The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1922-08-30
Official DRAINAGE
Plans Approved
Controversy Over Diagonal Drain"
and Community Pasture
Finally Settled
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR FALL
APPROVES ENGINEERS REPORT
End of Controversy Means That Con-
struction of Diagonal Drain May
BE Commenced

The proposal TO change the orig
inal plans for drainage of the area
lying between Fallon and Carson
Lake which has been under discus
sion for over year so that the sys-
tenn would find an outlet in Carson
Lake rather than in Saltwater
Slough which discharges ultimately
in Carson Sink, was finally settled
when Secretary of the Interior Fall
recently signed the recommendations
of the engineers who were assigned
to make an investigation and re-
port.
The report OF the engineers, X. A.
Hart and +. l.. Bixby, includes a de-
tailed history of the drainage plans
of the area affected all of which has
been published from time to time in
the local newspapers. The sum
mary of the report is quoted as fol-
lows.
THE agricultural development of
the project must 20 hand In hand
with stock raising and dairying and
sufficient pasture area is an essen
tial factor. 1t is not essential that
the pasture area be a single unit.
however. Indeed. it would seem to
be more desirable to have pasturage
units widely distributed over the
project.
1t is more or less characteristic
of such areas that portions of almost
every farm naturally lend them
selves to pasture use. In and near
this particular project there prob
ably are more or less extensive areas
that would prove suitable for pas
turing on the required scale, and
such areas would prove more acees-
sible than single unit located in
Carson Lake which is situated at the
extreme southeast corner of the
project, remote from the center OF
project development.
If a single community pasture
were to be developed in Carson Lake
the entire area under the meander
OF 1881 would be none too large and
even this acreage would need to be
properly administered aud properly
irrigated, and, in setting aside this
entire area for pasturage purposes,
much land would be occupied that
might ultimately be desired for more
intensive farming purposes.
1T Is certain that, unless the en-
tire lake Is drained by pumping, a
portion of the Carson Lake will al
ways remain in a condition suitable
only for pasture, but such area
could be regarded as a community
pasture for only a portion of the
project.
1T is desirable that no artificial
barriers be raised to the fullest pos
sible ultimate development of the
project. Natural conditions alone
eventually should determine how far
down the beach, farm lands may ex-
tend and what proportion of the lake
acreage will be fit only for pastur-
age.
"Unquestionably a portion of the
beach lands will be suitable for
farming and il a careful use is made
Of the irrigation water on such lands
the natural drainage may be suf-
flcient TO take care of the situation
provided seepage from higher lands
is intercepted by the district drain
age system II drainage of the
beach lands becomes necessary. 1t
may be accomplished by pumping
through a low head into the lake
bed or TO a somewhat higher head
into Saltwater Slough or a drain
leading into the Slough.
The desirabillty of conserving the
water supply and of using drainage
and waste water for the irrigation
OF the pasture lands was pointed
out in Director Williamson's propos-
al. This matter is of Importance
but the fear, that unless such water
is discharged into the Carson Lake,
the right TO use IL might be lost.
does not seem we'll founded.
"The official plan provides for
keeping as much water as possible
out of Carson Lake and discharging
It toward Carson Sink.
1.-TWO minor units must find an
outlet in Carson Lake. This Is un-
fortunate but cannot be avoided ex-
cept by pumping, which is not feas-
ible under present conditions. There
is nothing in the plan, however, to