The Bismarck tribune., 1922-06-12
IRRIGATION FACTS ARE GIVEN To.
y CONGRESS HERE BY GEO. M'MAH0N

The result of engineering exper.
ience and close study of the irriga
tion problem, as given to the iriga-
tion congress here by George H. Nc.
Mahon, assistant state engineer, has
excited much interest. Mr.. Mcmahon
said:
"'This Congress has been called tc
consider ways and means of secur
ing greater development of irriga
ti0n projects in North Dakota. How
ever a brief review of what is being
done elsewhere would not be inappro
pirate at this time. The three larg-
est stream systems in the west suit
able for irrigation are the Missouri
the Colorado and the Columbia.
"The Columbia River Basin Prof.
ect is an ambitious>scheme that con-
templates the development of the Co.
lumbia River and its tributaries.
Surveys and estimates of this prof
ect have been completed and recently
General Goethals, builder of the Pan
anna Canal has been called in to pass
on the feasibility of two alternate
schemes of development. In his re-
port on this project General Goeth.
ais says: "The Columbia Basin Prof
ect is as much a national one as
were the Panma Canal and the Alas
ka Railway and will, If completed,
add much more to the national wealth
than either of the others mentioned.
The work should be provided for and
carried out as were these other two
national projects-by direct appro-
priations."
"The Colorado River Project has
reached a similar stage of develop
ment.
Rock Fill Dam
"The U. s. Reclamation Service con-
templates the construction of a rock
fill dam of enormous dimensions at
Boulder Canon. This dam is to be 600
feet high, requiring a width of 3-4 OF
mile at the base and providing q
storage capacity of 20 million acre
feet. This storage capacity being eight
times that of its nearest competitor,
the Elephant Butte reservoir in New
Mexico. Just what this storage ca
pacity means in terms of the Missouri
River may be Judged by the fact that
the Boulder Canon Reservoir Will
store quantity OF water greater than
the entire annual flow of the Miss
ouri River at Bismarck.
"With the development of the
Colorado and Columbia stream sys-
tens is already we'll under way the
use of the Missouri River, the great
est Of them all, has scarcely been con-
sidered.
"Unfortunately there is no such fav-
orable reservoir site on the Missouri
River. However on the tributaries OF
the Missouri THERE are very faVo'
able storage possibilities.
ut is quite possible that after sucn
reservoir are provided and the flood
waters of the Missouri River con-
trolled. diversion dams for the pur-
nose Of irrigation could be construct.
ed in the states of North Dakota ana
South Dakota.
Another Alternative
"There is another alternative IN the
way of a gravity project on which
the cost per acre il developed on
large scale will be far less than that
Of the Columbia River Goethals
recommended by General Goethais
and the total development cost should
be less than ten percent OF the Colum-
bia River project mentioned.
"This project would call for 9 di-
version tunnel from old Fort Steph.
enson through the coteau to the
Mouse River Valley.
1T seems to me that this scheme
should be among the first to be in
vestigated.
"There are numerous storage possi-
bilities on the lesser streams OF Nortn
Dakota, notably on the Heart ana
Cannon Ball and also on the Little
Missouri. ~,
'"There is reservoir site on the
Heart River in Sec. 13, Twp. 1S6 ~.
R 80 w. about halfway between Glen
Ul]in and Elgin. A 60 foot dam at
this point will give reservoir ca.
petty of 10000 acre feet, an amount
pacity of 100000 acre feet, an amount
the Heart River.
"A dam at this place would be less
than 700 feet long and could be con-
~