| Show I i I Str Strawberry First National Irrigation Irrig era 25 C tion in LM oil JL Project in State m I HE Strawberry Valley Irrigation project which Is now being construct constructed THE ed el by b tho United States s Reclamation service Is Intended to Irrigate i about acres acres o of the finest fruit fru t and farm land In tho the state Slate I situated in the central contral and southern part pait of tho the Utah valley When completed It will enable thousands tho lands of families to make homes on Irrigated t land change the landscape from barren sagebrush covered stretches to toi i fields of grain orchards and antl gardens dotted with homes of prosperous contented people It will add greatly to tho the wealth of tho mho valley valle far moro more q 1 than the Increase Jn land brought under cultivation because tho the tholand tholand theland land will practically all nil be devoted to the cultivation of at fruit and vegetables I which yield much mUth bettor better financial returns per acre than grain farming It if is II the first national irrigation project lu in the state tate huh but it will without j be followed by b others as the benefits derived ed uro lIro demonstrated and the peo people people 1 plc of other sections where conditions are favorable favor blo for big irrigation t projects r become alive alle to the advantages tn offered of through government aid old aidin aidIn oldin 41 in irrigation and to the extent that such government aid alt can be he obtained The project of bringing the surplus water of oC Strawberry Valley Valle streams streams Into Utah valley alle through Spanish sp n r Fork ForI river r cr n wa vas aa first undertaken by IJ a n aI 1 number num or of private citizens und and 1 a n I I great deal of and ami cx ex i work was done H lI C Jox JOY I then mayor of at Spanish Fork FOlk secured the tho services of Frank C Kelsey Kelse who I made a preliminary survey survoy and amI reported re reported reported ported favorably on the project Work olk 1 acres with a capacity of acre feet of f water The reservoir will ho bo I formed by building a n dam 45 Hi feet high across across Strawberry river on the cast east castI I side of the valley alle Into this will be bt dl voted and stored for use during the I I Irrigating h season the waters of ot Straw Strawberry Strawberry i berry river and am Indian creel This yater tel will be emptied Into Spanish Fork F J river Jn III In Spanish Fork Fori canyon canon about bout CO 0 miles from the mouth of the i projects as they near noor completion more rapidly than during the tho first stages stag ROAD HEWN FROM ROCK In addition a to the tho first mile of tunnel a great gloal amount of other work worl lots has been done dono and is being done An excellent wagon road miles mlles in length in some sonic places hewn hown out of solid rock lock has boon been built from the Diamond switch station in Spanish Fork Folk canyon by b way wn of the west portal of the tho tunnel to the tho reser reservoir reservoir voir site A telephone line lino from Span Spanish SpanIsh SpanIsh ish Fork along tho mho lino of the works hits has been built and a power house hItS has been beon erected from which elect electricity icily Is generated w which furnishes power for forthe forthe forthe the work on tho the tunnel and electricity for lighting the city of Spanish Fork A concrete diverting dam has liaS been built In Spanish Fork Fori canyon can on together with wilh three miles of or power canal and other othel canals canal a part of the system s tom will willbo willbe bo bl built In order to be in readiness as a soon as the tunnel and the Strawberry river dam are completed All of ot these th o improvements will be bo turned over to the Water ater Users association when the thel l N y X y I i i f I Ii ty t y g l I 1 y i I II I 4 f t II 4 Ii n iIi v I y iy i j y a y I sA y s i iII A II IIII t tI tI II I I t A 1 s 1 j 1 Y 1 1 A X b w i A 1 V ITI 11 y i iI i A II E I X S I I Ii i l 4 jl w m Ev v n V c O Ow y 0 tin i ii i S SI y y v 1 I I i r h f fi y y t y I t I y y i i fN t A T TP P 1 Yi vT iC iCe e y 1 X 1 f fv v fy h X y CoO 0 TOP WEST PORTAL STRAWBERRY TUNNEL SHOWING MATERIAL YARD MIDDLE U S RECLAMATION SERVICE POWER HOUSE NEAR FORK FORD BOTTOM DIVERTING GATES IN POWER CANAL AT TOP OF PENSTOCKS rw rw Hv S 1 1 was commenced and prosecuted by b 1 1111 p 1 those Interested for Cor about l out a year ear and anda ll a Do half The work worl however was of ot I such great magnitude that it was decided de decided to appeal to tine the government for or aid through tho the reclamation service III r ice The officials of the department 1 authorized a survey to be mac thu i and und a report favorable lo tu feasibility ij I 1 of the undertaking resulted Perm Permission Is IsI I sion slon from the tho secretary jf of the in ln interior to construct a Il reservoir In I Strawberry Valley Valle was obtained and nn i the Strawberry Valley Yale Water Vatel Users Usa ii IIi association was vms organized under the aws ot o the slate scat and a 1 contract bc be Ill I the government and tho the as ns association i 1 t i sedation for f r the contemplated work I H was entered Into r i STUPENDOUS UNDERTAKING I Tho Thu work under the tho direction of the reclamation service was wal begun in Sep September September September 1900 and has been continuously prosecuted since that time It contemplates a reservoir In Straw Sorry rry valley alley to cover an area of ot O O Ot r t J t J JJ r 1 v canyon can on through the Strawberry tunnel I This tunnel Is the time most Important fea feature feature ture turo of or the work It Is feet in length and will have a capacity of or CCO second E feet After being heIn castled carried through tho the river 1101 to o a suitable point in the iho mouth of the canyon canon tho the water will be diverted Into canals through the tho valle to the lands on which It is 15 to be used The rhe tunnel is 1400 feet below bolow the surface sur surface face at the highest point THREE YEARS YEAnS MORE WORK Tho The work on tho the tunnel so far has progressed very satisfactorily the first tulle mile having lien been cen completed The rhe for formation mation matlon passed through Is lime ilmo stone stoll a and sand 1111 stone Slone Ii to lie and considerable I ble water has lias been encountered it will probably be two and a half halt or on three years be before before fore foro tho the work is completed It is tx cx that as n tho work progresses proportionately larger appropriations us will viii be made from the reclamation fund it being tho the policy of ot tho the govern gOorn governments meals ments to rush work on reclamation f 4 TIE www n work Is s finished and ana be used by b the association In operating tho the system s stem Tho The exact cost of the system cannot be bo given Ion Tho The estimate Is 15 s at tho the rate rote of at S 10 lO an acre for the land benefited G acres will bring it to It may bo ho moro more than this as asI unexpected difficulties in construction I may bo be encountered Thero There are at pres pros present present ent j to SO men employed e and this number will bo be Increased a as the work progresses This force Is s directed from the reclamation service office in Provo city by b J L Lytel project engineer In charge The office Is situated in the eastern el tern suburbs and the building and grounds ground wore purchased by b the gov government government Provo was considered ere a con convenient convenient convenient location for the tho main during dur during durIne ing Ine tho the construction period being on the tho lino of two railroads and having exceptional telephone and telegraph facilities This building will bo be a part of ot tho the system s stem which will bo ho turned over ocr to the tho Water Vater Users association with tho the rest of or tho Improvements t a |
