, 1923-02-11

AiANA - SuuAN was III CndIKo OF Inc
work for the reclamation service, as
representing the United States. and
Justin t. Kingdom was in charge for
the state. These further studies of
the situation led to the conclusion
that the line of canal located by state
parties in 1920 afforded tho most
practical plan for a gravity system of
works. Topographic surveys and
further detailed Investigations were
made of the portions of the canal line
where special difficulties IN construc.
ton would be encountered. Behring'S
with diamond drills were made at
the proposed dam site in the Alcova
canyon in order to determine bedrock
conditions. The general plan of irri.
CATION works would include q diver
sion dam about 1873 feet in height
above normal water level at the Al
GOV canon; n canal of 1896 second
feet capacity at the intake: and a
length of main canal of about 103
miles west md north Of the river.
with a branch canal of 16S second
/ feet capacity to cover the lands In
Bates Hole lying east OF tho river.
Upon the completion of the fielf
work a report was prepared by Mr..
Gault. as the representative of the
reclamation service. This report was
completed in February, 1929. and
reached the primary conclusion nat
an area Of about 100. 900 acres of ir.
rigable land could be reclaimed ut or
estimated cost of work OF about thir.
teen and a half million dollars.
During the 1922 season a careful
soil survey of all the land proposed
to be recovered by the Casper pro-
ject was made by A. t. Strahorn,
soil expert OF the reclamation service.
The field work was completed In
September. but Mr.. Strahorn has not
as yet entirely completed his report.
Information available to-date would
Indicate that the irrigable area will
be found by this report to cover
about 5000 acres, about $500 of
which would be included in areas
above the gravity canal that could be
feasIbly reached by pumping. A
gross area OF $50, 900 acres was ex-
amined by Mr.. ~Strahorn, but of this
amount about $4,000 was considered
as non-irrigable for n cause or an
other. Practically all of the area
considered non-irrigable could be ov-
cred by water. but for reasons such
as alkaline condition. lack OF drain
age facilities, roughness, etc.. the
lands included have not been cons'd-
cred of sufficient value to be classed
as irrigable. In other worts, only
the better classes Of land have been
retained in the $4,000 acres clnssed
as irrigable.
Estimates Completed.
The estimates in the Gault report
show a cost of 1888 per acre for
a 100. 0oo-ncre project, and $13S.55 per
acre for n 90. 00o-acre project. These
estimates are based upon the usual
plan of construction and development
used by tho U. s. reclamation serv-
ice. and proposed work of a high
order. Included in the estimates are
charges OF IS per acre for drainage,
So per acre for operation and main
tenance during the construction pc
riod, and about s12 per acre for stor-
age charge. To all estimates of con-
struction costs rs per cent is adGed
to provide for contingencies, admin
istration and engineering. 1t IL evn-
lent that an attempt has been made
to foresee every possible item Of
cost that might be chargeable against
the land. The figures as n whole ap-
pear high to the state and It is be-
lieved hat they could be consider.
ably reduced even with the high class
OF work and by the methods en-
ployed by the reclamation service.
1t Is the conclusion OF the state that
with the use OF modern machinery
and methods the Casper Project could
be substantially constructed at a cost
Of 800 per acre.
The results OF studies and invest
cations TO date OF the Casper project
have determined that ample water
supply Is available In the North
Platte river for any development that
may be undertaken and Tint a gray.
fly canal. although Of high cost. is
practical Of construction to cover a
large area OF land. The best loca.
ton for such n canal has also been
determined. and the construction diff
ficulties well analysed. The problem
which now %confronts US is t@t of
means OF financing this great under.
taking under some plan that VIII
make the project economically fea.
sfble. This 10 by no means a simple
problems. but with an ample water
supply available and potentially pro.
ductive lands upon which 10 apply
same. and with h impelling reasons
fer tho Undertaking OF any possible
development in the vicinity of Cas-
per. the problem seems by no means
unsurmounthble.
County Provides Own Funds.
The same industry which is almost
entirely responsible for the Casper
OF today furnishes large amounts TO
the funds devoted TO federal reclaim
alton work in the west. Under tho
federal leasing bill the reclamation
fund received over two million dollars
during tho last fiscal year from oil
leases and royalties in tho state Of
wyoming. BY far the major part OF
this amount came from tho Salt
Creek field. with h addition OF
rra1,rtt,r from the TeDuOt field, the