Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-07-22

An important link in the irriga-
ton of eastern Montana lands is
the recently completed Tongue
river irrigation project which ex-
tends from within a few miles of
the Montana Wyoming boundary
to the mouth of the Tongue river,
which empties into the Yellowstone
near Miles City. This is a project
of the state water conservation
board though funds for the construc-
ton Of the Tongue river dam were
supplied on a loan and grant basis by
the PWA.
Several hundred acres Of land adj
Jacent to the south side of the Yellow
stone east of its confluence with the
Tongue also are irrigated by the
Tongue river project, as well as about
$4,000 acres OF land along both sides
of the Tongue.
The Tongue river project is the larg-
est ever undertaken by the state water
conservation board. Eventually an ar
tificial lake five miles square will be
created south Of the Tongue dam near
Decker and will supply supplemental
irrigation for the maturing Of crops
along 200 miles Of the Tongue river
bottom.
VIII Form Lake
The lake will extend about eight
miles up the river from the dam,
reaching nearly to the Montana
Wyoming state line; and viii have q
width Of one mile. The shoreline will
be about 30 miles and the submerged
area win be about 5000 acres
Several miles Of road and telephone
lines had to be relocated on higher
ground and the county bridge across
the Tongue river at Decker had to be
elevated to higher piers. At peak of
employment about 200 men were work.
ing on the project.
Irrigation along the river and utili-
cation Of the water supply had been
developed to a point where q serious
shortage existed in July and August, /
while on the other hand the stream
discharges flood early in the spring.
With the construction of the Tongue
river dam, however, these waters, for
merry lost, will be impounded In the
new reservoir and made available for
late summer use when it is most need |
ed, water board members say.
The benefits to be derived extend
much further than improving the i'm
mediate lands susceptible to Irrigation. !
Many thousands of acres Of excellent !
grazing land flank the valley the en-
tire length of the river which could
not be fully utilized in the past because |
the valley was not able to supply !
enough forage crops to feed the herds /
grazed the adjoining prairies IN the
summer. The completion of the Tongue |
dam is expected to make possible |
more even balance between the avail !
able grazing areas and the production /
Of forage crops for winter feeding on !
the home ranches.
Removes Water Shortage
N Of ffn Trc11 tr1
the vicinity of Miles City no longer !
will there be a shortage of late irTi- |
cation water to mature crops such as
sugar beetS and beans.
Another existing value Of the prof.
ect which Is secondary, however, Is
the asset to SpOrtsmen. Within an area
hitherto short Of water there viii now
exist large lake where fish can be
propagated and wildltfe encouraged.
Recreational advantages also will be
many.
The reservoir is designed to store
10000 acre feet of water about half
Of, which will be used each year. Water
released during July and August will
serve about $4,000 acres Of land. Thirty
five thousand acre feet have been sub
scr1bed for delivery at an annual cost
of $50 for each acre foot.
The project was financed through
the PWA, the total loan and grant
authorized being $1,20O,00O
According to the state water con-
servation board, "a visitor at the dam
can form no conception of its mag
nitude from casual observation. The
IS feet of height one sees above the
natural riverbed and stretching 300
feet from end to end Is impressive,
but the bulk of work and earthfil are
hidden below the surface since it was
necessary to trench out the founda-
ton 66 feet below the riverbed before
placing the fill This involved q COM c