ater BDaouroe.s Center · ohi vea

later Resources Center Archives

MEMORANDUM TO CHAIRMAN HAGELSTEIN

JUNE 8, 1955

REASONS FOR ENABLING LEGISLATION

CREATING THE OREGON AND CALIFORNIA

KLAMATH RIVER COMMISSIONS

EXHIBIT A - COLLIER-LATHROP PROPOSAL TO GOVERNOR MC KAY

JUNE 18, 1952

EXHIBIT B - SHASTA VALLEY WATER SUPPLY

OREGON STATE ENGINEER BULLETIN NO. 5, 1916

EXHIBIT C - SHASTA VALLEY

U. S. G. S. LA RUE REPORT, 1922

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Yreka, California June 8, 195)

lill�EOR • TIUM TO: Mr. ·lilliam G. Hagelstein, Chairman

FROM: F. 1. Lathrop, Consultant

You recently asked me why Senator Collier and I had sought Enabling Legislation in the two States, leading up to an Interstate Compact for the distribution and use of the i:vaters of the Klamath River system.

Analysis �f Rea_s_o�.'.2._!or Eriabling Legislation

Creating the O�egon aDd California Klamath River Commissions

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Interstat3 Conpact

Historical BacYground

Why the t1VO Commissions were created?

�'hat were the Problems and Issues?

�Vho Responsible for than?

Our approach ·was based on the need for remedies that could only be

applied jointly and reciprocally; which w ere basically the same reasons

wnich actuated the 1905 joint and rcsiprocal l egislation and Ceding cts.

Commencing in 191+5, there was an attempt nade by the Bureau, Army

Engineers, and the State of California to export surplus waters from the

Upper Klamath Basin, diverting from the Tule Lake Sump into the Pitt River

watershed. Such efforts broue-ht very vehement protests from all users of

water in the Upper Klamath basin in both St'l..,;:,es, and Ji.ore particularly from

the State of Oregon and the irrigation districts in Klamath County. The next

move by the same agencies, to which the Forest Service was added, was an at-

tempt to take surplus waters f�::nn t he Klamath Tiiver just below Keno, and by

canals and tunnels divert the entire strca� to enter Shasta Valley at el-

evation 3, )00, ar:d dist::dbute that water by canal system entirely around

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Shasta Valley at that gradient for carrying water in open canals. A�d again,

the surplus was to be exported into the l�cCloud River system - both of vrhich,

• of course, would have reached the sacramento River Valley.

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There were a great reany public meetings over a long period of time com-

mencing way back in 1925 relating to the Bureau's enlargerr.ent of po.ers that

were never intendsd to be exercised in any activities authorized in the

Cedine Acts of 1905 or the Reclamation Act of 1902. This related to the con-

tract dated 1917 between Copco and the Secretary of the Interior relating to

the Link River Dam and the control and regulation of the water in Upper Klamath

lake, followed by the outright sale of certain power rights and privileges

and facilities from the Government to Copco - the Ankeny Canal, the Keno Canal,

and the McCormick Povver Site. Ae;ain in 19 32, there was a great deal of poli-

tical disturban.ce by reason of the expansion of the Wildlife .L efuges at that

time and the use of certain i:raters and lands for those purposes which vrere

trust violations and ·without legal authorization •

We found that the best interests of both States vrnre being ignored by the

Bureau increasing its departures from original Project plans -

sources of water supply, -

storage reservoir location and purpose;

areas of use -

uses other than irrigation, unauthori�ed and illegal;

surrender of rights and privileges without submission or prior approval of either state;

encroachment and invasion of State sovereign rights;

increasingly not responsive to the best interests of the people within the Upper Basin or the larger public interest of the people of both States.

Pliblic hearings that were had on all of these matters at Federal, State,

and local levels all seemed to be of the same nature where everybody was

• against everything and no one had any constructive program to offer. This was

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the situation Senator Collier and I found ourselves in as of June 18, 1952

when we decided there was a possibility of getting these various interests

to agree on some things. And with that in mind, we prepared a written pro­

posal to· Governor Douglas McKay of Oregon which we wrote on June 18. Then we

went to Salem to discuss it vdth him. He looked upon our proposal with favor

and told us that if the people in Oregon in the Klar.lath Basin wanted that

kind of undertaking he would hel .. them do so. There followed several meet­

ings in rapid succession. The leaders on the Orezon side of the Klarnath

Basin were favorable to this plan for 2oint and reciprocal action, and r e­

quested Senator Collier and me to prepare identical Enabling Legislation

which could be, and was, introduced at the next session and favorably

enacted and became law. The Oregon law �as signed promptly upon passage;

the California law was not as promptly acted upon by Governor Warren, and he

made no appointments thereunder.

It was not until Tviay, 1954, that Governor Knight was persuaded that the

Legislation was proper and needed, and he made the appointments that became

the California Kla math River Commission.

In order that you may have before you the complete record of the intent

a."1.d purpose of our proposal to Governor McKay, I am a ttaching a full text of

this proposal dated June 18, 1952, as Exhibit A. This proposal was contained

in full in my agenda for the first meeting of the Commission on June 9, 1954.

The objectives therein stated have, to a large degree, b0en favorably

acted upon. The present difference as found in ��e Compact drafts relatESto

the adn1inistration wherein we set up the possible alternative of taking the

Govermnent entirely out of the Upper Basin and taking over �he Bureau's en­

tire remaining investment and obligations and from n ow on administering the

entire development, management, and maintenance of both water and :9ower by

the two States jointly under an Interstate Compact Commission •

As of today, I believe we all favor a flexible approach which recogni�es

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the social and economic changes and the importance of anticipating the

requirement inherent in the broader concept of comprehensive basin-wide

multiple-purpose planning for full development and beneficial use of all the

waters of the Kl�'TI.ath River system.

As we see it today, t he machinery of administering, whether it is two

parties or three parties, is not so important as it is to extinguish the

private power rights, whatever they nay be determined to be, by negotiation

or by legal processes, and thereafter the Interstate Commission provide all

the capital, do all the development necessary for storage, control, regula-

tion and distribution of water, and sell falling water under proper franchise,

license, and regulation - tbe revenues therefrom to be apportioned between

the two States. Such revenues would be and, indeed, are quite large, as we

can safely assu.iue from the prices th2.t have been offered for falling water

under similar storage conditions. The P. G. & E. on the Trinity pays �p4.50

per acre-foot for falling water •

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SHASTA ' �������������

You also asked me what objective Senator Collier and I had with relation

to both full and supplemental water supply for Shasta Valley, and -v.rhat the

Klamath River Commission should include in the Compact to provide such water

for the future. A gravity supply of water out of the Klamath River for

Shasta Valley has been under consideration since 1916, and such is evidenced

in Bulletin No. 5, Office of the State Engineer, Salem, Oregon. Quotations

from Pages 35, 115, 117 and 119, and a map on Page 106 are fou..�d in Exhibit B

which is attached.

These findings clearly show the need of a coordinated study of the

water resources of the Klamath River as they relate to both consumptive and

non-consumptive uses. They also show conclusively that until the Enabling

Legislation in 1953, there had been no joint and reciprocal action between

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the tvrn States for the forty-eight-year period since 1905.

For your further information I �n attaching also, as Exhibit C, a very

brief abstract of U. S. G. S. Engineer La.Rue1s report of 1922 to irrigate

Shasta Valley. The areas involved - the quantities of water - and the then

estimated cost of such water, will doubtless be helpful in arriving at a

reservation in the Compact of a water supply for the deficienc:r needs for

Shasta Valley as they may ultimately be determined. Such program, so far,

relates to off-channel storage and the use of off-peak low cost power, with

no long distance high cost gravity diversion, and consequently elimination of

the power head.

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To HONORABLE DOUGLAS MC KAY

GOVERNOR OF OREGON

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EXHIBIT A

Yreka, California

June 18, 19 52

We have requested this conference because we feel there is

urgent need for exchange of ideas on the water problems of the

Klamath River Basin.

These problems, becoming more and more complex, now transcend

state lines and require common s-olutions by both states working

together in a unified program.

We think the time is propitious for the two states jointly to

take appropriate steps to assert their sovereign rights and assume

full responsibility over the water resources of the Klamath Ea.sin.

The legislators of California and Oregon were, in 1905,

scld the idea that the waters of the Klamath Basin were not States

problems but by reason of their being interstate and navigable

they could be solved at Federal level as a Reclamation project

under the 1902 Reclamation Law.

Both states then surrendered their sovereign rights and

ceded such rights to land and water to the Federal Government.

Forty-seven years later we find the responsibility is now very

clearly that of both States jointly to take appropriate action

to revest.

If such policy and high purpose meet.s your approval we can

proceed with formulating the machinery to make it effective • .

The following outline of the scope of the joint undertaking

is set forth herewith merely to facilitate discussion and re-

framing a plan that reflects the most direct approach to the as-

sembly of existing knowledge and the taking of supplemental and

more intimate engineering data to be taken as directed.

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PURPOSE

(A ) Assemble in one office all material, engineering studies ,

reports, and maps heretofore made at three levels:--

Federal States Counties

u .s. Army Eng. Corps Eng. Oregon Klarroth ) ) Oregon

U.S. Rec. K�amath Proj. Eng. Calif. Jackson )

Modoc ) U.S. Forest Service Pub. Utility Comm. )

Siskiyou ) of both States ) California

Trinity ) )

Humboldt ) )

Del Norte )

By analyzing, digesting, comparing, and compiling this total

available material, your study group will be able to reframe and

restate all the basic f actual material relating to all the elements

necessary to a comprehensive word and map picture of the present ( upper basin above Keno

status of waters of the Klamath Easi n. ( lovrer basin Keno to ocean

(B) Engineering Studies of:-

1- Potential Storage, and Flood control on basins or sub-

basins not all ready investigated

2- Underground water -To make det2,iled, intensive and

extended survey of the geology and hydrology of the upper

basin and parts of SiSlkiyou County to determine the occur-

rence, available quantity, chemical quality and perennial

dependahili ty.

There is urgency for taking prompt steps tmve.rd an adequate

evaluation and equitable control of grolllld waters of the area •

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These studies should be directed by the two State Engineers and

the respective Water Resources Boards and their field staffs under a

well coord.inated program of eY.:pediting field reconnaissance studies

of the storage and flood control potentials, large and small, of each

strcar11 system that has not all ready been engineered.

It is becoming more and more evident that small storage,

affording benefits of flood co ntrol and irrigation water are to be

found on every small stream; their location and extent should be

determined for each stream system.

Any comprehensive study of K.tamath Basin should include the

taking of an inventory of water use and ultimate needs of each of the

counties of origin. This should be the responsibility of each county

of the Basin. In California, Sisxiyou County has taken the lead and

has completed the mapping anqtletail inventory of every parcel of land

irrigated, surface and subGurface. Also the land classification to

determine tlte lands that are irrigable and that can make beneficial

use of water whenever water is made available.

The primary use of this factual material was at county level in

creating a tax base for equalized assessment. The other California

counties in the Klamath basin are actively at work on similar studies.

One prime objective is the conservation and naximum use of -Lh.e

Basin's water _resources for all beneficial purposes - domestic,

municipal, industrial, irrigation, power, recreation, and commercial

fishery.

The elimination of all wasteful uses and practices •

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The protection and reservation of sufficient water for the

ultimate needs of the counties of Origin.

A determination if there be any surplus; how much, where and

when available for export.

ULTI1�TE OBJECTIVE

Creation of Interstate Compact Cvt

To administer water resources of entire Ba.sin.

To negotiate the purchase of all Federal rights and

facilities comprising the Klamath Project.

Repossessing, a2 it were, after 47 years, the sovereign rights

ceded by Oregon and California in 1905 to the Federal Government,

under written agreement, for the development and settlement of the

Klamath Project under Reclamation laws of 1902.

The In+,erstate Compact Authority then becomes the agency to take

over and administer the rights, properties and facil ities of the

Bureau of Reclamation now comprising the K�amath Project in its

entirety.

The two states would be pledged to repay the Federal Government

for the reimbursable capital cost, without interest a11d on the same

40 year terms and conoition as the organized water and drainage

districts would do if Recla..i""!lation service continues to own and operate.

This agency could and should pr ovide each land owner a water

right certificate appurtenant to his 1and and not the substitute

of water as a com.modi ty vii th out any eviJence of proprietary ownership •

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'rhe people of Oregon and California need the woal th and

strength V\lhich will be added by the full development of the latent

resources of the K�amath River and its tributaries.

We need the full utilization of fallin� -rater for povrnr, the

productivity of ad�oci irrigated acres, the nuniciral and indQstrial

water supplies, flood control and drainage, recreation, fishing,

and other benefits that come from resource development.

1.fe must recognize clearly that the full development and utili­

zation of these waters .i.s a prime responsibility sh ared by govern­

ment on al_2_ levels in i'ormulatin,.... sou...vi.c natural resource policy

and the discovery of workable and acceptable procedures and the

mGcl·anism to tr=i..."'1.slate established policy into effective action.

Senator Randolph CoJJ ier

F. 1. Lathrop, Repr8senting

Siskiyou County

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Bulletin No. 5 OFFICE OF THE STATE EHGINEER SAL�M, OREGON, FEBRUARY, 1916

KLAMATH RIVER POWER PROJECT

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Location--About 25 miles southwest of Klamath Falls.

Works--2! niles of tunnel and 8 miles of concrete lined

canal.

River Discharge--1,160 second-feet. ---Head--700 feet, net. --

Power--70,000 E. H. P.

Capital Cost--�6,400,000.00 or $91.50 per E. H. P.

This will � with a t__arge proposed irrigation pro­

ject in California if the high line ditch to sucb lands is

b uilt as shown in Fi re 16, Part of the �ater sup.Jily will be

� in Klamath Lake, which is navieable and under federal

c�rol. Here, again, we are confronted by interstate and

federal questions, just as for the water power projects on r-

the Colum ia and Snake Rivers.

Page 106

Ref: Fig. 16--Shows location of Klamath Power Project

with reference to conflicting Shasta Valley Irrigation Por-

ject as proposed, also showing relative loc�tion of Devil's

Stair Damsite on ogue River with reference to other sites.

Page 115

\LA NIA TH RI VER P 01fi ER PR 0 J:SC T

General Descriptlon

Location--This project is about 25 miles southwest of

Klamath Falls, Oregon. The proposed diversion of Klamath

River isabout f..i.y§ miles west of Keno, Oregon. The proposed

power pJ-ant is located. about � miles ups�ream from the

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California line, on Klamath River • ._--

Maps and Drawings--The location of th�s project with r--

re{erence to Southern Oregon and Northern California is shown

on Fig. 1, No. 9, also Fig. 16. An approximate map and out-

line profile of the power canal is shown on Fi£. 20.

General Description--The project is, essentially, a

power canal development, as the � of the diversion dam and

the penstocks is comparatively low. The concrete lined canal ---

will be located on rocky hillside slopes, which average about

30 degrees, normal, to the center line of the canal. Tunnels

are required through the worst points and their combined length 1

amounts to two and one-half miles of the total of ten and one­

half miles of canal line. A net � of �will be

available at the water wheels, and with the proposed use of

l.J.60 second-feet, will develo 70,0QO electrical h.£_!'sepower

with a combined water wheel and generator efficienc�T of 76 per

cent.

River Discharge--Klamath River �ischarge records have been

kept for the =�eno Station since .V.ay, 1904, to date. Durini;i: "'1---- ��

this time the averaee annual discharge has been somewhat more

than 1,500,000 acre-feet, or the equivalent of a uniform flow

of 2,100 second-feet. The minimum annual discharge was

1,350,000 acre-feet, or an a�w of 1,860 second-feet.

The· minimum daily discharee was about 700 second-feet during

this period.

INCREASE OF IRRIGATION USE .....---.-,

The annual runoff of Klamath River for the past ten

years is �, however, a safe criterion for the estimate of

the water supply which would be available for power development,

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for tbe reason tbat various incompleted appropriations for

irrigation use will take increasingly large amount;S of water \ I (

for a number of years and new appropriations for irrigation

use will be required in the future for the fullest develop­

ment of the recion. It is, probably, well to assume that the ....-----,

ultimate maximum development will require irrieation @ to

be considered as �uper[<iV to tljat of _power development and,

therefore, it is � well in this connection to plan a p�er

development req irins a water supply so larce as to necessarily � -

prev�nt otherwise feasible irritation development. With

appropriate �legislation by California to permit

a�ation of California wa@ for s�perior use in Oregon,

it woulC. then be proper tu consider as a superior use, the --

proposed diversion from Klamath River for the irp_g.ation of -

� Valle in Northern California. Such a project would

probably require between 120,000 and 180,000 acre-feet. li._o

seepage return woulc be available from this project for the

proposed power development.

Various Oreeon irr·gation projects have been proposed

which woulC. decrease the available water suppl for power

development. A plan for Klamath �n Reservation proposes

the irrigation of from 20,000 to 60,000 acres. Such develop-

ment would reduce the average annual runo ff, after considering

seepage return, by not less than� acre-loot per acre. Pro­

�osed d��opment in the lower Klamatb Lake and � Lake dis­

tricts will require the diversion of about �cre-f...eet peP

acre. About half of this amount will probably find its way,

by seepage return, to the "rainage canals. If these discharge

into the lava beds south of Tule Lake, as contemplated, there

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will be a � l�s of the total diversions to the annual runoff

of Klamath River at Keno. If, however, it is found necessary ,,,

to � the water from the drainage ditches and r�n it to

Klamath River, the � loss will probably not greatly exc�ed -----..

one and one-half acre-feet per acre of land irrigated.

It is not possible, however, to closely predict the a_ ount

of water which should be considered as necessary for future

irrigation possibilities and, consequently, is impossible to

closely estimate the available power supply without a compre-

hensive study o f the entire situation, and it is not practicable

in connection with this report and estLnate to do this. It has,

therefore, been necessary to �e some assumptions w:J,tb.9ut

adequate knowledge of t he �ts, and the conclusions in this

report must be given onl such weight as future development

of information with relation to these assumptions will justify.

Assumptions of Irrigation Use and Storage Cost--It has

been assumed: (1) That future irrigation development will

c;lecr�se the average annual discharge at �o by j)00,000 acre­

feet; (2) that this increase of irrigation use will require

partial storase provision; and (3) that storage provision to

maintain the equivalent of an average uniform supply for a --- .--------...

minimum year of 1, 160 second-feet, for � use, can be ob­

�ed in connection with other interests at a cost to the --....

power development of not to exceed $1,500,000.

/_ � i � �ge in upper Klamath Lake naturally suggests

P � its elf as being the �ble method of regulating the �\��iver flow.

• \7 /_ The interests of the r,lparian OW!_lers on upper Kl�th / �e, however, are �erse that it would probably be very

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d iffi c ul t t o se c ur e fr o m them the righ t t o either rai$e o r

l o wer the l ak e abo ve o r b e l o w i ts no r mal l ev e l witho u t c la i ms -----fo r v e ry heavy damag e.

I t wil l b e se en, �her efo r e, tha t th e abo ve e� t e as

to s t o rag e c o s t i s a t e n ta t i v e o n e and wi l l pro bably r e qui r e

mat e r i al rev i s i o n w h e n i t i s p o ss i bl e t o sec ur e a c cura t e data.

Pag e 119

KLAMATH RIVER POV/ER PROJECT

Transmissi o n L i n e to Pac i f i c C oa st--A f i rs t c lass st e e l ---

t o w e r t ransm i ssi o n l i n e c an be c o ns truc t e d to de l i v e r 54,000

e l e c t r i cal ho rsepo wer fr o m the Kl ama th R i v er po wer pro je c t t o

t h e Pac i f i c C o ast, a t t h e mouth o f Rogu e R i v e r, with a l in e

l o ss o f 6 p e r c e nt, fo r a c o s t o f not t o exc e e d �10,000 p e r

mi l e o r a to tal o f $1,200,000 •

Annual c o s t o f pow e r a t c o ast, c o s t o f 60,000 E.H.P. at po w er plan t a t �7.15 . • . • • • .

( Transform e r l o sses, 4%; l in e l o ss, 6%)

Transm i ssi o n Line: Annual r e p lac e m e n t fund, 15-year

1 i f e , at 5% . • . • • . . . . . . • . . . . . • � • • Annual i n t e r est, 4%, $1,200,00.00 . . Annual mai nt enan c e and r epa i r At t endan c e and admi n istra t i o n • . . • •

$60�000.00 48,000.00 12,000.00 41,000.00

;;p429,000.00

161,000.00 To tal annual c o st, 54,000 E. E.P. availab l e • • $590,000.00

Co s t p e r base, E.H.P., say • • �11.00 Add i t i o nal 25%, say ......... 2.75

C o st p e r E.H.P., i f 80% o f ava i l ab l e power i s used • $13.75

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SHASTA VALLEY, U. S. G.' S. FROM E. C. LA RUE, 1922

Sha s ta River.

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Shasta Tiiver is form e d b' the uni on of its North and Mi ddl e

forks. The Nor th Fork , which dr ains the lar ger ar e a and i s there-

fore considered the c ontinuation of the main s tr e am, rises on the

east s lo pe o f China Mt. , at an altitude 6,000 feet abo ve s ea level.

Flo wing e as tward 6 mile s , the No rth Fo rk i s joine d by the Middle

Fork and from this junction the river flow s no rth�e s terly and joins

the Klamath at a po int about 7 mil e s s outh of Ho rnbrook , and about

8 mile s northe a s t o f Yr eka. In the upper basin o f Sha sta River

ther e are many springs i s suine fro m the lav a beds on the no rth bas e

o f Mt. Sha s ta. The princ ipal tributary o f Sha s ta River i s the

Little Shasta , which has its s our c e in T. 45 N., R 3 w., Mt. Diablo

Bas e and Meri dian , at an altitude o f 4600 f e et above se a level;

flows s outhwest for a distance o f 20 miles to its junction w ith

Shasta Ri ver. The dr ainage basin of Shasta River compris e s 810

s quare mi les, c ontributinc during an aver age ye ar about 160,000

acr e-fe et o f w ater to the Klrunath.

Page s 91, 92, 93

Klamath-Shasta Valley Irrigation Dis trict.

The available run-off from the Shasta Rive r basin is sufficient

to s upply water for the irrigation of but a small fra cti o n o f the

agricultur al land in Shasta Valley. Fo r many ye ar s thous ands of

acr e s o f the s e dry lands have b e en s e e d e d to wheat and barley. The

cro p returns have not been s atis f a ctory. The average annua l prec i-

pitation o ver the vall ey is about 13 inches , two-thirds of which

• falls during the winter mo nths. The droue-ht o f 1917-20 has conv inc e d

the owner s o f dry lands in Sh asta Val ley that to su c c e s s fully farm

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their lands , i r r igat ion wa ter must be made available. Dur i ng the

summer o f 1 9 20 the people of Shast a and Yreka valleys voted in

favor of organ izing the Klamath-Sh asta Val ley Irrigat i o n Distr i ct.

The d istr i ct embra ces about 300 , 000 ac res. I t is pro po sed t o o b­

t ain a water suppl y from Klamath Ri ver. A main c anal about 40

miles in length is to have its heading in Klamath River near Keno ,

Oregon , at elevation 4080 feet above se a level. See map ( Pl.XXI ,

i n po cket ) . The elevatio n o f the l ands to be i rrigated is between

27 00 and 3500 feet. The gr e ater portion o f the land is less than

3000 feet in elevation. It is impossible to determine , with any

aegree of cer t ai nty , the amount of irrigable land within the

boundary o f the pro posed i rr igat i o n distr i ct unt i l a t o po gr aph i c

survey h as been made o f the v alley. S c a t tered o ver the southern

half of the v alley are i nnumerable mounds , buttes and cha ins of

• buttes. Lying between these mounds and but tes are i rregular shaped

areas o f go od agr i cultur al land. See ( Pl.XXVIIO. To determine the

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area o f irrigable land i n these small i rregular tr a c ts will requ i re

a det a iled topogr aphi c survey. On the map ( Pl. XXI, in po cket ) is

given the boundary o f the Klamath-Shast a Valley Irr igati o n Distr i ct.

An at tempt has been made to show roughly the non-irrigable land i n

the dis tr i c t.

It may prove feasible to develop a l arge quantity o f power at

a po int near Bogus mountain wbere the w ater from the main c anal

will be dropped i nto the valley. The r oute of the main c anal is

through a region of l ava fo rmation cut out by many deep canyons.

and ravines. It i s known that the construc t i o n of the main canal ,

whi ch mus t be concrete lined thro ughout its length , will be expen­

sive. The cost o f the main canals i n tbe valley and the distri­

but ion system may no t be excessi ve. The Califo rnia-Oregon Power

3

Company h as a 125 fo ot dam and a power house at Co p co with an

• installed capac ity o f 1 8, 600 H.P. Should the Klamath-Shasta Valley

Irrigation Distr i ct be develo ped as planned , the waters of Kl amath

Ri ver w ould be di verted above and c arried around the Cop c o p ower

plant. This develo pment o f 1 8 , 690 H.P., as well as several un­

develo p ed sites with an aggregate c ap a c ity of about 1 42 , 000 H. P.

would be destr oyed. Th is power made unavailable would be parti ally

o ffset by the power develo ped as p art o f the irrigatio n project.

The f e asi bility of the Klamath-Shasta Valley Irr igation Dis-

tr i ct depends on the available w ater supply , the available ir r igabl e

land and the cost of br inging the w ater t o the land. Suffi c ient

data are not now available on whi ch to base an estimate o f the c ost

of the i rr igat ion system o r to determine the amount o f available

irr igable land, The climati c conditi o ns in Shasta Valley are not

• unfavor able f o r it h as been demonstr ated r e pe atedly th at valuable

•

crops c an be grown where w ater fo r i rr igation is ava i lable. Som e

o f the best land i n the valle y i s witho�t water. It i s known that

these lands c an stand a c o mpar ati vely high c ost per a c r e for an

ade quate irr igation system. It ia the wr iter ' s opinion that the

project of the Klamath-Shasta Valley Irr igati on Distr i ct h as suffi-

cient mer it to justify the expenditure of a c o nsiderable sum o f

mone y o n surveys and an engineer ing investigation t o settle for

all time the questi o n as to whether o r not the dry lands in th is

valley may be i rr igated.

For the pur pose o f this repo rt the wr iter has guessed that

poss ibly 1 00,000 a cres of l and w ithi n the boundary o f the Klamath-

Shasta Valley Irr igation Distr i ct not now irrigated , may be irri­

gable.

•

4

Pages 127-1 30

Shasta Valley .

Ab out 27 , 000 acres were irrigated in the basin o f Shasta River

in 19 20. By further development of the water resour ces of the b asin

a small addi t ional area may be i rr igated. However , the great b o dy

o f agr icultural land in Shasta Valley must remain dry unless re­

claimed by i r r igat ion with the waters o f Klamath R i ver.

The Klamath-Shasta Valley Irri0ation Distr i ct has been f ormed

for the purpose o f determining the feasib i l i ty o f utilizing the

waters o f Klamath River fo r irrigation o f lands in Shasta Valley .

See page 9 1. The mai n canal , 40 miles long , would have its heading

o n Kl amath River near Keno , Oregon. ( See plate XXI, i n pocket. )

It is known that the c o st per acre i rrigated w i l l be high, and

it seems likely that the lands in Shasta Val ley cannot stand the

• constructio n cost unless a large amount o f power is developed at

the end o f the main canal. Therefore in estimating the water supply

available for the irrigation o f lands in Shasta Val ley , serio us con­

sideration :nust be given the fact that a large amo unt o f continuous

power must be developed as a part of the plan fo r irrigation devel­

opment. It wo uld no t be economi cal to construct the 40 mile diver-

sion canal with sufficient capa city to take care of the variation

in daily load. Data wil l now be presented to show the maximum

amount of water that can be made available 1 00 per cent o f the time

by means o f sto rage in Upper Klamath Lake.

It has been suggested that Lower Klamath Lake should be used

fo r sto r age purposes. This problem has been studied c arefully and

it is the opin i o n o f the autho r that Lower Kl amath Lake shoul d b e

• unwatered so that the best lands a d jacent to o r occupied by the

natural lake can be utilized for aericultural fUrpo ses . To utilize

5

this lake fo r s to r age purposes wo uld result in unneces sary waste

• o f water due to the l arge loss by evapo r ation from the l ake s ur face.

Upper Klamath Lake must be utilized fo r stor age to t ake care o f the

demand for water for irrigation development in the Kl amath basin

in Oregon. With additional sto r age o btained by r ais ing Upper

Kl&natb Lake above elevatio n 4143.3 certain additional losses due

to evapo r ation will prevail but these losses would be s mall in

comparison with the a dditional loss from evapo r ation if Lo wer

Kl amath Lake were used a s a second sto r age reservoir.

In the s tudy o f the benefits to be derived from s tor age in

Upper Kl ama th Lake between elevations 4 1 36 and 41 43.3 abo ve sea

level , U.S.R.S. datum , it was found that during year s o f low run­

off the water supply would be sufficient to take care o f the demand

for water fo r co mplete irrie:ation development in the b a s in above

• the point where Klamath River cro s s es the Califo rnia-Oregon boundary

and furnish a flo w of 205 second-feet in Link River to satisfy a

prior right f o r water for power purpo s es. See p ages 126 & 127.

During these years of low run-off the water supply available f o r

•

irrigation in Shasta Valley , Califo rnia would have been 205 second­

feet throughout the irrigation sea s on. It is therefore app arent

that to obtain a dependable water supply for the irrigatio n o f

100 , 000 acres o f land in Shasta Val ley it will be neces sary to

utilize Upper Klamath Lake for storage purposes to an elevation

higher than 4143.3 feet above sea level , U.S.R.S. datum.

Dis regarding the plan for diking of f the marginal swamp l ands ,

area and capacity curves were prepared for Upper Klamath Lake , Pl.

XXXI, ( in pocket ) •

The net-available-inflow into Upper Kl amath Lake , o btained b y

adding the storage i n the l ake ( plus o r ninus ) t o the measured

6

out-flow , was calculated fo r the per i o d May 15, 1904 t o September

• 30, 1920. To determi ne tbe na tural storage i n the lake i t was

necessary to t ake into account tbe f act that the area of tbe lake

has been ch anged from t i me to t ime as the marginal swamp l ands

were diked o ff. See Plate XXIX , (in pocket). Usi ng the net-

avai lable-inflow , calculated as explained abo ve , the area and capa-

ci ty curves for the l ake without dikes , the demand fo r water for

complete i rr igat i on development in tbe basin abo ve t he Cali f orni a-

Oregon boundary , t he reco rd showing the lake level under natural

co ndi t i o ns , the evapo r a t io n from the lake surf ace , and the co ns t ant

flow of 9 80 second-feet to be mainta ined i n Link Ri ver , Char t E ,

Pla te XXX, (i n pocket) was pr epared.

In preparing Cha r t E, Pla te XXX , just referred t o , i t was

assumed that the reser vo i r would b ave been empty a t the beginning

• o f the record , May 15, 1904. If the draft o n the r eservo i r dur i ng

the 17 years preceding May 15, 1904 had been 720,000 acre-feet

annually for i rriga t io n plus a co ns t ant flow in Link Ri ver of 9 80

second- feet the reservo i r migh t have been full o n May 15, 1964.

This statement is based on the varia t i on in prec ipi t at i on in Sco t t

Valley shown i n Plate XXVIII.

Wa ter supply wi th addi t i onal storage.

Pages 144-145

In connec t i o n wi th the s tudy o f the water supply available

for i rr iga t i o n i n Shas t a Val ley , Cal i for nia i t was found that suf-

ficient stor age capaci ty shoulo be pro v i ded in Upper Klamath Lake

to make possible the full ut ilization o f the outflow from the lake.

• (See page 129 ) . It was found that bf creating an available s t o r age

capaci ty i n Upper Klamath Lake o f 2,614,000 acre-feet a constant

7

flow o f 9 8 0 s e co nd-feet could be maintained at Keno , Orego n w i th

• the demand for water for comple te irrigat i o n develo pment in t he

bas in abo ve the Califo rnia-Oregon boundary sati s fied. It i s propo s ed

t o diver t Klamath R i ver at Ken o , Orego n f o r i rr i ga t io n of lands i n

Shas ta Valley. If th i s plan of development i s carr ied ou t the

ent ire flow o f Klamath R i ver at Ken o , Oregon would be diver ted and

there would be no water available for power purpo ses at Klamath

River power s i te (4).

W i th s torage in Upper Klamath Lake to eleva t i on 41 58 U.S.R.S.

datum, full i rr i gation development i n the bas in abo ve the Cal i fo rni a-

Oregon boundary and no water d i ver ted for the irr i gat ion o f lands

in Shas ta Valley 9 80 s e cond-feet would be available for power a t

Klamath R i ver power s i te (4), 1 00 per cen t o f t he t ime.

Page 1 47

• Water Supply.

•

The water s upply available a t Power Si te (9 a ) i s dependent

upon the comple t i on of the pro je c t of t he Klamath-Sha s ta Valley

Irr igati on Dis tri ct and the d i ver s i on o f a prac t i call y cons tan t

flow from Klamath Ri ver. In d i s cus s ing the us e of Klama th River

water fo r irr i ga t i o n o f lands i n Shas ta Valley (page 1 31) , i t was

as sumed that a c ons tant flow of 9 8 0 second-feet may be di ver ted

from Klamath Ri ver fo r the irri gati on of 1 00 , 000 a cres .

Pages 157-1 63

KLAMATH FALLS PLANT (2) .

The Klamath Falls plant i s lo cated o n Link River at Klama th

Fall s , Oregon in the NVlf, - L SW ·!, s e c. 32 , T. 38 s . , R. 9 E. , W . M .

About the year 1 8 8 0 Mo o re Bro the r s co ns t ru c ted a di t ch t o

diver t the water s of Link River for i r r i ga t i o n and power purpo ses.

Under an agreement entered into i n 1 9 05 , �o ore Bro thers s urren dered

r 8

to the Uni ted S tates their canal righ t s of way and al l r i parian

• and other ve s ted r ight s to the wat e r s of Link River rece ivine; the re­

for , water for power purpos es to the amount of 205 s econd-feet

when actual l y required.

The Uni ted S tates Reclama t i on S ervice recons tructed the Moore

Brothe r s ' ditch an� increased its capaci t y to 635 s econd-fee t. This

work was completed in October , 19 08. It was the pl an of the Unit ed

S tates Reclamat i on Service to utilize 400 s econd-fee t for power

purpos e s , del iver 205 second-fee t to v oor e Brother s for power pur-

poses and use 30 s econd fee t for the irr i ga tio n of l ands on the

wes t bank of Klamath River below Klamath Fal ls . These plans were

never car r i ed out except tha t 205 s econd-feet of water has been

del ivered to Moore Brother s for power purposes.

At present ( 19 22) the old power plant of Moore Brother s i s

• owned by the Cal ifornia-Oregon Power Company , which co pany has

leased from the Uni ted S t ates the s o-cal led Keno Canal which re-

•

placed the Moore Brother s ' d i tch.

W�ter i s carr ied to the power house by means of the Keno Canal

which has i ts heading on L ink River at the outlet of Upper Klamath

Lake. The s ta t i c head at th e plant i s 48 fee t.

The power plant ( Pl. XXXI V ) i s e quipped with one Pel ton-Franci s

turbine wi th a r ated capaci ty of 1 0 40 hor s e-power and one Wes ting-

house 600 kv-a genera tor. The 3-pha s e , 60- c ycle , cur rent i s

benerated a t 2300 vol t s and s tepped up to 3 4 , 600 vol t s for trans-

mi s s ion to the power market. This plant i s interconnected with

al l other puwer plants owned by t he Cal ifornia-Oregon Power Company.

Under the contrac t be t ween t he United S t a tes and the Cal i forni a-

Oregon Power Company , the company has cons tructed a dam in Link

River for the purpose of s toring water in Upper Klamath Lake to

•

9

elevat ion 41 43 . 3 feet abo ve sea lev e l U.S . R. S . d atum. (See Page 61 ) .

The outflow from Upper Kl amath Lake , no t requ i red fo r i r r iga t io n ,

may be used b y t he company for power purposes . The amount o f w a ter

found to be avai l able at Kl amath River power si te (4 ) is the same

as that whi ch wo ul d be avai l able fo r power development on Link

Ri ver (See pages 1 44 and 1 4 5 ) . The ana l ysis o f t he stream flow

dat a i ndi cates that w i th sto r age in Upper Kl ama th Lake to eleva t i on

4143.3 u . s . R . S . datum and w a ter di ver ted fo r ful l i rr i ga t i o n devel­

o pment in the Kl ama th Ri ver basin abo ve the Cal i forni a-Oregon

boundary the flow o f Link Ri ver avai l ..ble for power purpo s es , 90 and

50 per cent o f t he t ime would be 3 43 and 1 2 40 second-feet respect i vel y.

Wi th a head o f 48 feet , 1 320 and 4760 horsepower could be devel oped

90 and 50 per cent of t he t ime.

W i th compl e te i rr i ga t i o n deve lo pment in the Kl amath River bas in

• abo ve the C a l i f o rni a-Oregon boundar y and Upper Kl amath Lake u ti l i zed

•

for sto rage purpo ses t o elev a t i o n 41 5 8 , U . S. R . S . datum a cons t ant

flow of 980 second- fee t could be maint a i ned i n Link River. Under

these co ndi t i ons o f devel opment the capaci t y o f the Kl ama th Fal l s

power pl ant could be incr e ased t o 3760 ho rse-power.

KENO POWER PLANT ( 3 ) .

The Keno power pl ant is l ocated o n Kl amath Ri ver 1.5 mi l es be­

low Keno , Oregon in the SW i o f sec. 3 6 , T . 39 s . , R. 7 E . , W . M .

The C al i for ni a-Oregon Power Company h as lease d th i s pl ant from

the Keno Power Company. By t aking advant age of the na tur al fall at

a sharp bend in Kl amath River a head o f 22 feet i s o bt a i ned by a

di version canal about 1 50 0 feet l ong.

Pla te XXXV s hows the structures wh i ch house the three uni ts

a t the end o f the diversion canal.

•

1 0

The original development c o nsi s ted o f o ne turbine of 2 5 0

ho rse-power c apacity and o ne Gener al Ele ctri c generato r with a

r ated c ap a c ity o f 225 ki l owatts. The sec ond unit consists of o ne

turbine o f 600 b-0rse-power c ap a c ity and o ne General Electr i c genera­

to r with a r ated c apac ity o f 450 ki l owatts. I n 1 9 20-21 the Cal iforni a -

Orego n P ower Company insta l led a th ird unit c o ns isting of two Mc-

Cormi ck Verti c al Turbines o f 3 47. 5 horse-power each and one General

Electri c gene r ato r with a r ating of 450 ki l ow atts.

The total instal led cap a c ity of the pl ant is 1 5 45 horsepower

for the water wheels and 1125 kilowatts for the generators. The

3-phase , 60- c ycle alternating current is generated at 2 300 volts

and stepped up to 1 1 , 000 vo lts f o r tr ansmiss i on to Kl amath Falls ,

Oregon. At Kl amath Fal ls the Keno power pl ant is i nter c o nnec ted

with the Californi a-Ore gon Power Company ' s 3 4 , 600 vo l t transmissi o n

• system.

W ith c o�plete i rrigat i o n devel o pment in the Kl amath River bas i n

abo ve the Cal i fo rn i a-Oregon boundary a n d w i t h Upper Kl amath Lake

util i zed for stor age purposes to el evat i on 41 4 3. 3 U . S . R . S . datum ,

the w ater supply ava i l able for power purposes at the Keno power

pl ant 9 0 and 50 per cent o f the time would be 343 and 1240 second-

feet respectivel y. Under these c o ndit ions o f devel opment 640

horsepower could be devel oped at the Keno power pl ant 9 0 per cent

o f the time and 2180 horsepower 5 0 per cent o f the time.

W ith c omplete i rri gation development in the Kl amath River basin

abo ve the Californi a-Orego n boundary and Upper Kl amath Lake uti l ized

for sto rage purp oses to elevati o n 4158 U . S . R . S . datum and with no

water diverted from Kl amath River for irrigat i o n o f l ands in Shasta

• Val ley a c o nstant f l ow o f 9 80 second-feet c ould be made ava i l able

for power purposes at the Keno power pl ant. Under these c o nditi ons

11

o f development the capaci t y o f the Keno power pl an t coul d be in-

• creased t o 1 720 horsepower.

Under the same plan o f development as expl a ined in the pre-

ceding paragraph , except tha t t he wa ter o f Kl ama th Ri ver is diverted

a t Keno , Oregon fo r the i rrigat i o n of 100 , 000 acres o f l and �in

Shasta Val ley , Cal i forni a , the re w oul d be no w a t er a v a i l able for

power purposes at the si te of the Keno Power Pl ant (3) .

EDSON POWER PLANT ( 4) •

The Edson power p l ant is l ocated near the mouth of Sho vel

Creek a small tribut ary of Kl ama th R i ver , in the 81.IV . -� sec . 27 , T.

48 N . , R. 3 W., M . D.M .

The w a ter s upp l y which is co nveyed to t he power plant b y means

o f a woo den flume is obt ained from N i gger Creek , a smal l tribu t ary

to Shovel Creek. The pl an t is o pera ted under a s t a t i c head o f abou t

• 9 0 feet.

•

The power house , a small woo den struc ture, cont ains 1 undersho t

Pel ton wheel rated a t about 15 horsepower , and one genera t o r w i th

a rated capaci t y o f 10 k i l owat ts.

The power i s used for l ight ine purposes at the Kl ama th Ho t

Springs resor t.

CO PCO POWER PLANT ( 5).

The Copco p l an t is l o cated o n Kl amath Ri ver in Siskiyou Coun t y ,

Cal i f orni a , in the SE. t , S W t , sec. 29 , T. 4 8 N., R. 4 W. , M.D.M.

The Copco p l an t wh ich is owned by the Cal i forni a-Oregon Power

Company is the l argest h ydro electric developmen t in the Kl amath

Ri ver basin. The concrete arch-grav i t y t ype dam w as co nstructed

on bed rock 130 feet below the river bed and carri ed to an e le va t ion

o f 110 feet abo ve the averase l ow-water l evel in t he r i ver. The v

dam and first uni t in the power house were comple ted in February 1918 .

r

•

12

The power ho use , wh i ch was c ons truc ted o f reinfor ced c oncrete , is

lo c a ted on the right bank of the ri ver immedia tely below the dam

( See Pl. XX.XVI . )

The fir s t unit consis t s o f o ne Allis Chalmers turbine which

has a r a ted capacity o f 1 8 , 600 hors epower and o ne General Ele c tric

12 , 500 kv-a ; 2300 volt , 3-phas e , 60 c ycle gene rator which has a

c�pacity o f 1 0 , 000 kilowa t t s a t 8 0 per cent power f a c t or. The

curren t which is g enera ted a t 2 300 vol t s is s tepped up to 3 4 , 6 0 0

vo lts for transmis sion n o r t h to point s in Orego n and t o 69 , 000

vol t s for transmis sio n s outh t o poin t s in Californi a.

The power is u s ed fo r commercial pur po ses in the towns o f

southern Oregon and northern Cali fornia. Co ns iderable power is

als o used for pumping water fo r irriga tio n and for mining. The

surplus power is transmit ted s outh to the s ys tem o f the P acific

• Gas and Electric Company , whi ch s ys tem is interconnected with tha t

of the C alifornia- Oregon Power Company.

•

Th e Copc o dam is being raised to an eleva tion o f 125 feet abo ve

the original low-water level in the river and a s e c o nd unit is being

ins t alled ( 19 2 2 ) . The &achinery for t he s e cond unit which i s t he

s ame as that of the firs t unit , has been s tored a t the site s in c e

1918 . The t o t al ins t alled capacity o f the wa ter whiils will there­

fo re be 37 , 200 ho r sepower , wi th a generato r cap a city o f 2 0 , 000

kilowat t s at 8 0 per cen t power f a c t o r.

The wat er supply available for the Cop co power plant is

pra c tic ally the s ame a s tha t available at Klama th River power s ite

( 4 ) . ( See p ages 1 44 and 1 45.)

With complete irrigation development in the Klamath River basin

abo ve the Califo rnia -Oregon boundary and Upp e r Klamath Lake utilized

for s to rage to elevation 41 43.3 U.S.R.S. datum there would be avail able

1 3

a t the C o p c o p l an t 9 0 and 5 0 p er c e n t o f th e t ime 3 43 and 1 2 40 s e c ond-

• f e e t r e s pe c t i ve l y . Und e r the s e c o n di ti o n s o f fl o w and a head 1 25

f e e t , 3430 ho r s e p o w e r c o u l d be de v e l o p e d 9 0 pe r c en t o f the t ime

and 1 2 , 400 ho r s e power 50 p er c en t o f the t i me .

W i th c ompl e t e i rr i g a t i o n de v e l o pme n t i n the Kl ama th R i v e r b a s i n

ab o v e t h e C a l ifo rni a - O r e gon b ound ar y , Upp e r Kl ama th L ake u t i l i z e d

f o r s tor age t o e l e v a t i o n 41 58 U.S . R . S . da tum and no w a t e r diver t ed

from Kl amath R i v e r fo r i r r i ga t i o n o f l ands in Sha s t a Val l e y a c o n -

s t an t f l ow o f 980 s e c o nd - f e e t c o u l d be made avail abl e a t t he Co p c o

pl an t . Und e r the s e a s sump t i o ns and an ava i l ab l e h e ad o f 12 5 f e e t ,

9 800 continuous ho r s epower c o u l d b e d e v e l o p e d . Du e to the p o ndage

ava i l abl e abo v e the C o p c o d am , a c o n s t an t f l ow o f 9 8 0 s e c o nd - f e e t

i s mo r e than s uf f i c i e n t t o t ake c ar e o f a 5 hour dai l y p e ak o f

37 , 200 ho r s e p ow ei whi ch i s t o b e t h e i n s t a l l e d w a t e r whe el c ap a c i ty

• a t the C o p c o pl ant .

•

Under the a s sump t i o n s given in t he pr e c e ding p ar agr aph w i th

the ex c ep t i o n th a t 9 80 s e c o nd - f e e t i s di v e r t e d from Kl ama th R i ver

a t Keno , Or e go n fo r the i r r i g a t i o n o f 1 00 , 000 a cr e s o f l and i n ·

Shas t a Val l ey th ere wo u l d b e pr a c t i c al l y no w a t er a v a i l ab l e f o r

power pur po s e s a t C o p co . Under thi s p l an o f d e v e l o pmen t i t wo ul d

b e n e c e s s ary t o ab ando n the C o p c o p l an t •