The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-08-10
To Reclaim
Large Acreage
In North End
Tentative Steps Being Taken
On Project to Divert
Elk River Water.
IF FEASIBLE, WOULD
IRRIGATE MANY ACRES

Interest is growing at this time
III a possible irrigation and power
development that would be of I'M
told benefit to the north end of
Lincoln county-and thereby to all
the county. 1t is a proposal to di-
vert some of the flood water of Elk
River, in British Columbia, bring
1t across the boundary into the Eu-
reka district and place under irriga-
ton a large acreage in that section
The three Lincoln county COM
fnissioners have become interested
IN the project to the extent that
they would like to have a prelimi-
nary survey run to determine
whether or not the proposal is a
feasible one.
The county commissioners were
III the north end of the county dur.
ing the past week, called there to
investigate requests for reductions
IN ) tax assessments. While there
Peter Lenarz, resident of that dis
trict who has long been advocating
The irrigation project, laid his plan
before the commissioners. He drove
them over the area so that they
could get an idea of the topography
Of the land and also that they
might come to a conclusion in their
own minds whether or not the proj
set would be feasible.
Given Project Much Study
Mr.. Lenarz has given the idea d
great deal Of study and believes 1t
would be the salvation of the north
ern end of the county 1t is said
that Elk River carries a large vol
ume of water and that to divert ii
for irrigation would be comparative
ly easy from an engineering stand
point. Lenarz also says there are
about a hundred sections of land, or
a grand total of $4,000 acres, that
could come under such system,
counting in land on both sides of
the international boundary. OF
course, some of this land would
probably not be irrigable. Those
who have been working to promote
this development maintain that
with such a large acreage under
water, the yearly per acre water
charge would be small enough to
be easily borne by the land The
development would call in a large
additional settlement, would in
crease the taxable property of the
county, and would bring prosperity
to the entire north end of Lincoln
county.
Another feature that makes the
project very desirable is that by
diverting the spring flood water Of
Elk River and storing it, the annual
danger Of flooding the rich re-
claimed lands north of Boomers
Ferry would forever be done away
with Therefore, Boomers Ferry
ought to be interested in the prof
ect and it is believed the business
and farming interests there would
strongly support such project
Would Interest Boomers Ferry
In order to set in motion the de-
yelopment Of this project, Mr.. Lee
narz suggested that the commission
ers place the matter before Bon
ners Ferry men. County Commits
sioner Hoisington, acting in behalf
of all three commissioners, last
Monday wrote Andy Kent of Bon
neTS reITy WHO, ~ ID uIlutiSloou
has also been interested in this
project. Mr. Hoisington asks KEN
If arrangements could not be made
for a meeting at the international
line within the next week or two
Present would be good sized repre-
sensations from Bonners Ferry, Lin
coin county and also from Canada
The plan then would be to devise
ways and means to get the govern
ment to run a preliminary survey
to determine definitely whether tht
project would be feasible; If it doe,
prove feasible, then organize for i;
vigorous campaign to put the prof
ect over.
Commissioner Hoisington say