The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1921-09-07
Data on Com
munity Pasture
Some Details on Proposed Utiliza.
tion of Waste Waters in Pasture
Development
Editor Standard:

EuitoF oldnudrQ.
Following up my letter in you
last issue regarding the proposed
alternative drainage plan, | would
like to describe in more detail the
preliminary plan, so that there need
be no Misunderstanding ON the part
of anyone as to just what is being
advocated. Certain opponents have
hastened to condemn the plan be-
fore knowing what II is, assuming
objections which do net exist ex-
eept in their own imaginations.
Very little real opposition argument
has yet come to light unless we ex-
eept the prestige of the Three Great
Names attached to the Board of En-
gineers' Report. A detailed descrip-
tion will serve to clarity the atmos-
phere and will afford a basis for
criticism in case any real objections
may be urged.
Carson lake bed is an extremely
shallow depression with practically
fiat bottom and smooth and gentle
slopes. The lowest ground surface
elevation is about 1909. With one
foot of water at the deepest part, or
water surface elevation of 1910,
about 5000 acres would be covered.
Increasing the water surface eleya-
tion to 3911, would cover about
5000 acres more, and raising it to
39l3 would cover a total of $500
81 -
exception of a strip along the north
west side containing about 1900
acres, has ever been considered as
feasible to reclaim for general farm
ing.
The soil is extremely heavy. very
sticky when wet and hard and re-
fractory when dry. It could not be
turned with a plow or cultivated by
the usual methods. The soil is
practically impervious and a thor
ough surface drainage of excess ir-
rigation water would have to be ac-
complished In order to prevent
sealding of crops. This could not
be practiced because the ground sur
face is too nearly fiat to permit suf-
ficient slope in the lands or checks
On the other hand both soil and
slope afford almost ideal conditions
for pasture production when hand
led in large units. The rich soil
needs no cultivation and the easy
slopes would permit of flooding
large lands with large heads of wa
ter, with a maximum of efficiency
and a minimum of labor and waste.
Ten years ago the writer made an
examination of this entire area, taxi
ing soil samples and making alkali
tests at every quarter section cor
ner, SO the statements above are not
guesswork or hearsay but are based
on expert knowledge. So much for
the site.
The alternative or new plan is
concerned only with the feature of
drainage disposal, leaving the mat
ter of pasture development for fu-
ture or separate treatment; but, it
is so designed that nothing is done
TO conflict with pasture development
and much construction is accom-.
plished that will serve both pur-
poses without in any way adding to
the minimum work or cost necessary
for drainage alone.
The plan proposes TO divide this
lake area into five tracts or ter
races. The Upper Terrace ex-
tends along the east and south sides
of the lake, the outer or upper
boundary being the 3913 contour.
Ii is three-fourths of a mile wide
and 10 miles long and contains 5000
acres. The inner or lower boundary
is a leyee three to three and one
half feet high separating it from the
Second Terrace lying below. This
upper terrace will serve the pur-
pose of an eyaporating basin for
drainage disposal or a reservoir for
pasture irrigation, or combination
of both. The depth of water in the
reservoir when full will be about
two and one-half feet at the lower
or levee side. 1t will store $3.50
acre feet, or. when kept filled, will
evaporate $4,000 acre feet per year.
The Second Terrace" of 5000
acres, lies adjoining and below the
upper levee and is a strip one-half
mile wide by nine miles long, with
two-foot levee along the lower
side. The Bottom Area" of $500
acres lies below this.
On the northwest side the "West
Terrace" a tract of 1900 acres ex-
tending we'll down into the lowest
part. is separated from the bottom
area by a two and one-half to three
foot leyee, and is intended for prop
er control of the runoff from the
marginal lands.
Above this west terrace, a margi-
nal strip of $500 acres is held as a
Reserve Area" for probable future
use as homestead land. (This re-
serve area and somewhat larger
strip above 1t but below the lake
meander line differs in character of
soil from the remainder of the lake
bed, having been built up by delta
deposits of sands and silts from the
streams that formerly flowed into
the lake from that side. II is prob
ably the best large area of public
land within the project)
The mode of operation would be
to divert all the runoff originally
designed to be carried by the "Diag-
onar' drain and all the runoff OF
New River" drain, total estimat-
ed AT % 0OO acre feet per year. into