Milk River Project. 



The project contemplates the reclamation of about 200,000 acres of land in 

 Milk River Valley located between Chinook and Nashua in Blaine, Phillips and 

 Valley counties. The lands are to be irrigated by means of a succession of three 

 dams located near Chinook, Dodson and Vandalia, respectively, diverting water from 

 Milk River into canals located along the foothills on either side of the valley. 



The natural flow of the Milk River is supplemented by water stored on St. 

 Mary's River in the edge of Glacier Park and diverted from that river into the Milk 

 River. Storage is also provided at Nelson Reservoir, located in a natural basin 

 between Malta and Saco. This reservoir is fed through the Dodson South Canal, 

 44 miles long, heading at Dodson Dam, and serves lands in the vicinity of Saco 

 and Hinsdale, as well as to augment the natural flow of the river at Vandalia Dam. 



The Great Northern Railway traverses the entire irrigable area for a distance 

 of 160 miles, with stations at intervals of about six miles, the principal towns being 

 Chinook, Harlem, Dodson, Malta, Saco, Hinsdale and Glasgow. 



The average elevation of the irrigable area is 2,200 feet above sea-level, and 

 the temperature ranges from 50° below to 105° above zero. The average annual 

 rainfall is 14 inches. The soil is sandy loam, clay loam, and some gumbo. The 

 principal markets are Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., Great Falls, Montana, Pacific 

 Coast points and local. 



The principal crops grown are small grains, alfalfa, native blue-joint hay, and 

 vegetables. At the present time construction has reached the point where 61,000 

 acres can be supplied from completed canals. In 1918 there were 14,000 acres 

 actually irrigated. As the project is of large proportions it will be some time before 

 it is completed. Total expenditures up to June 30, 1918 amounted to $5,625,318. The 

 estimated total cost is $9,307,948. 



In connection with the Milk River Project is the St. Mary's Storage unit, con- 

 sisting of the St. Mary's Canal and Sherburne Lakes Dam. This reservoir dam is on 

 the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Glacier National Park, twelve miles south of 

 the Canadian boundary and forty-five miles northeast of Browning, the nearest station 

 on the Great Northern railway. This reservoir will store 75,000 acre-feet of water 

 to be used mainly in the irrigation of lands in Phillips and Valley counties and 

 will be transported through the St. Mary's canal to the Milk River. The dam will 

 be 83 feet high and 900 feet long. The dam has reached 90 per cent completion. 

 The outlet structure has been completed and is in operation. The crest has yet to 

 be put on the dam. 



Blackfeet Project. 



The Blackfeet Project, located in the south-eastern part of the Blackfeet Indian 

 Reservation, is being constructed by the Reclamation Service in cooperation with 

 the Indian Service, to irrigate about 122,500 acres of land when it is completed. 

 Four units have now been constructed: the Two Medicine unit, diverting water 

 from the Two Medicine River to water land adjacent to the G. N. Ry. west of the 

 town of Cut Bank. A lateral system to cover 24,000 acres of land is now constructed 

 under the unit. The Piegan system diverting water from Badger Creek to about 

 3,000 acres of land in the vicinity of Piegan. This system is complete except some 

 minor structures and extensions. The Badger-Fisher unit diverting water from 

 Badger Creek through the Four Horns Supply Canal, Four Horns Reservoir and 

 the Fisher Canal, to land on Fisher flat. A lateral system has been completed, 

 except for minor structures, to irrigate about 18,000 acres under this system; and the 

 Birch Creek unit diverting water from Birch Creek to about 2,600 acres on the 

 southern part of the reservation. This system is complete except for minor structures 



