396 AMERICAN FORESTRY 



well as in the Service the machinery is however, are of such magnitude and im- 



available for the immediate placing of portance as to deserve special consid- 



home-seekers upon the irrigable lands, eration. 



The guarantee of a project by both Ranking first in probable total cost 



State and Nation will inspire con- anc i irrigable acreage is the great Boise 



fidence, and will promote settlement by project of Idaho. Approximately $14,- 



a high class of home-makers. The joint 000,000 will be required to complete 



participation in the cost of the works the work which will serve 243,000 acres 



doubles the field for the Government o f fertile land in the vicinity of Boise, 



engineers. Whereas heretofore the at- Nampa and Caldwell. The engineering 



titude of the Western States has been features of the project are exceedingly 



that of "Let Uncle Sam do it," today comprehensive, embracing two large 



there is a growing appreciation of the storage reservoirs, three enormous 



duty of the State to join forces with storage dams, a diversion dam, power 



the Government. plant and transmission lines, standard- 



The get-together spirit so strongly gauge railway 19 miles long, telephone 



advocated by Secretary Lane is bearing lines 210 miles in length, canals 952 



fruit, and we may confidently look for- miles, drains 50 miles, 871 bridges, 80 



ward to a long period of joint activity buildings, 284 culverts, and 9,599 canal 



in developing the latent resources of structures. 



the arid West. On many of the projects The most important single feature 

 yet to be taken up State lines must be o f the project is the Arrowrock dam 

 eliminated and questions of State's which when completed in 1916 will be 

 rights must be disregarded in 'working the highest in the world. This im- 

 out broad plans to utilize drainage posing structure blocks a narrow can- 

 basins located in several States. The yon of the Boise River. It is of rubble 

 field is vast and full of enormous concrete, with a maximum height of 

 promise to the whole nation. 350 feet, length of crest 1,075 feet, and 



Plans are being discussed today contents 530,000 cubic yards. Its esti- 



which a short time ago would have mated cost is $5,000,000. It will store 



been regarded as chimerical and vision- 230,000 acre feet of water and will 



ary. For example, engineers are en- cover 2,780 acres about 250 feet deep, 



gaged in a systematic study of available Additional storage of flood waters has- 



data relating to the entire drainage area been provided by the construction of 



of the Colorado River, our American two enormous earth fill dams, one of 



Nile, which embraces 220,000 square which is 70 feet high and 4,000 feet 



miles in seven States. These plans in- long, the other 40 feet high and 7,000 



elude irrigation, power and navigation feet long, creating a lake with a 



and the project is both interstate and capacity of 177,600 acre feet. At the 



international in character. To fructify Boise diversion dam the Government 



and make available for hundreds of power plant develops 2,000 horse power, 



thousands of families a valley which in a portion of which is now utilized to 



its reclaimed state would be like that actuate all machinery at the Arrowrock 



of the Egyptian Nile in fruitfulness camp, the balance being sold to a Boise 



and productivity is a task well worthy corporation. 



of the most progressive nation on The camp at Arrowrock, the princi- 



earth. pal terminus of the Government rail- 



For the present year the activities of way, is a community of about 2,000 

 the Reclamation Service are to be cen- souls and is entirely under the jurisdic- 

 tered largely upon the twenty-five tion of the Service. It represents the 

 great projects whereon construction has most careful planning of engineers in 

 been proceeding for a number of years, its general layout, in the conveniences 

 It would be impossible in the space of and appliances furnished for the labor- 

 one short article to make more than ers and their families. The Govern- 

 brief mention of these. A number, ment runs a large mercantile store, a 



