SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 19S1
MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, ORE.
Talent SybUdterals Hemmoimi do Basin (Project
Division Is 94
Per Cent Done;
Potentials Noted
By JOE COWLEY
Mail Tribune Staff Writer
Now that the Talent divl-
slon of the Rogue River basin
riroioct is 94 per cent com
plete, what is left to do? What
10 A
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Huh
is its potential in terms of ag
riculture, power and recrea
tion? The west lateral enlarge
ment and extension is to be
let out on bid Feb. 15. Other
phases of the actual work is
just about completed, accora
ing to bureau of reclamation
officials.
The expansion of Emigrant
lake will be completed in
Anril. Talent Irrigation dis
trict work on enlargement
and rehabilitation will be fin
ished in April. All collection
and delivery systems nave
been completed. Only work
left is completion of sub la
terals to be run for distribu
tion to new land. The TID
will construct these,
Benefit 10,500 People
Water from this project
will benefit directly about
10,500 persons, based on the
1959 crop census. That Indi
cates that the three irrigation
districts have a farm popula
tion of 3,840 persons, The re
lated suburban and urban
areas have a population of 6,
712 persons.
What will this additional
water mean to Rogue River
valley agriculture? Breaking
it down by districts, it means
that a greater variety of agri
cultural products can be
raised in the Talent Irrigation
district.
"The trend in the last five
year3 has been more diversifi
cation," TID Manager Walter
Hoffbuhr said. "We will see
more truck gardening, partic
ularly. This means tomatoes,
sugar beet seeds, melons, cu
cumbers, onions and that type
of crop."
On Bottom Soil
Most of this type of crop
will be Brown on the more pli
able rich Bear creek bottom
loil-lho heavy black silt-like
oil which already supports
many truck crops for farmers
gelling them from roadside
glands between Phoenix and
Ashland. Actually, TID rec
ords show about the same
truck crop acreage within the
district as the previous year.
"The bulk of new land
brought under irrigation will
go Into pasture and hay pro
duction and quite a bit of It
into orchards, Bear Creek or
chards has been preparing for
the new water already by
planting an extensive acreage
next to Bear creek in the
Phoenix-Talent area. Much of
this newly planted orchard
land is being watered by tank
truck until it is brought under
TID water," Hoffbuhr ex
plained. "A lot of new subdivisions
in the Griffin Creek, Dark
Hollow and Cherry Hills dis
tricts will rely on TID water
for watering lawns and gar
dens," the TID manager point
ed out. "The ground water
there is so poor that such dis
tricts have only domestic use
from their wells."
Largest Return
"But pears do bring the
largest return por acre and as
much land as practicable com
ing under Irrigation for the
first lime will be planted lo
pear trees," Hoffbuhr said.
The TID will serve some
new land in 1901. All of it
will go cn the water assess
ment roll In 1962. However,
as Hoffbuhr pointed out, the
Happy and
HOTEL
WMEDF0RD
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
CANDLE ROOM OPEN 12 A.M.
TALENT LATERAL This shows the Tal
ent lateral extending 20 miles on the west
side of the valley. This picture was laken
just off the old Phoenix-Talent highway.
The' project is under contract to Pacific
Talent project will not be
completed until the secretary
of the interior notifies t h e
district.
The TID manager suys gen
eral conditions so fur indicate
a good Irrigation season next
season providing a good snow
pack is spread over the high
hills this winter. The upper
layer of soil is belter primed
this year than it has been for
several years. This means a
good snturated upper manlle
of earth so when a snow pack
is formed there will be a more
productive runoff. It will not
have to seep inlo the parched
high hills first, 'robbing the
lowlands.
More Stable Crop
With good supplies from
Four Mile and Fish lakes
available, the Mcdford Irriga
tion district has developed a
more permanent and stable
crop situation.
Jack Hoffbuhr, MID man
ager and brother of Walt Hoff
buhr. exoects a' definite in
crease in orchard lands with
the water which will be and
cd to his district when TID
lakes what It needs. Orchards
will be planted further otit as
Ihc orchards closer to lite pop
ulation centers are used for
subdivisions.
One possible crop change
may be some planting of cane
berries on lands suitable for
farming. By bringing addi
tional lands under the dis
trict it will achieve a broader
base, meaning a thinner cost
spread.
No Change Seen
Rouuc River Vnlley Irriga
tion district probably will not
chaniic its crop outlook mucli
Much of Ihe district Is already
nlantcd to a diversified type
of farming, orchards, seed
croDS. truck gardens and pus
ture and hay lands. 11 will
the water diverted from
MID. Agate dam on Dry creek
will influence its development
more than Ihc Talent project.
The project gives Ihc resi
dents of the Rogue river vai
ley a chain ot three lakes,
Howard Prairie which covers
an area four miles long anci
width varying from a half to
n mile: Hyatt reservoir cover
ing two miles by a halt mile
and Emigrant reservoir meas
uring 2'-i miles H'lR uv
half mile wide.
When the local recreation
nconlc speak of recreation
they are thinking primarily
of Howard Prairie: Those peo
ple pushing for its develop
ment can visualize a busy rec
reation area on the west side
Healthful
to YOU
from all of ut at
DINING ROOM OPEN
" 1
Concrete company, Portland. It is scheduled
for completion In April. The new lateral will
carry water to newly irrigated lands and
bring supplemental Talent division water to
lands now in short supply.
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FIRST SCREEN STRUCTURE This is a picture of the
existing lower outlet works for the Hyatt Prairie dam fish
screen structure. The photo shows the contractor removing
the concrete walls and slab at trash rack. (Pholo by F. E.
Ross, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation.)
ot the reservoir in lale spring
and summer.
A comparatively small- ma
rina development extends ils
finger piers out into the deep
er water so recrealionists can
tic up tlieir boats while they
come in for a quick snack in
the attractive service building.
Building Planned
This building now being
planned will probably have
a large glassed In front so
outdoorsinen and their fami
lies can watch the activity on
the lake while they cat or
those out on a Sunday drive
can enjoy the scenery in frof
of them, Here in this large
building, which also houses
the caretaker's apartment, on
the second floor, groceries,
fishing gear and various boat
ing equipment and supplies,
can be purchased.
Far out on the lake the
sharp prow of a sailboat
knifes through the water as
Ihe boat's white wings billow
to the afternoon breeze. A
fisherman with his outboard
motor temporarily silent deft
ly ncls one of the large trout
J destined to make Howard
I Prairie "hottest fishing
lake in the slate," according
to Cole Rivers, biologist In
this area for the state game
commission.
In (heir restricted zone.
water-skiers delicately bal-
anrc on their twin boards as
! ski-boats surge through the
1 water And there are others
! content merely lo dangle
Iheir feel in the water while
: sitting on (he edge of the boat
I piers.
Other Recreation
I'eharps a diver arcs her
sun tanned body high over the
i lake before splashing cleanly
J into the water below a diving
board. A picnicker puffs con
i tcntcdly on his pipe as his
! wife packs away Ihe remains
I of a hearty picnic lunch on
one of the neat onc-uhit tables
with benches. The lire In the
outdoor concrete fireplace has
already been carefully ex-
linguished.
As the seasons change duck i
hunters may take (heir stands I The reservoir covers 38.500
in blinds along the lake's 'acre feet.
shores. Then. In winter, slim! The Green Springs power
hriuhL Kaila ft t h I r ahnnt'nnrf k-Muminl ,.,AM.nip, 11.
T5
stcel runners bite into Ihe Ice
oil Ihe lake. Skaters skim
gracefully in singles and pairs
over the frozen surface as
bonfires spread rozy glows
along the shore.
This is recreation and this
is a phase of all irrigation
projects which is becoming in
creasingly important and in
separable. But what about the engi
neering features?
Distribution Systems
The distribution systems
which carry the water from
Ihe reservoirs to Ihe farm
lands cover 101.1 miles, ac
cording to bureau of reclama
tion figures.
This system will serve a lo
(al of 18,020 acres. It includes
the Ashland lateral extension,
Ashland lateral rehabilita
tion, east lateral enlargement,
west lateral enlargement and
extension, Talent lateral en
largement, Phoenix canal
enlargement, existing s u b
laterals' rehabilitation, new
sublalerals constitution.
The collection canals cover
10.7 miles; the south fork
collection canal nine miles
(Including the Deadwood tun
nel), Daley collection canal,
Dead Indian and Conde creek
canals.
When this complicated and
extensive project is completed
by 1962, il will provide sup
plemental Irrigation water to
9.921 Irrigable acres now in
short supply, and a full sup
ply to 5.1:10 irrigable acres of
dry lands in the Talent
division.
Howard Prairie dam Is lo
cated on Beaver creek in the
Klamath basin. 27 miles east
of Ashland. It is 105 f,cet high.
11 s surface area Is 2.000 acres
and capacity 00,500 acre feet.
East of Ashland
Hyatt Prairie lake on Krone
creek In the Klamnth river
basin, Is 18 miles east of Ash
land and was built in 1922.
The dam Is 53 feet high. Total
capacity is 10,200 acre feet.
Emigrant damlis located on
Emigrant creek east of Ash
land. The dam is 196 feet hish
DAM ENLARGEMENT This
This is a composite picture
the right bank near the axis
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LATERAL REHABILITATION This photo
shows Talent lateral rehabilitation struc
tures and is a view of the "meter-gate"
turnout and farm bridge (abutments) struc
tures under construction. Such distribution
0' " .rm. .
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WASTE-WAY This picture shows a concrete waste-way in
the Talent lateral on the west side of the valley. Normally
there are flashboard gales inserted in the box to control
the outlet of water. This gate is opened to carry away storm
or waste water in order to prevent flooding the lateral.
The gate is left open to drain the lateral in the winter time
when the irrigation water is not needed.
commercial (Tillable annual
power production is estimated
at 52,190,000 kilowatt hours.
Annual operation, mainten
ance and replacement costs
arc estimated at $62,700.
The power plant makes the
project feasible for the farm
ers. It will pay for 52 per cent
of irrigation costs and all its
own cost plus interest at 2-U
per cent annually.
Authoriiing Act
The authorizing act for the
Talent provision provides that
all costs, including those to
be relumed from power and
(roin the water users should
be repaid In a 00-year period.
The commercial power invest
ment should be amortized
under an interest rale formu
la. The act requires that the
power revenues be used first
to amortize the commercial
power investment which will
require approximately 40
vcars Thereafter it is lo be ,
used lo assist in the return of j
the irrigation costs.
Net federal Investment for i
tho project was $24,736,930.
This includes construction
costs of $23,700,000. less past '
investigations at $430,000, less
salvage value of $77,000.
Construction Costs
The total construction costs
of $23,700,000 Include Howard
Prairie dam and reservoir $1.-
810.000, but excludes Stio.OOO : completed in 1887, the fruit
fish and wildlife costs. It also Browing potential was seen
includes Emigrant dam and ! here. Commercial orchards
reservoir al $4,944,000. Keene j wcrc pia,ltcd ncar Ashland,
creek dam and reservoir at j However, water supplies still
$935,000. i wcl . not dependable.
Collection canals cost an The Fish Lake Ditch com
cslimated $1,876,000; canals ; pany was developed in 1898.
and laterals. $487,000. but ex- j This company began water
eludes $24,000 fish and wild- deliveries in 1902 and through
Qo costs. Sublatcrals cost I reorganization is now the
view shows the Emigrant dam
showing the up-stream face. It is
of the dam. Contractor is R.
systems which carry the water from Ihe
reservoirs to the farmlands cover 101.1, ac
cording to bureau of reclamation figures.
nnanieHi
$487,000; the drainage system,
$300,000.
The Green Springs power
plant and switchyard cost an
estimated $6,023,000; fish fa
cilities, $104,000, maintenance
machinery and equipment
$146,000, but excludes fish
and wildlife al $15,000 and
recreation costs at $140,000.
Benefits Estimated
Direct and indirect bene
fits of irrigation were esti
mated at a total of S919.000;
power at $417,000; flood con
trol at $29,300; fish and wild
life $29,500 and recreation at
$8,200.
Irrigation is not a modern
day development. Hot, dry
summers plus the need to
keep livestock close lo the
settlements during Indian
troubles early in the valley s
history emphasized the Irriga
tion need. Simple stream di
versions furnished irrigation
for summer pastures.
Bv 180P1
Bv 180P there were 3.950
acres irriMted in the valley.
This acreage grew from year
to year until all tributary
streams were appropriated (or
H'e summer flow. By 1890.
some 17.000 acres were irri-
galea
This success of early irri
gation created a desire for
larger projects. Early attempts
to control (he larger streams,
however, proved inadequate.
Fruit Potential Seen
When the railroad was
enlargement, struction company. This dam is located on
a view from land. The dam
A. Hcintz Con-
(F. E. Ross pho(o)
Rogue River Valley Irriga
tion district.
Finally, the Oregon district
laws were passed in 1917.
These acts allowed formation
of the present municipal type
irrigation districts. However,
high costs of the large proj
ects still limited development
lo cheap, inadequate, tribu
tary water resources. None
of the four storage dams con
structed cost more than a few
hundred thousand dollars.
From 1900 to the present
time, the agricultural economy
and growth of the area has
fluctuated as the water supply
fluctuated. This has empha
sized the need for develop
ment of the overall Rogue
Basin project of which the
the Talent division is a part.
Dr. Seuss Featured
In Tuesday Story
Dr. Seuss will again be fea
tured at the pre-school story
time in the children s depart
ment of the Public Library
of Mcdford and Jackson
County.
The Tuesday morning story
wi)l be "If I Ran the Circus"
with Mrs. Charles Henry the
story teller. Mrs. Henry will
also include other stories and
finger plays in her program.
The program for pre-school
age children is ' regularly
scheduled in the children's
department on Tuesdays at
10 a.m.
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MORTUARY
CEMETERY
MAUSOLEUM
CREMATORY
SP 2-5488
605 Highland Drive
is 198 feet high. The reservoir
Pacific Telephone
Plans Expansion
During Next Year
Pacific Telephone North
west has programmed a $23.9
million outlay to expand and
improve telephone service in
Oregon during 1961, F. M.
Mitchell, the company's vice
president and general man
ager, has announced.
"This expenditure of almost
$24 million is certainly the
best evidence of our belief in
the essential soundness of
Oregon's economy and in the
future growth prospects of
the state," Mitchell said.
Grange Notes
Phoenix Grange held a so
cial evening Dec. 27 as the
Yulotide holidays were rec
ognized. A potluck dinner was
the preceding event followed
by a variable program. There
was no business meeting.
Lecturer Mrs. Lloyd Lacy
was in charge.
A vocal group, "The Lady
and the Tramps," sang several
songs. ,The members are Dar
lcne Coffman, Dorothy James,
Penney Simmons and P a m
Grove, at the piano.
Mr. and Mrs. Olin Poe gave
a Christmas skit.
Accordion students of Rose
Meadows played a number of
Christmas melodies. The stu
dents ' are Danny O'Duane;
Randy and Roger Wiley, Rick
Campbell, Douglas Mann, Ray
mond Potter, Walter, Frank
and Delia Fitzgerald and Wil
liam Brcedlove.
The evening ended with
five members of the Phoenix
Judo Academy giving adem
onstration. They were T,arry
Noltc, master of ceremonies:
Jo Rutter, Dr. Paul H. Rut
ter, Buster Norton and Jack
Wheeler. Nolte explained the
terms and actions as they pro
ceeded and also gave the his
tory and origin of the judo
arts.
First Church of God
W. Martin, Pastor -Phone SP 3-5449
Temporarily Worshiping
WILSON SCHOOL
Grand and Corona
Until New Building Is Completed at
Crater Lake Avenue and Roberts Road
As the bells ring in a bright New
Year, 1961. We hope they're chim
ing a promise of happss, health
and prosperity for you.
A very happy and joyous New Year.
Joe and Virginia Hosick
Lew and Margaret Miles
SISKIYOU
Siskiyou Memorial Park
Emigrant creek east ot Ash-
contains 50,000 acre leet.
(F. E. Ross photo)
Reporting on 1960, Mitchell
said the number of telephones
served by the company in tho'
sta(e increased by 22,942 to a
total of 576,169. The number
of long distance calls went up'
about 6.6 per cent during tho,
year, he added. i
687 Telephones Added
In Medford, 687 telephones'
were added to the total in ser-j
vice during the year, accord-i
ing to Manager J. H. Creager.i
There are now 16,771 phones'
in the Medford exchange.
Looking ahead, Mitchell,
listed bringing direct distance!
dialing, to some 160,000 Port-
land phones with ATlantic,,
CApitol and BElmont in May,,
1961, as one of the company's
biggest projects during . the
coming year. DDD will be ex-!
tended lo the rest of Port-!
land and nearby suburban!
communities in 1962. : j
Completion of manual lo,
dial conversions at Florence
and at Arlington in 1961 will1
bring dial service to 99 per'
cent of the company's tele-!
phones in Oregon, he said. i
Dances Scheduled ;
For Area Students i
i
Dances for junior and sen-!
ior high school students inj
January have been announced,
by the Young Men's Christian1
association, Medford. j
High school dances will ba
held Jan. 6, 8 to 11 p.m.; Jan.;
13 and 14, 10 to 12 p.m.; Janj
21, 10 to 12 p.m.; and Jan. 27,
and Jan. 28, both 7 to 10 p.m.;
Proceeds from ticket sales
are B be used to purchase,
new dance equipment and to'
help start the new Junior Hi
Y club. Refreshments will be'
available at the affairs, and
recorded music is featured. !
.us- ' t