A Valley Drowns Every Spring—and One Farmer Wants a Better Dike

Editor Newport Miner:

The annual freshet in the Pend Oreille River is subsiding, after having submerged the greater portion of the Calispel Valley to a depth greater than occurred in the summer of 1903. The water has destroyed practically the entire acreage of grain and done much damage to timothy fields. A conservative estimate indicates that the acreage destroyed was three times greater than that of last year, and that the loss in bushels of grain will amount to 125,000 to 150,000 bushels, and the same estimate places the actual money loss at fully $50,000.

But while this loss is keenly felt by all in the valley, this annual event of high water has brought with it some compensation, for it is serving to crystallize sentiment in favor of diking to prevent the recurrence of such a loss, and action has already been taken toward the formation of two diking districts. It is this action that causes me to offer some criticism of the proposed plans, and suggestions that may or may not have the consideration of those most at interest—i.e., those who will have to pay for the work, and will hope to be substantially benefited by the exclusion of the water from the fertile basin lands of this valley.

Some explanation of topographical and other conditions is necessary before proceeding to offer either suggestion or criticism. This annual inundation is not, strictly, an "overflow," for only twice within a period of thirty years, according to reputable evidence, has the Pend Oreille River risen higher than the banks, which line it in a practically unbroken stretch on its west side; these two "overflows" having occurred in the years [blank] and [blank] respectively. In the latter year only, during the long period mentioned, has the water risen to any dangerous stage above the natural dike that exists brokenly along the west bank of the river. During seven years' personal observation by the writer the water has only crossed this natural dike at its lower points three times.

But every year the water covers a more or less considerable portion of the Calispel Valley, because it is a true basin, its major portion lying back of and lower than the bank of the great river that fronts it. Being a basin and draining into the Pend d'Oreille River, it follows that if the river rises above the outlets of the small streams that traverse it the valley must be flooded by the water that backs into it from the big river.

These small tributary streams have a variable inflow that must be taken care of, and, besides cutting the natural dike and giving inlet to the flood water, they give rise to one of the problems to be met and solved in any drainage, or, more properly, diking proposition.

The valley itself is cut by the Calispel and Tacoma creeks. Three other streams—Winchester, Small's and Trimble creeks—contribute their water to the other two and to the supply of inflow that must be taken care of.

We have, then, only two problems in any plan to dike the valley. First, to erect the dike itself to keep out the Pend d'Oreille River. Second, to dispose of the inflow water from the several traversing streams, to prevent the basin thus created from filling.

These traversing streams and the topography naturally divide the valley into three districts or areas for drainage, each of which may be treated separately, but may be most economically treated as two projects. The first of these would comprise all the area lying within the natural bounds of the basin of Calispel Lake and River, embracing about 18,000 acres of land, of which about 14,000 is fertile prairie land lying above the level of the Calispel River, but below the flood level of the Pend d'Oreille, which enters, as has been said, through the opening in the big river's natural dike through which the Calispel drains. The natural bounds of this district are the hills on the south and west, the Pend d'Oreille River on the east and Tacoma Creek on the north.

If, in diking this area, the Calispel River be closed, the water flowing into this basin through it and its tributaries, which are Winchester and Small's creeks, must be disposed of, either by pumping over the dike, or diversion at a higher level through an artificial channel, or, third, through an artificial channel for the Calispel at the level of the Pend d'Oreille, thus involving the partial diking of the low-level channel where it would pass through low grounds. In either of the latter two plans the Small's Creek will require to be diverted into the Calispel River and thus drain out.

The second project would embrace all the land lying in the valley north of Tacoma Creek, a much smaller area, with no inflow streams to be diverted, and is purely a diking proposition not complicated by other problems. It should, therefore, in the interests of equity and economy be treated as a separate project.

But the plans now afoot do not provide for the diking of the first described area as a whole. One, that may be termed the Tacoma district, provides for diking an area of about 3,500 acres, of which about 3,000 acres would be directly benefited, lies between Tacoma Creek on the north, the hills on the west, Small's Creek on the south and the big river, the source of the flood, on the east. This district offers no serious problems, having only one small stream with inflow, and its waters would all be used for irrigation purposes on the land reclaimed.

Another project proposes to dike the area lying in a triangle between Calispel River, Small's Creek and the hills, about 900 acres in extent, involving the construction of proportionately too much dike per acre of land reclaimed, but involving no other work than earth-bank erection.

As will be seen these projects now on foot would leave out very much the largest of the several areas described, and, as may be expected, since much lateral dike would be required, would raise the cost per acre above what has been estimated for the cost of diking the larger area and draining its inflow water.

After this hasty survey of the situation as it stands I may be permitted to suggest objections to projects now in motion.

First, it is proposed to dam the Calispel River, a navigable stream, involving technical difficulty if nothing more, and suggesting its own objection.

Second, it is proposed to pump out the inflow water from the Calispel River, Winchester and Small's creeks, estimated at 120 to 150 cubic feet flow per second, and to construct a steam power pumping plant sufficient to elevate that quantity of water an average of sixteen feet, requiring a plant, say, 200 horse power, to be kept in operation two months a year, and maintained against interest and depreciation. This objection is perhaps the most serious to be urged and engineers will need no other objection to pronounce against the plan.

Third, these separate projects involve too much expense per acre as compared with possible benefits if all the area between Tacoma Creek and the south boundary was taken into one general scheme.

Naturally if I am to be permitted to criticize proposed plans I should be able to propose something better. The plan here submitted has at least the value of comprehensiveness, for it will comprise all the area before described as having some 18,000 acres within its natural bounds.

Briefly, this plan is to dredge a new channel from the mouth of Calispel Lake, at lake elevation, in section 12, township 32-43, to an outlet in section 5, township 32-44, a length of some 2½ miles, much of which is slough, with very light digging. Dike the north bank of this channel where necessary to the elevation of the natural dike on the Pend Oreille River front. Dam the present Calispel River bed near the proposed new channel in section 12. Divert Small's Creek from a point in section 27, township 33-43, to a point on Calispel Lake, a length of 3 miles, using its water for irrigation along the diverted channel. Dam the Calispel River near its mouth, putting in a flood gate to permit the escape of water from early local spring freshets. Raise the natural dike on the Pend Oreille River front to a uniform height, from a point in section 5, township 32-44 north to section 6, township 33-44, a distance of about 7 miles, thence west along the south side of Tacoma Creek to foothills in section 2, township 33-43, a length of 4 miles. Dam the mouth of Trimble Creek, putting in a flood gate, using the water of this creek for irrigation on the more northern portion of the land to be reclaimed.

This plan has no problem other than that of raising money to pay for the work, as also have all the other plans. The only cost for operation would be that of earthwork up-keep and annual repair. It involves no costly pumping plant, the present Calispel River bed being sufficient to take care of seepage and surface drainage for the two months or ten weeks each season of high water in the Pend Oreille River.

As to the cost of this project as suggested, it is believed that it would not exceed ten dollars per acre of land benefited. In this connection it may be confidently asserted that the cost of the other less comprehensive and less permanent projects as proposed would very considerably exceed the figure I have given.

With regard to the values created—I say created advisedly—these would be so disproportionately greater than the cost as to make bonds on the land a safe and desirable investment, if, say, the district was bonded for $200,000, at 5 per cent., the bonds to all mature in 20 years.

These values would be immediately available, for land that is just now submarine and having only a potential value, would at once equal in productiveness the best land in Eastern Washington, with equal value.

I have gone into this subject at this length, presenting its aspects as they offer themselves to a layman, more with the idea of urging unity of action than to advertise the plan that such unity would find feasible, and it, rather than criticism of others, is, I ask you to believe, my motive for presenting the more comprehensive scheme for reclaiming the beautiful, fertile and potentially rich Calispel Valley.

Yours respectfully, Layman.