72 PROGRESS REPORT, HYDROGRAPHY, 1893 AND 1894. [bull.131. 
of 1 foot in 5,000 in earth, and 1 foot in 12,500 in loose rock. From the end of the 
location work it is proposed to run two branch lines covering the land in question. 
The estimated cost of the system when finished is $400,000. 
UMATILLA IMPROVEMENT COMPANY. 
This company was formed for the purpose of reclaiming certain lands lying 
between the Umatilla and Columbia rivers. The company constructed 1 or 2 miles 
of their canal, diverting water at a point just below Echo, on the Umatilla River. 
For reasons not stated, this project was abandoned, and the company lost its rights, 
these being acquired by the Columbia Yalley Land and Irrigation Company. 
COLUMBIA VALLEY LAND IRRIGATION COMPANY. 
This company was incorporated for the purpose of reclaiming certain lands lying 
in the same position as the lands proposed to be irrigated by the Umatilla Improve- 
ment Company. They further proposed to irrigate a large tract of land lying south 
of the Columbia River, known as prairie land. The river at this point makes a bend to 
the south, and the force of the current is directed against the bank where the diver- 
sion takes place. No diverting dam is necessary, it being assumed that it is possi- 
ble to drain the river during the low stages by opening the gates to their fullest 
extent. 
The head gate of this canal is of cement and is furnished with fall brakes for 
the gates. There are six of these gates, each being 3 feet in width. The front 
of the gate is protected by rods running out in a slanting position, the rods prevent- 
ing the accumulation of debris against the gates. 
From the point of diversion to Butter Creek, a distance of 6 miles, following the 
bluff line, a canal is in operation whose dimensions are as follows: Bottom width, 
28 feet; top width, 48 feet; maximum depth, 5 feet; grade, 1.52 feet per mile. In 
running this line the old works of the Umatilla Improvement Company were disre- 
garded entirely. The capacity of the canal is 500 second-feet. The company claims 
8,000 miner's inches under 6- inch pressure. 
This canal, which is finished and in operation as far as Butter Creek, covers com- 
pletely a fine tract of land between the bluff and the Umatilla River and Butter 
Creek. This land has a gentle slope toward the river, and by reason of its slope is 
finely adapted for the distribution of water. The land in question is known as the 
Umatilla Meadows, and lias an area oi 15,000 acres. This is all good, irrigable land. 
The soil is well adapted to the raising of crops of all descriptions. Although water 
has been running in the canal for a considerable time, there has been but little used 
for irrigation except in one or two instances. The coming season, however, a large 
body of land will be reclaimed. 
There is a large tract of land lying west of Butter Creek and south of the Columbia 
River which the company proposes to reclaim by crossing Butter Creek by means of 
a flume 800 feet in length, continuing from the point where the present canal ends. 
It was thought advisable to cross the creek rather than follow up the creek and cross 
on grade. Butter Creek at certain periods contains considerable water, and this 
water can be turned into the main canal below the flume with less danger to the 
canal than if there were a grade crossing. 
The canal line from Butter Creek follows the general contour of the country for 
a distance of 11 miles (location survey), and empties into a natural reservoir whose 
area is about 200 acres, capable of holding 71,000,000 cubic feet of water. This 
reservoir is 17 miles from the head of the canal. A slight outlay will be necessary 
to furnish suitable gates at the western end of the reservoir, as the main canal is 
carried on for 3 or 4 miles beyond this point. Actual surveys have shown the pres- 
ence of six natural reservoirs lying in the tract under the ditch, and the slope of 
the land is such that ditches from the main canal can be constructed connecting 
it with these different reservoirs, thus enabling an immense amount of water to be 
