsed for the food water
with added drainage water to evap-
crate. In the meantime the crops
would be lost.
Let us assume, however, that the
proposed new plan is feasible and
will offer an efficient drainage sys-
TEN for the project, how does it
compare as to efficiency with the
adopted plan?
In the comparative estimates pre-
pared by Director Williamson the
cost of the diagonal drain is given
at S95,595 and the estimates he has
prepared of the proposed new
scheme give its cost at S5O,3l9
thereby showing a saving of $780,
276. The quantities stated by Mr.
Williamson have been reeomputed
on the same basis that quantities
were computed for the estimates of
the adopted plan, also his unit
prices In certain particulars have
been corrected to conform to actual
conditions. For example, the con-
troll levees we're estimated at lOc
per cubic yard, whereas in the re-
yised estimates they have been taken
at 15c per cubic yard because prae-
tically all of the control leyees will
have to be built in water by maehin-
cry instead of being built in the dry
by teams and fresno scrapers. All
of the excavation for the main dis
charge bitches has been figured at
an average of 12c per cubic yard
whereas Mr.. Williamson has figured
part at t0c and part at lie me
result is that instead of the pro-
posed new plan costing s50,319, the
revised estimate is 500, which
would indicate saving OF only
$4,000. However, it is found that
Mr. Williamson made no provision
for structures in his control leyees,
also that he estimated these to be
four feet top width, with one and
one-half to one side slopes. II the
80, Of 10O struetures at $50 each is
added and if the top width of the