16 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



sea level. It was this lake that first suggested the 

 Lewiston-Waha land and water enterprise on account 

 of its lying so much lower than the bulk of the moun- 

 tains that several streams of considerable size may 

 be diverted into it by ditches, thus converting the lake 

 into a storage reservoir of great capacity. 



The surveys made show that a tunnel 2,600 feet 

 long will tap the lake at or near the bottom. This 

 tunnel will be eighty-five feet below the normal water 

 level, and about 190 feet below the lowest rim of the 

 lake basin. In addition to the streams mentioned on 

 the Craig mountains there are a number of large springs 

 in the vicinity of Waha Lake whose waters are avail- 

 able for irrigation. One in particular, which lies di- 

 rectly below the lake, flows 1.5 second feet; the sec- 

 ond, the Goddard spring, located on the Goddard ranch, 

 half a mile below the upper spring, flows about four 

 second-feet at the present time, and the third spring, a 

 short distance from the others, flows approximately 

 four second-feet. The discharge of these springs for 

 a constant supply of water can not be overestimated. 



it may be said that John Riggle, of Clarkston, who re- 

 cently moved into that section from the East and pur- 

 chased the Brooks place in the southern part of Vine- 

 laud, has made a record in fruit raising. This tract 

 contains three acres for which he paid $1,757.50 a 

 year ago. A Lewiston paper states that this summer 

 the place averaged $607 per acre, or $63.50 more than 

 the cost of the land. From one and three-sixteenths 

 acres, which was mainly set out to berries, although 

 it contains some peach trees, Mr. Riggle sold during 

 the past season $721 worth of berries, which with the 

 peach crop would bring the amount to $750. 



This will give our readers some conception of what 

 may be done with a small tract where the land is 

 fertile and water available as it is in this locality. 

 It is always a surprise to people unacquainted with the 

 climate in the valley of the Snake River and Clear- 

 water River in Idaho to be told that the tender foreign 

 varieties of grapes grow there in as great perfection 

 as they do in either California, Europe, or Asia. This 

 surprise is often so great that it degenerates into 



On this account it is estimated that it will be pos- 

 sible to save and utilize with canals properly designed 

 and constructed sufficient water to irrigate the entire 

 tract. In commenting editorially on this project, the 

 Lewiston Idaho Tribune states : "The 30,000 acres to be 

 put under water will make 3,000 ten-acre tracts, which is 

 all the irrigated land the ordinary family will want to 

 use. This will afford a new population of 10,000 to 12,- 

 000 people, who will be producing and creating new 

 wealth and furnish a trade area for the city greater than 

 all else it now has. Too much can not be said in its 

 behalf. Immigration is looking to Idaho and is look- 

 ing for just such opportunities as will be within their 

 reach through these irrigated tracts." 



Our main double page illustration gives a very 

 fair conception of the location of the city of Lewiston 

 and the Vineland tract and shows also the mesa land, 

 which is to be irrigated under the Lewiston-Waha pro- 

 ject. The inscriptions on the other illustrations fur- 

 nish further necessary information. 



Concerning the value of fruits raised on this land, 



LANDS IN CULTIVATION ACROSS ~\ 

 Six Years Ago This Tract Was a Sage Brush'Plain. It is Now 



doubt and can only be removed by occular demonstra- 

 tion. If one will take the trouble, however, to ascer- 

 tain what is needed for the production of these grapes 

 he will find that this portion of the northwest pos- 

 sesses these requirements to such a great extent as 

 to make ideal locations for that purpose. This being 

 true Idaho is destined to compete in the market with 

 the extremely high priced foreign product. 

 FLUMES. 



The lumber available on Craig Mountain within 

 easy reach of the upper conduit is abundant and of 

 good quality. It is suitable for flume construction. 

 The Vineland flume was built of similar lumber and 

 has been in use and is continuing to fulfill the duties 

 required of it. DUTY OF WATER. 



The conclusion heretofore stated is that it is pos- 

 sible to store sufficient water to irrigate the entire tract 

 and place it upon the land in question. The results 

 which may be achieved with a careful use of this vol- 

 ume of water may be estimated by a comparison with 

 the irrigation of similar lands in the Vineland colony. 



