EECLAMATTON OF ARID LANDS NEWELL. 189 



the three tunnels with an aggregate length of 2,654 feet are lined v»'ith 

 cement. The pumping plant near Ballantine is a novel feature, as 

 the drop of water from the main canal is made to lift a portion of 

 the water to a higher level to supply the high-line canal. This is 

 accomplished by means of vertical turbines and centrifugal pumps 

 mounted on the same shaft, and the operation is nearly automatic. 



Montana^ Milk Rloer fro]ect. — It is possible to reclaim about 

 248,000 acres of land in the Milk River Valley between Chinook and 

 Glasgow, in Chouteau and Valley Counties, Mont., of which about 

 50 per cent is public land. The average elevation is 2,200 feet above 

 sea level and the temperature varies from 45° below zero to 100° 

 above. The soil is well adapted to the raising of hay, grain, vege- 

 tables, alfalfa, sugar beets, and other products of the north temperate 

 zone. The Dodson Dam on Milk Elver has been completed and water 

 is being diverted into the canals on each side of the river, the south 

 canal taking water to about 10,000 acres, covering lands extending 

 from Dodson to Nelson Lake Reservoir. From here it is expected 

 to construct another canal to cover lands toward Glasgow. 



In addition to the ordinary discharge of Milk River the water 

 supply will be supplemented from St. Mary Lake. The discharge of 

 St. Mary Basin will be stored and conducted by a canal 25 miles 

 across the divide to the headwaters of Milk River. The engineering 

 features involve storage and several diversion dams, 375 miles of 

 main canal, and an extensive lateral system. 



Montana., Sun River project. — The lands are located in Teton, 

 Lewis and Clark, Chouteau, and Cascade Counties, about 25 miles 

 from Great Falls. Sun River Valley is about 70 miles long and 

 from 1 to 5 miles wide. The ultimate development of the project 

 includes the reclamation of 276.000 acres of land. A compact body 

 of 16,000 acres, known as the Fort Shaw unit, has been opened to 

 entry and rapidly settled. 



The principal crops are alfalfa, hay, grain, vegetables, and sugar 

 beets. The general ele^'ation is 3,700 feet above sea level, and the 

 vemperature ranges from 40° below zero to 100° above zero. Fine 

 grazing lands surround the project. The farm units vary from 40 

 to 160 acres of land. Wherever practicable, a' tract of grazing land 

 is included in the farm unit. 



The watershed area consists of 850 square miles on Sun River and 

 290 square miles on Deep Creek, and the estimated annual run-off 

 is about 700,000 acre-feet. The average annual rainfall on the 

 irrigable area is 12 inches. 



Farms under this project are obtainable under the homestead law, 

 subject to the charge for water of $30 per acre of irrigable land in 

 not more than 10 annual installments. At present the operation and 

 maintenance charge is 50 cents per acre per annum, and the sum of 



