The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1924-05-09
BLACK CANYON
MEANS MUCH To
CALDWELL CITY
Reclamation of big Arid
Region now Assured
Through Completion
Of Dam

Editors note-This article is
appearing today in special is
oubIshed TO commemorate the
completion OF the Black Canyon
dam
Completion OF the Black Canyon
dam together with the projected
storage OF water at any one OF ;
number OF sites on the upper Payetts
river. means that the reclamation o
5000 or more acres of now virgin
sagebrush lands is half accomplished
For IS years. reclamation of the
Black Canyon has been anticipated
Year by year some small progress
has been made until today the promise
tha, at one time looked so certain
is nearer realization than at any pre-
yious time. just how near the Black
Canyon is today to the gift OF water
is not generally appreciated. Home
stcaders and spectators who own
those 10000 odd acres value their
holding today at price far below
those asked for identical property
when Arrow Rock was confidently ex-
pected to provide for both the north
and south side deserts of the Boise
river.
Winding off from Caldwell to the
fruit belt of New Plymouth is
highway. 1t leads through sagebrush
and desert. As link OF the Ever
green highway system. this 20
miles of road must have disillusioned
many tourist. More in keeping
is its nomenclature of today, The
Old Oregon Trail"
But FIVE years will certainly see
that road leading through productive
fields. by homes where trees and
children are Justify growing in Idaho's
sunshine.
For the Black Canyon project will
be completed because it must be COM
pleted. Emmet valley farmers do not
contract to pay for a structure which.
expensive as it has been. was designed
and built for a duel purpose. Cost
OF the dam necessities that new lands /
Be reclaimed to aid in paying for it.
More than half way constructed will
the Black Canyon irrigation project
be now that $4s0,000 has been ap-
propria,ed for construction of power
plant at the dam. This power, while
It has been contracted by the Gem
district, will not long be devoted to
that purpose. The reclamation fact
nnding commission urgently recon-
mended construction of the Owyhce
project When built, that project will
cover Gem district lands. And with
its completion, the wholesale market
Tor Black Canyon power will be gone
1t should not be thought that the
Owyhee must be built before Black
canyon lands, dependent upon Black
canyon power, can be reclaimed.
Black Canyon can, if necessary, carry
he power load for both projects.
The Black Canyon project is fav-
bred under every requirement laid
iown by the fact finding commission
IS guide in authorizing now pro-
ects. No longer can engineering
easibility alone determine the advisi-
'ility of construction. Economic
actors, too, have become important.
What is the reasonable crop ex-
'ectaney from the proposed: project3
S the soil productive. the climate
isht' What crops can be grownf
IRE markets available1 What are
he transportation facilitics1
To every one OF these, Back Can
'on measures up. No more favored
ands lie outdoors than those OF south
'esiern Idaho. That land. now de-
oted to sagebrush will raise anything
nd more OF it than soil in any other
art OF the world, climate considered.
us' rs the Boise project is today re-
osnized as one Of the three or four
nos, successful projects constructed
nder federal direction. so. too. does
ne Black Canyon offer every reason
'' ani'cinating identical returns.
Just how much land will be re-
'a'med OF the desert between En-
let, and Caldwell has not been final
determined Original estimates say v
'"oo acres. Since that time, the dam d
|" been built, the plan radically re- v
''ed and no new surveys have been {
'Noe. Men closely in touch with the 4
'uA"on incline to the belief that. not +
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