The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1921-01-27
WATER RESOURCES
OF STATE GREAT
State Hydraulic Engineers Re.
port Shows that Development
y. Has Hardly Begun

SCaCc OF washington, mere WdIeT Is
the greatest. State Hydraulic Engi-
neer Marvin Chase, in his annual re-
port says that the water now irrigat-
ing $4,000 acres of land with the
state produces an annual wealth of
STE, 100000 to $9O,0O0,0O0. The state
has additional water more than suffi-
cient to supply its 2,526,6O0 acres of
arid and non-productive, but irrigable
lands. In addition to the irrigation
water, the state controls the use of
water developing more than 100000
horsepower in sixty or more hydro
electrical plants now being operated.
This is only six per cent of the 6,0O0,-
900 horsepower in the water falls of
the state. The water resource of the
state for irrigation is 17.6 per cent
developed while for power it is only
six per cent developed.
No state in the union has more
valuable water supply for domestic
use than Washington through its
springs and mountain streams, fed by
almost perpetually snow covered areas.
Irrigation
In the arid sections of the state ly-
ing east of the Cascade mountains,
the land that may be irrigated at
reasonable cost is limited by the water
supply. This supply is sufficient to
irrigate more than 100000 acres of
land of which $685. 400 acres are now
being irrigated, or about one-sixth of
the land available for irrigation de-
velopment. Of this amount 100000 ac-
res are irrigated from the Yakima
river and it's tributaries. The largest
single development is the Sunnyside
unit of the United States Reclamation
Service Yakima Project, which covers
an area of 100000 acres. The Yak
ina Indian Reservation Project en-
braces 900 acres and the Teton un-
it of the Yakima Project irrigates 3D.
900 acres. Other smaller projects of
the state range from a few acres irri-
gated from small streams, to 10000
acres. Six projects each embrace ar
cas- of from 10000 to $4,000 acres.
The wealth produced by the irri-
gated lands of this state for the year
1919 is estimated at $s5, 1000, 900, with
an estimated construction cost Of not
to exceed s50, 000, 900 for all of the pro-
jects creating this wealth.
Naturally, the projects most easily
developed were constructed first. Then
the more difficult enterprises were de-
veloped. The time has now arrived
when the larger projects apparently
can not be developed or financed by To-
cal organizations. Some of the. first
lands were reclaimed under the 500 to
1 900 acre projects at cost of less
than SIS an acre, while lands under the
first 10000 acre projects were re-
claimed at cost of $40 per acre. The
cost Of the last completed projects
was as high as 500 per acre (pre-war
prices.) Larger projects are now be-
ing Investigated in the state with the
estimated costs ranging from $3.50 to
$3.50 per acre.
Water Power
No era in the United States offers
a more favorable opportunity for de-
velopment Of water power than the
slopes of the Cascades and Olympic
ranges of mountains. The general ele-
walton of these high mountain ranges
from 5000 to 5000 feet above sea
level, with four high glacier peaks
from 10000 to $4,000 feet elevation.
The streams draining these areas
reach the sea level or the Columbia
river in comparatively short dis
lance, making available the rapid fall
favorable for development of water
power. Another factor which adds to
the great value of this region for
water power development is the heavy
precipitation averaging from
80 to $50 inches. A winter precipita-
ton ironing snow and glaciers insures
an abundant water supply and uni
form flow during the entire year. The
climate conditions also are such that
ice foes have not been known to cause
interruption in the many hydro-elec-
trio plants now being operated in this
region. As the streams which pre-
sent the best conditions for develop
ment of power are within the humid
sections of the state, there is no con-
Fiction with irrigation development.
There are sixty-one hydro-electric
plants in operation in this state which
are generating 100000 horse power
This is about 1-3 per cent of the
total potential water power . of the
state.
It is conservatively estimated that
there are 100000 potential horse
power in the waters of the state and
that this is one-sixth of the total wat