Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1922-11-22
TALENT DISTRICT
HAS ABUNDANCE
IRRIGATION WATER

An irrigation district is a munich
pality composed Of land owners au-
thorized and organized under chap
ter 357, General Laws of Oregon.
The district conducts its business in
much the same manner as a city,
and is purely cooperative organi-
zation. A board of directors Is elect
ed by a general vote of all bona-fide
land owners of one acre or more
within the boundaries of the district.
This board of directors is empowered
by the law to manage and conduct
the business and affairs Of the dis
trict, make and execute all necessary
contracts, employ and appoint such
agents, officers and employees as may
be required and to prescribe their
duties; establish equitable bylaws,
rules and regulations for the distrib-
ution and use of water among the
land owners, and generally to per-
form all such acts as are necessary to
carry out the purposes of the organi-
zation.
The Talent irrigation district was
organized in May 1916, and imme-l
diately took action looking toward
the construction of an irrigation sys-l
TEN for the district as organized
Various sources of water supply had
been proposed by different individ-
uals and companies, and the first
step taken was to ascertain which
one of the sources of supply would
be sufficient and the cost of con-
struction not prohibitive.
1t was found that very few dis
charge measurements had been made
of the various streams and no run
off records kept. Accordingly, the
engineer employed by the board was
ordered to secure the necessary in
formation, and a tax of 75 cents per
acre was levied on all lands within
the district boundaries to defray the
expense. The engineer of the district,
working in cooperation with the
state and United States geological
survey, reported in 1917 that the
Hyatt Prairie scheme was the only
one feasible from a financial stand
point, as the net irrigable area was
too small to justify undertaking one
of the larger schemes.
The information gathered from all
sources showed by the fall of 1921,
that the Hyatt Prairie scheme was
all right for 1000 acres, and that
combination of Hyatt Prairie and
Emigrant creek was as good II not
better for IL 900 or 1880 acres.
The board accordingly sold bonds
sufficient to furnish funds for the
construction OF the Hyatt Prairie
unit. This work is now well ad
vanced and the canal system will be
completed in time to deliver water
during the season of 1923. The Hy-
att Prairie dam has been constructed
to within six feet of the top and now
has a safe storage capacity of 1S,-I
600 acre feet.
The capacity of Hyatt Prairie ros-
ervoir is $4,000 acre feet. Maximum
area flooded will be 900 acres, maxi
mum height of dam, As feet, length
on top, 775 feet, and on bottom, 15C
feet. The dam as 1t is being con-
structed, is a homogeneous earth fill
structure with 2:1 lower and 81
upper slopes and will have top
width of 20 feet. The outlet is
through a concrete conduit and out
let tower. The material from which
ihe dam is being constructed is ex-
ceptionally good and it is thought
that there is no question concerning
the stability.
The district has constructed and
has in use 26.73 miles of main can
ais and is just completing construc-
tion of 21.2 miles of main canal.