The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-05-25
REPORT OF WATER
USERS MEETING
w. O. Cotton Gives
Report of the
Meeting
BY w. o. COTTON

The third installment of the con-
ference report held May 2, between
the Upper Snake River union and
the commissioner of reclamation
with his deputy and advisory
board) follows:
This recommendation deals with
return flow and properly follows the
first recommendation which ap-
peared in The Post May 4, dealing
with Cutting of Canals of Record
Rights While Water was Gazing to
Waste Over Miner Dam and Also
Water was Being Stored at Jackson
Lake," and the second recommends
ton, which dealt with the Trans
mission Losses on Storage Water
from Jackson Lake to Heise, which
| appeared in The Post on May 6.
Third recommendation mat
ter of return flow has been matter
of much discussion in the past
eleven yaers and it is my opinion
that this matter could be adjustde
by either charging the storage water
definite percentage of loss from
Heise to Blackfoot or adopting a
definite quantity of water to be
added to the Heise (South Fork
and Rexburg North Fork inflow
to be used by the natural water
users.
| In support of our claim for re-
turn flow we are submitting the fol-
lowing figures which show the diff
ference between. the water that
should pass Blackfoot station theo-
retically (after deducting the total
diversions of the canals above Amer
lean Falls) and what actually passes
the Blackfoot station by measure
ment. When the measurement indi-
Gates an increase over the amount
which should theoretically pass this
station, this increase is called return
flow, and any decrease is called loss.
In 1909 the average return flow
for measurement indicates an in
crease July was 1740 sec. #. and for
August was 1902 sec. it,, or an aver
age for the two months of 1921 sec.
TT. Cor 206,520 acre it. in 60 days.
There was 100000 acre it, of stor-
age contracted and delivered from
Jackson Lake during the season of
1909 and the loss on this storage
from Jackson Lake to Neeley Gamer
lean Falls) was rs per cent accord
ing to Mr.. La Rue (Hydraulic Eng.
for U. S. G. S.
In 1910 the average return flow
for July was 901 sec. it. and for
August was 124 sec. #. or an aver
age for the season of 500 sec. it.
(60,240 acre it. for the 60 days. ap-
proximately the same amount OF
water was stored at Jackson Lake
and contracted for delivery as in
1909, but on July the dam broke
releasing the water without control
and the loss on this storage as
: given by Mr.. La Rue. was approx
mately 25 per cent from Jackson
Lake to Medley.
In 1911 the average return flow
for July was 760 sec. it. and fol-
August was 1876 sec. it., or an aver
age of 97S sec. TT. ,117,360 acre it. }
The dam at Jackson Lake had again
| been built and 100000 acre it. Of
J water was stored for delivery; the
loss on this water when delivered
3 was IS per cent as given by D. G
! Martin.
, In 1912 the average return flow
t for July was 1740 sec. it., and fol
/ August was 797 sec. it,, or an aver
: age of 1868 sec. IT. (152,160 acre
it. for 0 days. About 100000 acre
feet of water was stored at Jackson
Lake, but on account of continued
rains in the valley very little storage
water was required.
In 1913 the average return flow
: for July was 2239 sec. #. and fol
r August 500 sec. IT or an average o.
r 1919 sec. IT. (182,280 acre #, TO
the go days. The storage watel
n that was, contracted for and run THU
i season was 225,956 acre #. of thu
1 100000 acre #. stored at Jackson
e Lake, and the loss as figured by thu
r writer was 10 per cent between
t Jackson Lake and Neeley.
In 1914 the average return flow TO
r July was 977 sec. #. and for Angus
d was 312 sec. it., or an average o
645 sec. it. (77,400) acre #. for g.
: days., the amount of storage rul
+ this season was 368,72S acre it. on
of the 100000 acre It. stored a