The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-05-18
REPORT OF WATER
use RS MEETING
w. O. Cotton Gives
Report of the
Meeting

10y ubC4o VI
Cotton-"Until satisfactory evil
dence is secured showing transmits
sion LOSERS from Moran (near JACK
son Lake) to Heise, 1t is my opinion
that 10 per cent loss should be
charged to the stored water between
Moran and Heise, after the river has
become steady, but the Helse
hydrograph should be extended SIX
to ten days parallel to the curve it
follows nearest, prior to the en-
trance Of stored water, instead OF
using ~ per cent loss.
"The matter of transmission loss
which should be charged to the stor-
age water between Moran and Heise
is a mater which is Of considerable
Importance to the natural water
users in the Idaho Falls section and
it is possibly for this reason that a
great deal Of discussion has been
had ever since the first storage water
was run and it is very much to be
regretted that sufficient data is not
available to make it possible to de-
termine this matter without delay.
&C. E. LaRue, hydraulic engineer
for the U. S. R. S., carried on an in
vestigation on Snake river between
Moran (near Jackson Lake, n
Neeley (near American Falls) whlle
storage water vas being run. ana
some time ago Mr.. LaRue stated
that in the light Of the information
which had been collected during the
wears 1908, 1909 and 1910, the per-
centage of loss on stored water be-
tween Moran and Lyon Tin swan
valley) was 9.8 per cent and from
Moran to Blackfoot bridge was 23.2
per cent and that the loss Moran to
Heise would be practically the same
as to the Lyon station or ~ per
cent and that the Blackfoot station
would be slightly in excess of that
measured to the bridge.
, I have asked for an opportunity
to read these reports over in order
that I might be familiar with just
how Mr.. La Rue arrived at these
losses. but I was advised by the U.
s.. R. S. that these reports were not
public property and I was referred
to later Investigations and have
been allowed to study the 1916,
1917 and 1918 reports on Snake
river thru the kindness of Mr.. Bald
win and Mr.. Banks. The conclusions
of the 1916 report made by Mr..
Baldwin and Mr.. Blossom follows:
without doubt, at least during
the first ten days or two weeks AFTER
the stored water is released, a con-
siderable percentage is lost In filling
the various channels and sloughs IN
Jackson Hole basin, while on a TALL
ing stage water will be left in some
of these sloughs to be eventually
largely consumed by evaporation.
"On the other hand, it seems
probable that the rock formation
near the lower end of the Grand
CANYON will tend to ultimately force
all of the stored water as well as the
natural flow, to the surface again al
that point. The amount OF the loss
and the time interval which elapses
before the return of this water to
the surface of disable flow of the
river will depend largely upon the
quality of stored water released and
upon the uniformity Of flow which Ii
maintained. This time interval, In
particular, may prove to be an I'M
portant factor in the problem Of
equitable delivery of stored water
since. because of the known slower
rate of travel of underground water
it seems probable that even II all o.
the seepage water returns 70 the sur
face in the canyon, a portion or this
return will be so late in the season
as to be of no benefit for irrigation
use.
"These factors are all somewha'
variable as above indicated and are
so complicated that proper interpre
tation and anlysis will only be pos
sible by means of data secure IRON
a detailed field investigation OF a
least one seasons duration and e
then the variation in the amount o.
normal flowing from groundwatel
and s~ub-surface springs may 81
large enough to introduce many un
certainties into the final results.
with the present lack of infor
nation, any compromise agreemen
as to a schedule of losses to b
adopted would doubtless be success
fully attacked during the first sea
son of serious water shortage, lega
action would be taken, and a situa
ton brought about which would b.
unsatisfactory to all concerned
whereas, even If the actual data tai
in some particulars to give all Of tn
information desired, they shoult
give all Of the information desired
they should still afford a basis o
fact upon which to effect an agree
ment as to losses which could hardl!
be cancelled without still furthe'
and more detailed future investiga
tiOn. - f'
We believe, therefore, that IL
view of the constantly increasing I'm
partance of securing an equitable
delivery Of the Jackson Lake storet
water, both to the users Of norma
flow and to those to whom the stored
water belongs, an Investigations 0
the character above outlined |
warranted"
On account Of the volume of MI
Baldwin's 1917-191S reports, I an
enclosing here, only comments AM
extracts Of these reports as follows
After a thoro study OF the 191'
report by Mr.. Baldwin on storag
transmission losses I find by sub
tracing from the total water pass
ing Heise station, the total measures
H - - WIZ c@D%fNn houn ~