The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-12-09
PROJECT TO
COST. ABOUT
$47,O00,O0O
Dam West Of Coleharbor
Would Do Much Toward Solv-
ing Flood Problem
PROPOSAL is FEASIBLE
Would Open River to Traffic
and Save Thousands Of
Acres of Land

Construction of dam in the Mis-
souri, river at the Great Bend, ap-
proximately 10 miles due west Of
Coleharbor, would not onl, be long
step toward solving the Mississippi-
Missouri river -lood problem but
would open the Missouri river to
traffic, prevent the err sion OF 3OO,-
600 acres Of soil cnnually ar result
in other benefits, State Engineer r.
F.. Kennedy said today in q report
to Governor A. G. Sorlie.
Kennedy estimates the cost of the
dam project at $47,000,0 900, includ-
ing all estimated engineering and le-
gal costs, right Of way and construc-
tion and q liberal allowance for in
cidentals and contingencies.
Construction Of the dam also would
greatly simplify the proposed d.
version of Nilsson river water to
Devils Lake, Kennedy said. by MAX
ing it possible to pump wafer into
the diversion canal instead Of lead
ing it away from the river | . tun-
mel as heretofore proposed.
1900 Feet Lon..
The proposed dam would be OF
earth with concrete core and con-
structsd = meet the conditions Pc
culiar to the Missouri river. It
would have an over all length OF
1900 feet, . spillway section ] 300,
feet IN the clear and would have
q maximum height Of IT'S feet
above the present rive bottom. At
its top it would be so feet wide. By
maintaining IN even flow Of water In
the river, Kennedy estimates, the
dam could produce . minimum Of
10000 horsepower at all times. His
estimate Of the cost of the dam does
not include thu cost Of q over sta
tion and generating equipment.
+, II . dam such as Kennedy sug-
rests we're tossbe built il would I'M
undato approximately o06, 500 acres
Of land and would give water stor-
age q lS,ll2,5OO &C. feet. The
river level ,uld be raised so as to
be noticeable at a point 60 miles up
sire; Il from the dam. The RESULTING
lake, 60 miles long, would be the
largest In this region. :.
OF the total cost, $2,7OO.OOO would
20 to obtain right Of way and pay
damages resulting from ising the
water level. Raising the level and
approaches Of the Sanish bridge 20
feet would cos. s. 4, 900. 10000 acres
Of cultivated land would &C $1,000
and brush and timber lands in the
bottoms would cost 81, 100000.
Excavation an6 construction OF
the main part of the dam would
cost $40, ,438, 900. This item includes
$4,000, 900 CT bic yards Of earth fill.
ing, $50, 900 cubic yards Of stone rip.
rap to pave the upstream face OF
the dam, 1000, 900 yard Of excava-
ton for the spillway and $4,000
cubic yards Of concrete for the
spillway.
Steel Wall Needed
A steel cutoff wall, which would
be driven t. the hard cla. or shale
in the river + tom, 'ould require
19,2O0,O0c rounds Of sheet steel es.
tim ted to cost, IN place. 100000
The steelwork uld be necessary
the report points out, to make the
dam abs. .'v safe.
Commenting on the effect which
the dam would :. on flood CON.
troll, and the benefits which would
accrue to tho territory lying in the
Missouri a'ley b. :.ween the dam and
Kansas City, Kennedy said il Mould
have reduce the crest Of the 1925
flood by 80 per cent at bismarck
70 per ce.,t at Sioux City. iowa, and
so per cent 1t Kansas City. In thu
same year It wCu.d have increased
the low water flow Is per cent q
Bisma. .ck, S. per cent at Sioux City
and 35 ger cent =. Kansas City.
Although nointiig out that thc re.
port was not designed enlargt
upon the economic benefit avail.
able BY the construction Of this dam
Kennedy !. it would give the state
Of North Dakota "river utlet to thl
sea for her wheat, coal ard clays. \
would gr fly educe the cost Of di,
fHnsAfensaA,e - >NMA &Sun1