Skagit River General Investigation
CONCRETE HERALD HISTORICAL FLOOD ARTICLE RESEARCH
Researched,
assembled and organized by: Dan Berentson, Josef, Jeffrey and Larry Kunzler
Index prepared by Larry Kunzler 11/26/05
The articles presented here were copied from microfiche and/or scanned copies of the actual newspapers unless quality of the original document and subsequent scan dictated a new keystroke version for legibility.
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BERRY GROWING IS GIVEN BIG BOOST IN SKAGIT COUNTY The berry-growing industry in Skagit County will be given a big boost as the result of an arrangement made by the Q.A.Q. Warehouse Company of Mount Vernon with one of the largest canning companies in the state. The Mount Vernon company is authorized to enter into contracts for the planting of 500 acres of land in Skagit County to berries of various sorts, and to contract for the crop of berries for five years at a minimum price that will net the grower from $250 to $500 per acre, the price to be subject to increase whenever justified by market conditions. … The land in the Skagit Valley is said to be particularly suitable for the growing of berries and small fruits, and the nation-wide market that has been built up during the past few years confers upon this valley an opportunity that at present is realized by very few people. |
Agricultural History Berry growing finds its roots in Skagit County. |
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FISH HATCHERY AT BAKER LAKE STOPS WORK FOR WINTER Foreman Joe Kemmerick of the Baker Lake fish hatchery came into town Thursday with the news that work at the hatchery had been stopped for the winter and all extra men laid off. Only enough men will be retained at the fisheries station to look after the eggs in the hatchery building and care for to property at the lake. … These men will keep things moving until the weather moderates in the spring, when the full crew will again be put to work running the station and rebuilding the plant destroyed by fire last summer. During the severe cold last month Baker Lake was frozen over and work at the sawmill stopped because logs could not be towed across the lake to operate the mill. … The men now at the hatchery will have a considerable job on their hands in about a month, when about two and a half million eggs now being eyed at the lake will have to be carried out and shipped to the Birdsview hatchery, where they will be hatched. These will have to be packed out on horses, with the trail at its worst. … It will require about eight trips with the pack train to carry out all the eggs to be sent to Birdsview. |
Fish Issue Fish hatchery on Baker Lake. Began construction in 1898. Was operated by the federal government. Carried out the sockeye and steelhead fry by horseback. |
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SEATTLE TO BUILD STATE HATCHERY ON UPPER RIVER C.F. Uhden, engineer in charge of the Seattle power project on the upper Skagit, has notified the state fish commissioner that the city will construct a state fish hatchery on the Skagit. The city is required to build fishways over all its power dams to permit salmon to reach spawning grounds or build a hatchery. As there will be five large power dams in the completed unity the city has decided to build the hatchery. … It is believed that a site near the first dam will be selected. The hatchery will cost between $10,000 and $15,000, and will be the thirty-ninth in the state, which gives this state the largest number of any state in the United States. |
Fish Issue Seattle City Light was supposed to build a state ran fish hatchery on the Upper Skagit. This is further evidence which strongly suggest that the fish made it past Newhalem. 38 fish hatchery’s existed in the State of Washington in 1920. |
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Flood Control – Dredging Needed bond to protect government from damages due to flood control work. No evidence the work was ever done. No money spent on flood control for “several years”. |
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Dam Building Proposed Dams at the Faber site and the Cascade River being looked at. |
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NEW CAMP AT FABER IS READY TO BEGIN SHIPPING OUT LOGS The new logging camp at Faber, recently opened by the Faber Logging Company, with Robt. Nestos of this city as manager has practically completed all preliminary work and everything is now lined up to begin shopping logs within the next few days. … The biggest job to be done, before logging could be started was the building of a railroad track three quarters of a mile in length from Faber spur to the timber. … The main camp near Faber station is becoming quite a settlement, the camp buildings are still of a temporary character, but these will all be replaced by substantial frame structures before winter. |
Logging History It would be interesting to try and find this logging camp today. |
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MAYOR OF SEATTLE MAKES FIRST VISIT TO SKAGIT PROJECT Mayor Hugh M. Caldwell of Seattle passed through here Thursday on his way to the upper Skagit Valley for his first visit to the site of the city of Seattle’s hydro-electric power plant on the upper river. … He was accompanied by A.H. Dimock, city engineer; C.F. Uhden, special engineer in charge of the project, and J.D. Ross, superintendent of the Seattle light department. The inspection trip will include not only the work already done on the initial development at Gorge Creek, for which an appropriation of $5,500,000 has been made by the Seattle City council, but also the proposed development at Ruby Creek, said by engineers to be the key to the entire project, if the water power resources of the upper Skagit are to be utilized to the limit of their possibilities. A survey of the Ruby Creek section is soon to be made to determine the feasibility of the proposed construction and its probable cost. Estimates on tentative plans give the approximate cost of the completed project as $55,000,000. |
Gorge Dam Mayor of Seattle looked at Gorge Dam construction and proposed site of Ross Dam. |
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SEATTLE MAYOR IS PLEASED BY VISIT TO SKAGIT PROJECT The mayor expressed himself as greatly impressed with the magnitude of the Skagit project and the wonderful possibilities for greater development, particularly mentioning the splendid sites for power dams at Diablo Canyon and Ruby Creek, where natural conditions apparently make it possible to construct great dams on foundations of solid rock in narrow gorges. He stated that one of the questions under consideration by the engineers has to do with the type of dam to be constructed at Gorge Creek. It has been found possible to construct a low diversion dam at Gorge Creek and a high impounding dam a half mile farther down the stream. The diversion dam would be less expensive, but the impounding dam would develop greater power. So far the only actual construction work has been done at Gorge Creek, where a sawmill has been erected and material is being assembled for the erection of the plant. Test borings are also being made at the Diablo and Ruby sites. |
Diablo and Ross Dam Ruby Creek Dam was later named Ross Dam. Only “test borings” had been done at Diablo and Ross. |
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BIG CANNERY PLANT AT BURLINGTON IS READY TO OPERATE The first unit of Burlington’s $50,000 modern canning plant is practically completed and ready for the opening of the canning season. The main building was completed some time ago, and the finishing touches are now being put on the brick structure to be used as an engine and boiler room. The interior woodwork has been painted during the past week, and all the machinery for the plant is on the ground and is being rapidly installed. The plant is modern in every respect, and is so built that it can be conveniently enlarged as its business increases. The company backing the plant has contracted sufficient acreage of fruit and vegetables to practically assure steady operation throughout the season. … New canning plants are also being constructed in Sedro-Woolley and Mount Vernon, and it is expected that both will be completed in time for operation during the 1920 season. The canning plants of the lower valley will undoubtedly prove a large factor towards stimulating the fruit and berry growing industry in this county, as they assure a steady and sure market for prospective growers. |
Agricultural History New cannery in Burlington to process fruits and vegetables. Canneries also planned for Mt. Vernon and Sedro-Woolley. |
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TIDE LAND ACREAGE NEAR ANACORTES TO BE RECLAIMED To change twelve thousand acres of overflowed tide lands into tillable farms is the aim of a number of Anacortes business men who recently formed a company known as the Padilla Bay Development company. This company has purchased from the state of Washington about 12,000 acres of tidelands in the Padilla bay district, near Anacortes, the lands lying between Samish and the mouth of the Swinomish slough, and including Saddlebag and Hat islands. The diking and draining of this tract will be one of the biggest reclamation projects ever undertaken in this part of the state, but the plan is said to be simple and entirely feasible. Surveys and plans are now being made, and the reclamation dikes will be under construct within a few weeks. When the reclamation work is completed the company expects to subdivide the tract into small farms, which will be sold to actual settlers. |
Padilla Bay Development Tidelands to be developed into small farms. |
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RECORD RAINFALL DOES GREAT DAMAGE IN COUNTY The heavy rains which have been almost continuous from September 10 until Thursday this week have broken all rainfall records for the county for this season of the year, and have caused great damage to crops in Skagit and Whatcom counties. It is estimated that the damage to oats, potatoes and late fruits in the two counties will exceed half a million dollars. … The Skagit River has been at almost flood stage for several weeks, but no direct damage from the high water has been reported. Near Mount Vernon some of the dikes were threatened for a few days the first of the week when several small breaks occurred, but the dikes were repaired before any damage was done. |
Rain For Almost 30 Days. Fails to produce large flood although Skagit stayed just below flood stage for several weeks. |
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WORK IS RUSHED ON TEMPORARY PLANT ON UPPER SKAGIT The city of Seattle voted Monday to appropriate an additional $175,000 for the hydro-electric power project on the upper Skagit River, and it is stated that the major part of the appropriation will be used for the completion of the temporary power plant which is now being built near the mouth of Newhalem creek. With the completion of the temporary electric plant, all the preliminary work will be about, completed, and everything will be ready to being actual construct work on the main project, and it is expected the work on the huge dam will be started by early summer. Although it takes considerable time to make much of a showing on a project of the magnitude of that undertaken on the upper Skagit, the progress made so far is very satisfactory, and it is likely that by this time next year the big dams and the main power plant will be well underway. But even at the present rate of progress it will be several years before the first unit is ready for use. |
Gorge Dam Temporary power plant at Newhalem. Diablo and Ross not yet under construction. |
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CONTRACT LET FOR TRACK EXTENSION BY CITY OF SEATTLE The board of public works of the city of Seattle last week awarded the contract for the construction of a railroad track from the Newhalem camp, on the old Dohne homestead, to the Gorge creek dam site, a distance of 2.65 miles, to the Grant Smith Company on its bid of $94,923.25. … With the transportation line about completed, the board of public works took the first steps towards furnishing the rolling stock needed to operate the city’s railway system. |
Railroad Construction Newhalem to Gorge Creek dam site. |
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SKAGIT BAY DIKING PROJECT SHOWN UP BY STATE ENGINEER The Skagit Bay diking project, which has been extensively advertised, and under which it was proposed to reclaim 9,300 acres of land at Skagit Bay near the mouth of the Skagit River, was inspected recently by E. M. Chandler, chief engineer of the Washington State Reclamation service and Prof. S. J. Sievers of the Washington State College. These men made a personal survey of the entire district, and in a report, filed with the state board say that, the plan is impracticable and infeasible. It is shown that the location of the lands and the character of the tides would require exceptionally high and strong dikes, and that the cost would be more than $260 per acre for diking, with the engineers believing that in several parts of the district successful diking would be impossible. Owing to the character of the land, expensive pumping plants would be needed to keep off seepage, and this expense would add much to the cost per acre. |
Padilla Bay Development Kyboshed Plan to “recover” 9,300 acres of tidelands called impracticable and infeasible. Successful diking of the Bay called “impossible”. |
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ANACORTES HAS A REMINDER OF THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD A little trickle at first, a runlet, a break, a roaring torrent, and then a wall of water rolled down from Cranberry lake to the Sound, when a portion of the dam gave way and a million tons of water swept down the half mile from the dam to tidewater, carrying dirt, gravel, boulders and logs with it, cutting great gashes in the hillside, destroying roads and burying the railway tracks and foreshore beneath thousands of tons of debris. The break began early Monday evening, and at 8 o’clock 500 yards of Oakes avenue, Anacortes, below the lake was under a deep flood - a veritable Niagara was falling with terrific force and noise down the final drop of a hundred feet over the bluff to the beach below. One home, almost in the path of the flood, was abandoned, the owner with his life and baby taking to the sea in a skiff, Watchmen in the fisheries plants were imprisoned in the buildings; others attempted to keep the water out of their homes. In a few hours the flood crest had passed, but still thousands of tons of water was tumbling down the heights as the lake emptied itself, and it was not until Tuesday morning that stock could be taken of the damage. … Cranberry lake was originally a pond of a few acres in extent and many years ago furnished much of the water supply for Anacortes, when a small wooden dam was built across the outlet. Later this dam was made higher, but it was not until about 20 years ago that any serious attempt was made to utilize the waters of the pond, and for emergency purposes only, and on but few occasions was the water ever turned into the city system. This was usually in big salmon years when the canneries were using millions of gallons of water monthly right in the dry season. |
Anacortes Flood Cranberry Lake dam fails and floods Oakes Avenue. Cranberry Lake furnished water supply to City of Anacortes around turn of the 20th century. |
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SEATTLE OFFICIALS INSPECT WORK AT SKAGIT POWER SITE A party of Seattle city officials passed through this city Tuesday on their way to the site of the city of Seattle’s power project on the upper Skagit River. … The Seattle power project has been under fire in that city for several weeks, claims being made that all plans so far are indefinite and that the plant will cost more than it will be worth to the city. An organized effort is being made to get the council to drop the project entirely, or at least suspend operations until conditions are more favorable for construction work. There also appears to be a wide difference of opinion as to the character of dam to be built, and in regard to the size of the first unit. The city has already spent approximately $5,000,000 in building a railroad from Rockport to the site of the project at this stage would result in the total loss of practically all the money already spent, it is not likely that work will be discontinued. |
City of Seattle Having Doubts About Dam Projects Alleged that power projects would cost more then they would be worth. Imagine how different our states history would have been if those “doubts” would have prevailed. |
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DRAINAGE PROJECT IN LOWER VALLEY IS BIGGEST IN COUNTY After being four years in process of formation, the biggest drainage projects ever planned in the Skagit County, and one of the biggest on the Pacific coast is now rapidly taking shape, and the first hearing on the project will be held before the board of the county commissioners early in July. More than 15,000 acres of rich farm land are included in the area to be drained, and the work of constructing the main and lateral ditches, building dams and out flow gates, with the necessary machinery, will require and expenditure of more than $750,000. … The main ditch will start west of Burlington, near the hill on the Knutzen farm, and run southerly through the lands of the Conner Land company to North Avon. From there it runs westerly through the low lands near Fredonia and on to empty into the slough at Whitney. When completed thousands of acres of what is now practically waste land will be reclaimed and made highly productive. It is estimated that it will take several years to finish the work. |
Drainage Project This project is still visible and the argument could certainly be made that it enabled “thousands of acres of wasteland” to become highly productive farmland. |
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COUNTY MAY TAKE STEPS TO PROTECT BAKER RIVER BANKS At the regular meeting of the board of county commissioners held in Mount Vernon this week a petition was presented signed by a large number of residents of this city and vicinity, asking that the county take steps to protect the banks of the Baker river adjacent to this city to prevent the washing away of valuable land. It was shown to the commissioners that large areas of land had been washed away on both banks of the river within the past few years, and that along the west bank the loss has already been extremely heavy, and that there is danger of another heavy cut whenever a freshet occurs. … The plan generally proposed for the protection of the west bank calls for the construction of a wing dam just below the shingle bolt pocket of the Baker River Lumber company, of sufficient length to turn the current of the river back into the old channel. The river now makes a sharp turn to the west just below the pocket and it is believed that a wing dam of sufficient power to turn the stream back can be built at comparatively small cost. The opening of the old channel of the river will also relieve the east bank of the stream and it is believed that the wing dam on the west bank will also stop all cutting along the east side. |
Baker River Bank Protection Large areas of land washed away on both the right and left banks of the Baker River. This article strongly suggest that the “mouth” of the Baker might have been relocated to its present location from where it was in 1921. |
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TEMPORARY PLANT ON UPPER SKAGIT IS NOW COMPLETED According to a statement issued by C. F. Uhden, engineer in charge of the construction of the power plant for the city of Seattle on the upper Skagit, the temporary plant was built on Newhalem creek, several miles below the main plant, and is now being used to light the houses and streets of Newhalem, the new town in the upper valley. Later it will be used to furnish power and lighting for the construction of the huge dam at Gorge creek and the first unit of the plant two miles below the dam site, as well as for the 11,000 foot tunnel connecting these two parts of the development. … The work of building the extension of the railroad from Newhalem to Gorge creek, a distance of four miles, is going ahead rapidly, and the first two miles of the extension is now about completed. The end of the road is now at Devil’s Elbow, where a bridge will be built across the Skagit River; work on the bridge being now well underway. |
Newhalem Gets Electricity Temporary power plant completed. It is believed that the “Devils Elbow” reference actually referred to the “Devils Bend” area as no bridge was built at Devils Elbow until the 1950’s. Devils Bend being located Near Newhalem and Devils Elbow being located at Concrete. |
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HEAVY DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY FLOODS IN LOWER VALLEY Reports reaching here from Sedro-Woolley, Mount Vernon, Burlington and other points in the western end of the county are to the effect that the flood damage in that section will mount to several million dollars. Dikes along the lower Skagit, from Burlington west, broke in many places and thousands of acres of farm lands were flooded. Many dwelling houses and barns were swept from their foundations and hundreds of head of livestock drowned. Many of the residents of the flooded districts had narrow escapes when the dikes gave way, but so far as known no lives were lost. At Hamilton the entire town was covered with water to a depth of from three to seven feet, the water entering every business house in town. Sidewalks were washed away and considerable inconvenience and small damage caused the residents, but no heavy losses are reported. Lyman and Sedro-Woolley were above the flood mark, but many losses are reported from the adjacent farming communities. … Breaking of dikes near Riverside flooded the entire flats from Mount Vernon to Edison and LaConner, and it is in this district that the greatest loss was caused. The communities of Conway and Stanwood also suffered heavily from the high waters when dikes near Stanwood gave way. … Several farm residences near Burlington were swept away, the occupants being reached by rowboats. |
December 12, 1921 Flood Event Hamilton covered with water from three to seven feet. Very much like it was in 2003. |
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ROCKPORT Mr. And Mrs. Perry Harding, of Sauk, have taken up their residence in the Janson cottage here, coming here after the flood waters of the Sauk and Skagit rivers drove them to spend a day and night in box cars on the Great Northern track. The waters of the Sauk completely covered the track to a depth of several inches, having risen to the greatest height ever known at that place. |
December 12, 1921 Flood Event Sauk River Flood Waters Flood waters at “greatest height ever known”. |
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SKAGIT RIVER GOES ON WILD RAMPAGE; LIGHT DAMAGE HERE After being on its good behavior for four years, the Skagit River went on a rampage again Monday, and when the flood reached its crest at midnight Monday night it was found that the highest mark in the history of Concrete had been reached. The steady rain of Saturday and Sunday brought the river to flood stage Sunday night, and it was then feared that the river would go over its banks before midnight. The weather turned colder in the evening, and by midnight the river was at a standstill, and by morning had fallen about 18 inches. Early Monday forenoon the rain started again, accompanied by a Chinook wind, and the Skagit soon began to rise rapidly again, reaching its greatest height about midnight. … In Crofoot addition only three residences remained above the high water mark, the water being to a depth of an inch to 14 inches in the others. … The damage caused in this vicinity and throughout the upper valley was considerably less than during the flood of four years ago, except at Sauk, although the water was almost two feet higher than in 1917. … At Sauk the water was from four to six feet deep in the store and residences, and the total loss is heavy. … There is some argument as to whether this flood was higher than that of 1909, but the general opinion seems to be that it was just as high or a few inches higher than the mark reached that year. |
December 12, 1921 Flood Event Double-pump event with floods only being two days apart. Crofoot addition water was one to 14 inches deep with only three residences remaining above flood waters. Floodwaters as deep or a little higher then 1909 flood. |
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HAMILTON REPORTS MUCH DAMAGE BY LAST WEEK'S FLOOD Almost universal housecleaning has been the rule in Hamilton this week. Only a few houses in the main part of town escaped the muddy waters of the flood, which reached its highest point about midnight Monday. At one o’clock Tuesday morning the waters began to recede, and by nine o’clock all houses except a few on the exceptionally low ground were clear of water, but the mud remained. … Old residents here tell of three former big floods in the history of the town, in 1897, 1909, and 1917, and it is said that this flood was one of the highest, though probably not quite as high as that of 1897. … The Van Horn Shingle Company at Van Horn lost heavily. The shingle sheds were ruined, the filing room of the mill was carried away, and two dry kilns collapsed and the shingles which they contained floated away on the flood. Residents of the houses by the mill, including Mr. And Mrs. W.A. Ellison, took refuge in the mill, putting a stove in the filing room, stove and all, but the main part of the mill remained standing. Mr. Ellison telephoned to Hamilton every hour, giving reports on the rise of the water until the telephone line to his station across the river went out, then Mr. Shields reported from the Van Horn side of the river until the water rose to the telephone and it had to be taken from the wall. These reports enabled the Hamilton people to estimate the rise here and to prepare for it. |
December 12, 1921 Flood Event Flood in Hamilton one of the highest although probably not as high as 1897. |
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SKAGIT VALLEY IS RECOVERING FROM EFFECTS OF FLOOD The Skagit valley is slowly recovering from the effects of the big flood of last week, and as far as Concrete is concerned, conditions are now about back to normal again. During the first part of the week only a small part of the mail came through and that very irregularly, as the railroad was closed and the county roads were in such condition that stages could not operate on a regular schedule. The freezing weather helped the roads and by Wednesday the stages were making their regular trips. The railroad was opened between this city and Burlington Wednesday and the passenger train made its first run over the road, and in the evening brought to Concrete about two tons of mail that had accumulated in Sedro-Woolley and Burlington. |
December 12, 1921 Flood Event Stage coaches were making regular trips within one week of big flood. |
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12/31/21 |
FLOOD WAS HIGHEST IN SKAGIT COUNTY HISTORY Old timers in the Skagit valley, who have seen all the floods in the Skagit valley since the early 80’s say that the recent flood carried a greater volume of water than any previous flood since the county was settled, surpassing even the famous high water of 1897. The fact that the river did not reach marks set in former years at some points in the upper valley is accounted for by the widening of the river since that time. In all places where the banks of the river have remained unchanged the 1921 mark is considerably above that of any previous flood known to settlers. |
December 12, 1921 Flood Event Highest flood in the history of the county. See 12/22/21 CT article. |
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FLOOD DAMAGE TO ROADS WAS LESS THAN IN 1917 According to a statement issued by Frank Gilkey, county engineer, the damage to county roads caused by the flood of last month is not so great as that of the flood of 1917, and had many of these roads not been paved they would have been washed out. The damage to bridges was also much less than was expected. The force from the current is shown on the Fir-Island road where three slabs of pavement, each weighing about twenty tons, were washed into a field 150 feet from the road. The five-ton limit on trucks will remain in force until next Saturday, January 14. |
Roads were paved sometime between 1917 and 1921. |
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MEETING HELD TO PLAN WAY TO PREVENT FLOODS A mass meeting was held in the county court room in Mount Vernon Tuesday to discuss ways and means of eliminating the flood danger in the lower Skagit Valley. The meeting was attended by about 250 farmers and other residents of the valley, and plans for curbing the flood waters of the Skagit ranged from the building of a huge spillway from Mount Vernon to Puget Sound, changing the bed of the river, to the reforestation of the logged-off areas on the upper river. A plan that met general favor was to consolidate all the diking districts to provide funds for buying a dredge to keep the channel of the river open the year round. The only definite action taken was the appointment of a committee to make a thorough investigation of the matter. |
Flood Control Meeting Buy a dredge boat was suggested as way to curb flooding. |
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PLAN TO CONTROL FLOODS IN SKAGIT AT RUBY CREEK DAM That the waters of the Skagit River can be controlled, in time of flood, by the huge dam that the city of Seattle proposes to build at the mouth of Ruby creek, in connection with its power project on the upper Skagit, was the argument advanced by C. E. Uhden, chief engineer on the project, at a mass meeting held in the Rex theatre in Mount Vernon Tuesday night. He stated that the plans for the dam, as drawn for the power project, would have to be modified if it was also to be used as a means for flood control, but that the additional cost could be financed through state or county aid. … He claims that the dam would hold the full normal flow the Skagit river for three or four days, and that during times of flood the waters from the upper river could be held back for at least 24 hours, giving the flood waters from the streams of the lower valley time to run off, then the water held at Ruby creek could be gradually released. By modifying the construction of the dam it would be so built that it would hold a larger raise without any danger of flooding the lower valley when the spillways are opened. |
Ruby Creek (Ross) Dam Seattle City Light says Ross Dam could be used for flood control HOWEVER, would require funding from county or state. |
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COMMISSIONERS INSPECT FLOOD DAMAGE IN VALLEY County Commissioners J. Z. Nelson, E. Van Buren and Richard Thompson spent several days in the upper Skagit valley the first of the week, inspecting the county roads and river banks to ascertain how much damage had been caused by the flood of last month. They found several ferries missing; a few bridges washed out and some damage to the roads, but not so much as had been anticipated. At Rockport and on up the river they were accompanied by C. F. Uhden, construction engineer of Seattle’s power project. |
Flood Damage Ferries missing and a few bridges washed out. |
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FLOOD CONTROL OF THE SKAGIT RIVER TO BE DISCUSSED A meeting of taxpayers owning land, which is subject to overflow, along the Skagit River has been called by H. L. Willis, chairman of the Skagit river improvement committee. … The main plan of the committee is to organize a river improvement district under a law enacted by the legislature in 1911. This law allows such a district to buy or condemn land for straightening the channel of a river, to build dikes, locks and floodgates, and take any other action that may be necessary to control the flow of water. As the Skagit River is navigable, the acts of the district will be subject to the approval of the war department of the United States. The estimated acreage of the proposed district is around 70,000, and the cost of any improvement undertaken will be assessed against the land in the district in a similar manner to assessments in diking or drainage districts. |
Flood Control Meeting Wanted to form flood control district for whole county. |
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BEET SUGAR PLANT MAY BE LOCATED IN THE SKAGIT VALLEY The raising of sugar beets will become one of the leading industries of the Skagit valley if plans now being worked out by the Sedro-Woolley commercial club and farmers of the valley are successful. … Mr. Horne stated that if the farmers of Skagit, Whatcom and Snohomish counties would plant at least 5,000 acres of sugar beets, that his company would build a $1,250,000 factory at some central point in the district to handle the crop, and would agree to purchase all beets raised at prices ranging from $5.50 to $18 per ton, according to the price of sugar. … The company agrees to sell seed to the farmers at 15 cents per pound, ten pounds being enough to plant an acre. The company will also furnish a drill and plant the seed at 75 cents an acre. It is estimated that it will take the price of ten tons to pay all the expenses of raising and marketing the beets, leaving about $110 an acre profit to the growers. |
Agricultural History Beet sugar plant proposed for area. Sugar beets going from $5.50 to $18 per ton. Beet seed 15 per pound. |
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PROMOTER IS FOUND GUILTY OF FRAUD IN SELLING TIDELANDS Oliver M. Sparks, charged jointly with C. A. Sparks, Geo E. Dye and E. C. Hart with the use of the mails to defraud and conspiracy in connection with the sale of tidelands in the Skagit delta district, was found guilty on both charges by a jury in the federal court in Seattle Tuesday. His trial lasted for two weeks, many prominent Skagit county residents being called as witnesses as to the location and value of the lands sold by the promoters. The defendants were alleged to have sold about 12,000 acres of land under tidewater lying between the north and south forks of the Skagit River, on their assertions that this land could be reclaimed as reasonable cost. The government contended that the land was worthless, and soil and drainage experts called as witnesses during the course of the trial testified that the cost of diking the lands would be prohibitive, and further that the land could not be used for agricultural purposes if drained, as it was practically all sand. It is claimed that the lands sold brought in $30,000, nearly all from people who were anxious to secure a small tract of land for a home and a small farm. |
Tidelands Bust Scheme to sell Skagit tidelands thwarted. |
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FOREST SERVICE TO SURVEY ROAD FROM HERE TO BAKER LAKE According to an announcement made this week by George H. Cecil, district forester of the Portland office of the forestry service, the government will survey a route for a wagon road from this city to the Baker Lake fish hatchery this summer, and that the road will be built next year. It is reported that the money for the construction of the road is available, as $100,000 of the funds appropriated for road building within forest reserves has been set aside for this project. There are two routes to the Baker Lake hatchery from this city, one on each side of the Baker River, and so far there has been no information given out as to which route will be used by the forestry service, but it is the general opinion that the road will be on the west side of the river. |
Baker Lake Road Wagon trail to be built to Baker Lake Hatchery. |
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O'MALLEY IS APPOINTED AS FISH COMMISSIONER Henry O’Malley of Seattle was appointed Wednesday by President Harding to the office of commissioner of the bureau of fisheries, to succeed Dr. Hugh M Smith, who resigned some months ago. … Mr. O’Malley entered the fisheries service 20 years ago as apprentice fish culturist at St. Johnsburg, Vt. In 1898 he was transferred to the Pacific coast and placed in charge of the government hatchery at Baker Lake, near this city, and made his headquarters here for several years, later serving in the Columbia river district and in Alaska before he was placed in charge of all coast hatcheries four years ago. |
Baker Lake Fish Hatchery Man who built Baker Lake hatchery appointed to run federal fish agency by President Harding. According to this article it was the federal government not the state government who built the Baker Lake fish hatchery in 1898. |
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CONCRETE MEN ARE AWARDED CONTRACT ON UPPER SKAGIT William Jennings and Robert Nestos of this city have been awarded a contract by the city of Seattle for clearing fifteen miles of the right of way for the transmission line to run from the city’s power project at Newhalem to Seattle. The clearing unit awarded to the local men runs from the camp at Newhalem to Rocky creek, and this contract is the first to be let on this work, but other contracts for clearing along the transmission line are to be let soon. The bid of the Concrete men amounted to approximately $59,000, their bid being the lowest of four submitted, the other bidders being Seattle firms. … The right of way for the transmission line will follow the Skagit River to the vicinity of Rockport, were it will cross the Skagit and follow the Sauk river valley to Darrington, from where it will make a direct line to Seattle. For the greater part of this distance the right of way will be cleared to a !-width of 300 feet. |
Seattle City Light Electric Transmission Line Construction Locals awarded contract to clear land for transmission line from Newhalem. Newhalem to Rockport, cross Skagit and follow Sauk River to Darrington, then to Seattle. |
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BEGIN A SURVEY OF FLOOD CONDITIONS ON SKAGIT RIVER Steps have been taken by the Skagit river committee towards getting a survey made of flood conditions, preparatory to making plans for the ultimate control of floods on the river. The committee met with the board of county commissioners Wednesday and made a report of what it had accomplished up to this time and offering suggestions as to ways and means of securing a comprehensive survey. Some weeks ago the committee went to Tacoma and inspected the improvement work on the Puyallup River, and while there conferred with Mr. Parker, head of the United States geological survey, for this district. Mr. Parker emphasized the necessity of securing data as to the volume of water coming down the Skagit, especially during the flood period. He also stated that he had a man with the survey who is an expert on work of this kind and tendered this man’s services to the county. The data relative to the flood of last December could also be secured. Many flood marks have been obliterated, but many are still available and the material should be gathered as soon as possible. The committee recommended that the county commissioners take steps to arrange with the geological survey for the services of this expert, and that he be put to work at once. The commissioners expressed a belief that this would be a good move and will endeavor to have the survey made at once. Considerable data on the Skagit River has been assembled in past years by the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific railroads by the war department and the geological survey, and all this data will be assembled and made available for use during the survey. |
Flood Survey The man Mr. Parker was talking about was James E. Stewart. His services were “tendered” to the County. “Considerable data on the Skagit River has been assembled in past years by the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific railroads by the war department and the geological survey, and all this data will be assembled and made available for use during the survey.” Part of this “data” had to include Mr. Stewarts work in 1918 which was never mentioned in his final “preliminary report” in 1923. (See Stewart Report, Stewart Report Appendix; James E. Stewart Reflector Bar Notes) See also 11/9/22 Argus. |
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CONGRESS TAKES UP FLOOD CONTROL OF THE SKAGIT RIVER Congressman Lin H. Hadley has written the Mt. Vernon Commercial club that the proper committee of congress would take up the consideration of flood control of the Skagit River within the next few days. The committee now has under consideration problems of similar kind affecting the Mississippi river and its tributaries, and as soon as study of these streams is concluded, the Skagit will be next in order. Comprehensive data regarding the river and flood conditions in the valley have already been filed with Congressman Hadley and will be presented by him at the hearings before the committee. |
Flood Control Skagit playing second fiddle to Mississippi. One has to wonder what “comprehensive data” was presented since Mr. Stewart had just began his survey 4 weeks before this article was printed. |
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FLOOD PROBLEMS OF SKAGIT RIVER WILL COME UP AT SEATTLE The committee which has had charge of the investigation of plans for controlling floods in the Skagit River has found that the problem is too large for Skagit county, or even the state, to tackle alone. Consequently the committee passed a resolution at a meeting held this week urging the legislature to memorialize congress for federal aid in solving the Skagit River flood proposition. … The Skagit River committee urged the employment of an engineer of national reputation on river data to suggest a feasible plan to control the river and eliminate the annual danger of heavy damages in the valley from floods. The federal field engineer has been busily at work securing data but has not made any official report yet. |
Flood Control Flood problem too big for Skagit County. County wanted to hire engineer of “national reputation” to control and eliminate the annual danger of flood damages. |
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FISH HATCHERY MAN HAS EXCITING TRIP TO LAKE Seth Meadows, who is employed at the Baker lake fish hatchery, made the trip to the lake last Friday, just following the snow storm, and had an exciting time before he reached his destination. He left Concrete in the forenoon on a saddle horse and leading two pack horses. He made the trip easily until some distance beyond the ranger station on the Baker River, when he found the trail filled by snow slides and traveling difficult. When he reached the 15-mile board he was compelled to unpack and leave his pack horses and continue with his saddle horse, alternately riding and walking. When he had gone a short distance farther he ran into a heavy slide and in digging a trail through the horse broke away and in some way went over the bank into the canyon. As it was quite dark at that time, he could not see what became of the horse, but naturally concluded that it had been killed, so went on foot until he reached a forestry service cabin, where he camped for the night, walking on in to the lake Saturday morning. Meanwhile his non-arrival caused uneasiness among the crew at the lake, and after several telephone messages along the line, searching parties were formed and covered a part of the trail. After a good rest Meadows was none the worse for his trip; the horse presumed killed managed to get back on the trail and was found Saturday, unhurt, so no damage was done. However, Meadows is not anxious to make the trip again after a heavy fall of snow. |
Baker Lake Fish Hatchery Travel by horseback to fish hatchery was very dangerous. |
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FRANK GILKEY RESIGNS AS SKAGIT COUNTY ENGINEER Frank Gilkey, engineer of Skagit County, handed in his resignation to the county commissioners Wednesday. The resignation was accepted and the board immediately appointed Robert E. Knapp, chief deputy under Mr. Gilkey, as engineer to serve out the unexpired term. Mr. Gilkey has just completed one term as engineer and was elected last November for another four year term. He will enter the towing business with his brothers and will have charge of the Vancouver, B. C., office of the firm. Mr. Knapp is an Anacortes man and has been chief deputy for the past two years. He is a competent engineer and is qualified to handle the work of the office to the satisfaction of all concerned. He does not expect to make any changes in the office staff at this time. |
County Engineer Resigns See Robert E.L. Knapp, Skagit County Engineer, Testimony for 11/26/1924 Hearing. |
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PRELIMINARY WORK ON BAKER LAKE ROAD STARTED THIS WEEK There will be a passable road from Concrete to Baker Lake before the end of this year, according to plans of the government forestry service. … It is understood that the terminus of the road to be built this year is near the hot springs, across the lake from the fish hatchery. … The present plan is to build a passable road nine feet wide, with turnouts at convenient points, the road to be widened and otherwise improved later when more funds are available and more data at hand as to amount of the traffic the road will have to stand. … It will be necessary for Skagit county to build about two miles of road from the end of the present road at Bear creek to the boundary of the forest reserve, and plans are now being made to open up this piece of road, so as to have it ready for use by the time the highway in forest reserve is under construction. |
Baker Lake Road Fish Hatchery located across the lake from the hot springs. |
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FLOOD SURVEY WORK IN SKAGIT VALLEY WILL BE CONTINUED The Skagit River Improvement committee, of which H. L. Willis is chairman, met with the county commissioners Wednesday and urged that the one mill levy for flood control survey on the Skagit River be continued. … James E. Stewart, an expert government engineer, has just completed a survey of the volume of water that went down the river in the big flood of 1921, and the committee is now planning on securing an expert river engineer to make a survey to determine how this water could best be controlled and present his findings to the government in hopes of securing federal aid. … The movement for planning some way to control the flood waters of the Skagit river was started immediately after the flood of 1921, and judging by the progress made on the work since that time, it is likely that there will be several more big floods during the years that will pass before any work is started on the main project.. |
Flood Control Survey Stewart had completed his work however the County as of the printing of this article still did not have it. See 9/27/23 Argus. |
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SEATTLE PLANT AT NEWHALEM NOT TO BE READY THIS YEAR Although the contract for the construction of the huge power project for the city of Seattle on the upper Skagit river provides that the plant shall be ready for operation by January 1, 1924, present indications are that the project will not be completed before next summer, and it may be even later before electric current can be transmitted to Seattle. It is reported that delays have occurred in all parts of the work, and there is considerable controversy between the contractors and the engineers for the city as to who is responsible for the delay. … The tunnel for the Gorge creek plant was to have been completed, according to the contract, about two months ago, but it will be at least a month yet before this job is finished, and other parts of the work are at about the stage. Practically all the machinery for the huge power plant is now on the ground and is being installed as rapidly as buildings and foundations are ready. It was planned to transmit current from the new plant to Seattle by New Year’s Day, but all hopes of this have been abandoned and about the best that is expected now is to have the plant in operation by June 1. |
Gorge Dam |
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MUCH TIMBER CUT IN NATIONAL FOREST DURING PAST YEAR According to a report filed by Robt. L. Campbell, forest supervisor, the total sales of timber from the Washington national forest, located in Skagit and Whatcom counties, during the past year were 68,118,000 board feet, valued at $117,589. The reports show that there is over 10 billion feet of timber left in the forest, consisting principally of fir, cedar and hemlock. … The Newby & Mitchell bolt camp, located on the extreme upper Skagit River, has been closed down after cutting 900 cords the past season. A D. Long has cut about 350 cords of cedar bolts, the timber of which was killed in the forest fire of 1922. … The prices on these different sales depend on the quality and location of the timber, ranging from 50 cents a cord for jam and drift cedar to $4 a thousand for cedar logs. It is also stated that 25 per cent of the proceeds of all timber sold from the reserve goes to the county road and school funds of the counties in which timber is located. During the past five years Whatcom County has received $20,000 and Skagit county $12,000 from these sales.. |
Logging History 61 million board feet valued at $117,589. 10 billion board feet still left in forest. Forest fire in 1922. Skagit County had received $12,000 in last 5 years for road and school funds. |
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ENGINEER'S REPORT GIVES HISTORY OF FLOODS ON SKAGIT James E. Stewart, government hydraulic engineer, who was employed nearly two years ago by Skagit county to make a survey of flood conditions along the Skagit River, has just submitted a report on his findings on the stage and volume of past floods in the Skagit Valley and advisable protective measures to be undertaken prior to the construction of permanent flood controlling works. The report is comprehensive and goes back to floods told of by Indians dating back as far as 1815. The report as a whole is interesting to the people of the valley but is too long to publish in full. “Since the arrival of the first white people in the valley, about 1869,” says Mr. Stewart, “there have been six Skagit river floods whose discharge has exceeded 175,000 second feet at Sedro-Woolley. All of these floods have occurred since November 15, 1896. The number of floods that exceeded 175,000 second feet prior to 1869 is unknown, but the occurrence of two great floods has been discovered, but their stages and volume have been accurately determined. The maximum floods which have occurred in the past have had about twice the discharge of the flood of 1921.” Then follows data on the floods taken at various places along the river. This data shows that the flood of 1921 was the second largest since 1869, being exceeded by that of 1909. Data shows that heavy floods have occurred in 1896, 1897, 1906, 1909, 1917 and 1921. The problem of climatic conditions is being studied in hopes that the study will throw some light on the frequency of certain sized floods in the past and future. Judging from past floods, Mr. Stewart says that floods like those of 1917 and 1921 may be expected within the next five or six years. … He suggested as inexpensive measures that would prove beneficial the diking of the Nookachamps district, the removal of drift from the river channel below Hamilton and near Lyman and protective dikes at Burlington and possibly at Mt. Vernon. |
James E. Stewart Report See 12/20/23 CT. This article is fraught with misleading statements: Stewart was hired in November 1922, (See 11/11/1922 C.H.) worked in Skagit County until March 1923 when he left for work at a power company in Pennsylvania. Stewart had 1897 as being larger then 1909. He suggested “delaying” the diking off of the Nookachamps which was done by the County engineer in 1924. (See 11/26/24 Knapp Testimony) |
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PERMIT TO DIVERT BAKER RIVER ASKED BY POWER COMPANY Further indications of the intention of the Stone & Webster interests to immediately start the development of the power resources of the Baker river valley were the application last week by the company for a permit from the state to divert the waters of the river, and the further fact that about 15 engineers and surveyors arrived in town last Thursday and left the next day for the upper Baker to start preliminary work on the huge project. … The application states that 65,000 horsepower of electricity is expected to be developed in the project. Work on the development, which will be known as the Baker River Power Development, Eden site, will be started about September 30, 1926, if the permit is granted, according to the application. It is generally understood that the Eden site is at the head of the Baker river canyon, about a half mile north of town, and the application indicates that what is known as to be lower dam is to be built first. If the dam is built on this site, the power plant will likely be located in this city, with a steel or concrete pipe line from the dam to the power plant. |
Lower Baker River Dam Surveyors and engineers began arriving in Concrete. Upper Baker Dam was not scheduled to begin construction until September 30, 1926. |
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START WORK SOON ON DIKING PROJECT IN SKAGIT COUNTY Plans have recently been announced for the Padilla bay diking project for the reclamation of about 9,000 rich land that is now covered by water at high tide. The project is said to be the biggest of the kind ever undertaken on the Pacific coast. It is estimated that it will cost approximately $1,300,000 and will require two years’ time to complete. The plans and specifications for the project have been approved by government engineers and by the state department of conservation and reclamation. Under the plans drawn, it is proposed to build an enclosing dike eight miles long, from five to 29 feet high, and 335 feet wide at the base, forming a sloping wall of earth and brush from the south end of Hat Island, east of Anacortes, northerly to Samish Island. The plans also call for an inside dike about half the length of the outer dike, extending from the east end of Samish Island along the low-lying mainland to the Leary slough, to protect the enclosed area from the danger of flooding and streams. There will also be a drainage basin running parallel to the outer dike and just inside the wall. … Padilla bay is declared by geologists to have been the mouth of the Skagit river generations ago. When the channel changed, the old outlet was filled with alluvial mud. The land to be reclaimed is covered with sea grass and is practically dry at low tide for a distance of about three miles from the mainland. |
Padilla Bay Diking Project This is pretty amazing in lieu of the 4/2/1921 C.H. article cited above. Dike would have been 29 feet high and 335 feet wide. Geologist declared that Padilla Bay used to be the mouth of the river. |
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POWER OFFICIALS CONFIRM NEWS THAT DAM WILL BE BUILT The news that work is to start at once on the construction of the huge power project on the Baker River by the Puget Sound Power & Light Co., a subsidiary of the Stone-Webster Corporation, was confirmed last week by A. W. Leonard, president of the Puget Sound Company. The Seattle Times of last Sunday carried a long article in regard to the proposed dam, giving many interesting details regarding its construction, and in the course of the article Pres. Leonard is quoted as follows: “We are pleased to announce the beginning of construction on this important unit of power development. We expect to be developing 30,000 horsepower of electrical energy at the Baker river plant by the end of next year, and will install an additional turbine to bring the full capacity up to 48,000 horsepower.” … The Puget Sound Power & Light company operates a large number of power plants in the western part of this state, and the Baker river power plant will the second in point of capacity, being exceeded only by the White river plant, which is now producing 61,662 horsepower. However, the power company also has in contemplation a second dam on the Baker River, to be located at Sulphur canyon, on the upper river, and when this is constructed; it will develop nearly as much power as the main dam here. … The big dam will be located below the Superior railroad bridge across the Baker and as it will be 225 feet high, it will put the railroad out of commission. |
Lower Baker River Dam Work to begin at once. Dam to be built 225 feet high. Actual construction did not start until April 1, 1924. Construction expected to be done by end of 1925. |
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LIGHT DAMAGE DONE BY FLOOD WATERS IN SKAGIT VALLEY The residents of Concrete and other points in the upper Skagit valley were surprised Tuesday morning to find the Skagit and Baker rivers running bank full and the waters still rising, and in many instances preparations were quickly made for meeting flood conditions of 1917 and 1921. However, the rise in the Skagit ceased about noon Tuesday and the waters have gone down rapidly and the rivers in the upper valley are now almost down to normal. … The Skagit at this point was bank full and the low ground in East Concrete was overflowed, but Crofoot’s addition on the west side of the Baker escaped the flood by two feet. Here the river lacked from eight to 10 feet of being up to the flood mark of 1921, but near Mt. Vernon and at other points in the lower valley, it is reported that the river came within two feet of reaching the 1921 mark. .. At Hamilton a considerable portion of the town was overflowed but no great damage caused. Between Hamilton and Lyman several bridges on the road went out and about 200 feet of track on the Great Northern line was washed out. … In the lower valley there were no serious breaks in the dikes and the damage from the flood was light. |
UNDOCUMENTED FLOOD See 2/14/24 MVDH, 2/14/24 Argus, on this flood. River at Concrete was 8 to 10 feet less than 1921 flood. |
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ALL WORK STOPPED ON POWER PROJECT UNTIL BOARD MEETS All the men employed on construction of camp buildings and other preliminary work on the Baker river dam project for the Stone & Webster Co., except a small engineering crew, were laid off yesterday until after the meeting of the board of directors of the corporation, which will be held in Boston about March 15. No reason has been given out here for the orders to stop work, as it was generally understood that the preliminary work under way would be completed regardless of the action taken by the directors on the actual construction of the dam and power plant this year. … W. D. Shannon, general superintendent of construction for the company, who has had personal supervision of the work here, is now on his way to Boston to present his data on the project to the directors at their meeting this month. The people of Concrete are anxiously awaiting word of the action taken at the Boston session, and if the report is favorable, Concrete will be a lively town for the next few years. |
Lower Baker Dam Construction of only the “camps” had started at this point. No work on the actual dam had begun. |
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POWER COMPANY TO CONTINUE WORK ON BAKER RIVER PLANT The Stone & Webster Corporation has definitely decided to proceed with the development of the Baker River project, and the latest reports are that actual work towards building the huge dam and power plant will be started next week. The men in charge of the preliminary work at the camp and at the dam site have been notified to have everything in readiness for a crew of 150 men by April 1, and the buildings are being rushed, provisions, and supplies hauled in and other work hurried to completion in order that the camp will be ready for the new men. … Dennis Winn of the United States Bureau of Fisheries has filed a protest with the state against granting a permit for the dam, claiming that it will put the Baker lake fish hatchery out of commission. The Baker lake hatchery is the only hatchery in the country handling sockeye salmon, and if the fish are stopped from coming up the Baker river, the plant will be unable to secure eggs for hatching. It is believed that this matter will be adjusted at the hearing before the state board next month. |
Lower Baker Dam Baker Fish Hatchery Work to start on dam by April 1st. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service filed protest to building of dam due to impacts on salmon runs and fish hatchery. Baker Lake hatchery only one handling sockeye salmon. |
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POWER COMPANY IS RUSHING WORK ON NEW PROJECT HERE The preliminary work on the huge power project being constructed just north of town by the Stone & Webster company has been going ahead rapidly for the past few weeks, and it seems certain that actual construction work on the big dam and power plant will be under way in the near future. At the main camp on the hill a large number of carpenters and other workmen have been steadily employed and there are now about 40 buildings at the camp of various sizes, occupied as bunk houses, dwellings, offices of various kinds, and other buildings needed to care for a large crew. A large warehouse has been built near the site of the old Washington steam plant, and a part of the steam plant has been enclosed for use as additional storage space for supplies and equipment. … The largest job under way at this time is the construction of a railroad along the east bank of the Baker River from the old Washington plant northerly to the site of the power plant just north of the camp. The railroad follows the bank of the stream a few feet above the water level and passes under the Baker river bridge near the east end between the pier and the bank. There is considerable rock work along the right of way and it will probably require some weeks yet before the track can be laid. A number of new spur tracks have also been built near the Washington plant. |
Lower Baker Dam This article makes it sound like they completely changed the shoreline of Baker River. |
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MANY MEN ENGAGED ON CONSTRUCTION OF POWER PROJECT The Baker river canyon presents a wonderful scene of activity these days and each day new changes may be noted in the area adjacent to the site of the Stone & Webster power project on the river. The field of operations extends from the railroad spur in East Concrete, up the Baker river valley on both sides of the river to the high railroad bridge across the river at the head of the canyon. At all points men are busy transporting materials, building roads, erecting buildings, clearing ground, blasting out rock, and a thousand other things preliminary to actual construction work on the project. The camp on the bluff east of the town is a small city in itself, and all along the river are tents and cabins occupied by employees of the Stone & Webster concern. There are now over 900 men employed on the works, and the crews are readily being increased rapidly as conditions are ready for the new men. … The foundations of the dam will be about 200 feet in !-width and will be sunk 35 feet into the solid rock. The main dam will be 230 feet high, and the walls will have a gradual slope towards the top, which will have a !-width of about 25 feet. It will be built of reinforced concrete throughout, and will be sunk into the solid rock on each side of the canyon. |
Lower Baker Dam 900 men employed. Foundation of dam 200 feet wide. Slopes upward until !-width 25 feet across. |
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COUNTY WILL BUILD STATION TO GAUGE FLOW OF RIVER HERE At a meeting of the board of county commissioners held last Friday it was decided to immediately install a hydrographic station a The Dalles of the Skagit River, near Grasmere, to record the height and flow of water in the river during flood stage. As the river is now at its lowest stage, and as this work must be done while the river is low, it was decided to save the time it would take to call for bids for the installation and to have the work done under the supervision of the county engineer, and Deputy Engineer Wright will be in personal charge of the erection of the station. While the details of the station are too technical for a layman to understand, the work will consist of a concrete well from a point about two feet under low water to a point above extreme high water mark, in which will be installed instruments to automatically record the height of the water, and a cable will be strung across the river on which will be suspended instruments to gauge the flow of the stream. The work of installing the station will start at once and will be completed within 30 days. The estimated cost of the completed station is about $1,800, of which the greater part is for the instruments to be used. The cost of the station will be paid out of the special river improvement fund. In addition to providing a permanent record of the river during flood stages, the station can also be used as a warning to the residents of the lower valley, as the record of the height of the flood here will give the people on the lower river a change to prepare for the crest of the flood in that locality, as an accurate record of the height of the water here will give them the data on which to base the likely height below. In the event of extreme high water, much property can be saved, and possibly lives, by having advance knowledge of the flood stage for which preparation should be made. |
Dalles River Gage Gage built and installed by County. James E. Stewart recommended this gage as his work was only estimates. See 7/31/24 Argus, 11/26/24 Knapp Testimony. |
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STEELHEAD TROUT ARE PLANTED IN GRANDY LAKE George Gallagher, deputy county game warden, made a trip to Grandy Lake yesterday, forenoon with 50,000 steelhead trout fry from the government fish hatchery at Birdsview and liberated the little fishes in the lake for the benefit of fishermen in years to come. The county game commission has received over 400,000 trout fry from the hatchery, which have been planted in various lakes and streams in the county. |
Fish Issue 50,000 Steelhead planted in Grandy Lake. |
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STONE & WEBSTER BUILDING RAILROAD TO CUPPLES RANCH The Stone & Webster Company has found that another railroad will be required for the building of the huge dam and power plant on the Baker River and the second road is now well under way. It will run from near the site of the old Washington Portland Cement company’s crusher building to the Cupples farm on the other side of the Baker River. From the top of the hill to the Baker River is a steep incline, and then a bridge has been built across the Baker and nearly a mile up the valley on the other side. The road will be used for hauling the gravel and sand to be used in the construction of the dam and plant buildings, an enormous quantity of each being required. The sand and gravel will be secured from a bar on the farm, where there is a plentiful supply of the material and of just the right quantity required for the work. The work of building the incline railroad is progressing rapidly, and it will be ready for use by the time construction work is started on the dam. The Baker River is now at its lowest stage, and it is expected that the work of building the foundations for the dam will be started within the next few weeks. The diversion tunnel, which will carry the waters of the river while the foundations are being built, has been completed, and as soon as the gates are in place the river will be diverted into the tunnel. |
Lower Baker Dam Second railroad needed to build dam. Diversion tunnel completed. River soon to be diverted. |
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BAKER RIVER IS TURNED INTO DIVERSION TUNNEL The Stone & Webster Company diverted the waters of the Baker River from the river bed into the diversion tunnel the latter part of last week and the site of the huge dam is now dry ground. A crib dam is being used to keep the water from overflowing during a raise in the river. A large crew of men is now busy in the river bed in getting the ground ready for the building of the foundations of the dam. This work will be rushed with all speed possible so as to have the foundations in place before the river reaches flood stage next fall. The river bed is now being excavated to bedrock for the full !-width of the dam, and as soon as this is finished forms will be set and the pouring of concrete started. |
Lower Baker Dam Baker River turned into diversion channel. Riverbed being excavated down to bedrock. |
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POWER PROJECT IS BADLY DAMAGED BY HEAVY RAINSTORM While the heavy rainstorms of Sunday and Monday were greatly appreciated in many communities in Western Washington for putting an end to the fire menace that was threatening heavy damage in many places, the Stone & Webster company is not giving any thanks for the rain. The Baker river power project suffered a monetary loss that will run into thousands of dollars, and the work of several weeks was entirely wiped out. But even more serious is the delay caused by the unexpected rise in the river. The power company has been working against time, using every effort to get the foundations of the huge dam in place before the danger of real floods in the river, and the freshet this week has set the work back from two weeks to a month and makes it that much more difficult to complete the required task this fall. … The Stone & Webster Company had considerable heavy machinery between the two cofferdams, used in excavating for the foundations of the main dam, including a steam shovel and three large suction pumps, with the operating motors and other equipment. These were all covered by water and sand and will have to be overhauled before they can again be used. The dam foundation between the two cofferdams was made into a lake and was filled to a considerable depth with sand, and much of the trestle work and other structures on the dam site were washed out. Before the company will be back to the point of its operations it had reached Saturday the water between the cofferdams will have to be drained off, the machinery and equipment dried out and overhauled, and the sand and gravel deposited by the river excavated. It is estimated that this will require more than two weeks. |
Lower Baker Dam Heavy equipment lost during unexpected freshet. Appears diversion channel didn’t handle all the flow. |
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STONE & WEBSTER WORK AGAIN DELAYED BY FLOOD Just after getting the dam site between the cofferdams cleared of water and sand and getting down to excavating again, the Stone & Webster was again given a touch of high water. The steady rain of this week raised the waters of the Baker River to a point where the diversion tunnel would not carry the low, and the cofferdams again overflowed, forming another lake to be pumped out. The Baker is now falling again, and unless it takes a notion to make another rise, the lake will be pumped out and excavation work started again by the end of the week. The job of excavating the dam site is now almost done, and unless delayed by more high water, the company will be ready to pour cement for the foundation within the next week or ten days. |
Lower Baker Dam Another freshet sets back construction. Cement expected to be poured within one week to ten days. |
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POURING OF CEMENT FOR BIG POWER DAM STARTS TOMORROW The Stone & Webster Company has now completed all its preliminary preparations for building the huge power dam in the Baker River canyon, and according to present plans the first cement for the foundations of the dam will be poured tomorrow. The excavating of the site to bed rock has been completed and the first forms are now being set in place. The massive bunkers for the storage of sand and gravel have been built and are already partially filled for the first run, and the battery of huge cement mixers have been set up and are ready for operation, and chutes have been placed from the mixers to the dam site to carry the concrete from the mixers to the dam. The mixers have a capacity of more than 3,000 cubic yards of concrete a day, and it is planned to operate them to as near full capacity as possible. … The progress of the work up to the present time indicates that the dam and plant will be completed and in operation by the time first fixed by the company, November 1, 1925, and if this is done it will likely set a record that will stand for some years to come. The work being done here is more extensive than the construction of the Seattle project on the upper Skagit, and that plant has been under construction for a number of years and, as now completed, will not have the capacity of the plant being built here. |
Lower Baker Dam Cement ready to be poured. Completion date set for November 1925. Puget Power would build this dam in less time and would produce more power then the Seattle City Light project at Gorge Dam. |
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STONE & WEBSTER STOPS ALL WORK ON ACCOUNT OF STRIKE Last Friday the I. W. W. called a general strike on the works of the Stone & Webster company here, over 500 men being called off the work on the power dam during Friday and Saturday. It is estimated that around 150 men stayed on the job, but these were not enough to keep the work going, and as it appeared impossible to get a new crew, the work of the dam and power plant was yesterday closed down indefinitely, and all the men on the work were paid off. All the men remaining at the camp now are care takers and watchmen and the necessary clerical force. While the strike seems to have been under consideration for some time, it came as a surprise to the people of the city. The strikers, nearly all of whom are members of the I. W. W. demanded a 25 per cent increase in wages, more and better food, clean linen once a week, no overtime, safer working conditions, boycott of California products and release of all class prisoners, although it is not shown how the Stone & Webster company could comply with the last demand. The demands of the strikers were refused by the company and the strike was immediately called. |
Lower Baker Dam If its not freshets it’s the Union strike that shuts down work. Strike demands included 25% pay increase, more food, clean linen once a week and no overtime. Company told them to take a hike and so they did. |
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STRIKE CALLED ON POWER PROJECT IS ABOUT PETERED OUT The general strike called about a week ago by the I. W. W. against the Stone & Webster power project here seems to be petering out for lack of opposition. The closing down of all work on the dam and power plant by the Stone & Webster Company was a severe blow to the strikers, as there cannot be any great enthusiasm maintained in a strike where there is no opposition. The closing down of the work releases all the men who did not go out and the strikers had no further change to quarrel with them, and as no new men are being employed there was no further change to keep up interest by stopping strikebreakers, so while the strike is still on, there is very little enthusiasm shown and a majority of the strikers are reported to have left town. Where the streets were filled with strikers a week ago, now one is seldom seen, except for the few now on picket duty. … Owing to flood conditions in the Baker River there is very little chance that the Stone & Webster Company will resume work before spring, even if the strike is called off. For the next few months there will be intermittent high water in the river, and the work is at a stage now where it cannot be continued during high water, and each flood is likely to wash out much of the work done since the preceding one. At the present time watchmen and the necessary clerical force is employed, and it is not likely that the crew will be increased for several months. |
Lower Baker Dam Strikers losing interest. Flood conditions also stopped work. |
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THE STRIKE SITUATION IS NOW GETTING SERIOUS The strike called by the I. W. W. against the Stone & Webster work here, which has been on for some weeks, has reached a point where trouble is likely to occur at any time, and conditions are more serious than appears on the surface. The pickets maintained by the I. W. W. are gradually becoming more troublesome and people in cars and on foot are being stopped and interfered with, even though they have no connection whatever with the strike. The few men in this city who are still working at the camp have to be escorted through the picket lines by officers, and even then there have been several narrow escapes from a clash that might lead to bloodshed. |
Lower Baker Dam Strikers turning violent. |
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FISH EXPERT HERE TO STUDY PROBLEM OF SAVING SALMON Dr. Henry B. Ward, professor of zoology at the University of Illinois and who is known as the leading authority in the United States on the sockeye salmon is spending several weeks in this city and at Baker lake is trying to study out some feasible means of getting the salmon past the power dam of the Stone & Webster company on the Baker river to the spawning grounds at Baker lake, and of getting the small salmon fry from the government hatchery at the lake down the Baker on their way to salt water. Dr. Ward was here ten years ago and made an investigation and collected data at the Baker Lake hatchery and on this trip is also checking up the results of his investigation at that time. Dr. Ward says that on account of the damming of the streams in various parts of the country for power projects, million of salmon are prevented from getting to their spawning grounds, and the small fish are prevented from going down stream, and that careful and scientific study must be given the problem of getting the fish over the dam. He believes that a solution is possible, but is not ready to announce what it may be. According to Dr. Ward, the Baker river sockeyes are the best in the country, and the Baker Lake hatchery has been doing excellent work, but that the salmon in the river will be practically exterminated unless some means is devised to get the fish past the dam. In some places experiments have been made to get the small fish down the river by having them go through the turbines, but the pressure is so great that nearly all the fish were killed. |
Lower Baker Dam Fish Issue Professor at University of Illinois employed to study how to save the sockeye from dam construction. He also studied the Baker River fish hatchery in 1915. Around the country dams have prevented millions of salmon from getting to their spawning streams. |
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STONE & WEBSTER WILL HAVE BIG DAM FINISHED BY NOV. 1 The huge power project of the Stone & Webster Company in the Baker river canyon is now nearing completion, and another month or so will see the big plant in operation. The work has gone ahead rapidly for the past few months, and the monster job is now getting down to finishing touches in many places. The crew of 1,000 or more men, that has been kept busy on construction work for twenty-four hours a day through the summer, is now being gradually reduced, and as each phase of the job is finished more men will be let out. It is generally believed that by the end of the next thirty days there will be only a few hundred men left on the job, and in about sixty days there will be no one left except the operating crews and a crew to clean up the odds and ends of the project. The huge dam, which is the largest part of the construction of the local project, is rapidly nearing completion. On the west side of the Baker the dam is almost finished. Cement has been poured to the full height of the structure and practically all work on this end of the dam is done. The gate piers have been placed, and on the east end of the dam there are several sections to be poured yet. The work on this end has been delayed on account of rotten rock on the surface, requiring considerable blasting and excavation work to get down to a solid foundation for the east wall. … The huge dam, which is the largest part of the construction of the local project, is rapidly nearing completion. On the west side of the Baker the dam is almost finished. Cement has been poured to the full height of the structure and practically all work on this end of the dam is done. The gate piers have been placed, and on the east end of the dam there are several sections to be poured yet. The work on this end has been delayed on account of rotten rock on the surface, requiring considerable blasting and excavation work to get down to a solid foundation for the east wall. It is expected that all the construction work on the dam will be finished by October 15, and then the spillways will be sealed and the big dam filled with water. |
Lower Baker Dam Dam nearing completion. Encountered “rotten rock” on east end of dam. |
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GREAT BAKER RIVER POWER PLANT NEARING COMPLETION Washington’s newest hydro-electric project, the great Baker river plant is rapidly nearing completion. It will ultimately become the largest hydro-electric power plant of the Puget Sound Power & Light Company. In honor of William D. Shannon, the man who has had entire charge of construction, the lake formed by the dam thrown across the Baker River will be known as “Shannon Lake.” The lake will be more than seven miles long and will contain sufficient water to cover 70,000 acres one foot deep, ample to supply the power plant with the necessary flow every day throughout the year. The surface area of the lake will be 1780 acres, and it will be 405 feet above sea level. Baker River rises among the glaciers on the south slopes of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan in Whatcom County. Near the foot of these peaks a glacial moraine backs up the river to form beautiful Baker Lake, the elevation of which is 664 feet above sea level. From the lake the stream flows down mountain gorges and through a valley 15 miles to its confluence with the Skagit River, near Concrete. Just before reaching the Skagit the Baker flows through deep Eden gorge, across which the power project dam has been built 245 feet high and 180 feet thick at the base. It contains more than 220,000 cubic yards of concrete masonry. Back of this gigantic dam will be Shannon Lake, the reservoir that will store the flood waters of the river which will develop eventually 80,000 horsepower for use throughout Western and Central Washington wherever the Puget Sound Power & Light company’s transmission lines extend. … The cost of this great undertaking, with a 13,000 kilowatt substation at Sedro-Woolley, is exceeding $8,000,000. Under the supervision of Mr. Shannon, a world’s record is being made in the construction of this project. As far as known no other plant of equal power will have been constructed in as short a time, or at a smaller relative outlay, and this despite the fact that last winter proved one of the worst on record. Construction was started April 1, 1924. |
Picture available Lower Baker Dam Lake behind dam named after project manager William D. Shannon. Lake seven miles long. Glacial moraine backs up Baker River to form Baker Lake. It would be interesting to determine if it was a glacial moraine or a volcanic mudflow. It was 15 miles from Baker Lake down the Baker River to the Skagit River. Reservoir to “store flood waters”. |
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BAKER RIVER POWER PLANT WILL START EARLY NEXT WEEK The new 40,000 h.p. power plant of the Puget Sound Power & Light company on the Baker river will start operations early next week according to a statement made today by W. D. Shannon, general manager for the Stone & Webster company for the Pacific coast. The huge dam has been filling up rapidly since the heavy rains of the past week and present indications are that the water for starting the turbines in the power plant will be available by the middle of next week. … On account of the low water in the river the dam filled very slowly for the first week but the heavy rains have caused a small freshet in the Baker river and the lake has been rising quite rapidly since the first of the week. This morning the water had about forty feet to rise before it would be high enough to start the wheels turning in the power plant, and at the present stage of water it will take about five days to bring the dam up to the necessary level. The water had been coming up almost ten feet a day for the past few days, but from now on every foot of raise will mean a much larger area to cover, so the height of the water will increase more slowly. … Present indications are that the new power plant will be in operation before the end of next week, and that soon afterwards Concrete will be using Baker river power for lights and power. As the service has not been very satisfactory for the past month, it is hoped that there will be a change for the better when the local plant is in regular operation. |
Lower Baker Dam Water supposed to be high enough behind the dam to run turbines first week in November. |
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LOW WATER DELAYS STARTING OF NEW POWER PLANT HERE Last week, with rain every day and a small freshet in the Baker River, it seemed certain that Lake Shannon, the big lake formed by the filling of the dam across the Baker River, would be filled within another week or ten days. However, the rain stopped in a few days and the weather turned cold, and the river quickly dropped to the extreme low level of a few weeks ago. As a consequence the lake is filling very slowly, and unless another heavy rain comes to give relief, it appears as if it will be another month or six weeks before there will be water enough to start the turbines turning in the power plant. The lake has now reached a height where every inch of raise is spread over hundreds of acres in area, and as it rises from now every foot of raise will mean a greater area to cover and therefore the raise will be slower. For the 24 hours ending yesterday evening the lake rose just 12 inches. The water at that time was 31 feet below the tunnel and the water level must be 10 feet above the intake before the plant can be started. This means that the water still has 41 feet to rise before operations can be started. At the rate of a foot or less a day, the present rate of progress, it will bring the starting time quite close to Christmas. The Puget Sound Power & Light company has promised Baker River power as a Christmas present to its customers in the lower valley and it now seems that there is little danger that the present will be delivered ahead of time. |
Lower Baker Dam Water didn’t raise high enough to turn on the power plants. Could be another month to six weeks before water raised to sufficient level. Every inch of raise is spread over hundreds of acres in area. Water level came up 12 inches in 24 hours. Water still had 41 feet to go. |
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FIRST POWER FROM BAKER RIVER PLANT TURNED OUT TODAY The first electric power generated at the Baker river plant of the Puget Sound Power & Light company was carried over the transmission lines from the plant to the substation at Sedro-Woolley today. Unit No. 1 is now in actual operation and is working as smoothly-as an old and tested machine. … The water in Lake Shannon reached the intake of the tunnel last Saturday and then the water was turned into the tunnel and the machinery turned over for the first time Sunday afternoon. The first few days of the week were spent in making final adjustments and it was not until today that everything was ready to start manufacturing power. The water in the dam is still steadily rising and it is now within about 35 feet of the top. The water is now spreading over such a large area that it only rises a few inches a day, even through the heavy rains of the past week have raised the water in the river. With the plant in operation and using the water, the dam will fill more slowly and it is not likely that the water will flow over the top for some months, unless there is a real flood in the river. |
Lower Baker Dam Compare this article to the CH 11/6/25 article. Somehow it seems that the river came up awfully fast. One of these articles is inaccurate. It does say though that there were “heavy rains”. No record of any flood event during that time in 1925. |
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GREAT NEW BAKER RIVER PLANT COMPLETED IN RECORD TIME Following less than nineteen months elapsed time since the beginning of construction, President A. W. Leonard of the Puget Sound Power & Light company last week pressed the button that marked the official opening of Washington’s newest hydro-electric power development on the Baker River, and which increased the company’s power output by 40,000 horsepower. Begun April 1, 1924, delayed by a strike and hampered by one of the most severe winters on record in that part of the country, when the flooding waters of the river erased progress time after time, the completion of this plant under the direction of W. D. Shannon, engineer in charge of construction, is regarded as one of the outstanding feats of engineering hitherto accomplished on the Pacific coast and had it not been for an unusual fall through, which materially delayed the filling of the reservoir, it is probable that the lapse of time between the actual commencement of construction and the delivery of power would have been still further reduced. The dam, which is one of the main features of this plant, is 245 feet high from bedrock to the top of the floodgates-many feet higher than any building in the Northwest, with the single exception of the Smith building tower-and contains enough concrete to construct five hotels similar in size and type of that of the new Olympic in Seattle. Draining a watershed of 270 square miles, including snow-capped Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan, a reservoir of 1850 acres in extent and of a maximum depth of 200 feet will be formed behind the dam. From the intake at the dam to the penstock a tunnel 900 feet in length and 22 feet in diameter, inside the concrete lining has been constructed. |
Picture available Lower Baker Dam Dam completed in record time. Just 19 months. Amazing what you can do without public hearings and environmental impact statements. Drains watershed of 270 sq miles, reservoir 1850 acres, and maximum depth 200 feet. |
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POWER COMPANY IS GRANTED PERMIT TO RAISE LOCAL DAM A permit was issued the first of this week to the Puget Sound Power & Light Company by R. K. Tiffany, state supervisor of hydraulics, for the raising of the Baker River dam by 30 feet. The report published is that the permit provides for the starting of the work before June 3, 1926, and final completion before October 15, 1929. This raise will make the dam 275 feet in height and will raise the waters in Lake Shannon by 30 feet. As every foot of raise now means a much larger area for the water to spread over, the 30 foot raise will mean an increase of water storage capacity of 140,000 acre feet, as compared with the present capacity of about 70,000 acre feet. The estimated cost of the improvement is given as $100,000, and this expenditure will give the company a water storage of more than double the capacity of the present dam. The purpose of increasing the height of the dam is to make certain that there will be plenty of water to keep the power plant in operation during the months of extreme low water in the Baker River. It is also likely that the local power plant will be doubled in size and capacity within a few years by the installation of two more units, in which case the additional water will be needed during the months of extreme low water in the Baker River. It is also likely that the local power plant will be doubled in size and capacity during the months while the river is at a low stage. |
Lower Baker Dam In less than 6 months from completion PSP&L granted permit to raise dam by 30 feet. |
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WHERE SALMON SCALE LADDER AT BAKER
RIVER DAM The above pictures of the fishway of the Baker river dam, near this city, show the first device ever perfected for raising fish over an obstruction over 50 feet high. The fishway has been proven successful during the past month while the sockeye salmon run was on, when thousands of salmon on their way to the spawning grounds at Baker Lake were lifted over the dam. About two years ago three important power developments were under way in this state, each of which would apparently close an important spawning stream to the propagation of salmon. The Baker river project was the first that would be completed and as the Baker is the only stream in the state in which the sockeye salmon spawn, the problem here was the first to be considered. A conference between state and government fisheries officials and representatives of the power companies was called and at this meeting various means for lifting the salmon spawn, the problem here was the first to be considered. A conference between state and government fisheries officials and representatives of the power companies was called, and at this meeting various means for lifting the salmon over the dam were taken up and considered. From the many plans, submitted, the fishway now in operation was worked out and was installed by the Puget Sound Power & Light company at a cost of about $75,000. The plans finally worked out by the engineers of the power company, with the assistance and cooperation of Chase Pollock, state supervisor of fisheries, and L. E. Mayhall, state superintendent of hatcheries. During the course of construction and while experiments were being made with a run of steelhead salmon, it developed that if this could be retained at each point of his journey up the fish ladder, one of the difficulties of handling the fish would be solved. … The whole scheme of the Baker river ladder consists of a huge forebay where a fish can fight the swift water and when tired enter the traps on the upstream side of the fishbay, and once entering one of these traps, cannot return. The ladder begins at this point and goes by easy stages up the canyon walls until it reaches a series of flumes built along the river channel. The length of the flume is about 700 feet. The last ladder has for a pool a moveable car. When a quantity of fish of sufficient number has negotiated the last pool of the ladder, the car, which is fitted with a door, is then pulled up a steel incline where the salmon and water combined are emptied into a trough leading to Lake Shannon above. The salmon, therefore, do not at any time leave the water and are simply transported in a large tank full of water to the lake above. |
Picture available Lower Baker Dam Fish Issue “Thousands” of sockeye went up the fish ladder. Baker River only stream in the state in which sockeye spawn???? Interesting how they refer to state government as “state” officials and U.S. Fisheries officials as “government officials”. Steelhead salmon “run” was used as a “test” of the fish ladder. Compare this article to what was stated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 1949 (USFW letter to Corps (re dams at Faber & Sauk sites) and 1969 (USFW Interim Report to Corps). See also Historical Record of Fish Related Issues (1897-1969). |
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MEN ARE ARRIVING TO START RAISING BAKER RIVER DAM It now appears that the job of raising the Baker river dam an additional thirty feet will be started some months sooner than expected. It had been generally believed that this work would not be started until late in the spring, but indications of the past week are that construction work will be under way next month. While the work will be rushed as rapidly as possible, it is understood that it will require five or six months to finish all the work contemplated at this time. … There are now about fifty men on the job, and it is understood that the crews will be increased as the work progresses to a maximum of about 300 men. |
Lower Baker Dam Fifty men already on the job of raising Baker Dam. |
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NEW DIABLO DAM IS GREAT PROJECT FOR UPPER VALLEY The construction of the new Diablo dam for the city of Seattle about 13 miles above Newhalem is a big project, according to E. C. Forner, an engineer for the Superior company, who visited the works last Sunday and looked over the works from an engineering standpoint, rather than from the usual scenic point of view. He brought back some interesting figures in regard to the new dam, which are used in this article. The dam is located at the southerly end of the noted Diablo canyon, and when completed will be 570 feet wide at the top and 340 feet high, figuring from the ordinary water level of the Skagit river. Winston Bros. have the contract for the construction of the dam and diversion tunnel and at the present time have a crew of over 400 men at work. The diversion tunnel is now about 70 per cent completed. It will be about 600 feet long and 24 feet square and will be used to carry the water of the Skagit river while the dam is under construction, and will possibly be used later to carry water from the dam to a new power plant. Actual work on the Diablo dam is expected to start within the next three months, with the actual pouring of concrete started within that time. |
Diablo Dam Will be 340 feet high. Construction supposed to start by May 1927. |
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FISHING SEASON IN SKAGIT COUNTY TO OPEN NEXT FRIDAY There are some real fishermen in Concrete and also some would-be fishermen and all of them are getting ready for the official opening of the Skagit county fishing season, which is set for next Friday, April 1. The old rod and reel, which has been cached away since last November, have been dug out and are being oiled up and rigged up with new lines, hooks and sinkers, so as to be ready for action at daybreak on the opening day. … Grandy lake is one of the most popular fishing resorts in the state, and there will be several hundred fishermen on the shores of the lake early Friday morning and even on Thursday night. Seattle will be well represented and every town or city north of Seattle will have its quota. There are plenty of fish in the lake and early in the season they are usually easy to catch and are of fine size and quality. |
Fish Issue Appears from this article that fishing season was from April 1 to October 31. Grandy Lake used to be a very popular fishing spot. |
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NEW CONSTRUCTION ON BAKER RIVER DAM DOUBLES CAPACITY A few months ago the Puget Sound Power & Light company started work on raising the height of the big power dam on the Baker River, just north of town, and this work is now nearing completion. The dam has been raised 33 feet from the former level and is now 293 feet high from the bottom of the river. While the new work is only a small proportion of the total height of the dam, it just about doubles the water storage capacity of the dam, the total being increased from 70,000 acre-feet to 130,000 acre feet and so makes it one of the highest concrete structures of its kind in the world. … The new construction on the dam was finished just in time to avoid the spring freshet on the Baker River, the employees just having time to pour the last of the cement and remove the tools before the water started flowing over the dam, with the additional 33 feet in place. There is now about eighteen inches of water falling over the dam, and the waterfall is one of the most beautiful in the state. The construction work here has been delayed by the high water, but some of the incidental work is now being completed, and as soon as the freshet is over, the balance of the work will be finished, including the apron in front of the dam which is intended to spread the fall of the water and avoid all danger of having the dam undermined. The apron is also expected to greatly lessen the loss of salmon fry from the Baker Lake hatchery, a considerable percentage of which is now killed in passing over the dam. While the number of fish killed has been comparatively low, considering the millions of fry passing over the dam, it is reported that the construction of the apron will reduce the loss by more than half. … The Baker River salmon ranks as one of the best fish in the world for table use, and but for the construction of the new plan of ladder and fishway they could not have survived the construction of the dam. |
Baker River Dam Dam height raised 33 feet to new height of 293 feet high. Almost doubled water storage capacity from 70,000 to 130,000 acre feet. They built a new discharge apron because they were worried about having the dam undermined from the fall of the water. |
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CONSTRUCTION OF NEW DIABLO DAM IS GOING AHEAD FAST Reports from the city of Seattle power project on the upper Skagit $3,000,000 dam at Diablo canyon progressing more rapidly than was expected. The light snowfall this winter and the generally good weather has been in favor of the contractors, Winston Bros., who have rushed the work in every way possible to get the dam to a point where no great damage could be done by high water. During the past week the foundations of the dam were finished to the level of the bed of the river, so that the only damage that could be done now by a sudden rise in the river would be the work of removing the machinery and equipment above high water, and the delay necessary until the water recedes. … It is expected that the work will be completed during 1929, unless something out of the ordinary construction hazards happens to retard the work. |
Diablo Dam Diablo Dam cost $3,000,000. Foundation of the dam completed. Dam completion date expected sometime in 1929. |
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SEATTLE DAM ON SKAGIT DAMAGED BY HIGH WATER The warm rains this week brought the Skagit to almost flood stage, but all the damage reported is from the Skagit dam in Diablo canyon, above Newhalem, where the cofferdam was washed out. Two large pumps, worth about $800 a-piece, were taken out, and a car load of timbers was washed away. No damage was done to the work on the main dam, and the work is already going ahead as usual. |
October 9, 1928 Flood Event Diablo Dam 74, 300 cfs, 29.94 ft. at Concrete. Cofferdam washed out at Diablo. |
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ANOTHER BIG POWER PROJECT IN SKAGIT VALLEY IS PLANNED That another huge power project is to be started in the Skagit valley was indicated Monday when application was made to the state supervisor of hydraulics for a permit to divert the waters of the Sauk River for power purposes. At the same time preliminary plans were announced by Lars Langloe, president of the Pacific Development company of Olympia, and R. K. Tiffany, consulting engineer and former supervisor of hydraulics. These plants provide for the development of a $3,000,000 hydro-electric project on the Sauk River, to be located about five miles up the river from the old town of Sauk. Langloe and Tiffany said they were acting on behalf of a company whose identity they were not at liberty to disclose at this time. An application was filed for a permit to impound 375,000 acre feet of storage, water behind a dam 210 feet high and 1,000 feet long. The project will develop power for industrial purposes only. The company’s application requests authority to divert 1,000 cubic second feet of water daily from the Sauk River, a tributary of the Skagit. The preliminary plans call for a 20,000 horsepower plant, with provisions for additional units to be added later. |
Sauk River Dam Proposal Dam location to be 5 miles above town of Sauk. Dam was to be 210 feet high and 1,000 feet long and would have impounded 375,000 acre feet of storage. This is the same river that has carried at least three volcanic lahars down the Sauk and into the Skagit in the last 12,000 years. |
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NEW FISH HATCHERY NEAR CONCRETE IS PLANNED FOR YEAR The budget of the Puget Sound Power and Light company for 1929, which has been awaited by local people who were anxious to learn what improvements, if any, were planned for this vicinity, was released this week. According to Mr. Sewell, manager of the Northern district, the budget for 1929 is the largest in the history of the company and covers the most ambitious program of power development and service extension and improvement ever undertaken in a single year. … The budget for this year does not include any appropriation for any new dam or a new unit in connection with the Baker river project. An appropriation is made for the construction of a new fish hatchery on the Baker river to obviate the necessity of transporting salmon over the dam and to replace the government hatchery on the Baker river to obviate the necessity of transporting salmon over the dam and to replace the government hatchery which has heretofore been operated at Baker lake. It is expected the new hatchery will be built before the dam, and will probably be somewhere in east Concrete. No information has been received as to when construction work would start or in regard to the size of the hatchery. This item is included in an appropriation of $300,000 for betterments and improvements to existing plants, and it is probably that some other work will be done here during the year, in addition to the usual routine of operating the plant. |
Fish Issue New fish hatchery to replace the Baker Lake hatchery. Hatchery was planned to be in east Concrete. |
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FLOOD SURVEYORS LOCATE POWER SITE NEAR FABER FERRY A report just released by the U.S. Geological Survey has attracted statewide attention to a possible site for a huge power project on the Skagit River near the Faber ferry, about four miles east of this city. Two proposed dam sites were examined at this point in September, 1926, by J. T. Pardee, a geologist of the Geological Survey, whose report indicated that the dam sites were of doubtful value. At each site one end of the dam would be built on land of un-cemented silt and the depth to a solid foundation might be so great as to make the cost prohibitive. However, this could only be determined by thorough tests. The recent flood control survey of the Skagit River again called attention to the immense amount of power that would be available if a dam 250 to 300 feet high were built at this point. It is estimated that such a dam would create sufficient storage capacity to control the combined flood waters of the Skagit and Sauk rivers and probably produce all the power needed in this section of the country for many years to come. … The development of a power project at Faber would be a big boost for the entire Skagit valley and the construction of the dam would eliminate all danger of any further destructive floods in the Skagit River. |
Faber Dam Proposal USGS report looked at site for Faber Dam four miles upstream of Concrete. Dam sites of “doubtful value”. Would have to be built on “un-cemented silt” and depth to bedrock might be so great as to make the cost prohibitive. These “un-cemented silt” soils are no doubt volcanic soils from Glacier Peak. We should try and find this report. |
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DAM AT DIABLO WILL BE READY BY OCTOBER Although Winston Brothers, contractors on the huge dam being built for the city of Seattle at Diablo canyon on the upper Skagit, lost about two months during the past winter on account of weather conditions, it is now practically certain that the dam will be finished before October 1. The work has been progressing rapidly for the past month and final completion of the project can now be estimated within a few weeks. Two electric generators for the Diablo power house and the turbines to operate them were recently ordered for delivery early next year. These generators are of 85,000 horsepower each, greater by 10,000 horsepower than any now in use anywhere in the world. These will double the present production of electricity of the Seattle light department. Bids for construction of the power house will be called within a few weeks. |
Diablo Dam Estimated completion date October 1930. |
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WATER WILL BE TURNED INTO DIABLO POWER DAM SATURDAY The huge power dam being built by the city of Seattle in Diablo canyon, above Newhalem, is now practically completed and the waters of the Skagit will be turned into the dam next Saturday. This week the diversion tunnel is being sealed and the two spillways located about forty feet above the bed of the river will also be sealed. When the water reaches the first gate, or spillway, to remain in the permanent structure, it will have a depth of over 160 feet and will form a lake six miles long and twice as large as Lake Union in Seattle. With the present flow of water, it will require ten days or more to fill the big dam. … The new power dam is one of the highest in the world, towering 389 feet above the bed of the river. It ranges in thickness from 140 feet at the base to twelve feet at the top and is built of reinforced concrete from the base on bedrock to the railing at the top. Superior Portland cement was used in the construction of the dam, and a number of local people have been employed on the project from the time it was started three years ago to its completion. With completion of this dam, Seattle has one of the largest power projects in the west, and the plant will be further enlarged in the near future through the erection of a huge storage dam on Ruby creek, a few miles further up the Skagit. It is expected that work will start on the Ruby creek project within the next year. |
Diablo Dam Skagit River waters to be turned against the dam in one week. Depth of lake to be over 160 feet. Lake to be 6 miles long. Base of dam 140 feet thick. Ross dam not yet under construction. |
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NEW POWER UNIT ON UPPER SKAGIT IS NOW DEDICATED The huge Diablo power dam, under construction for the past three years, is now officially the property of the city of Seattle. The dam has been fully completed and was dedicated yesterday at an impressive ceremony held on the crest of the dam. The structure was turned over to the city by Luke S. Oakes, president of Winston Brothers company, builders of the dam, and was accepted on behalf of the city by J. D. Ross, superintendent of the Seattle Light department, and Mayor Frank Edwards. Other speakers on the program were Governor Hartley and S. F. Tolmie, premier of British Columbia. … The dam, the second largest of its kind in the world, is located in Diablo canyon, about 35 miles up the Skagit river from Rockport. The dam is of the arch type, 390 feet high, 1200 feet long at the crest, and 140 feet thick at the base. The walls of the canyon are of solid granite and at some places the opposite walls are only nineteen feet apart. The dam was started in September, 1927, and its cost is about $4,000,000. The ultimate power to be generated from this dam, when all contemplated units have been installed, is 225,000 horsepower. The impounding of the water back of the dam forms a lake six miles long with a storage capacity of 90,000 acre feet. |
Diablo Dam Officially completed. Dam construction began in September 1927. Diablo canyon originally narrowed to 19 feet across. This is the exact location of where Mr. Stewart found evidence of his “monster flood” of 1815 which in a later article turned out to be 1820 which is what Stewart originally said. (See The Story of Mox Tatlem 3/5/1936 C.H.) |
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UP-RIVER TRAFFIC STOPPED BY FLOOD WATERS OF SKAGIT All highway traffic from Concrete to the upper Skagit valley was cut off for two days the first of the week. A sudden rise in the waters of the Skagit took out the ferry landing on the south side of the river at the Kauffman ferry, and as a result it was impossible for cars to get on or off the ferry on that side of the river. A crew of men were immediately placed at work on rebuilding the landing and late Tuesday afternoon the ferry resumed regular service. It is not likely there will be any further interference with up-river traffic before the new road is open for travel, which will be about November 15. |
Undocumented Flood Event Not reported by Corps of Engineers. Ferry at Kauffman’s washed away. |
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FLOOD WATERS IN SKAGIT SHUTS OFF TRAVEL UP RIVER The residents of the upper Skagit valley have been shut off from highway travel for almost a week now and while conditions now seem more favorable, it will probably be several days yet before autos will be able to travel over the roads from Concrete east. At the present time, persons in the up river communities who want to come to Concrete either have to take the train or else drive to Van Horn and walk down. The heavy rains last Thursday and Friday raised the Skagit to flood stage and by Friday night the Concrete and Van Horn ferries were unable to cross, closing the detour. The river fell a little Monday and hopes were entertained that the road would soon be open again, but the downpour all day Tuesday brought the river up again until it was several feet above the former mark. Yesterday it was reported that all the ferries above here had stopped running. With the rain apparently at an end, the river began dropping slowly yesterday afternoon. However, it is believed that the ferry landing on the south side of the Skagit at the Concrete ferry is washed out, and it may take a few days to rebuild this. The work will be rushed as soon as the water is low enough, and is it hoped to have the ferry in operation again in a few days. … The water in the Skagit did not get high enough to interfere with down river travel, nor was any damage done beyond shutting down the ferry service. No signs of high water in the Baker River was noticeable, the Baker river dam holding the flood waters back, but water was flowing over the top of the dam yesterday for the first time in about a year. |
Undocumented Flood Event Not reported by Corps of Engineers. Roads covered by water. All ferries had to stop running. No waters coming from the Baker until January 28 when water flowed over the dam. |
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EDITORIAL The Skagit River has dropped back again, but ferry service up the river has not yet been resumed on the former standard. After a few weeks of inactivity, they should make every effort possible to give those dependent upon them adequate service, but for some reason, ferries cease to run at six in the evening and do not resume until daylight. The lack of ferry service at night is being felt in Concrete as much as in up-river communities. Why can’t something be done to end this inconvenience? |
Charles Dwelley on Wanting Ferry Service At Night |
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POWER COMPANY BUILDING NEW LINE TO UPPER VALLEY The Puget Sound Power & Light company recently decided to extend its power and light service lines are now being built between Concrete and the upriver community. Erection of the pole line was started about a week ago from the Rockport end, and poles are now in place to a point about a mile on this side of the Sauk post-office. Most of the crew employed on this work are making their headquarters in Concrete, and a number of the men have moved their families to this city and will make their homes here until the work is completed. It is estimated that it will take a month or six weeks to complete the Concrete-Rockport line. The new line will provide electric light and power service for the communities of Van Horn, Sauk and Rockport, and for the farmers residing along the highway between this city and Rockport. … So far no extension to the south side of the Skagit at Sauk is contemplated, as the farms and residences are too widely scattered to make an extension to that district feasible at this time. |
Electricity Extended To Upriver Above Concrete Rockport, Van Horn and Sauk on the north side to get electricity. Sauk river on the south side did not get electricity. |
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BAKER LAKE FOREMAN TO SUPERVISE HATCHERY Leslie W. Dunn, foreman at the government fish hatchery at Baker Lake, left this morning for Enumclaw, where he will supervise the construction of a new government hatchery about thirty miles from that city. Mr. Dunn expects to remain at Enumclaw until the hatchery is completed, which he estimates will take two or three months. Ralph W. Young, who was recently transferred from Baker Lake to Lake Crescent hatchery, will return to Baker Lake and act as foreman until Mr. Dunn returns. Mr. Young is expected to arrive here in about two weeks, and until he comes, Harry Hill will be acting foreman at the hatchery. |
Fish Issue Baker Lake fish hatchery still operating and still called the “government hatchery” as in Federal government. |
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EDITORIAL Someone once stated the saying “poor fish.” After visiting the Baker river dam we say it ought to be revised. In order that the fish may get up the river to spawn, a regular trolley and elevator service is kept in operation carrying fish over the dam into Lake Shannon. The fish coming up the Baker are caught in a trap, lifted into water filled tanks and transported by rail and cable to the lake above the dam, and then towed a mile up the lake before being released. All this keeps a crew of men sweating in the hot sun and then they say “poor fish.” But then every fish has his day. |
Charles Dwelley on Fish Issue Fish transported over the dam by “trolly and elevator service”. |
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RUMOR ABOUT DIABLO DAM CAUSES PANIC IN LYMAN When the flood was nearing its height, and as residents along the Skagit were beginning to get worried over its steady rise, someone started a rumor in regard to the stability of the Diablo Dam. In Burlington, Mount Vernon, and other communities in that vicinity, the report was that the dam had cracked and that all the water would have to be let out at once, and for all to prepare accordingly. This report was also received here, but given no credence, but it was believed along the lower river. At Lyman and Birdsview this rumor was first heard, then later a report that the dam had broken, and for all to flee for their lives. At Lyman the fire siren was blown, and every resident of the community took to the hills with such valuables as could be easily carried. … The source of the story cannot be definitely traced but it seems to have started at Burlington and worked its way up the valley. Hamilton missed much of the excitement, and the up-river communities failed to get this story, as telephone lines were out. |
Diablo Dam February 27, 1932 Flood Event Corps says 147,000 cfs (39.99 ft) at Concrete. No figure for Mt. Vernon. Rumor Diablo Dam had cracked started in Burlington. |
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FLOOD IN SKAGIT DOES NO DAMAGE IN THE COMMUNITY With the heaviest snowfall in the mountains that has been known in twenty years, a raging Chinook wind accompanied by heavy rains, found conditions just right to bring on a flood and do it quickly. The rains started last Thursday and continued steadily until Saturday afternoon, and during most of that time the rain was heavy as well as steady. The Chinook continued through the greater part of the day. It was exceptionally warm for this season, raising the temperature almost to summer level during the afternoon. Flood Comes Quickly All the streams in the Skagit valley began rising Thursday afternoon, and had already reached about the highest stage of the winter by the time the Chinook struck Friday. Then the smaller streams became raging torrents and the Skagit began a steady climb that did not reach its peak until late Saturday night. When the river began to drop Saturday night, it still lacked six to eight feet of being up to the record level of 1921, but it was high enough to cause some worry among the residents of Crofoot’s addition and East Concrete. Low-lying gardens on the east side were covered but Crofoot was not even dampened. The Baker River dam held back the flood waters of the Baker for over 24 hours, and then only a comparatively small amount of the stream came over the dam. Had this stream been added to the water already in the Skagit, Crofoot would have been flooded by Friday night and the communities of the lower valley suffered much damage. … Birdsview the greatest damage was to the Great Northern railroad, with the Grandy creek bridge and considerable track washed out, and at the fish hatchery, where grounds and buildings were flooded. Hamilton and Lyman suffered only the usual damage from high water, with no buildings washed away. Nearly the whole of Hamilton was covered at the height of the flood. In the lower valley the most damage was done Saturday by breaking dikes along the lower river. The approach to the Skagit river bridge at Sedro-Woolley and a considerable portion of railway track between Sedro-Woolley and Lyman were washed out. |
February 27, 1932 Flood Event Corps says 147,000 cfs (39.99 ft) at Concrete. No figure for Mt. Vernon. This article supports USGS figure of 1921 flood of height elevation of 47.6 at the Dalles. |
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COUNTY CHAMBER ASKS FOR DREDGE ON SKAGIT RIVER The greater part of the September meeting of the Skagit County Chamber of Commerce, held in Burlington Tuesday evening, was devoted to a discussion of flood problems on the lower Skagit River. It was said that the bed of the river was steadily rising, causing a flood menace every time the water reaches a high stage. The reason for this is that the volume of water needed to bring the stream to the top of the dikes is now much less than when the channel was kept open. The question was first brought up by Fred Ornes of Mount Vernon, who urged the chamber to start a move to secure the placing of a government dredge in the Skagit River, to be used in keeping the channel open at all times. Supporting talks were made by G. O. Moen of Mount Vernon, Jas. Squires of Edison and by Pres. C. D. England. A motion was unanimously passed empowering the president to appoint a committee of three to draft a resolution asking the government to place and maintain a dredge in the Skagit, the resolution to be submitted to the various chambers of commerce in the Puget Sound district. The president named Fred Ornes, G. O. Moen and Howard Sackett to serve on this committee. |
Dredging Alleged that bottom of the river was coming up. Needed to have government put a dredge boat on the Skagit River. |
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STREAMS IN UPPER VALLEY AT FLOOD STAGE FROM RAINS The continuous heavy rain during the last few days of last week cause a sudden rise in the Skagit River ands its tributary streams, so that by Sunday morning flood conditions were prevailing in the valley. Colder weather with the rain changing into snow in the mountains, brought relief on Monday, but Tuesday morning another steady and heavy rainfall started, and by today another flood condition is threatened. Road is Blocked Sunday morning the Skagit River was running bank full, and all the creeks flowing into the river were at flood stage. The water from the river was over the road at several points between Concrete and Hamilton, but cars were able to make it as far as Hamilton, where progress was stopped, a large part of the road being under water, and between Hamilton and Lyman the road was impassable in several places. Traffic between Concrete and the lower valley was effectually stopped all day Sunday, many local residents who had attended the football game in Seattle or visited other points Saturday being unable to return home. By Monday morning the water had receded enough to open the road, and the river then continued to fall until yesterday morning, when another heavy downpour, continuing all day, started another rise. … Outside of the highways, no real damage from the high water has been reported from any point in the Skagit valley. The river is still at a high stage, and there is still considerable danger of a real flood. Waters Are Still Rising A steady rain is still falling this forenoon, and the Skagit is again nearing the high water mark reached on Sunday afternoon. All streams in the valley are steadily rising and there is considerable danger of a real flood if the present weather continues. |
November 13, 1932 Flood Event Corps says 116,000 cfs at Concrete, 125,000 cfs at Sedro-Woolley. No real damage from the high water anywhere in the valley. |
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HUGE LANDSLIDE DEMOLISHES THREE EAST SIDE HOMES Early last Friday forenoon the residents of the entire community were alarmed by a roar and crash that the old-timers know could be nothing but a landslide-and a big one. When the fire siren sounded a few minutes later, all knew that disaster of some kind had visited the community, and feared that lives had been lost-that some persons had been buried under the slide, the locale of which was still unknown. … Three Homes Are Destroyed The slide, one of the largest ever known in this vicinity, started at the top of the hill north of East Concrete and crashed down through almost the center of that part of town. Three homes were in its path, those of Dudley I. Green, E. M. Buchanan, and C. E. Hutchnison. All were reduced to kindling wood, and with the exception of the Green home, practically every article in the house was a total loss. … Warning Saves Lives That no life was lost in the slide is entirely due to fact that the slide came in three sections, and that the final-and main-slide was not a few minutes later. The first slide came before daylight Friday morning, when a small mass of dirt, carrying one large log, came down and lodged against the corner of the Green residence. This gave the first warning that the hillside was sliding, but did not cause any serious harm. Soon after 9 o’clock in the forenoon another larger slide came down centering on the Buchanan home which was pushed off its foundations and shoved ahead five or six feet. All occupants of the three homes then left their houses to seek places of safety, Mrs. Buchanan and Mrs. Hutchinson having the presence of mind to drive out their cars from the rear of the dwellings. Minutes passed, with no indication of any immediate danger, and all were slowly starting back to their homes, accompanied by neighbors curious to learn what damage had been done, when the main slide started down the hillside with a roar that could be heard all over town. All fled for safety, and escaped without injury. |
Picture available Landslide in Concrete It would be interesting to go to Concrete and find this location to see how many homes have been built over the top of this slide material. It is believed that one of the reasons for slides in the Concrete area is that much of that area is built on top of old glacial moraines coming down from Mt. Baker. |
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EDITORIAL The flood nuisance around Hamilton the moment a bit more rain than usual comes along, is getting beyond the stage of being something to bear silently. A road straight along the railroad track should be the next improvement made in upriver roads, there being no good excuse for making traffic detour through Hamilton and thousands of reasons for building the road straight. |
Charles Dwelley on Moving Highway 20 |
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SKAGIT VALLEY ROAD DAMAGED BY FLOOD The high water in the Skagit River for the past week has caused a serious problem for the road crews in one place, and minor damage in several other places. The bad condition is near Hamilton, being a short distance west of Steen’s service station, where the Skagit has cut away the river bank into the road. There is now only space for one-way traffic, and even this seems none too safe. The washout is about 200 feet long. … A similar condition exists near the Hooper place, between Rockport and Marblemount, but the narrow piece road there is much shorter, and there is not nearly so much traffic as between Concrete and Hamilton. |
Undocumented Flood Event |
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PUGET SOUND POWER & LIGHT COMPANY — WHAT'S WHAT We have heard a lot lately about cheap power attracting new industry and commerce to these parts. Of course cheap power is helpful and advantageous, but after all it is only a small part of the cost of most finished products, and only in a few cases is it of major importance in the location of industry. Further, the present activities of the government are not confined solely to providing so-called “cheap power” for the Northwest; its factors are widespread - its program appears to cover the country. … If you can obtain cheaper power, or any other kind of service, only by wiping out the hard-earned savings of your neighbor, invested to serve you, the price you will pay for it is too great, because the same sort of doctrine that would today permit you to profit at the expense of the other fellow would tomorrow enable him to profit at your expense. We are not going to get anywhere with a program which attempts to pull one fellow out of the mud by shoving his neighbor into quicksand. I believe you subscribe to the policy of “live and let live”; you want a fair price for your product and are willing to pay the other fellow a fair price for his. |
PSP&L Advertisement Complaining about higher taxes. Government power plants did not have to pay taxes. |
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FLOOD CONTROL IS SPEAKERS SUBJECT AT C.C. MEETING The June meeting of the Skagit county Chamber of Commerce was held Tuesday evening in Sedro-Woolley. Highlights of the evening were the subjects of flood control and a discussion of the numerous initiative measures now being circulated throughout the state. Flood control was advocated by Col. Hansen of Seattle, who is president of the state flood control council. He urged members of the local chamber to “set up on their hind legs and holler as loud as the farmers do in the Midwest,” and stated that the only way the state could get action on the problem would be for every county affected to join in asking for government aid. The Skagit River, he explained, has a flood plain because it is a filling river rather than a cutting one and at the present time it has a 1,200 foot fill - a job too big for the county to handle alone. The big argument of the government at present is that the Skagit is not sufficiently navigable to warrant federal assistance. |
Flood Control Meeting Skagit River a “filling” river rather than a “cutting river”. Skagit “not sufficiently navigable to warrant federal assistance.” |
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LAKE SHANNON MILL STARTS OPERATION AGAIN THIS WEEK The Lake Shannon Shingle mill, operated here by Miller & Foss, started operations again Monday of this week after a shutdown of over a month. The shingle market had forced the shutdown, but recently orders were received for enough shingle to empty the kilns at the mill. |
Logging History |
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EDITORIAL Those of you who consider that your taxes are a bit high should consider the case of the Puget Sound Power & Light company. Since 1930 their tax burden has been increased one million dollars and is now about $10 a year for each customer. The increase is enough to allow for a 10 per cent decrease in rates, or would allow a one-third increase in all company payroll - that is, if it did not have to be paid to the state. On top of this consider that their competition, public owned plants, pay no taxes. It has been stated that the Coulee dam will sell power at 2 mills per kilowatt hour. The private company pays 2.7 mills taxes on the same amount. The “tax trust” is beginning to grind sand into the wheels of industry. |
Charles Dwelley Supporting PSP&L Editor seemed to be saying that either PSP&L should pay no taxes or the publicly owned plants should pay them. |
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CONCRETE MAN LANDS WHALE OF A SALMON The biggest fish story ever told in Concrete, with the fish to prove it, was spun here last Friday when Harry Harris came back from a fishing trip up the Skagit with a 61 pound Tyee salmon. This finny monster, which measured over four feet in length, was landed on ordinary casting tackle on the bar at the mouth of Rocky creek after a fight of over an hour and a half. As far as known it is the biggest fish ever taken from the Skagit near here on a hook and line. The fish was on display at the Concrete Market and Grocery most of the day Saturday and drew a large crowd, both local people and those from out of town who had heard of it while passing through. Even after being cleaned and with the head off the salmon weight 49 pound, which is a lot of weight for any whole fish. Of interest to fishermen, the Tyee was caught on a No. 4 Colorado spinner, and landed with a 38 pound test gut line. |
Fish Issue 61 pound King Chinook. Where do I buy a #4 Colorado Spinner? “Gut line” was used before monofilament was invented and was commonly made of horsehair string. |
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HEAVY RAINS AND WIND CAUSE FLOOD WATERS IN VALLEY During the past week Concrete was visited with two natural disasters, one an earthquake and the other a flood. The first, the earthquake, failed to be a disaster in the true meaning of the word but shook houses and rattled windows and dishes for about ten seconds at 6:50 Saturday morning. The other trouble occurred Monday when high winds and heavy rain combined to swell all creeks and streams in the district to overflowing. The road at Hamilton was under water in several places and traffic was detoured on the other side of the railroad tracks most of the day. Later in the evening, however, the water began to rise and soon was too high for cars to attempt to go through it. As rain ceased Tuesday the river dropped again and traffic was resumed. Baker Lake Road Suffers Damage along the road to Baker Lake by the streams in that district was great. Besides the usual cutting of the banks and approaches to the bridges the waters of Big Sandy, Sulphur creeks and Little Sandy rose high enough to take out the new bridges that had been built over them recently. This makes it impossible to get to Baker Lake by car and it will be some time before new bridges are put in place. |
Undocumented Flood Event Not reported by Corps of Engineers. Road to Baker Lake closed. River again shuts down traffic through Hamilton. |
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FLOOD CONTROL ON RIVER AND DREDGE PROJECTS APPROVED According to word received from Washington, D. C., last week, two Skagit county projects have received favorable mention in a report filed by the United States board of army engineers. The engineers have made an extensive survey of this state and all projects of value as relief projects or projects involving navigation, water conservation or power have been studied. None of the projects in the state are actually recommended for immediate completion, but all were either given the approval of the engineers or listed as “feasible” or the objections stalled. Flood Control Justified In their report on flood control on the Skagit River by raising dikes and protecting the banks of the river by various methods, the engineers stated that the project was justified to “receive unemployment.” The cost was estimated at $2,800,000. |
Flood Control Raise the levees recommended. Cost $2,800,000. Two years later the Avon By-Pass would be recommended at a cost of $4.000,000. |
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EDITORIAL The accident that occurred Tuesday night near Burlington is the result of pure negligence on the part of officials in charge of our highway. Upper valley residents happen to be used to this sort of thing and this is the only reason no such tragic occurrences have happened in the district. Slides, rocks, places where the road has slid into the river and other hazards are left for days with only a few twigs or a small log to warn away the motorists No detour signs are ever posted on the roads in time of flood water. No red lanterns warn night travelers of dangers ahead. Instead, the one who travels must take his life in his own hands and rely on his own ability to keep from wrecking his car. The fact that lives must be lost before an awakening is noticed does not make the picture any more maddening, it is only that investigations cannot bring back the dead. |
Charles Dwelley on Flood Related Deaths January 25, 1935 Flood Event Two lives lost on Lafayette Road near Burlington. |
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FLOOD WATERS FAIL TO DO MUCH DAMAGE HERE The rising waters of the Baker and Skagit River here Friday and Saturday failed to become high enough to do a great deal of damage in the upper valley. Concrete was shut off from down river points for a day. Mail was carried across the railroad tracks at Hamilton so this service was uninterrupted, but papers and regular deliveries of laundry, meats and groceries were suspended. … In the upper valley Marblemount was isolated for a few days on account of the high water. Part of the county road along the river near Washington’s hill slid into the Skagit, making it extremely dangerous to travel over. … The first of the week water was still across the road at the Hamilton school house but was not deep enough to prevent through traffic. … In the lower valley a broken dike near Burlington flooded part of the district. |
January 25, 1935 Flood Event Corps says 131,000 cfs (37.9) at Concrete. No figure for Mt. Vernon. Broken dike near Burlington. Hamilton underwater. |
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TWO LOSE LIVES IN WASHOUT BY FLOOD Failure by county road workers to block off a portion of the road between Sedro-Woolley and Burlington caused the death of two persons on Tuesday night. The road had been cut in two near the Cleveland place on the old Burlington road when dikes of the Skagit broke near there Saturday afternoon. Tuesday evening Mr. And Mrs. Harry Dimmick and their three-year old son were driving along the road but not in time to stop and the car plunged into about fifteen feet of water at the bottom of the hole. Dimmick managed to escape through a hole in the top of the car but was unable to rescue his family. By time a wrecker had been secured and the car removed his wife and child was beyond human aid. The road had been partially blocked off by a sawhorse at one side of the road some 400 feet from the hole, but no effort had been made to put up signs of warning or notices of necessary detour. There were no barricades at the edge of the hole. Local people driving over the road Tuesday morning barely escaped the same fate, daylight enabling them to see the hole in time. |
Flood Related Deaths January 25, 1935 Flood Event Blamed County workers for failure to block off road. |
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BAKER DAM AIDS IN CONTROLLING FLOODS With Skagit County suffering from the effects of the most disastrous flood it has experienced in recent years and with flood control one of the principal topics of discussion throughout the state, as well as local, the following figures furnished by C. K. Hatcher, superintendent of the Baker River plant of the Puget Sound Power & Light company, are of particular interest. More than a week before the flood, according to Mr. Hatcher, the lake level was lowered gradually from an elevation of 435 feet to an elevation of 429 feet, thereby providing storage for part of the tremendous volume of water brought down by the rapidly melting snow. … All gates on the dam were closed from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Saturday in order to lessen the flood at high tide, and during this period an additional surplus, estimated at 620,000,000 gallons, was stored and held until the receding tide permitted its discharge. |
Lower Baker Dam |
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COUNTY CHAMBER HEARS MORE ON CASCADE HIGHWAY The regular March session of the Skagit County Chamber of Commerce was held Tuesday night in Anacortes with only a small group of members in attendance. For lack of other outstanding topics the Cascade highway again took up most of the chamber’s time. Dave McIntyre of Sedro-Woolley reported his view on the results of the recent committee sent to Olympia to contact highway officials and others in regard to the road. The committee failed to carry out their plan of holding a banquet at which the entire group could be reached at one time, but never the less visited nearly all of the officials they wanted to see personally. Mr. McIntyre stated that Director of State Highways Lacey Murrow was opposed to the completion of the Cascade highway and had said that it was not practicable or necessary. He also told Mr. McIntyre that many other roads in other parts of the state were to be completed before any more work would be done on the Cascade pass. |
Cascade Highway Not looked upon favorably by State officials. |
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FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT TO COST OVER HALF MILLION Pledging to pay five per cent of the cost and also furnish equipment, the county commissioners Saturday filed a detailed description of the proposed Skagit river flood control project that calls for an expenditure of $579,600. The report was filed with the U.S. district engineer at Seattle. The largest expenditure would be the $120,000 for 12,000 one-foot rock rip rap of the Avon bend. A $20,000 expenditure is proposed for the 2,000 one foot rock rip-rap with sloping banks on the Mount Vernon waterfront. With reference to the Avon project, the application states that less expensive construction could be used. Relief for twenty years could be obtained by a series of wing piling and the same is true of many of the other units listed. The project as submitted listed 25 separate units from the mouth of the river on up the valley. |
Flood Control Rip Rap and Avon By-Pass Mt. Vernon waterfront project. Downtown Mt. Vernon??? |
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RUBY DAM PROJECT APPROVED BY CITY LIGHT DEPARTMENT Calling for expenditure of $13,500,000 a construction program for City Light’s Skagit project including the Ruby reservoir and dam, to be financed thru a government loan and sale of utility bonds, was disclosed yesterday to Mayor Charles L. Smith to the city council. Called into a conference yesterday afternoon, the board of public works approved the program as proposed by Supt. J. D. Ross in a telegram from Washington D.C., and a majority of the city council agreed to concur in the plan and to wire Ross authorizing him to file a formal application with the federal PWA. Loan Assured Ross has been in touch with federal officials at Washington and has indicated that both the PWA loan and the utility bond sale will go through. As outlined to the mayor by Ross the plan calls for a loan of 55 per cent of the total cost, or $7,425,000 and an outright grant of 45 per cent of $6,075,000. It is proposed to apply the grant as follows: For construction, 25 per cent, or $3,375,000; for application on bond interest payments, 20 per cent of the cost or $2,700,000. |
Ross Dam Cost $13,500,000. Government loan for 55% of the cost. The rest, 45% or $6,075,000 was paid for by the tax payers of America. |
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SKAGIT PLANNING COUNCIL ISSUES FLOOD STATEMENT The question to appear on the ballot at the municipal elections next Monday, whether or not to approve a flood control district, is one that most of the county voters know little about. … “The Planning Council believes the formation of our Flood Control district the most important thing this county has attempted to do. The Skagit and Samish rivers have always presented a serious problem. Through the years, instead of growing better, the dangers have constantly increased. Something must be done or the entire valley faces disaster. In the past we have tried to work single-handed. This has failed. … More Flood Danger As we have been building our dikes, the timber has been logged from our hills. They no longer hold back the rainfall and melting snow. At Hamilton, Lyman, Sterling and a hundred other places on both the Skagit and Samish rivers are each year washing away acres upon acres of land. This silt has filled up the mouths of the rivers and the river beds. The dikes cannot hold back the flood waters. The entire farming area and the existence of towns such as Mount Vernon, Burlington, Lyman and Hamilton is jeopardized. At Sterling the Skagit has so changed its course and is so rapidly cutting away the river bank that it will soon force a new channel north of Burlington through the farming county to salt water. |
Formation of Flood Control District Proposed Flood dangers increasing. Blamed removal of timber. Heavy erosion (what they didn’t tell you was that it was the log rafts floating down the river that was contributing to the erosion of the land). Afraid of river changing course in Sterling. The river was trying (and still is) to get back to its old main channel, Gages Slough and flow back to its “orphaned estuary” Padilla Bay. |
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FLOOD CONTROL CARRIED BY BIG MAJORITY HERE Election day, Tuesday, was very uneventful in Concrete, the only important question being the approval of the flood control district plan which carried by a majority of 68 to 31. In East Concrete the vote was 30 for to 8 against, while in West Concrete 38 voted for and 23 against. Unofficial returns from the entire county showed 1,901 voters in favor of the plan and only 767 against. Only 2,663 of the 12,754 registered citizens took the trouble to vote. To Be Contested Immediately after the voting, the Sound Timber Company began an action in the superior court to have the election declared null and void, asking that the election board be prevented from canvassing the returns. Judge Joiner set Dec. 28 as the date of the hearing. |
Voters Approve Flood Control District 12,754 voters in Skagit County. Only 2,663 of them voted in this election with 1,901 in favor and 767 against. Timber companies immediately filed suit to block formation of the district. |
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CITY LIGHT WARNS OF DANGER OF FLOODOfficials of the City Light are considering the possibility of another flood in the Skagit valley like the one in 1918. Conditions at present are just right, they say. One of the reasons assigned for greater flood risk is the diking system which has been built, confining the water to a “trough”. If another flood like that of 1918 should come Hamilton, Lyman and Burlington would be flooded, together with the lower parts of Mt. Vernon, Sedro-Woolley and Concrete. The last flood was in 1932 when eleven inches of rain fell in four days. Ten inches in thirty-four hours would bring a flood now with the ground saturated as it is, say the City Light people. |
Warning of Big Flood That Didn’t Happen 11 inches of rain in four days created the 1932 flood. 10 inches in 34 hours would create flood like 1918 (should have read 1815 – See 1/30/36 CT) See also 3/5/1936 C.H. for real cause of 1815 (1820) flood. |
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TRUE TALES OF THE UPPER SKAGIT THE STORY OF MOX TATLEM (1) By Dick Buller This tale of Mox Tatlem, who lived 125 years ago and his son, George, who lived at a later date was interpreted to me by an Indian medicine man named Hiyu Tillicum. Any slight inaccuracies should be laid to my inability to understand Hiyu’s English instead of any desire on my part to exaggerate. It was about one hundred and twenty-five years ago when Mox Tatlem first saw the light of day. The first few months of Mox’s life were not very eventful. About the first thing he could remember was his mother preparing salmon to smoke. She would split the salmon down the back, removing the head, backbone and tail and then small cedar splints were used to keep the fish spread apart until dried. When little Mox would look up in the roof of their rancheree he could see tons and tons of salmon being smoked, laying by food for a rainy day when there would be no salmon in the river. … It is small wonder that Mox, growing up under these social conditions, should remain savage like his ancestors. The next few years of Mox’s life were uneventful, he learned to hunt, fish and run a canoe to keep his life from becoming monotonous. He became especially proficient in setting snares for catching small game. This hobby for catching wildlife was the means of saving his life. When Mox was ten years old there came a winter of great snow December, January and into February. Then came warm rains and floods. A great slide filled Diablo Canyon full, damming the river. When this broke a great flood raced down the river – ice, logs, and debris—a solid wall of death forty feet high. As all the Indian villages were on the lowlands bordering on the river but few escaped. March 12, 1936 It so happened that Mox had got up early and went to look at his snares. When the huge wall of water and debris swept by, carrying death to all his relatives, you can imagine the feelings of a ten year old boy looking out over this scene of desolation. Recovering a few pieces of dried salmon from the ruins of the village, he made his way to the Sauk River where he had some relatives and with them grew to early manhood. |
Cause of 1815 (1820) Flood Event I interviewed the daughter of the man who wrote this article. She remembers her father talking about the interview with the Indian. She has no recollection of her father ever talking about Mr. Stewart or reviewing his estimates on the Skagit River. “About 125 years ago” would have meant Mox was born in either 1810 or 1811. Ten years old would have put him in 1820 or when Stewart first said the “great flood” happened. “A great slide filled Diablo Canyon full damming the river.” Wall of water 40 feet high at Rockport. Diablo Canyon is exactly where Mr. Stewart found his “drift bark” in the canyon wall. See the following: James E. Stewart Reflector Bar Notes; 1918 Stewart Report; 1923 James E. Stewart Report. |
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COUNTY CHAMBER FEARS LOSS OF WPA MONEY Skagit County’s Chamber of Commerce went on record Tuesday night in favor of a campaign for a larger share of WPA funds allotted to this state. This decision was reached at the regular meeting in Mount Vernon where speakers pointed out that this county was not receiving a fair apportionment of funds being passed out. Through lack of men on relief the $358,000 flood control project is considerably hampered and A. G. Mosier, Sedro-Woolley engineer, told the members that at the present rate the project will be only 25 per cent completed. Five hundred more men could be given employment on this job, except for WPA rulings restricting use of any that were not on relief between May and November last year. |
Erosion Control Projects in Danger Lack of workers blamed for project not being completed. |
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FISHERMEN GET BREAK ON SEASON THIS YEAR The 1936 season, extending from the first Sunday in April through the last day of October, was set at the last meeting of the state commission and will remain the regular trout season until further changed by the commissioners. Bag limits on game fish will be the same as last year, anglers being allowed to catch or have in possession not more than 20 whitefish fish and one game fish. An exception lists the whitefish limit as 20 whitefish or 15 pounds and one fish. |
Fish Issue Article confirms earlier suspicion that fishing season was between April 1 and October 31st. Evidently they used to eat whitefish. Also appears the limit on salmon was one fish. |
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WPA PROJECT FOR FISH HATCHERY IS APPROVED Among the twenty-three WPA projects approved in thirteen of Washington counties last week is listed a project for general repair and improvement of the Birdsview hatchery grounds. The improvements will include repairing the foundations on the twelve buildings and construction of additions to the senior and junior apprentice cottages. |
Fish Issue Birdsview fish hatchery to receive repair and improvement. |
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FORMER FISHERIES COMMISSIONER DIES Death closed the long and active career of Henry O’Malley, former United States fisheries commissioner, Friday when he passed away at his home in Seattle from heart disease, O’Mulley was well known in this district, having established the government fish hatchery at Baker Lake many years ago and continuing in charge of the station for about five years after it was built. From this beginning he worked up through the department to become head of all state and then all coast stations. |
Fish Issue O’Malley built the U.S. Government fish hatchery on Baker Lake. Later became U.S. Fish Commissioner. |
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WORK TO START ON RUBY DAM WITHIN THREE MONTHS Reports from Seattle are that the first money has been appropriated for work on the new Ruby dam and that operation will start within three months. A crew of engineers is now being hired to handle the preliminary work and it is expected that the job will be well under way before the close of 1937. |
Ross Dam Work to start in March 1937. |
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SAUK, FABER DAMS AS FLOOD CONTROL MEANS STUDIED Means to secure better flood control protection from uncertain waters of the Skagit River, a problem which has bothered Skagit county residents since the first settlers arrived, were again thoroughly considered at the June meeting of the Skagit County Planning council held at the Skagit county courthouse Monday night. … The three plans which received the most discussion were: 1. The proposed Avon by-pass which would carry off surplus flood water from the Skagit River, from either a point north of Avon or from a point near the southeast corner of the Burlington City limits; 2. The proposed Sauk River Dam; 3. The proposed Faber Dam. … Means of financing any of the proposals proved another troublesome problem. A strictly flood control dam was deemed non-feasible although a multi-purpose dam with poser interests assisting in construction costs was felt possible. |
Sauk Dam, Faber Dam, Avon By-Pass Flooding a problem since first settlers arrived. Financing any of the proposed solutions was and is just as big of a problem. |
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LOGGERS WARNED AGAINST PRACTICE HARMFUL TO FISH A warning was issued yesterday to logging companies throughout the state by Fred J. Foster, Director of Fisheries, against unauthorized removal of gravel from stream beds and other practices by some of the operators that seriously affect the natural habitat and passage of migratory fish. … In commenting upon the warning to loggers Foster said, “Many of the state’s best salmon producing streams have been rendered impotent by practices that completely blocked the passage of spawning fish. Others have been seriously affected by gouging out valuable spawning beds for the purpose of securing gravel for road construction, while some have actually been completely diverted in order to use the stream bed for a truck road. This is especially destructive during the time the fish are spawning and when the eggs are in the gravels. |
Fish Issue Logging hurting fish runs by removing gravel from streams or otherwise blocking fish passageways. |
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ROCKPORT GROUP REQUESTS BETTER FERRYING SERVICEPresenting a petition for adequate ferry service on the river at Rockport, citizens met with the county commissioners Wednesday in the commissioners’ chambers. The petition, with 269 signatures, requested that each ferry operator be paid at least $210 a month; that a relief operator be employed for rush hours, that proper approaches to the ferry be constructed and that the ferry be kept pumped out at all times and that a capable ferryman be engaged. Commissioners asked for time to take the matter under consideration. |
Rockport residents wanted better ferry service. |
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EDITORIALPeople of the Rockport community are petitioning the commissioners for better ferry service or those who must cross the river. The county engineer told their representatives that they should have had a bridge long ago but for war time conditions. |
Charles Dwelley on Better Ferry Service Supported Rockport residents who wanted better ferry service. |
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LARGE FISH HATCHERY WILL BE SITUATED NEAR MARBLEMOUNTAnnouncement was made last week that land had been purchased near Marblemount for the site of the Skagit Fish Hatchery, for which $150,000 in funds was appropriated at the last legislature. The state fisheries, department hopes to have the new Skagit county salmon hatchery in operation within the next year, staff chiefs and members of the state legislature’s joint interim committee on fisheries announced. |
Fish Issue New salmon hatchery proposed. |
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COUNTY ENGINEERS BEGIN DIAGRAMMATIC SKETCH FOR RIVER SURVEYCounty engineers this week have begun a diagrammatic sketch of the Skagit and Samish River watersheds preparatory to submitting the drawing to Congressman Henry Jackson and a group of United States engineers who will be in this district soon investigating flood control needs locally. . . . During months of high run off the Nooksack overflows into the Samish causing an unnecessary rise of that river’s level, and creating additional flood hazards south in Skagit county. Plans for a dike on the division line of flat land are being considered. . . . It was ascertained by Walberg that glacial water came down through the Samish last winter, possibly from the Nooksack overflow. |
This is the first written record obtained that the Nooksack used to flow into the Samish. |
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PROBLEMS OF SKAGIT RIVER DISCUSSED AT MT. VERNON MEETINGProblems of Skagit and Samish rivers were aired at a public gathering called in Mount Vernon Tuesday to better acquaint the office of Congressman Henry T. Jackson and army engineer with the two rivers and the needs to be met. . . . No definite program as to the future work on the two rivers was presented, the purposes of the session being to obtain material and data on the history of the two streams, the present problems, and the problems which might arise in the future. . . . The lone government proposal for the prevention of floods on Skagit river, adopted in 1936, is the Avon by-pass, which has been deemed impractical by local residents inasmuch as it absorbs much valuable land and since it necessitates expenditures of local funds estimated at between $1,000,000 and $3,800,000. . . . “Interesting geological facts are that at one time the Suiattle and lower Sauk rivers reached tide water through the Stillaguamish River in Snohomish and that the upper six miles of the south fork of the Sauk River was once the head of the south fork of the Stillaguamish.” |
Avon By-Pass No definite proposal other than By-Pass which was deemed impractical. Sauk River used to flow into the Stillaguamish River. |
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RAINFALL AT DIABLO 8.7 IN. OCT. 24-25Extraordinary rainfall--a total of approximately 11 in. --was recorded by the weather station at Diablo for the week ending October 27. October 24, with 6.49 inches of precipitation and October 25th, with 2.21 in. were the worst days. The water behind Ross Dam was raised 18.5 feet to the maximum height possible with the present construction. This impounded 25,660 acre feet of water and took the peak off the flood which descended on the Skagit valley from the drainage area below the dam. |
Rainfall & Ross Dam 8.7 inches in 48 hours. |
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SKAGIT VALLEY TO HAVE FLOOD WARNING SOONCreation of a flood warning system for the entire Skagit valley with emergency service to spread the alarm in event of dangerous conditions was announced today by Attorney A.H. Ward of Sedro-Woolley, chairman of the water resources committee of the Skagit county planning commission. . . . As the project develops and forecasts are based on information obtainable in the upper reaches of the Skagit, it will be possible to utilize power dams to aid in controlling the river. Weather bureau officials pointed out that by holding the crest of an upper Skagit flood at Ross dam for only three hours might permit a Sauk river crest to pass harmlessly whereas the combined crest of both streams might result in great losses to farmers and other residents of the valley. |
Flood Early Warning System So much for the weather bureau knowing what they were talking about. (3 hrs) It would be interesting to someday follow up and see why this system was not put into place as it clearly was not used as late as 1975. |
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SKAGIT FLOOD PROBLEM CONSIDERED AT MEETConsidering flood problems in the Skagit and Puyallup River basins, the Puget Sound Flood Control Council met for its 13th annual meeting Monday at the Seattle Chamber of Commerce with H. O. Walberg; Skagit county engineer, presiding as president of the council, and L. J. Wright, vice president from this county. A brief filed by Mr. Wright detailed the existing trouble along the Samish River in itself and by reason of overflow from the Skagit. Col. C. P. Hardy of the U.S. Army Engineers’ office disclosed that his office is now making a review of the Skagit river report which recommended the construction of the Avon by-pass and indicated that a conclusion more favorable to the county may be reached during 1946. |
Flood Meeting Samish River problems needed to be addressed separately. |
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MARBLEMOUNT HATCHERY PLANS ARE REVEALEDThe new hatchery will be a rearing station from which the Skagit, Nooksack, and Stillaguamish rivers will be kept stocked. The new station will operate forty concrete rearing ponds 80 feet long and 20 feet wide. Also there will be constructed a hatchery building 172x46 feet, which will be of concrete with a high pitch shake roof. Each rearing pond will begin the season with 150,000 young salmon fingerlings. As planting progresses this figure will be cut to 40,000 within three months. The remainder of the fish in the ponds will be kept for a rearing period of one year. The total capacity of the hatchery will be more than four million fish reared for a period of three months or more and approximately a million and a half will be retained and released as yearlings. |
Fish Issue Marblemount fish hatchery to supply 4 million fish reared for a period of three months or more and another 1.5 million will be released as yearlings to Skagit, Nooksack and Stillaguamish Rivers. |
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DISCUSS SKAGIT RIVER PROJECTSThe upper Skagit was one of the principal subjects at the meeting of the Skagit County Planning Council, held Monday evening at Mount Vernon. Proposed subjects for the upper valley were the establishment of the federal forest experiment station, study of fish development and recommendations on flood control and hydro-electric power. The Water Resources and Fisheries sub-committee, Arthur Ward of Sedro-Woolley, chairman, made the following recommendations to the planning commission: Joint study by the Department of Fisheries and the Puget Sound Power & Light Co., of the possibility of construction a fishway over the Baker river dam; A joint study by the same parties of downstream migration of fish over the dam to determine possible ways of reducing fish loss; Joint study by the department and City Light of means of stabilizing flow from the power stations to reduce fish loss due to stranded fingerlings and exposed eggs at low water. |
Fish Issue These are all the same issues that are being discussed today which must mean that for almost 60 years the dams were killing fish. |
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STATE FISHERIES AGAINST SKAGIT DAM AT FABERStrong opposition to the proposed Faber dam on the Skagit River can be found elsewhere than in the upper Skagit valley, we find. At a Kiwanis club meeting in Mount Vernon Monday afternoon, State Senator Barney Jackson, public relations officer of the state department of fisheries, voiced his opinion that such a dam would seriously jeopardize the entire Skagit river basin’s $1,185,500 commercial fishing industry, while still remaining an ineffective solution to the flood control problem. In his talk he said that the Faber dam, if constructed, will so diminish the Skagit river in fisheries importance that it will no longer rank as a contributor to the wealth of the state. At present the river is second in importance to the Columbia river, and the new Marblemount hatchery and other work planned for the future will raise it’s value over a million and a half dollars. At present the Skagit river contributes 48 percent of the commercial Chinook salmon fishing industry of the Puget Sound area. Along with this there is the sport fishing that brings many dollars to this county because of the river. |
Faber Dam/Fish Issue Proposed dam would have jeopardized entire Skagit River basin’s commercial fishing industry. 48% of commercial Chinook salmon industry depended on the Skagit. |
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RIVER RISES BUT NO FLOOD IN PROSPECTThe feared and anticipated flood stage on the Skagit River is still in prospect, but rising temperatures the past week have yet to bring any unusual rise in the river. According to the U. S. Weather Bureau, the Skagit is expected to reach a discharge of 40 to 45 thousand cubic feet per second by tomorrow. This will give a depth of 18 feet at Mount Vernon, still well below the danger point. |
Non-Flood Event |
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APPROVE HIGHER DAM AT RUBY CREEK PROJECTThe City of Seattle this week gave approval of a third step in construction of Ross Dam at the head of Diablo Lake, a step that will raise the completed height to 1,620 feet by adding 70 feet to the height of the dam as now planned. |
Ross Dam Approval given to raise to present day height. |
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FERRY AT ROCKPORT SINKS WITH CARS Two cars and a truck – and their occupants took a ducking in the cold Skagit river at Rockport yesterday when the Rockport ferry swamped in crossing against the high water and sank to the river bottom. Water started coming over the ferry deck and managed to fill the scow before it could be stopped. The ferry sank while passengers in the cars’ climbed to the roofs of their vehicles. All received a thorough soaking before rescuers arrived to take them off. The ferry was hauled ashore and pumped out and is now operating again – but cautiously. |
Rockport Ferry Accident |
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EDITORIAL The Rockport ferry accident yesterday again brings to the front the need for bridges across the Skagit River. Perhaps it will be necessary to drown a few citizens before the county commissioners decide to do something besides dole out maintenance for a ferry system that is as antiquated as it is unhandy and dangerous. So far they have successfully used two wars as excuse for not building our needed bridges, World War I and World War II. Make sure the candidates for commissioner this fall understand that we want action before World War III. |
Charles Dwelley on Rockport Ferry Accident |
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WORK BEGINS ON STATE FISH HATCHERY Work on the new state fish hatchery at Marblemount was under way Tuesday of this week as Roy N. Gaasland of Bellingham, contractor who built the Marblemount school, began construction of the large project on the Cascade river. Construction plans call for a main fish hatchery building 46 feet by 172 feet of rustic stone and timber construction, 20 cement rearing ponds, a large home for the caretaker and other small buildings. The hatchery will be used to raise trout and salmon for a program of restocking the hundreds of lakes and streams in the upper valley in addition to trying to bring the fish population of the Skagit River back to normal. |
Marblemount Fish Hatchery Construction begins. Purpose of hatchery was to “bring fish population” back to normal (i.e. before the dams). |
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LAKE STOCKED BY PLANE ON CASCADE Fish planting by airplane was again used in the upper Skagit last week when fifty-five thousand grayling fry were parachuted into Granite Lake, which is located at the head of Boulder Creek in the Cascades above Marblemount. The drop appeared to be successful. This is the second year that grayling have been planted in this district, last year a planting being made at Lime Mountain in the Suiattle river watershed. The grayling is similar to the trout, and is highly rated as a game fish. Eggs for the plantings were obtained from Utah hatcheries. This fish is native in Montana. The air planting was made by the state fisheries department. |
Fish Issue Grayling planted in upper Skagit. It would be interesting to find out if any of them survived. |
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FABER FERRY DUMPS TRUCK One more black mark against the county ferries was chalked up on Friday when another passenger took a ducking in the cold, cold Skagit River and subsequently had to salvage his truck from about 12 feet of water. The accident occurred when Jim Hillman’s garbage truck had the Faber ferry slide out from under it as he was attempting to drive onto the scow. One other truck had already driven on and the ferryman gave Hillman the signal to come ahead. The truck was half on the slip when the ferry slid out into the stream and dropped the truck into the water. Hillman just managed to get out of the cab as it went under. The ferry had not been tied to the landing. |
Faber Ferry Accident |
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EDITORIAL It has come to serious state of affairs when it becomes necessary to keep children from school because the county in which you live will not make safe passage for traffic across a river. The ferry system has always been bad, but the past few years has suffered even more from the total lack of interest and glaring incompetence of our duly elected commissioner–our sole “representative” in county government. Although Mr. Carr continues to pass the ferry issue off as trivial, we of the upper valley are growing angry and determined to settle once and for all this daily hazard to everyone who must cross the Skagit. We know what happens when a school bus full of children plunges into deep water. Chelan taught us that last year. We are determined that this will not happen here. The people of Sauk do not ask for a bridge, which is the only permanent solution. All they ask is a safe ferry crossing at this time. To provide this is the duty of the county commissioners and to date they have failed in their duty failed even in accepting responsibility. This is the sort of thing we of the upper Skagit must continually battle and it’s time that the true facts are presented to the public. Refusal to send school children into daily danger should bring quick judgment by public opinion. |
Charles Dwelley on Unsafe Ferries School children at risk. |
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FLOOD
DAMAGE IS LARGE IN UPPER SKAGIT Evaluation of flood damage in the upper Skagit valley from the flash flood caused last Thursday by heavy rains in this district was still not complete this week. Many reported washouts proved not as serious as first estimated, while real damage was found elsewhere. Greatest damage in the upper valley was at the state fish hatchery at Marblemount, where Jordan and Clark Creeks combined to play havoc with the hatchery grounds. Rocks and gravel from up-stream covered the grounds and much of the work already completed will have to be done over before the damage can be erased. Unofficial estimates place the damage at near $20,000. |
OCTOBER 25, 1946 FLOOD USGS 82,200 cfs Concrete (31.14), 64,900 cfs. Mt. Vernon (27.80). Didn’t reach flood stage at Mt. Vernon. |
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ASK PLANNING GROUP AID ON BAKER LAKE Active promotion of the Baker Lake area as a recreation spot was urged upon the Skagit County Planning Council last Monday evening by Editor Dwelley of the Concrete Herald, who has again resumed his post as chairman of the council’s sub-committee on recreation. The Baker Lake district holds a wealth of scenic and tourist attractions, equal in possibilities to the Mt. Rainier development, yet while located in Whatcom county, can only be reached through Skagit. Development by Skagit County is the logical move and the planning council accepted this view with a motion to place the project on their approved list of developments. . . . As outlined, the plan will include a large lodge at the site of the present fish hatchery, new camp grounds at Noisy Creek and near the bridge on the west side; one or two more camps for organized groups; two sites near the lake for leasing grounds to private persons for cabins; and further development of the privately owned camps. |
Baker Lake Recreational Area Obviously this all changed with the building of Upper Baker Dam. |
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RECORD SALMON RUN ON BAKER RIVER DAM Over 7,000 silver salmon and 4,900 sockeye salmon have been taken over the Baker River dam so far this season, according to the state department of fisheries. The sockeye run is about normal, but the silver run is almost twice the size of any precious cyclic run since the construction of the dam. The department reports that fish trapping and handling facilities at the local dam are still far from perfect, but that the power company is cooperating in every way to aid the rehabilitation of salmon runs with existing traps. Both the company and the department are now studying ways and means of improving the traps and hoisting cars to eliminate injuries and to permit restoration of steelhead trout and Chinook salmon runs, now almost completely destroyed. Silver and sockeye salmon have reacted more favorably because they occur at the season of the year when they are more easily trapped. |
Fish Issue 7,000 silvers and 4,900 sockeye. Steelhead and Chinook almost completely destroyed. |
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LOGGERS SUE CITY LIGHT Four Skagit county logging companies this week filed damage suits against the City of Seattle, charging faulty operation of Ross and Diablo dams during the high water of October 24 and 25, which resulted in the loss of logs boomed on the lower Skagit near Day and Gilligan creeks. The companies assert that the City of Seattle’s power projects failed to hold back and regulate correctly the rapid rise in the Skagit River above the dams and that the resulting high water in the lower Skagit was thereby unnecessary. They ask $36,900 in payment for logs taken down the river when high water tore out their boom sticks. |
Seattle City Light Sued By Loggers |
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EDITORIAL Talk of making the Baker Lake area into a huge recreational resort has now reached the planning stage. The forest service has the preliminary plotting done with provisions for a lodge on the site of the old Baker Lake fish hatchery, new camp grounds and lease property for private cabins, a ranch resort at Morovitz, development of the hot springs, a ski resort at Schreiber’s and eventual development of the Mazama park area a natural ski bowl. All this is as much a part of our resources as timber or mines, and will pay dividends perpetually instead of what’s being developed. Tourists are good business. |
Charles Dwelley on Baker Lake Planning Area Baker Lake recreational resort would bring in tourist and “Tourists are good business.” |
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RAIN BRINGS MORE HIGH WATER IN SKAGIT VALLEY More of the same, said the weather man this week as again the skies opened up and sent down enough dripping, soaking rain to send the creeks and rivers up to flood stage in the upper valley. This time, however, traffic continued to move after a fashion. Water was over the road at Corkindale, near Marblemount, when a creek left its banks. The temporary bridge at Rocky creek slipped a little lower at one end. Ferries suspended operation during the peak stages of the Skagit. At Wiseman creek below Hamilton, ten inches of water met daring motorists but failed to stop many of them. Mail and food trucks came through a little late. At Hamilton the high water and bad roads made a detour advisable. |
Non-Flood Event |
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EDITORIAL The new county commissioners will take office on the 16th of this month, bringing the county two men who firmly maintain that a bridge across the Skagit near Concrete is of prime importance to the county as a whole. Ferries are rapidly becoming as costly as separate bridges and a few years of operation under present expenditures will not only mean outlay of money sufficient to provide for at least one bridge, but will mean that this money is wasted as far as the county is concerned. There are times when spending money means saving money. This is the case in building a bridge in the upper valley. The people of the upper Skagit have two friends to talk to in the commissioner’s office this year and should lose no time in calling on them and talking the subject over. No matter how favorable they may be, the upper valley must take the initiative and request immediate action. From then on the commissioners can proceed as our elected representatives. |
Charles Dwelley on Upriver Bridges Needed to Replace Ferries Ferries as costly as a new bridge. |
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FISH HATCHERY AT BIRDSVIEW WILL BE CLOSED The government (federal) fish hatchery at Birdsview will be abandoned this spring. This word was received recently from head officials of the federal fish and wildlife department under which the hatchery has been operating for the past few years after the reorganization of the old Bureau of Fisheries. The hatchery is one of the oldest in the state and had been the headquarters for fish propagation in this section for many years. The closing was made necessary by the condition of Grandy Creek. Erosion has been increasing on this stream for the past few years until so much silt and debris has been washed from its upper reaches that the water is no longer usable for the hatching troughs and rearing ponds. |
Birdsview Fish Hatchery Closing The hatchery was primarily interested in the salmon run on the Skagit and Baker rivers. |
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WILL TRY TO KEEP HATCHERY AT BIRDSVIEW It took a little time for the news that the upper valley was about to lose the Birdsview hatchery to sink in – but when it did people began to do a little thinking about the matter. The result was a resolution by the Birdsview Grange that an effort be made to have the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service continue the hatchery in operation. . . . It was pointed out that the only real reason for closing the hatchery is the silt in Grandy Creek from which the water supply is derived. This condition is caused by erosion on the upper reaches of the stream and in turn comes from logging operations which have cut the heavy cover from the watershed. . . . During its many years operation on Grandy Creek, the hatchery has paid big dividends to the upper valley, maintaining a continuous study of the sockeye run on the Baker River and the various salmon runs in the Skagit. In addition trout from the hatchery have been placed in almost every lake in the district. The resulting fine fishing sport has brought hundreds of fishermen to the upper valley and continuation of the stocking program is necessary to hold and improve this growing recreation business. |
Birdsview Hatchery Loggers blamed for deteriorating water conditions of Grandy Creek. Hatchery ran by the federal government. Hatchery was a valuable resource supplementing fish runs and thus bringing hundreds of sports fisherman into the valley |
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SEATTLE OKAYS COMPLETION OF HIGHER ROSS DAM The Seattle City Council this week approved the proposal to negotiate with the builders of Ross Dam for completion of the third and final “step” in the huge Skagit river project. The present contract will be complete, except for minor details in the next two months and the officials of City Light believe that they can secure a good bid on the final step if the work is begun while the contractors have their equipment and labor still at the site. The present dam rises to a height of 475 feet. The final contractor will elevate this to the 540 foot level and will allow the generating equipment to be installed and placed in operation. No power will be generated at Ross Dam until the final step has been completed. . . . The final step on the dam will cost in the neighborhood of seven million dollars and will require another two years work. |
Ross Dam Was only 475 feet tall in 1947! |
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MANY FISH TO BE PLANTED IN UPPER SKAGIT DISTRICT More fish plantings for the upper Skagit district were in prospect as State Game Protector M. Splane began a plant of rainbow and cutthroat fry from the Lake Whatcom hatchery. The first are between three and four inches in length. Plantings will be made as follows: Day Creek, 15,000; Upper Skagit between Gorge Creek and Diablo, 20,000; 25,000 in creeks along the Baker river; 10,000 in Swift Creek. Big Watson lake will be planted with 20,000 cutthroats by plane and another 50,000 rainbow will be flown to Diablo Lake. Grandy Lake is slated for 30,000 cutthroat by truck. |
Fish Issue Only planted trout, no salmon. However, article shows that even the cutthroat trout population was not natural in the Skagit River as many of those plants in creeks clearly made their way down to the Skagit. |
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SALMON ON INCREASE IN SKAGIT RIVER The state department of fisheries recent survey of the Skagit and Stillaguamish rivers has revealed that pink salmon escapement has been greatly increased in both waters over the last cycle year of 1945. The survey party found 150,000 pink salmon and 11,000 king salmon spawning in the area between Newhalem dam and Faber ferry on the Skagit. These figures are based on actual counts taken as the survey party drifted down the river in a boat, recording the fish sighted. The Skagit river count shows a 30 per cent greater escapement than in 1945. The Stillaguamish, in a similar survey, showed a 50 per cent improvement. |
Fish Issue 11,000 Kings found spawning between Newhalem and Faber Ferry. Interesting to note is that they didn’t count any fish on the Sauk and only included fish that they saw. River must have been incredibly clear for this survey to mean anything. |
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WHAT BRIDGE? SAYS COUNTY The Concrete Lions Club played hosts to the County Commissioners last evening, having invited them to be present to give their knowledge and advice to a discussion of a Skagit river bridge for the upper valley. Commissioners Ed Carr, Lowell Hughes and Wallace Sharp heard the discussion of the club in regard to the project that has been the subject of campaigns, meetings and publicity here for a number of years, culminating in a definite selection of a site and the promise of active support by the commissioners last spring. Then the commissioners shocked the club members almost out of speech by admitting that they knew very little about a bridge for this district and had made no effort whatsoever to investigate the possibilities of building one. There was never even an inquiry by the board into how a bridge could be financed. |
Dalles Bridge Small disconnect between upriver community and County Commissioners. |
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EDITORIAL This week our editorial column is reserved for a complete and detailed report of the plans made, financing, outlined, surveys completed and other notable work done on the Skagit river bridge for the upper valley by the county commissioners who only last year were elected to office with the bridge as the number one item in their campaign pledges. The report reads as follows: Editor’s comment: It has been a long time since we have such an unblemished record presented by men hired to serve the public as top executives. We only hope that these men choose to “stand on their record” next election. |
Charles Dwelley on Competency of County Commissioners With Respect To Dalles Bridge Sometimes saying nothing at all speaks volumes. There was nothing but a blank space in the report section of the editorial. |
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A BRIDGE IN 1952 MAYBE The three million dollar program schedules a complete job of repair, maintenance and new construction for all county roads and bridges, but will fall about one million dollars short of estimated revenues for the four-year period. This means that unless additional funds can be provided from new sources, the complete program can not be carried out. As usual, the upper valley gets the short end of the deal, with little to be done in this district except for some repairs on the Sauk river road and some new bridges there in the next two years. The road from the Dalles to Faber and the Faber bridge are on the program for 1950 at the earliest. The county expects to be about $360,000 short on funds by this time, which gives an idea of how much importance is placed on a bridge in this vicinity. Engineer Wallberg stated that cost of ferry operation for 1947 was $70,000, of which all but the $8,000 subsidy on the Guemes Island ferry was spent on the Skagit river ferries. He estimated it would take $60,000 to operate them in 1948. |
Upriver Bridge Still running ferries during this time span at $60,000 a year. |
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EDITORIAL How long would an efficient organization go on paying $30,000 to $70,000 a year to maintain old equipment that could be replaced with new minimum upkeep material in a matter of five or six years at the same cost! Well, count the years they have been maintaining our antiquated ferry service at various points along the Skagit river. Then note that in a four-year plan of master-minded road and bridge construction – the bridge that would eliminate three costly ferries is relegated to the “someday” bracket. What kind of economy is this! If any group of roads in the lower valley were costing $70,000 a year to maintain and were getting worse each year there would be something done – even if it cost every cent the prosperous third district could dig up. But let the same amount be wasted up here and you can’t get the commissioners to lift an eyelid. None are so blind as those who will not see. We now must ascertain if they are also deaf. |
Charles Dwelley on Action on Upriver Bridge |
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FOREST SERVICE HAS NO FUNDS FOR SKAGIT BRIDGE As was expected, the Forestry Department at Portland found no funds available for aiding Skagit County in building a bridge across the Skagit river here this year. County Engineer Walberg met with Forestry officials in Portland upon his return from Washington D.C. last week and found that the department had barely enough funds to carry their own program this year. The bridge is greatly favored by the Forestry Dept. in that it will open the vast Phinney Creek area of federal timber and permit easy access for timber sales and logging. |
No Federal Funds For Bridge The ball now reverts to the county commissioners, who have yet to initiate any sort of a program for building the bridge from any funds. |
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SKAGIT BRIDGE WILL RELEASE MUCH TIMBER Forest service officials at Portland estimate that approximately 20 million feet of timber a year on sustained yield cutting will be the timber yield to come across the proposed Skagit river bridge at the Dalles if the bridge is built within the next few years. “. . . it appears that about 1 billion feet of National Forest timber might be beneficially affected by the proposed bridge. Converted to sustained allowable annual cut, this would amount to something in the neighborhood of 20 million feet per year. |
Logging and Bridge |
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UPPER SKAGIT HITS ELECTION JACKPOT The Skagit river bridge, one of the most hoped-for issues, passed by an overwhelming vote of 11,618 for to 3,185 against. A.B. Wiseman, county commissioner for this district after Jan. 1, 1949, will have the responsibility of carrying out the county’s request for a bridge across the Skagit River near Concrete. The voters approved a $700,000 bond issue to provide funds for the new bridge and the necessary roads for connecting south of the river roads with its approaches. |
Bridge Bonds Approved |
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EDITORIAL Well, there is your bridge. Handed to you on a silver platter by the people of Skagit county. All you had to do to get it was work yourself into alternate states of fury and despair over a period of eighteen or twenty years before someone noticed that a bad situation wasn’t getting any better, that our wails in the wilderness were of some distress. It takes a lot of time to convince a few stubborn men who don’t want to understand, a very short while to convince a lot of common folks. So, when you get around to watching the final steel go into place on that bridge across the Skagit river, make sure that on the inevitable plaque that goes with it’s price there are no dedications to glory for the few men whose duty it was to make the plans and buy the steel. Instead, let’s have a simple wording of honesty and truth – “This bridge built by the people of Skagit County.” I wager folks will come for miles around to see that plaque alone, it would be so unusual. |
Charles Dwelley on Bridge To Be Built at The Dalles The building of any bridge be it physical or philosophical begins with a concept and must be followed by tenacity and advocacy. The building of the upriver bridge is a tribute to the upriver community and the people of Skagit County. |
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NO DECISION ON BRIDGE The Skagit river bridge to be built near this community is still the center of a lot of argument on site. So much so that the county has made a request for a geologist from the state department of highways to make a preliminary survey and settle the question. The big problem between the two suitable sites, at Faber ferry and at The Dalles, is the stretch of road between them. The Dalles is a perfect site for a short span; the Faber site must have a long span with only one solid rock footing. . . . Forestry officials, engineers and now the state geologists have been called into consultation to solve the riddle. The main problem is about 2,000 feet of clay slide and a few other portions of underlying clay strata over which a road must pass. |
Geologist To Determine Location of Bridge Geology was what determined the location of the bridge between Faber and The Dalles sites. |
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FABER DAM IN NEWS AGAIN AS POSSIBILITY Rumblings are again being heard from the federal government on more hydro-electric and flood control projects on the Skagit river. Army Engineers, who have been conducting surveys on the Skagit, Cascade, Sauk and Baker rivers for several years, are now nearing the final stages of their work and plan to have their report ready next year. Under consideration by the Army Engineers are four dams: One on the Baker river; one on the main channel of the Skagit at Faber; one on the lower Sauk river and another on the lower Cascade river. They are now seeking information from the state game department as to possible effect on the river’s system of fish runs. . . . The Game Commission has issued a statement that “Part of the Skagit river already is blocked by power developments, so we must be on our guard to protect the great fish runs on this stream. The Skagit is famed the breadth of our land for its fine fishing, being worth a tremendous amount to us as a tourist and recreation asset for this reason.” The proposed dam on the Baker river (above Lake Shannon) would back water into the canyon above Baker Lake, inundating much valuable recreational area around the present Baker Lake shore line. |
Faber and Baker Dam & Fish Opposition by state to either Faber or Baker due to impacts on fish runs. See 2/25/49 USFW letter to Corps (re dams at Faber & Sauk sites); 2/23/49 Letter to Corps from WDOG (re impacts of dam construction); and 3/4/49 Letter to Corps from WDOF (re impacts of dam construction). See also Historical Record of Fish Related Issues (1897-1969). |
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EDITORIAL If the upper Skagit can stave off another “valley authority” on the Skagit river, it will only be because we were warned soon enough to start working against it. For several years now army engineers have been making surveys of possible power sites and flood control projects that could make the valley above Concrete just a serious of ponds. We know that the people of the valley don’t want such a thing to happen, but we know also that unless some definite and concerted action is taken to make this fact known we will one of these days find a construction crew on the river banks making ready to put an end to all the hopes and aspirations of those who live in and love this green valley of ours. Too much of the propaganda that calls for despoiling a river is from government agencies themselves whose never-ending greed fattens on more and more “projects” whether needed or not. Power needs are growing, but until present sources are developed to the utmost, no new dams are needed. If upper streams can be utilized, a Faber dam will never be needed for its avowed purpose of flood control. Take warning from the happenings in other quiet valleys. The Skagit is being lined up for sacrifice. |
Charles Dwelley Opposed to More Dams Didn’t want the upper valley to become a “series of ponds.” |
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COUNTY DROPS FLOOD WARNING EMPLOYEES Skagit County’s flood control warning system, which had been developed by the county planning council three years ago, is now being abandoned. The two men employed by the county during three months of the year to check weather gauges in the mountains on the upper Skagit have been notified that their services will no longer be required. The action was taken by the board of county commissioners who feel that this service is already being duplicated by other agencies such as the power projects on the river, and that there are adequate means of warning in case of flood danger. |
Flood Early Warning System Not needed say County Commissioners. |
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DAMS HOLDING BACK SKAGIT FLOOD THREAT The information from the surveys completed through the joint efforts of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Dominion Water and Power Bureau of Canada, the Forest Service and Soil Conservation Dept. and City of Seattle has provided much valuable information in anticipating flood conditions. Last year from May 24 to June 12, the natural flow of the Skagit River at Diablo Dam maintained a flow of from 16,000 to 32,000 cubic feet per second, which is the highest spring runoff of record at that point. This year, due to the large storage capacity of the Ross Dam, the greatest amount of the runoff has been held and flows actually released at Diablo now range between 2,500 and 8,000 cu. ft. per second. Actually 78 percent of the total runoff was impounded. . . . In their statement concerning the possibility of floods, City Light reminds residents of the valley that floods are still possible despite all precautions if weather conditions bring on unusual runoffs. However, most serious floods occur during the winter period from October to March. . . . Flow of the Baker River by the Puget Sound Power dam is also controlled as far as possible by river conditions and release of water from all dams are timed through close cooperation of the power dispatchers. |
Operation of Baker, Diablo and Ross Dams |
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RIVER REMAINS HIGH AS WARM WEATHER HOLDS The hot days of the past week have had the Skagit River up near flood stage several times, but at latest reports, the gauge at Mount Vernon is still below the “danger point” of 21 feet. Ferries at Faber and Rockport have been operating only when a drop in the river gave show of safety, but school children are being forced to miss their last week of school. . . . Last season’s high point was 20.8 feet. The highest yet so far has been 19.4 and the river has been dropping since this point was reached Friday morning. |
Non-Flood Event River stayed high but did not reach flood stage. |
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CITY LIGHT CO. WILL DOUBLE PLANT'S OUTPUT Present capacity of the City Light company’s plant is to be more than doubled with the installation of three 90,000 kilowatt generators by the Westinghouse corporation, it was announced this week. . . . For operation of the generators the dam has been heightened to 540 feet and a reservoir containing 1,400,000 acre-feet of water, extending almost to the Canadian border is being built up. |
Seattle City Light/Ross Dam Three new generators increase production of power. Ross dam 540 feet high. |
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AGAINST MORE SKAGIT DAMS John M. Hurley, Jr. chief of the stream improvement division of the state fisheries department spoke at a Salmon bake at Hope Island on Sunday, opposing the full development of power in the state as the end of the fish runs of the state. He spoke against the CVA in that it would place jurisdiction of all state fisheries in hands of a federal board. He also spoke at length on the Skagit river’s proposed Faber and Sauk dams, which he said “would reduce the Skagit to relative insignificance as a producer of migratory fish.” He urged that the people go slowly in approving legislation that will destroy all fishing resources in favor of power development. |
State Opposes Sauk and Faber Dams Dams would destroy salmon runs. |
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RUBY DAM DEDICATED IN CEREMONY TODAY At formal ceremonies, covered by radio and newsreels the City Light Department today accepted the completed Ross Dam from the contractors General, Shea and Co. The construction company have been cleaning up their operations at the dam site for the past month in preparation for turning the dam over to City Light. The huge dam has been built so that if future needs require it can be raised in height by superimposing another face over the present honeycomb-like structure. |
Ruby/Ross Dam Completed |
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TWELVE YEAR CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDING ROSS DAM COMPLETED LAST WEEK The construction of Ross Dam was one of the most difficult and spectacular jobs in the world. The granite cliffs rise for hundreds of feet from the river gorge. Every pathway, building site and toehold for man or machine had to be blasted from the rock. Construction of the first step of the dam began in September 1937 and was completed March 11, 1940. Work was resumed in February of 1943 and carried through until completion on August 18th, 1949. Cost of building the dam was approximately $28,000,000. |
Picture available. History of Ross Dam Construction Construction of the first step of the dam began in September 1937 and was completed March 11, 1940. Work was resumed in February of 1943 and carried through until completion on August 18th, 1949. Cost of building the dam was approximately $28,000,000. Construction of the entire Seattle City Light project began in 1919. NOTE: Notice how narrow the canyon is in the picture. |
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COUNTY HIRES ENGINEER FOR SKAGIT BRIDGE The Skagit county commissioners, who have been keeping rather quiet on the upper Skagit bridge due to lack of any specific progress to report, this week heaved a sigh of relief and sent out word that they have hired a bridge engineer to draw plans and specifications and to act as consultant on the project. The new engineer is Cecil Arnold of Seattle, and he is expected to report in Skagit county immediately to begin work. It is the intention of the county commissioners to be ready to let contracts by March 1, 1950. |
Dalles Bridge Construction to start by March 1, 1950. |
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SKAGIT RIVER FLOODS IN QUICK RISE AFTER STORM FREAK STORM WITH HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WIND SETS OFF FIRST SERIOUS FLOOD SINCE 1921 – DAMAGE HEAVY IN ROCKPORT AND HAMILTON; NO PROPERTY HIT HERE Heavy rains and unseasonably warm temperatures combined with other factors over the week end in causing the first serious flood on the Skagit river in many years. Although the river was high for several days, the rapid rise of the river Saturday night and Sunday morning caught most residents living near the river by surprise. The real cause of the flood was the unusually heavy rainfall during the week, when 11 inches fell on the upper Skagit between Tuesday and Sunday. During the storm that hit here Saturday, four inches of rain fell in 24 hours. This, combined with a Chinook wind and the already bank-full river, brought the water up at a rapid rate starting early Saturday evening. By 2:00 a.m. Sunday water had started to enter the town of Hamilton and by morning there was from two to four feet of water over the entire town. . . . All traffic to the upper valley was closed Sunday by water over the road at Lyman. Before that a few cars had been able to get thru by detouring Hamilton by way of the Lyman Timber Co. road to Grandy Lake. . . . The fact that water was low behind Ross dam kept the flood from being much worse. The valves of the dam were closed Wednesday and the dam was able to hold back all water here until the flood crest had passed. At the crest of the flood 42,600 cubic feet of water were impounded every second. The lake, over 20 miles long, came up ten and is now forty feet higher than anticipated for this time of the year. Monday there was still enough storage space to impound another 200,000 acre feet of water. No water is being released. |
NOVEMBER 28, 1949 FLOOD USGS 154,000 cfs Concrete (40.8), 149,000 cfs Sedro-Woolley, 114,000 cfs Mt. Vernon (34.21) This was more water than the two 1990 floods and the first 1995 flood events at Concrete. Hamilton under 2-4 feet of water. Crofoot addition had water up within a few inches of the bank, but no homes were touched. Edgar Gates’ barn was isolated by a virtual river. The fact that water was low behind Ross dam kept the flood from being much worse. The valves of the dam were closed Wednesday and the dam was able to hold back all water here until the flood crest had passed. At the crest of the flood 42,600 cubic feet of water were impounded every second. The lake, over 20 miles long, came up ten and is now forty feet higher than anticipated for this time of the year. The Baker river dam here held back the rising Baker river until late Saturday evening, when storage capacity was reached. The water was then released at a minimum rate, keeping the lake level at full height. |
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HAMILTON HARD HIT BY FLOOD The town of Hamilton took the brunt of the damage on the upriver flood water. Residents of that city were awakened about 2:00 a.m. to watch the waters rise in the west end of town. Soon the water was advancing almost as fast as a person could walk down the main highway through town and by morning almost the entire flat had been covered. The rise continued until there was from two to four feet of water over the entire area. All homes and business houses suffered damage as silt and dampness took toll against furniture, store stocks and buildings. |
Hamilton Flooded All homes and businesses suffered damage. |
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REPORTS OF UPPER VALLEY FLOOD DAMAGE City Light railroad washed out beneath the tracks at Bacon and Damnation Creeks on the upper Skagit. The highway at Damnation creek also went out. Road closed. Cascade road washed out east of Marblemount bridge. Small span to Fish Hatchery washed away. Railroad right-of-way and highway damage in vicinity of Hamilton. Highway open. Lyman ferry completely missing. Much damage to homes and the school and business building at Hamilton. . . . Puget Sound Power & Light high line damaged by river near Lyman. |
Upriver Damage Reported |
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EDITORIAL Again nature has proved that in spite of the best laid plans of mice and men, she stills holds the power to make her own rules when it comes to storms and floods. Storms are one thing no one claims to control, but floods are too often dabbed “impossible” after a few man-made projects are erected to end them. Last weekend proved that when a combination of weather conditions occur at the same time there is no holding back of high water. Luckily these coincidences are spaced many years apart. So we are again warned to respect the Skagit River, and to make our future plans accordingly. It is not yet captive. |
Charles Dwelley on 1949 Flood Event Skagit not yet captive. “floods are too often dabbed “impossible” after a few man-made projects are erected to end them.” |
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FLOOD DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT OVER $300,000 Figures on flood damage from the Skagit River’s recent rampage were released yesterday by the soil conservation department, which estimated the total cost at $306,965.00, excluding crop losses. Their survey showed that seventy farm buildings were washed out or badly damaged; 2,700 feet of dikes went out; five bridges were lost and three and one-half miles of road was destroyed. A total of 14,765 acres were inundated. The Skagit River reached its highest peak since 1921 with a flow of 132,000 cubic feet per second. |
1949 Flood Damages $300,000 would be $2,436,230 in 2004 dollars. Also note change in cfs. USGS has flow at 154,000 cfs. CH first reported 154,000. Now 132,000. Damage figures should have been more if flow was 154,000 cfs. |
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VALLEY JOLTED BY OUTBREAK OF NEW SLIDES . . . Meanwhile the lower valley was getting their share of the surplus water with the creeks between Minkler Lake and Cokedale over the highway and traffic detoured over the new highway. There was also water on the road between Lyman and Hamilton. Roads were open and passable in most places today. The Samish river overflowed its banks near Allen, flooding much of that area and water covered the fields between Sedro-Woolley and Burlington along the main highway. |
Partial Article on Small Flood |
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FABER FERRY IS SAFE ENOUGH SAYS OFFICIAL W. M. Craft, marine safety inspector for the state department of safety, set at rest all argument and misunderstanding about the Faber ferry this week by stating that the Ferry had never been condemned for school buses and that it has been maintained compliance with all state requirements, as well as his personal recommendations. Through some misunderstanding the people across the ferry had been refusing to send their pupils across the ferry on the school bus, and for the past month have been bombarding officials with protests and argument supposedly based on Mr. Craft’s previous routine inspection at which he suggested that the bow plates be strengthened and a small leak repaired. This was done but parents still refused to allow the children to cross. . . . In the recent trouble, he believed the misunderstanding arose from idle conversation as he makes his official report only to the county engineers and to the state office. He did not order the ferry closed to school traffic as he found the ferry in good operating condition. His recommendations of re-planking and repair were not of an emergency nature. |
Faber Ferry Rumors that ferry was unsafe were untrue. |
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EDITORIAL The Faber ferry argument is rather an unfortunate and futile gesture that can do no one any good and do a lot of damage. No one has ever conceded that a river ferry was an ideal method of transportation. It just happens to be the cheapest and the only kind we have. It is also logical reasoning that the county engineers are not going to tempt fate by operating a scow in dangerous condition. A bit of trust in those who must live in fear of an accident on the ferry is a much better trust than that of a sticker placed on the ferry twice a year. A sticker merely says that on one single day the ferry appeared to one man to be in good condition. The ferry is no safer now than it was last year or will be next month. It will not be entirely safe until it is ground on the river bank for good. Not a complaint in the world can change the truth of this statement – and that is exactly where the proposition will stand until the bridge is completed. |
Charles Dwelley on Faber Ferry “The ferry is no safer now than it was last year or will be next month.” |
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FINISH EXPERIMENTS AT BAKER RIVER POWER DAM The international Salmon Commission, which is using the Baker River dam in this city for experimental purposes, completed a series of experiments here this week on the salmon run of the Baker River. . . . The principal problem to be solved was the question of whether or not the young fish, coming down the lake behind the dam, would swim deep enough to enter the turbine inlets 80 feet below the surface. This and other questions pertaining to the run kept a crew of four men busy for the past six weeks. . . . It is definitely established that the Baker river runs are dropping each year. Experiments here will be used in determining methods of building up the runs. Members of the crew were Roy Hamilton, Fred Andrews and Owen Hughes of British Columbia. |
Lower Baker Dam/Fish Issue Test showed “It is definitely established that the Baker river runs are dropping each year.” |
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COUNTY RIVER JOBS DONE Two river control projects in this area were virtually complete this week as the county crews finished up projects designed to ease river damage this winter. One job was a 4,200 cubic foot jetty, built at Devil’s Elbow on the south side of the Skagit above Concrete. This jetty will block out a slough on the south side of the river and eliminate any current through there in high water. The flood waters would ordinarily go into the slough and could damage the right-of-way of the proposed highway from Faber to the Dalles on that side of the river. Devil’s Elbow is the big bend in the Skagit just above the Overnell place. At Rockport a similar job was done on the slough there, a 3,500 yard rock fill being made to close the east end of the slough. Purpose of the work is to protect the ferry landing in high water and to keep the river from cutting into valuable farm land. |
Devils Elbow Located See 8/20/21 C.H.. “Devil’s Elbow is the big bend in the Skagit just above the Overnell place.” Skagit County blocked off upriver sloughs. |
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WORKING FAST ON THE DALLES ROAD CONTRACT Activity stepped up even more at The Dalles this week as the Bay Construction Co. really began to move on their job of building the approach road to the Skagit river bridge. A big cat and a shovel were on the job Wednesday to start knocking down the hill between old Grasmere and the Dalles road. The hillside has been cleared from the moving of the dirt. |
Dalles Bridge Road construction to new bridge started. |
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FLOOD WATERS AGAIN NEAR HIGH PEAK Almost exactly one year from the date of the worst flood in the past 30 years on the Skagit River, warm rains and wind combined to give the folk along the river banks another bad scare. The water rose to a crest of 21.6 feet at Mt. Vernon Sunday, but did little damage. The crest a year ago was 26.5 ft. In the upper valley ferries had to cease operation for a short time and water did cover the road for a while at the slough just below Hamilton. The Baker dam was able to hold back a good share of the raise in the Baker River, only 14 gates being opened to hold the flow level. High water continues, though the river is dropping somewhat. The run-off will ease the flood situation considerably. |
11/26/50 Flood Event No reading for Concrete by USGS. Mt. Vernon reached 68,400 cfs or 28.19 on gage which by this time had been moved to the bridge between Burlington & Mt. Vernon. Old gage reading would have been approx. 20 feet at the Moose Hall. Baker Dam a player on lessening flood flows. |
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FLASH FLOODS DO GREATEST DAMAGE HERE Along with the rest of the county the upper Skagit watched the flood waters recede Sunday and then began the new week by trying to calculate the amount of damage done. This time it was not the river that caused the most grief for residents of this area, but the quick run-off of water from the mountains that brought every creek to river size and made new streams where there were none before. These streams caused slides, dug out roads, damaged property and generally disrupted the valley. At the same time the river flooded Hamilton, all lower sections along the river from Sedro-Woolley to Marblemount and cut off all travel to outside points. . . . damage was done at Birdsview where a log jam at the railroad bridge sent Grandy Creek down the highway. . . . Jackman Creek at Van Horn was also too high for its banks, so took off across the road east of bridge, flooding over the flat from the store to the mill. |
FEBRUARY 11, 1951 FLOOD USGS 139,000 cfs Concrete (38.99), 150,000 cfs Sedro-Woolley, 144,000 cfs Mt. Vernon (36.85) More damage done upriver by streams and creeks then by river. See Historic Flood Flows; 2/10/51 MVDH; 2/12/51 MVDH; 2/15/51 Argus; 2/15/51 CT; 2/16/51 B.J. |
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EDITORIAL The Skagit River has again served notice that it has a will of its own and can not be controlled by predictions, weather charts, previous performances or power dams. When conditions are right the Skagit will flood, and the county might just as well prepare its defenses. In the lower valley dikes again held off a major disaster. Their move will be better dikes and allowance for even higher water than has been experienced. Communities such as Hamilton may also have to look into diking projects for protection. The upper valley could well use an emergency road system out of the flood areas, something the county could do easily with a few connecting links in the Lyman-Hamilton area. Also needed is a county budget for flood emergency use and a definite working plan for handling such emergencies. The county engineer’s stepped into the breach and did an excellent job this past week end, but their work could have been greatly simplified if they had funds to work with and rules to follow. Floods may not come often in future years, that is true. But there is little reason why they can’t be included in our planning and be accepted as part of the weather hazard that must be faced. |
Charles Dwelley on County Needs To Plan For Floods One has to wonder if the editor was referring to the dams when he said, “Floods may not come often in future years, that is true.” However he did recognize that the Skagit cannot be controlled by “power dams” alone. The irony here is that we did not have another “serious flood” until 1975. This editorial still rings true in 2005. |
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OVER SIX INCHES OF RAIN LAST WEEK In addition to the warm winds which melted snow, the flood last week end was speeded by a total of 6.46 inches of rainfall in a four-day period. Friday, Feb. 9th was the big day for rain. The 24-hour total for that date was 2.42 inches. |
Rainfall 6.46 inches in 4 days caused 2/11/51 flood. Unfortunately the article doesn’t say where the 6 inches was measured. See Historical Rainfall & Its Impact on Floods |
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MT. BAKER ONCE HAD A SPANISH NAMEMount Baker was known by the Indians as “Koma Kulshan” or “Steep Mountain”. In 1790 a Spanish explorer named Manuel Quimper put it on his maps as La Montana del Carmelo – “The Great White Watcher”. Then came Lt. Joseph Baker in 1892 and his report gave it his own name. The first ascent of the mountain by a white man was made in 1886 by E. T. Coleman. |
Mt. Baker According to a book titled “Mt. Baker, A Chronicle of its Historic Eruptions and First Ascent” by Harry M. Majors, 1978, what is reported in this article may not be correct. Mr. Majors writes: Kulshan Koma was the name applied by the Lummi Indians to Mt. Baker. The Lummi word kulshan can variously mean damaged, broken, scar, or wound. Thus the Lummi tribe knew Mount Baker as the “damaged/broken/wounded/scarred mountain,” probably in reference to an eruption witnessed many years ago by the Indians. . . . The Nooksack Indians, who lived much closer to Mt. Baker and for a longer period of time than the Lummis, referred to this peak as Quck-sman-ik which signifies “white rock.” To the south, the Koma Indians on the lower Skagit River knew of Mt. Baker as Tukullum, meaning “white stone,” likely in reference to its snow-clad slopes.” Similarly, the more distant Clallam Indians called the peak Puk’h’kowitz, a term meaning “white mountain”. |
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WATER POWER FROM BAKER WAS MUCH TOO POWERFULOne of the early day “busts” in Concrete was an attempt to use the Baker River as power for the Washington Cement plant. A wooden flume was built through the Baker canyon and for miles up the river where an earth dam was installed to divert the water into the flume. The flume itself was a marvelous piece of carpentry, wide enough for two horses to run abreast and deep enough to hold a sizeable river. The only trouble was that the earth dam would not hold against flood waters and the flume had to be abandoned. It stood for many years until it was gradually torn town by folks who needed some of its fine lumber. |
First “Dam” on Baker River One now has to wonder if the oil marks found by Stewart at the Washington Cement plant were from the 1921 flood or oil marks left from a flood when the “earth dam” broke during a flood. |
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BARRON WAS UPPER-SKAGIT GHOST TOWNAn interesting tale is told in the Forest Service records of the upper Skagit about the town of Barron. During the gold excitement of the early ‘90s there appeared almost overnight a cluster of log cabins that became known as Barron. Alex Barron had gone into the Slate Creek country in 1895 and upon his Black Jack claim the town was built. This was three miles from the Cascade summit and forty-five miles from the nearest supply station – but at one time it boasted a population larger than Concrete at this present time. It had a post office, hotels, restaurants, saloons and a dance hall. There were several mills cutting timber for flumes and buildings, two large mines were operating in the vicinity. |
Town of Barron Skagit County’s true ghost town. |
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BIRDSVIEW HATCHERY STARTED IN 1900About the year 1900 a small hatchery was established on Grandy Creek at Birdsview as an auxiliary to the Baker Lake hatchery. Salmon eggs for the hatchery were obtained from both Grandy Creek and Phinney Creek. In 1911 extensive improvements and construction of buildings were made, including a new hatchery building, barn, and several residences, and the old hatchery building was made into a workshop. The office of the Baker Lake hatchery superintendent was then moved to the Birdsview hatchery since the field operations became enlarged and Birdsview was more accessible for mail and transportation, as well as being more centrally located since the hatcheries on Hood’s Canal were also added to the field. After 1911 from time to time further improvements and construction of buildings were carried out as became necessary. However, by 1947 the run of salmon into Grandy Creek had declined greatly and the water of the creek during winter and early spring was muddy for such long periods that fish cultural work could not be carried out with maximum efficiency. Logging off of the creek watershed caused the changed condition in the creek. The long periods of muddy water in the creek during the winter months especially, appeared to be a factor in the decline in the numbers of salmon entering. The creek and at times fingerling fish in the ponds could not be properly fed for several weeks at a time. |
Fish Issue Birdsview Hatchery. By 1947 the run of salmon into Grandy Creek had declined greatly and the water of the creek during winter and early spring was muddy for such long periods that fish cultural work could not be carried out with maximum efficiency. Logging off of the creek watershed caused the changed condition in the creek. . . . Closed in July 1947. |
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CITY LIGHT PROJECTS HARNESS POWERFUL SKAGIT RIVER AFTER LONG, HARD STRUGGLE It was over 70 years ago that the first white man battled his way into the fearful Skagit river canyons above Marblemount. They were hunting for gold then, but overlooked a wealth far greater than any metal in the many power sites along the upper reaches of the river. But the country became known and in 1907 engineers made a trip through the same rugged canyons, this time with transit, and level as they mapped out eleven miles of the deepest gorges and made plans for the building of a hydro-electric plant larger at that time than any in the world. By 1919 the project was ready to go and workmen swarmed into the upper country to clear the site for Newhalem and the Gorge Dam, first step in the plan. The Gorge plant, with a capacity of 60,000 kilowatts, was completed in 1924 and the generators were started with great ceremony – President Calvin Coolidge pushing a button in, the White House to start them turning. From then on the project has been in continuous construction. Diablo Dam, 7 and a half miles up from the gorge Plant was completed in 1930. It was built in Diablo Canyon, a gorge of solid granite with vertical walls rising 160 feet from the river bed, yet were less than 100 feet apart. The third step in the plan was Ross Dam, built near Ruby Creek and originally called Ruby Dam. At the death of J. D. Ross, whose dream made the dams possible, his name was given to the latest and largest of them all. Ross Dam was started in 1937, the first step completed in 1940. The second step began almost immediately and the dam is now 545 feet high and has formed a lake 24 miles long. |
Gorge, Diablo & Ross Dams Gorge completed in 1924. Diablo completed in 1930. Ross still under construction. |
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THE STORY OF THE BAKER LAKE FISH HATCHERY IS HISTORIC LORE Artificial propagation of sockeye salmon began in 1896 when in that year the State of Washington originally established the hatchery at Baker Lake where existed the only natural spawning grounds of sockeye salmon in United States waters on Puget Sound. By that time there were already pack horse trails on both the east and west sides of the Baker River and a number of pioneers had located homesteads on both sides of the Baker River and on the shore of Baker Lake. Mrs. Richard Thompson (Emma Ruth) I believe is the only one of such pioneers now remaining in this locality. At that time and for several years after there was considerable prospecting for gold several miles up Noisy Creek. A cylinder containing about 200 pounds of mercury was left by one of the miners at his claim when he was starved out and in 1916 he returned and packed the mercury out since by that time such metal had greatly increased in value. . . . Then in 1924 a total of 14,558 sockeye salmon were caught and from these a total of 22,000,000 eggs were obtained. However in 1924 the construction of the Baker River Dam at Concrete begun and in 1925 only 40 sockeyes got through to Baker Lake and only 51,490 eggs taken therefrom. However, there were thousands of sockeyes in the Baker River canyon that were unable to get beyond the dam site. In 1926 a total of 2,823 sockeyes arrived at Baker Lake and 3,921,000 eggs obtained therefrom. From then on the annual runs gradually decreased until by 1933 only 493 sockeyes got to Baker Lake and only 356,000 eggs were obtained. This did not warrant operation further on a year around basis for sockeyes and the hatchery was eventually discontinued entirely. |
Fish Issue History of the Baker Lake Fish Hatchery. Lower Baker Dam had a tremendous impact on the Sockeye runs on the Baker River. We went from 14,558 sockeye caught to just 493 in just 9 years. Hatchery was opened in 1896 and closed in 1934. |
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A HISTORY OF THE UPPER SKAGIT VALLEY AND IT'S PIONEER PEOPLE History, as we know it from books, begins with the coming of the first settler to the wilderness. The upper Skagit valley was still a wilderness 100 years ago. At that time it was known there was a large river tumbling into Puget Sound from a wide, flat delta within sight of a beautiful snow-capped peak, but this information was relegated to the logs and maps of the explorers who were busy charting the shores within reach of their boats. So the upper reaches of the Skagit had to wait. In some ways they are still waiting, for after a hundred years there are many sources of wealth that lie untouched, awaiting the proper and convenient time to be turned into jobs, into materials, into dollars. . . . The first recorded visit to the upper Skagit was a trip made by Major Van Bokkelen and party in July of 1858. According to his report the party started up the river only to find three huge log jams in the first twelve miles of progress. After working their way past these obstructions they found easy going and followed the river through many miles of forest-lined banks. . . . In 1883 a bill was passed in the legislative assembly of the territory setting up the county of Skagit. Previously all the Skagit valley country had been part of Whatcom County. |
The History Of The Upper Skagit This is a very lengthy article that should be required reading for every citizen of Skagit Valley. First and only mention of “three” log jams. Skagit County formed in 1883. |
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SKAGIT VALLEY GREW UP WITH LOGGING INDUSTRY Logging, as one of our old-timers put it, is “gittin a tree to water.” Over the centuries this primary objective has remained unchanged – only the method has been improved. As logging has been, and still is, one of the upper Skagit’s biggest industries, the history of the valley has been closely tied in with the cutting of the enormous stand of fir and cedar that was found by the first explorers up the river. . . . At this area cedar was most plentiful, so early homes were built of the easily worked and nearly split wood. A cedar home could be built with half the labor of a log cabin. … A like manner, cedar was most in demand and took most of the attention of the first loggers. |
The History of Logging in Skagit County Cedar was most in demand. First they floated the logs. Then loaded them onto the railroad cars. Then by logging trucks. |
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THE FIRST DAYS OF MARBLEMOUNT Marblemount is a small town a half-mile upriver from the mouth of the Cascade River. A couple of hotels, two stores and three beer parlors scattered over a mile of state highway comprises Marblemount today but in 1890 fifteen hundred miners made it, in the words of several astute boosters – “The Coming Leadville of the Pacific”. For in the Cascade valley near Gilberts’ cabin hundreds of prospectors hacked at outcroppings of Galena ore and silver and lead. . . .Coming back to Sedro-Woolley Carl, Mother and I took the “Indiana,” a stern-wheeler, up-river but it only went to Birdsview leaving us on the river bank. Next week the “Henry Brady”, another boat, picked us up and went as far as Rocky Riffle and again we were put ashore just two miles from what later on was Marblemount. |
The History of Marblemount This article was authored by Dick Buller, father of Tootsie Clark who still lives in Marblemount and runs Clarks Eatery home of the best French fries in Skagit Valley. |
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FISH HATCHERY IS ATTRACTION AT MARBLEMOUNT The Skagit River hatchery was built by the State Department of Fisheries in 1946 and 1947 at a total cost of $293,830. The purpose of the hatchery is to offset somewhat the inroad of the upper Skagit dams on the salmon run in the Skagit River. . . . Operations began at the hatchery in 1948 when 586,900 Chinook fingerlings and 220,900 silver fingerlings were planted. The plantings have increased year by year until the 1950 planting totaled 1,344,000 fingerlings and 400,000 yearlings. The returns so far have been gratifying in that a run of more than 3,000 silver salmon put in their appearance in Clark Creek as a result of the 1948-49 plant from the 1947 brood fish. This was the first time more than 400 silvers had appeared in the creek. |
Marblemount Fish Hatchery 3,000 silvers returned to Clark Creek out of 220,000 fingerlings planted? |
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ROCKPORT BEGAN IT'S CAREER AS STOPPING PLACE FOR TOURISTS The City Light throngs that made Rockport into quite a busy little community a few years ago was not the first time the town was a resort for tourists. In fact that is why it became a town. In 1892 Al Von Presentin opened a hotel and general store there for the travelers up and down the river. With the coming of the Seattle & Northern Railway he built the big hotel that still stands as the principle landmark of the town. This modern stopping place was built in May 1901 at the enormous cost of $4,500. Built on a solid foundation of rock, the building had 21 rooms, hot and cold water, a dining room, and a bar, all offering real comfort to the miners and tourists who visited the upper valley. |
History of Rockport Built in 1901. |
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RUBY CREEK NAMED AFTER EARLY FIND The stream on the upper Skagit now known as Ruby Creek got its name from two of the early prospectors in that area, Sutter and Rowley, who visited there in 1872. The two men were washing the gravel when Sutter recovered a nice ruby in his pan. The creek received it’s name then and there. |
History of Ruby Creek Found a ruby so named it Ruby Creek. |
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SAUK AND SAUK CITY DISAPPEAR OVER YEARS Ghost towns are frequent in the desert mining country, but in the Skagit valley only one thriving community vanished completely from the map over the past fifty years. This was Sauk – a bustling little community at the junction of the Sauk and Skagit rivers. In 1884, a post office was established there and a town grew up around it – today you would be hard pressed to show a person where the town had been. It was fire, the greatest enemy of the pioneers that caused Sauk most of it’s trouble. After the town had grown to a sizeable place for the first time, a fire in January of 1889 burned down all but the store of George Perrault. . . . Another similar town of a similar name “Sauk City” was started on the south bank of the Skagit and was reached by a ferry from old Sauk. This was in 1890 when Thomas Moody of Hamilton and J. W. Sutherland of Fairhaven bought 260 acres and began to build a city from the ground up. |
History of Sauk & Sauk City In 1891 a promotion was under way to form a new county from the portion of Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish lying east of the Baker River. Sauk City was to be the county seat. There are no more Sauk cities in the upper valley. |
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THE HISTORY OF THE SAUK-SUIATTLE TRIBE Long, long ago, before there were any white people in the country, Pepstoats was the chief of the Sauk tribe. The land of the tribe is the territory from the junction of the Sauk and Skagit, up the valley on the West side, east up to the Summit at the head of the Sauk and hence along Glacier Peak ridge to the Summit at the head of the Suiattle River; the Suiattle River on both East and West sides. The Indians lived on the Sauk on both sides of the Sauk River, and on Sauk Prairie, and some people had big houses at Buck Creek and Tenas Creek on the Suiattle. |
History of the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe This article was authored by Leo Braun, a tribal member of the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe. |
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SUPERIOR CEMENT PLANT IS BULWARK OF TOWN Like most small communities, Concrete’s hopes and plans, its past and future, has been tied up with the fortunes of the town’s largest industry – the making of cement by the plant of Superior Portland Cement, Inc. Though not the first to discover and make use of the unlimited supply of limestone in this area, the Superior Company became firmly established here early in its formation and is now as permanent as the mountains which hold its raw material. It was John C. Eden who first investigated the possibilities of establishing a plant here. The Washington Portland Cement company had already begun operations and Mr. Eden visited the district to further probe the resources he had heard about. His findings were many and his decisions were shrewd. He found plenty of un-exploited limestone and clay, a good power sight at Bear Creek, plenty of space for the large plant - - and he wasted little time buying up all these properties for his company. |
History of Cement Plants in Concrete |
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THE BAKER RIVER FISHWAY The ride of the salmon starts from the trap in groups of a few to fifty. From the trap they are hosted to a water-filled tank care on a narrow gauge track, hauled some 400 feet to aerated holding pools where they are alive and jumping. From there they are lowered into a water-filled “bucket” which is picked up by an aerial cable for another ride of 900 feet through the air to the dam to be held in a slated and aerated scow. Whereupon, at the end of the day, they are turned free to nose their way under their own power upstream again. If, however, gates are kept open when the last haul to the dam is made, the above handling is modified in that the slatted scow is towed by motorboat a mile up the lake so they will not drift down and spill over the dam. . . . There are two traps at Baker – the river trap and the tailrace trap. The river trap makes use of the water spilled over the dam when the gates are open. It is a wooden structure secured to cement and steel piers which is salvaged in the fall of the year if the fishing season ends before floods wash it away. The lumber of the structure would build several houses. It is mostly of 2X6 fir in lengths from 14 to 22 feet. The barrier to the fish is made of these 2X6 boards with spaces through which water flows. These rackbars are slanted towards the middle of the stream and as water flows through the cracks small streams entice the fish along towards the middle of the stream where a wider slot and heavier stream attracts the salmon to enter. This is the trap. The tailrace trap is necessary at times when gates at the dam are closed. Here they are noticed to enter the trap by an artificial stream of water from a flume. |
Fish Issue/Baker Dam Fish ladder was still operating in 1951. This article is the best located at describing how the facility worked. “There are three distinct runs of salmon that reach the Baker River. The Sockeye come first attaining a peak in July. They have a life cycle of four years. Then come the Silversides to reach a peak in September. Their life cycle is three years. The Humpy salmon makes their appearance late in fall and have a two year cycle. Last year the total run for sockeye salmon was 2,416 and for Silversides 11,209. At their peak the Silvers are a wonderful sight – 2,000 a day!” |
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BAKER RIVER DAM TO BE SCENE OF IMPORTANT FISH STUDIES AGAIN NEXT YEAR Arrangements for rearing 200,000 salmonoid “guinea pigs” have been made by the Dept. of Fisheries and the International Pacific Salmon Commission. Fifty thousand Skagit river salmon and 150,000 Cultus Lake, B.C. sockeyes will be reared at the state hatchery at Marblemount and the fish will be used next spring in testing the mortality of small down-stream migrants resulting from passage over high dams and through power turbines. Similar tests were conducted in 1950 and 1951 at the Baker River dam of Puget Sound Power & Light Co. here in Concrete. The 1952 tests will also be held here. |
Lower Baker/Fish Issue Yet another study trying to save the salmon from the effects of the dam. |
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CITY LIGHT WINS CASE OVER LOG RAFT LOSSES A group of loggers of the upper valley, suing City Light for loss of log rafts for the Skagit River during the flash flood of October 24th, 1945, lost their case in the District Court in Seattle last week, Judge Bowen ruling that there was no negligence on the part of City Light that should cause an undue rise in the Skagit above what could normally be charged to the heavy rainfall over the entire Cascade watershed. . . . Between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on October 25th, 1945, the log rafts broke up in the high water and went down river. The loggers maintained that the rise in the Skagit was due to water let over the Diablo Dam during that period, and sought to collect damages for loss of their logs from City Light. The judge, however, concluded that as the loggers were holding their booms for high water, they were negligent themselves in not sending them after the heavy rains that preceded the flash flood. He also pointed out that other streams in the valley, such as the Cascade and Sauk, were uncontrolled and had about as much to do with a rise in the river as the upper Skagit. . . . |
Seattle City Light Lawsuit Loggers lose case against SCL. The lumbermen not only lost the case but were charged with payment of court costs of the defendant, amounting to $307. Lawyers evidently didn’t charge very much back then. |
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FIGURES RELEASED ON FISH HANDLED AT BAKER DAM A total of 17,642 salmon were trapped this season and hauled above the Baker River dam here, says a report from the state department of fisheries. Included in the total were 13,529 silver salmon, the third highest number handled on his particular run since 1927. The parent year 1948 yielded 9,778 fish. Other fish included 3,705 sockeye, 26 Chinook and 272 pink salmon, and 112 steelhead trout. The trap has been operated at the power house, below the high dam, since 1926. The fish are then carried by tram car and cable in tanks of water and released above the dam in Lake Shannon. |
Lower Baker/Fish Issue 26 King Salmon, 272 humpies and 112 steelhead. Doesn’t exactly sound like the “good ole days”. |
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EDITORIAL While the proposal to build us a new road to Rockport is generally welcomed in the valley, we are not at all convinced that the rumored route on the high level back of the Rockport park is where the future highway is to be located. Our belief is that when a final main arterial is built it will follow the river on a low level that will eliminate the grades over ridges, the bridges and fill over ravines and the ballets with slides and erosion. Our idea of the perfect river road is the short piece below town which proves that the river is no longer a highway problem. Of course, the state men may know more than we do about the future of the valley – maybe the proposed Faber dam is going to flood the valley to Marblemount and force all future traffic up on the side hills. We don’t like to think about this ever happening. One of the best ways we know to prevent the dam would be to have a road system that will develop the upper valley to a point where a dam would be impractical. It appears this could best be done with a highway that eliminates our long-standing hazards – Faber Hill, Rockport Hill and so on up the Skagit. We’d hate to have to spend another half century accomplishing this end. |
Charles Dwelley on Rockport Road Editor wanted road built in a location that would prohibit the construction of anymore dams especially the Faber Dam. |
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STEEL FOR DALLES BRIDGE NOW ARRIVING AT SITE General Construction Co., contractors for the bridge and steel workers of the Arthur Fralick Co., subcontractors who will erect the steel, immediately set to work unloading the girders and castings. As to yesterday ten cars have now been received and are expected daily as the work progresses. The steel is being taken by truck directly to the bridge site where it is being piled along the roadway. It now stretches from the river north almost to the “Y”. . . . Actual erection of steel will not start for about a week or ten days as the crew must first replace the present high line with a higher tower and heavier cable. As soon as this is done the steel will begin to rise. |
Dalles Bridge The actual construction of the bridge span was underway. |
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STEEL SPAN NOW OUT OVER RIVER The Dalles bridge starting edging its way from the south side of the Skagit River last week as steel began to form under the skilled hands of the Arthur Fralich Co. crew. Steel is now in place from the south end of the bridge to the south pier and a section has been completed from the pier north across the water. Girders and framework are in place, also much of the deck structure. Riveting has started behind the erection crew. The two large barges arrived on the Dalles site Monday after a hectic 10-day trip up the Skagit. Low water caused lots of trouble and delayed the trip almost a week. On the barge is a large crane with a 130-foot boom which will be used to handle the steel that will be used out over the river. |
Dalles Bridge It took ten days for two barges to make it from Fir Island to Concrete due to low water in the Skagit River. |
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EDITORIAL For many years we have been an active booster for all types of development in the upper valley. New roads, new bridges, better stores, bigger industries. In these the valley has made some strides and from indications is continually growing toward that goal of the early dreamers – full development of all the various resources. Yet is all this exactly what we want? Sometimes we have our doubts. With progress comes a number of disadvantages. Roads that make it easy for us to reach a favorite fishing spot also bring a hundred other guys who have more time to fish it out. We find our scenic spots being cluttered with beer cans, our peaceful hideaways filled with sometimes unappreciative strangers. A usual leisurely way of life is being speeded up by urgency of progress. The restlessness of the pioneer is easily understandable – find, build, welcome the newcomers and then realize that what you have sought is lost through your own enthusiasm. Therein lies the charm of the phrase, “the good old days.” We liked it as it was, didn’t we? And so we move along, reluctant, to that next bit of promotion. Where to from here? |
Charles Dwelley on Growth in Skagit County Excellent commentary re the pro’s and con’s of “progress” in Skagit County. Indeed, “Where to from here?” |
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DALLES BRIDGE DEDICATION WILL BE SATURDAY EVENT – EDITORIAL Dedication of the new Dalles Bridge just south of town will be one of the big events of the Cascade Days celebration opening tomorrow. This event just happened to work out perfectly for the celebration as construction and final painting will be complete this week. The opening of the bridge will be real as well as formal as after the ceremony which will conclude with the symbolic cutting of the ribbon by the Cascade Queen, the bridge and road will be open to traffic. At present the traffic will be permitted only as far as the Ovenell ranch, but it means the first direct outlet for the people of south Concrete. Simultaneously with the bridge opening the Concrete ferry will be discontinued for all time. |
Charles Dwelley on Dalles Bridge Completed |
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NEW BRIDGE IS OPENED Traffic across the new bridge at the Dalles may be limited to just a few fortunate residents of the south Concrete area for a time being, but the bridge and road had a busy flurry of activity about 3:30 Saturday afternoon. It was just a few minutes after Cascade Queen Dolores Keller cut the taut white ribbon that represented the final barrier. As soon as the flatbed truck which served as the speaker’s stand was moved to one side the cars began to roll across the bridge for the first time. Within an hour or so afterward – the first “pay load” rolled across in the form of farm equipment and a return of farm produce from the Ovenell farm. . . . Arthur J. Ward, Sedro-Woolley attorney then made the address of dedication in which he told of the many years of working and hoping that preceded the building of the bridge. He commented on the fine work of the men who pushed the bond issue to a successful conclusion, and to those who then took over to build a bridge that is one of the most beautiful in the county. |
The Dalles Bridge Open |
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CONCRETE FERRY WILL GO DOWN RIVER TO FIR ISLAND The Concrete ferry, which has been closed down with the opening of the Dalles bridge, has another job ahead of it before complete retirement. The county commissioners have given the ferry to the state game department for use on the lower Skagit between the mainland and Fir Island. Continual widening and changing of the South Fork of the river below Conway has made it impractical to put in a bridge to the state game farm on the island. To provide a more reliable method of transportation the department will move the ferry to that point and operate it with winch and cable. When the Faber ferry is discontinued in about 60 to 90 days, the present plan is to beach it and hold it as an emergency replacement for either the Rockport or Pressentin ferry until such time as these can also be retired. Retirement of the ferries will start paying dividends to the county in funds saved. Operating costs and salaries run close to $1,000 a month for each ferry. |
Concrete, Faber Ferries Concrete ferry was retired to Fir Island Game Dept. Faber ferry was also discontinued and saved the taxpayers $1,000 a month for each ferry. |
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POWER SHORTAGE HITS BAKER DAM The growing power shortage caused by the unprecedented lack of rainfall this year, began to hurt on the local level this week and is threatening even more serious conditions for the balance of the winter. The shortage is no longer just theory – it is here. First to feel the shortage was the plant of Superior Portland Cement, Inc. here. They have had to cut down operations to a minimum. Other industries and even small users are asked to aid in further cuts in order to make the water behind the dams last as long as possible. . . . Actually all the water that is being used is a small stream to keep the fish run in progress. The lake is now at 421.30 ft. – about 15 feet below normal. As a method of comparison the river normally runs 30,000 second feet. At present the flow is but 432 second feet! . . . One thing that must be considered is that the shortage is not just temporary. Unless heavy rains begin to fall and continue for a long period, the lakes and streams will continue to drop. The cold weather is no help as snow will merely pile up in the hills to be used next spring. A chinook wind is all that could bring it down. Normally this is flood season with lots of water. Today it appears that it will take very unusual weather conditions to relieve the power shortage before spring. |
Unprecedented Lack of Rainfall Power Shortage Water kept flowing for fish runs only. |
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ROSS DAM POWER DUE Tests of the first generator to go into service at the new Ross Dam power house were made yesterday by technicians and officials of City Light. The huge generator will produce 70,000 kilowatts of new power for the northwest. As soon as the tests are completed satisfactorily, power will begin to flow from the generator to boost City Lights upper Skagit output. The generator will go into use immediately. Water from Ross Dam has been providing extra storage for Diablo and Gorge powerhouses for several years, but this is the first time the water has been used for operation of the new powerhouse. The new generator will be the first of three to be installed under present plans. Each generator is rated for a capacity of 90,000 kilowatts in normal operations with a peak of 100,000 kilowatts when demand is great. City Light officials say the probable output for the present time will be 70,000 k.w. |
Ross Dam Ross dam begins to produce electricity. |
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ROSS DAM TO FLOOD PAST CANADA BORDER THIS YEAR Seattle’s City Light project on the upper Skagit will extend into Canada this year. A crew of 45 men is now at work on clearing a 600-acre tract north of the Canadian boundary and when their work is done about July first, Ross Lake will extend about a mile and a half into Canada. The clearing will provide about 1,400,000 acre-feet of storage in Ross Lake. This will permit three generators in Ross Powerhouse to deliver their full load of 270,000 kilowatts by next winter. Just one generator is now in service. Canada will be paid $255,508 for the flooding of Canadian lands. The City Light has an agreement for further flooding when the height of Ross Dam is increased 130 ft. under future plans. |
Ross Dam Floods Canada Canada was paid $255,508 in order to flood their land. Seattle City Light had plans to further raise Ross Dam another 130 feet. |
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ARGUE FOR OPEN RIVER A large delegation from Concrete, Rockport and Marblemount joined with the members of the Wildcat Steelhead of Sedro-Woolley Monday evening in an effort to have the upper Skagit River once again opened for salmon fishing. The target of their pleas was Mr. Schottler, director of the state department of fisheries, under whose orders the river was closed to such sports fishing about Gilligan Creek. . . . Mr. Schottler made it clear that the closure of the river was a move to aid in the reestablishment of the Chinook salmon run, as other salmon runs seemed to be holding up or improving during the past few years. He stated that the diminishing return of salmon was due to changes in the river from cutting of forests, dams, and pollution over the past 62 years. His department has bee working on the problem for some years and it was in 1951 that the first closure to sports fishing was put into effect on the entire river. . . . Dr. Hunter pointed out that no effort had ever been made to determine how much effect sports fishing in the river had on the salmon runs and questioned that the few taken by hook and line in a year could approach the take of a gill-netter in a week. |
Fish Issue River closed to sports fisherman in order to protect the Chinook Salmon. State Fisheries Dept. blamed the dams, logging, and pollution. |
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OPEN SKAGIT TO BAKER ON SILVERS Recent efforts of the sportsmen of the upper Skagit valley paid off this week with the announcement of a special sport fishing season for silver salmon on the Skagit River. The season has been set for October 10th through November 10 by the state department of fisheries. The open season embraces the Skagit River from Gilligan Creek, below Lyman, to the confluence of the Baker and Skagit rivers at Concrete. . . . The sports possession limit of salmon in stream is two fish over 20 inches in length. The fishermen are restricted to two single or one double pronged hook. The use of triple hooks is prohibited. . . . The research staff felt that a season from October 10 to November 10 would not materially affect Chinook spawning in the main stream and that so far this year the returns indicate that the department is getting a fair escapement of salmon to the hatchery. |
Fish Issue Fish number and size limits for silvers. “Good Chinook return”?? |
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CITY LIGHT PLANS SET Good news for the upper valley was released last night by City Light of Seattle with details of a $23,000,000 program of construction for the upper Skagit projects during the next three projects during the next three years. The total will include $17,000,000 for a new 300-foot dam for the Gorge power plant and six million to install a fourth generator at the Ross Dam powerhouse. |
Seattle City Light New dam at Gorge and new generator for Ross. |
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NEW BAKER DAM ASKED A new hydro-electric dam on the Baker River, a project which has been considered by Puget Sound Power & Light Co. for the past twenty-five years, seems about to become a reality! Last week the power company announced that engineers are now preparing the information to apply to the Federal Power Commission for a preliminary permit to develop the project. The Upper Baker site has been owned by Puget for many years, ever since the building of the present dam here, and would make possible a generating plant and a storage reservoir about the same size as the existing plant here – capacity of about 40,000 kilowatts. The new project would have the additional merits of being close to load centers in Skagit and Whatcom counties and would provide better stream control of the Baker River. The latter would enable the company to enlarge facilities at the local power station by 50,000 kilowatts. |
Upper Baker Dam Cost of project estimated at $12,000,000. |
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ROSS DAM MAY BE RAISED 125 FEET UNDER NEW PLAN Possible development of Ross Dam by addition of another 125 feet is now being considered by City Light, in addition to the work already planned for the Skagit project. E.R. Hoffman, supt., told the power commission Tuesday that the additional 125 feet would impound another 3,400,000 acre ft. of water and provide storage for three or four years as a protection against low water. |
Ross Dam Dam could be raised another 125 feet. |
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RAINFALL IN 1953 WAS THE MOST, TO SAY THE LEAST In case anyone has been wondering about it, 1953 was the wettest year on record with 37.16 inches of rain for the twelve month period in the lower valley and unofficial records of into 40 inches in the upper valley. Officially the rainfall was 8.37 inches more than normal. In direct contrast to 1952, which was the driest year with just half the amount of 1953 rainfall, last year received most of its dampness in January and December. The pattern is already set for another wet year with the first six days of 1954 being almost continuous rain with up to 1 falling in one 24 hour period. |
Rainfall 1953 wettest year on record. 37.16 inches in 12 months. Produced small flood on February 1, 1953. |
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ASK PERMIT FOR DAM The first step toward the building of a $12 million dollar dam on the upper Baker River was made last Thursday by Puget Sound Power & Light company with the filing of an application for a preliminary permit for the hydro-electric project with the Federal Power Commission. . . . The proposed dam would be built at Eaglecrout canyon, about seven miles north of Concrete and would provide a generating plant of about 60,000 kilowatts. The new dam would also provide greater stream control on the Baker and enable additional power production from the present dam and power house here. The local plant capacity can be increased 50,000 kilowatts for a total capacity in excess of 150,000 kilowatts for the combined operation. . . . As the site has been long owned by the company and there are few controversial problems connected with it’s construction, it is anticipated that the Federal Power Commission will grant the permit and expedite the plans of the company for early completion of the new power source. |
Upper Baker Dam Dam to be built in Eaglecrout Canyon. Little controversy expected in building of dam. |
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LARGE FISH PLANT SET FOR SKAGIT AREA THIS YEAR Upper Puget Sound hatcheries provided more than a million young salmon for streams in Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties for the first quarter plantings in 1954, the Department of Fisheries announced today. . . . Skagit County streams were given a transfusion of 435,300 yearling silvers and 285,600 pink salmon fingerlings with 1954 plantings from the Samish hatchery north of Burlington and the Skagit hatchery near Marblemount. Skagit hatchery crews under the direction of Superintendent E. G. Fieher, planted 270,900 yearling silvers and 285,600 pinks from the 1953 brood in the Stillaguamish river and Bacon, Goodell, Illabot, Grandy, Squire, Boulder, French, Day, Jones, Finney and Diobsud creeks. In the rearing ponds awaiting planting are 266,300 yearling silvers with 485,400 spring chinook scheduled for additional rearing while 667,100 1953 silver fry remaining in the hatchery will be transferred soon to the ponds. |
Fish Issue 435,300 yearling silvers, 285,600 humpies, put into the system. Another 266,300 silvers and 485,400 spring Chinook remained in rearing ponds. This had to have had a tremendous impact on the fish runs on the Skagit River. Need to determine how many fish are being planted today. Between the impacts of Lower Baker Dam, and the decrease in hatchery fish and the Tribal nets I think the real reason for the “fish crisis” is beginning to be told. |
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FINE STEELHEAD PLANT FOR SKAGIT RIVER THIS YEAR The state game department has been busy the past week loading the Skagit River with young steelhead. Hank Moore, local game protector, stopped at the Herald office last Thursday with a load of the beautiful little fish, each husky and about six to 7 inches long. They weighed 11 to the pound and the aerated tank truck carried about 4,400 to a load. Many thousand will go in the river this season to help reestablish the Skagit steelhead run. |
Fish Issue Many thousand Steelhead put into the system. |
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PLANS REVEALED ON GORGE DAM Contractors are now inspecting the site and preliminary plans for the Gorge high dam and power intake tunnel on the Skagit between Newhalem and Diablo. Seattle City Light hopes to have final drawings complete soon so that bids can be called this summer. The proposed dam is to be a combination arch and gravity structure rising about 150 feet above the present river bed. It will be 670 feet long and will replace the temporary diversion dam for the Gorge powerhouse. . . . Not satisfied with present drilling on the proposed hydro-electric dam at Copper Creek on the Skagit between Marblemount and Newhalem, the Seattle City Light has requested $250,000 more to continue their search for a suitable bed-rock location for the dam. |
Gorge Dam Appears Cooper Creek Dam might not have been built because of suitable bed-rock location. |
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PERMIT ON BAKER DAM Big news for the Concrete area was in newspaper headlines this week with the announcement that the Federal Power Commission has granted the Puget Sound Power & Light Co. a three-year preliminary permit for its proposed hydroelectric project on the Baker River. . . . Mr. McLaughlin estimated that the completed work, now under consideration, would run close to $30,000,000 in cost. . . . As heretofore stated, the permit is “temporary” and the work done by the company will be in hopes of proving out all points in favor of a completed project, but the outlook is entirely optimistic from all standpoints. The power is needed, the planning is sound. No adverse findings are anticipated. |
Upper Baker Dam Cost now $30,000,000. Temporary permit issued. |
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THE OPEN FORUM Some years ago, the Skagit River was closed to salmon fishing by the Dept. of Fisheries. Why this was done remains a mystery to hundreds of sportsmen up and down the Skagit Valley. At that time the Dept. of Fisheries claimed the salmon that came above the mouth of the Baker River were unfit to eat – which is about the most ignorant statement the Dept. has made to the public. . . . “Mr. Schoettler, who is the head of the Dept. of Fisheries and has the say of the river being open or closed, was called in to several sportsmen meetings in the past few years with the sole intent of asking him to open the river up to salmon fishing. Nothing was ever gained by any of the meetings. Mr. Schoettler has made it very clear to all that were present that he was working for the commercial fishermen’s benefit and not the sportsmen. Mr. Schoettler also admitted there had not been any research done before closing the river as to what harm the sportsmen had done to the salmon run. He was told of the gill netters and purse-seiners who were fishing far up in the mouth of the river (which is illegal). He made the statement that he had not known this was going on, but it seems very strange that even the people of Marblemount have known of this condition for years. |
Fish Issue Open letter to state representative re closing of Skagit River to sports fisherman. |
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VOTE FOR THE SKAGIT BRIDGE BOND ISSUE ON PRIMARY BALLOT (ADVERTISEMENT) This Bond Issue Will Help Build Badly Needed Bridges–
These bridges have to be built one way or another. Without the bond issue to do the job, funds would have to come from other sources and many important items like county roads, and indirectly school funds, might have to suffer. It would be a long drawn out and painful process for the whole county. The Bridge Bond Issue is the best and easiest method of meeting the problem– |
.New Bridges Proposed in Skagit County |
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GORGE DAM BIDS TO BE OPENED DEC. 1ST The contract for the new dam at Gorge Creek on the upper Skagit will be let December 1st, according to latest word from Seattle City Light. The bids were to have been opened, some time ago, but delays of one kind or another have kept the date moving ahead. The 17 million dollar project will include a 300 foot dam and a highway between Newhalem and Diablo. The job will require three years to complete and is expected to bring another era of activity in the upper Skagit through increased payroll and many new people coming into the Newhalem and Marblemount areas. |
Gorge Dam Cost $17,000,000. |
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MORE PLANS FOR CITY LIGHT DAMS Big plans for future expansion of the City Light installations on the upper Skagit were proposed this past week to the Seattle City Council. The program came as the result of studies on present and future needs of City Light and the total figure for completed plans will run into many millions of dollars. The new plans include increasing power production by a dam on Thunder Creek, which flows into Diablo Lake; and by construction of another dam on Copper Creek on the Skagit just above Bacon Creek. The Skagit dam would provide an additional 60,000 to 70,000 kilowatts and would back water right up to Newhalem camp. |
Thunder Creek & Cooper Creek Dams Neither were ever built. |
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BAKER DAM IS RECOMMENDED Another boost to hopes of local people that some action will soon be taken toward a new hydro-electric power dam on the upper Baker river was given this week in the release of the power expansion report of the Puget Sound Utilities Council. During the next 8 years the five utilities, public and private, which make up the Council, will invest 670 million dollars or more in new electric power generation, transmission and distribution facilities. … First on the list of those recommended for immediate action by Jack D. Stevens, consulting engineer who prepared the report, is the new dam on the Baker! … The specifications for the dam as listed in the report call for a concrete, gravity type dam to impound water to a normal elevation of 724 feet. Gross static head would be 290 feet and installed capacity 85,000 k.w. The reservoir would provide 130,000 acre-feet of storage between the two installations. |
Upper Baker Dam Elevation proposed 724 feet, 130,000 acre feet of storage between the two installations. |
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BAKER DAM PROVIDES SITE FOR STUDY OF MIGRATING SALMON IN BUILDING RUNS A combined experimental project in which the State Fisheries Dept., the International Salmon-Sockeye Commission and Puget Sound Power & Light Co. delved into the long standing problem of getting a fish run over a high dam was closed last week end at the Baker dam here. While results of some of the experiments were disappointing due to unusual water conditions, the general program produced a number of definite conclusions that will be of great value in planning future dams, and in altering present dams so that both water power and fish runs can be maintained without conflict. Of particular interest on the Baker river is the sockeye run, which is deemed of great value. The run taken over the dam by the trap method has been about 3,000 a year. The silver run is about 12,000 a year. In the past year some 61,000 Chinook were planted in the lake in hopes of getting this species started. . . . It was found that the fish are attracted to the positive pole of the electric current and effected according to the size of the fish. Some of the larger fish were killed by the 48 volt current, but the majority were guided into the trap without injury. While the experiments proved the theory workable, high water and technical problems made the results disappointing in that the system was inoperable at the time when the most fish were present in the forebay of the dam. Further laboratory experiments are expected to take out the “bugs” brought to attention in the actual field work here. . . . On the Baker dam it was found that a great mortality occurred due to the fish hitting the surface of the dam on the way down. Those who had a free-fall lived through seemingly without damage. . . . Also under way at present are plans for immediate building of an artificial spawning grounds on the upper Baker, above Baker lake, at which area the fish from the Baker dam will be propagated and allowed to return downstream. This experiment has also proved successful on smaller streams and if it can be carried on in the upper Baker it will be invaluable when the new Baker dam is built and the level of Baker Lake (the present spawning area) is raised 50 to 60 feet. |
Lower Baker Dam Fish Issue 61,000 Chinook planted in Lake Shannon. Sockeye lifted over dam 3,000; Silvers 12,000. The use of electricity to guide the fish was part of the experiment. Also tried was a method of “tattooing the fish to see how many of them would make it through the turbines alive. Artificial spawning grounds on the upper Baker above Baker Lake proposed. This study was used in the approval process of Upper Baker Dam. |
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LAKE RESORT SITE OFFERED FOR BIDS Possibility of a new resort on Diablo lake is in prospect with the advertisement by the Forestry Dept. for applications to develop the facilities on the site of the old work camp on the north shore of the lake about a half-mile up from Diablo dam. … The Forest Service will require that a lodge-coffee shop be installed with living quarters and guest rooms to be added later. Sale of candy and fishing tackle would also be required in addition to lunch room facilities. |
Diablo Lake Resort Proposed |
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UPPER BAKER DAM ON FOUR YEAR PROGRAM Another step toward the final announcement of beginning on the construction of the new hydroelectric dam on the upper Baker river caf this week with the announcement that Puget Sound Power & Light Co. will file an application on September 1st for a license from the Federal Power Commission to develop the project. They have set their tentative completion date for 1959. … The dam will be located on Eaglekrout canyon, just below the Koma Kulshan ranger station on the short piece of the Baker river remaining between Lake Shannon and Baker Lake. Water from the dam will back up into Baker Lake and will completely change the lake by raising the waters approximately 50 feet. … As the company has worked out the details of handling fish runs with the state fisheries dept. no objections are expected from this source. The forest service is also agreeable to specifications. |
Upper Baker Dam No objections expected from State Fisheries Department. |
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EDITORIAL Good news this week in the announcement that the upper Baker river dam has at last emerged from the tentative stage and is now on the list of things to be done – and with a definite date in mind. The final clincher, of course, will be the day contractors start work. It is a good thing that day is some months away as if there was ever a town unprepared for any sort of a boom, it is Concrete. Our growing pains are going to be very much like the ones experienced during the building of the present Baker dam when there was a tent or shack on every vacant lot, and a temporary town of boards and tar-paper on the East Concrete bench. It was a temporary affair, but somehow the “temporary” shacks seemed to remain behind as permanent residences for many years to the exclusion of any chance of rebuilding with something better. This time a little thought could go into planning for the increase in population if only by zoning out spots for trailer courts, requiring something better than shacks in the residential building areas. Just one of the problems that can face the community soon. We can’t say we weren’t warned. |
Charles Dwelley on Upper Baker Dam Concrete was not prepared for the “boom”. Wanted some “thought” to go into where workers would be housed. |
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SKAGIT FLOOD CONTROL IS RECOMMENDED DROPPED In 1936 the army engineers made extensive surveys on the Skagit and set up many projects that could be used for flood control. These included the earth dam at Faber, the Avon canal and similar ideas. All have been found unfeasible from the standpoint of cost in ratio to benefits. The board recommended this week that the program be killed by Congress. |
Corps Drops Flood Control For Skagit Cost benefit ratio has always been what has killed flood control in Skagit County. |
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ASK DAM PERMIT Application to the Federal Power Commission for a license to build an 85,000-kilowatt hydroelectric plant on the Upper Baker River here at an estimated cost of more than $27 million was announced this week by Puget Sound Power & Light Co. The application was preceded by last week’s announcement by Skagit County P.U.D. that they had withdrawn their pending condemnation suit against the private company so that it could proceed with its plans. The proposed dam, some 300 feet high, will be located about eight miles above the company’s present Baker River project here at Concrete and will impound 238 thousand acre feet of water in a reservoir nine miles long. The reservoir will raise the level of Baker lake 40 to 60 feet and will provide a huge storage of water for the Baker river flow. … The entire development is scheduled for completion by 1959. Most Obstacles Eliminated One of the big obstacles in the hopes for early completion of the dam was removed when a joint study of migratory fish problems resulted in a meeting of the minds between fisheries authorities and the power engineers. Studies at the Baker dam over the past several years have resulted in working out a number of new ideas that have eliminated most of the objections of the fisheries people to another dam on the Baker river, which is a centuries-old spawning area. |
Upper Baker Dam Permit Height of dam 300 feet. Most fish issues resolved. Baker River recognized as “centuries-old spawning area”. |
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EDITORIAL One by one the green lights are going up on the Upper Baker Dam and there is now little doubt in a any of our minds that the next three years are going to be busy ones for Concrete and the upper valley. It has been many years since Concrete had a boom in it’s midst and those that were here at that time can tell you that it makes a complete change in the community. A lot of folks won’t like the change. A lot more will take it for an opportunity to get rich and welcome every last penny. Somewhere between the two extremes is the group that will take it as something that had to come and must be made a benefit rather than an inconvenience. This group is going to have to do the planning necessary to make these ideals hold. A lot of thinking must be done, and soon, to bring a lasting benefit to the community. Fortunately we are well equipped with mercantile stores to provide necessities of life in any amount. Our big shortage is in housing, trailer space, entertainment and recreation. Here is where Concrete needs the facilities of the community betterment program, such is now being carried on in other small towns of the state. |
Charles Dwelley on Upper Baker Dam This editorial doesn’t sound like a lot of planning had been done since the last time the editor said they needed to plan. See CH 8/18/55 editorial. |
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CHINOOK BRINGS FAST FLOOD CREST The Skagit river made one of its quickest rises to flood stage Tuesday morning after continued rain and warm Chinook wind combined to bring the stream to flood stage in a matter of a few hours. The warm wind began late Monday evening late, followed by more heavy rain. By Tuesday morning the river was running bank full and the Baker dam here was pouring water through all gates, unable to hold the sudden run-off on the upper Baker valley. No special damage was reported from the flood waters, except that the highway was closed for a time at Hamilton and on the South Skagit highway below the Dalles. … The river gauge at the Dalles was checked at 35 feet at the high point of the flood. Most unusual was the huge quantities of drift dislodged in the sudden rise. The logs and debris swept from old jams and piled up in new ones all the way down the river. Jams at the bridges along the river were unprecedented. … A dike broke at Conway, flooding several hundred acres of farm land there. |
October 26, 1955 Flood Event USGS Concrete figures not available. Mt. Vernon 30.69, 84,900 cfs. Newspaper reported 35 feet at The Dalles which would be around 115,000 cfs. See Historic Flood Flows for records of all floods in Skagit County. |
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RAINS BRING HIGH RIVER Heavy rains Wednesday and all night long stopped abruptly this morning, then the weather changed to a Chinook wind. Old timers immediately began drawing a parallel with past November floods and are predicting that this November will be another one for the books. The Skagit began rising during the night and by 1:00 today the gauge at the Dalles read 31.55 and still rising. The water reached a high point of 35.7 last week before receding. … All dams in the valley have been holding back all water possible, but now can only wait until the river flow drops enough to permit timed use of top gates to ease the strain on the main flow below Concrete. |
November 4, 1955 Flood Event USGS Concrete 34.48, 113,000 cfs.; Mt. Vernon 33.52, 107,000 cfs. Newspaper says at The Dalles the river reached 35.7 during the October 26, 1955 flood event. |
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DAM AIDS IN HOLDING BACK RECENT FLOOD WATER Ross Dam again helped reduce flood damage in the lower Skagit Valley during the high water recently by holding back 66,000 acre feet of water. The flow of water was reduced Monday, October 24 and completely shut off the following day until 5:00 p.m. to reduce the flood waters. The shut down cost City Light about $11,000 in electricity that had to be purchased from Bonneville and Tacoma City Light. |
Ross Dam Completely Shut Off |
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UPPER VALLEY SPORTSMEN TO BATTLE CLOSURES OF SKAGIT RIVER Sportsmen of the upper valley, long tired of being deprived of fishing rights in the Skagit river while the same rights are returned to pressure groups in the lower valley, are going to make a fight on the latest ruling of the game department to close the Skagit to steelhead fishing from May 20th to July 1st. |
Fish Issue |
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FREEZING OF GROUND IS PART OF UNIQUE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION Above is an artist’s sketch of Seattle City Light’s Gorge Dam now under construction at its Skagit Hydroelectric Project. The dam, to be located on the Skagit River two miles above the Gorge powerhouse, will be a concrete structure approximately 670 feet long and 285 feet high. It is being built by Merritt-Chapman and Scott Corporation of New York and the Savin Construction Corporation of East Hartfod, Connecticut, a joint venture who obtained the contract on their low bid of $14,731,107. . . . A unique feature in the construction is the freezing of an ice barrier in the river-fill material down to bedrock to keep upstream groundwater from flowing into the excavation. The ice wall will be approximately 4 feet thick and reach a depth of about 240 feet. |
Gorge Dam (Picture available) Dam 285 feet high, cost almost $15,000,000. The dam was scheduled for completion in early 1959. |
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STEELHEAD CLOSURE ARGUMENTS REVEAL MANY-SIDED THEORIES …The up-river fishermen protested the closure in a widely circulated petition, urging that instead of closing the river to catching of the adult steelhead, a size limit be placed on the small steelhead fry that are caught in great numbers each spring as “trout”. Mr. Pautkze explained in great detail the history of the steelhead run on the Skagit, what they were now doing in the way of planting a new run of the fish in the river and what their plans were for the future. He explained that the partial closure of the river was in the nature of an “experiment”.
… Witham Tells Steelhead Story Ed Witham of Marblemount, who has lived on the Skagit all his life and is an ardent fisherman, was quick to take up the biologists challenge for someone to explain the cycle of the steelhead run. Witham stated that the steelhead fry come out of the upper spawning areas as minnows during July, August and September, then disappear until the next July when they show up in great numbers as small trout from 4 to 6 inches in length. After a month or so going upstream they again turn back down and in October appear again in sizes up to 9 inches long. After that they go into the salt water for two years and return as adult fish. … Mr. Pautkze differed with Witham on the length of time the small fish are in the upper part of the river. He said they moved down into the lower water quickly and did not return as small trout. His opinion was that they spent their entire second year on the lower river. In explaining the present experiments on the Skagit the biologist said that it had been the opinion of the department that the Skagit would never need plantings, but as the runs began to deplete from the changes made by dams, logging, etc. It was discovered in 1934 that a definite dropping off was in process. Through experiments on the Green River it was found that the Skagit was just not producing as many steelhead as its waters were capable of maintaining. So the experiments began here. |
Fish Issue—Steelhead Fisheries Dept. knew in 1934 that steelhead were being diminished in numbers due to dams and logging. |
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TEST FOR FISHWAY DAM ON BAKER …Since building of the Baker dam here the transportation of the fish run over the dam has been done with a trap at the powerhouse and hauling the fish in a tank of water by cable from the trap to the top of the dam. When the new Upper Baker Dam is built, the plan is to carry the fish by truck above both dams. To make this possible a permanent fish trap dam would be constructed here somewhere between the two bridges. The proposed dam would be a roof-like structure that would permit a ten-foot barrier to the fish going upstream. A pool underneath would permit the fish to rest and then enter a trap at the east side of the river from where they could be loaded into tank trucks for the trip to Baker Lake. Test drilling found no bedrock as far down as 40 feet, but this was not deemed important in the construction of the light structure. All plans are tentative and will depend entirely on construction of the new dam. |
Lower Baker Dam Fish Issue Once Upper Baker was built the “fish ladder” (See 7/15/26 C.H., 5/19/27 C.H.) was no longer in operation. |
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ROSS LAKE BEING HELD DOWN AS FLOOD RELIEF Ross Lake is now being kept at a level about 100 feet below the full mark in order to hold back some of the heavy run-off expected from melting snow in the next few months. Ass’t. Supt. John Nelson reports that the water level as held at present will provide the storage space for about 900,000 acre feet of water. Snow surveys made April 1st showed that the run-off of the Skagit will be the highest in 27 years during the period from April 1st to August 31st. The 900,000 acre-feet of storage space in the Ross reservoir represents about one-third of such a run-off, which allows a substantial amount of storage with which to hold back the flood peaks on the lower river. |
Ross Dam Ross Lake lowered 100 feet to provide storage for flood run-off. |
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CONSTRUCTION STARTS ON UPPER BAKER DAM PROJECT “At long last” as royalty once put it, the announcement of the granting of the license for the new Baker River dam was made yesterday by the Federal Power Commission and the Puget Sound Power & Light Company. The news was received rather calmly here due to the fact that it had been so long in the rumor stage and it’s receipt had been heralded the first of the week by the fact that a crew of men started work at the dam site. . . . This is the largest power development ever undertaken by the Puget Sound Power & Light Co. The total cost is estimated to be $35 million dollars, part of which will be in installation of another generator at the present Baker power house in Concrete. Specifications on the dam itself call for a structure 300 feet high and 200 feet wide at the base, to be constructed of concrete. The dam will be 1,200 feet long and will have a 12 foot roadway across its top. Behind the dam a reservoir over nine miles long and storing 980 billion gallons of water will be created. North of the dam a 1,260 foot long dike 50 feet high will have to be constructed of earth and rock fill to maintain the lake level at dam height. |
Upper Baker Dam Cost now $35,000,000. 300 feet high and 200 feet wide at the base. Will store 980 billion gallons of water. |
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EDITORIAL Now that the upper Baker dam is a reality, the worrisome uncertainty of the future of the valley for the next few years is over. In it’s place we have the worry of being able to keep pace. The dam, itself, is just an item of the long list of new projects. It will mean increased logging, a 350,000 barrel order for the cement plant and eventual unlimited possibilities in recreation facilities on the new lake. Elsewhere in the valley the Gorge dam is yet to be completed and the Forest Service is contemplating opening a road into the rich timber above Diablo dam – such road to follow quite closely the route of the long-sought North Cross-State Highway. After many years of waiting and talk the promise of the upper Skagit valley is beginning to come true. As the pieces fall into place it will mean a complete revision of life as it has been. A great deal of the charm of our valley has been its quiet roominess. We’ve been discovered. The settlers are moving in. |
Charles Dwelley on Upper Baker Dam “As the pieces fall into place it will mean a complete revision of life as it has been. A great deal of the charm of our valley has been its quiet roominess. We’ve been discovered. The settlers are moving in.” |
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START ON NEW DAM A request has been sent out from the Stone & Webster office for local people to list with them all spare rooms that may be rented, or anyone wishing to provide both room and board for one man or more. … Superior Portland Cement, Inc. will furnish half of the cement to be used in building the dam, the other half to be purchased from Olympic Portland Cement in Bellingham – making a fifty-fifty break between Skagit and Whatcom counties. Some 700,000 barrels will be required during the job. … Most businesses are counting on the increased logging activity behind the dam to provide most of the local prosperity. |
Upper Baker Dam Housing was started for construction crews working on the Baker Dam. |
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STONE AND WEBSTER STILL ON PRELIMINARY WORK The big construction job on the new Baker Dam by Stone & Webster, is still in the stages of preparation of facilities to handle the men and equipment that will be required. The local engineer’s building is now completed in the Puget Sound yard in East Concrete and a skeleton office crew is now busy there. . . . Mr. McKenney stated that there are now eighty men working on the dam site. Of these six are carpenters and the rest are clearing land, doing road location, and clearing and burning of right of way. The men are using a logging road north of Koma Kulshan guard station for the present to reach the site, which is about 1 miles from the Baker Lake road. |
Upper Baker Dam At this point in time only the roads to the dam site were under construction. Ultimately would hire as many as 1,500 workers. |
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SKAGIT TOPS IN STEELHEAD RUNS Final compilation of steelhead catches for the 1955-56 winter season show that the planting of migratory sized young steelhead in the Skagit River has produced a marked increase in the return of adult fish. The catch for the season, as indicated on the punch cards, was 161,624 steelhead, which was topped only slightly by the record catch thus far of 162,663 in the 1953-54 winter season. . . . The whopping last seasons’ catch of 21,792 steelhead in the Skagit topped by a large margin all previous records and appears to be a direct result of the first migratory-sized release of steelhead in this stream. From a catch of 16,170 fish in 1953-54, the Skagit dropped to 10,284 in 1954-55 as a result of the low water periods of 1952-53. The 1955-56 catch of 21,792 fish was the first returning cycle of the migratory-sized fish, and lead all other streams in the state by a wide margin. The Skagit is one of the perfect migratory streams, having extensive feeding areas in the many sloughs which make up its outlet to Puget Sound. The limitation to the steelhead runs in the river has been the loss of valuable spawning and rearing areas in its feeder streams. |
Fish Issue Steelhead Skagit River tops in state. 21,792 Steelhead caught by sports fishermen. |
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CITY LIGHT FACING CHOICE OF NEW DAMS Delays in the construction work at the Gorge Dam above Newhalem is causing City Light a lot of headaches these days. Faced with a need for additional power to handle the requirements of the expansion of Bethlemen Steel in Seattle, the power officials are desperately trying to work out a quick solution to problems facing the expansion of generating facilities on the upper Skagit. The Gorge dam job is now a year behind schedule, due to the difficulty in solving a “leak” underground at the Gorge site. … Thunder Creek Speeded Long range plans call for use of Thunder Creek as a storage reservoir by use of a new dam. … At present Thunder Creek flows into Diablo Lake and is used for power there and at Gorge. Three alternate plans have been proposed for better use of the flow. No. 1 is to dam the stream, tunnel through the mountain and let the water go into Ross Lake for extra power all the way down to Newhalem. No. 2 is to put a complete generating plant on Thunder Creek. … No. 3 is to dam Thunder and divert the water direct to Newhalem by tunnel. … If the dam at Ross is raised another 125 feet, as projected, the present decisions must take this into consideration. As raising of Ross is up to Canada’s decision of whether or not they will permit territory there to be flooded, the problem of future expansion on the upper Skagit is now a tangle of conflicting ideas. |
Seattle City Light Gorge and Thunder Creek Dams Gorge Dam had a “leak”. Thunder Creek looked at as possible site for new dam. Raising Ross Dam another 125 feet up to Canada. |
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NEW CITY LIGHT DAM WILL COVER UP EVIDENCE Following our custom of getting old landmarks and bits of history down in black and white so that some record will be made for future years, a recent trip to Diablo found the old water wheel powerhouse of the old Davis ranch still standing and awaiting to be covered up by water of the new Gorge high dam. The water wheel started as a pipe dream of Frank and Glee Davis back in the 1900’s and was first conceived as a method of powering a saw mill for cutting lumber in the inaccessible upper Skagit area. Over the years the idea took shape and form, but it was not until 1921 that the project was completed. Then it was found that the wheel failed to create enough power for cutting much timber, so in 1925 the men installed a 1 h.p. generator and the mill wheel went into the power business as the upper Skagit’s first permanent hydro-electric installation. The water powered generator furnished lights for the Davis homestead for several years until the place was sold to make way for City Light. |
Gorge Dam Davis Ranch First permanent hydro-electric power generator in Skagit County was built by early settlers. |
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UPPER BAKER DAM PROJECT NOW RISING FROM BEDROCK An ironic situation has developed on the Upper Baker River dam project the past week as lay-offs were necessary due to lack of cement – and the local cement plant is still closed by strike with its storage bins full of the precious commodity. However, work continues at the dam and during the month of September the employment averaged about 850. Highest total workers on the project, including subcontracts, during the past year was 1,004. The pouring of concrete has been under way on four of the 25 blocks, or sections, of the dam. Block nine, which is the farthest along, covers an area 50 feet by 200 feet and now stands 50 feet high. The dam when completed will stand 300 feet high, 1,200 feet across and 200 feet wide at the base. |
Upper Baker Dam Lack of Concrete held up construction. Hired over 1,000 construction workers. |
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CITY LIGHT HIRES RAINMAKERS City Light has announced that Seattle City Light, in an effort to cut down on its power purchases, has signed a rain-making contract with the Water Resources Development Corporation of Denver, Colorado. The contract extends from now to the end of August. … Past experience of the Water Resources Development Corporation, shows that their operations have increased rainfall 10 to 20%. … The activities will be centered back of Ross Dam so that any additional rainfall will drain into Ross Lake where it can be stored. |
Seattle City Light Hires Cloud Seeders And of course we all know that the clouds would just stay behind Ross Dam. |
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PHOTO FEATURE – BAKER FISH DAM WORKS WELL ON SOCKEYE RUN A good run of Sockeye salmon is giving the new fish trap installation on the Baker river here a through testing as to efficiency. The trap was put into use a few weeks ago and since that time has done very well in providing a method of getting the salmon to the spawning grounds on the upper Baker. To date the number of Sockeye taken in the trap and transported by truck to Baker Lake has been more than double the entire run of last year. The low dam, which is located just below the highway bridge on the Baker at Concrete, seems to be low enough for the salmon to jump but the construction has been such that the overflow strikes an obstruction of large rocks on the lower side that produce such a turbulence that the fish can not get a chance to jump. For further protection against the fish getting above the dam in periods of high water in the Skagit, the low dam can be raised about two feet mechanically to provide the extra height.
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Lower Baker Dam Fish Issue The new “fish trap dam” seemed to be working very well. |
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SKAGIT DRIPS FROM TOP RANK IN STEELHEAD CATCH The Skagit River, due to weather conditions and the presence of above normal silt in the water from the Sauk River, dropped from first place as a steelhead stream for the state of Washington this year. For the past two seasons the Skagit has topped all other streams in the number of fish produced, the 1955-1956 season producing 21,942 fish for the highest peak. This past season the Skagit only produced 10,764 steelhead. Tops for the state was the Humptulips river which found 11,404 as the total catch. In second place was the Green river with 11,381. The Humptulips came up this year from fifth place due to a big hatchery plant made in the spring of 1956. |
Steelhead Fish Issue Silt from Sauk River blamed for decrease in Steelhead run. |
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CITY LIGHT PROBLEM OF BORDER FLOODING STUDIED The International Joint Commission, which passes on disputes along the United States-Canadian border has agreed to take under consideration the proposal of City Light to flood some 6,000 acres of land across the Canadian border when Ross Dam is raised to extra height. An agreement was made in 1942 with British Columbia provincial officials to pay $255,508 for the flooding. Later, however, the Canadian authorities decided there should be additional payment in the form of electric power. Issue was reviewed Wednesday in Ottawa. Final decision will be made by the Commission after a study. |
Ross Dam Flooding Canada 6,000 additional acres of land to be flooded in Canada if Ross raised. |
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BAKER HATCHERY BUILDING TO GO ON AUCTION BLOCK The old bunkhouse of the Baker Lake Fish Hatchery will be up for sale next week when the forest service puts the building on the auction block to remove it from the site to make way for waters of the new Baker Lake. The sale of the building will just about mark the end of the pioneer hatchery site. The building is the last of several that served the crew that operated the hatchery that was first started in 1896 and reached its heyday in 1924. Then the construction of the lower Baker dam so diminished the salmon run that by 1933 the hatchery was out of business. Most of its time in operation the hatchery could only be reached by trail and the buildings were constructed from timber on the site, sawed in a saw mill that had been packed over the trail from Concrete. |
Baker Lake Hatchery 1896 to 1933. Only be reached by trail. “…the construction of the lower Baker dam so diminished the salmon run that by 1933 the hatchery was out of business.” |
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UPPER BAKER DAM NEARING COMPLETION Two unprecedented open winters have paid off handsomely for the Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation now at work completing the Upper Baker River Dam for Puget Sound Power & Light Co. Work is far ahead of schedule, as the above photo shows. According to records, 515,000 cubic yards of cement had been poured at the time of this picture a week ago, leaving only 125,000 yet to be poured to bring the dam to full height. . . . By September the contractors expect to have most of their job cleaned up and the dam ready to begin turning out an additional 158,000 kilowatts of new power for the company. The dam will be 300 feet high, 1,200 feet across and some 200 feet wide at the base. The weight has been estimated at 1,200,000 tons. |
Upper Baker Dam Dam almost done. 515,000 cu yds cement already poured. Only 125,000 cu yds left to go. |
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SKAGIT SLATED TO BE BEST STEELHEAD STREAM IN U.S. Prospects for steelheading on the Skagit River in future years were looking up considerably last week as a big truck from Tukal Creek hatchery, near Snoqualmie, made several trips here to plant 65,000 young steelhead. First plants were made on the upper part of the Skagit, with two made in the vicinity of Concrete. In the picture above, Don Gibson is holding the nose as the tank sprays out 12,000 of the lively fish at the bar on the upper side of the mouth of the Baker. Another 12,000 were planted on Friday at the big eddy just above the Ovenell place on the South Skagit road. |
Steelhead Fish Issue 77,000 Steelhead planted in Skagit River system. |
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DROP PLUG The Baker River will go to work at the Upper Baker Dam this afternoon at 2:00 P.M. This is the hour set for “dropping the plug” that will close off the flow of the river beneath the huge structure. Water has been diverted through a spillway since construction was started. All that remains to be done for final completion is to close the entrance to the spillway and pour the gap full of concrete. A rather formal occasion is being worked up for the ceremony with engineers and power company officials gathering here to see the Baker River harnessed once again. The lake will start filling immediately, but will not reach it’s full height until some time in the fall. As soon as the water has reached sufficient height, a test will be made of the new generator and power house below the dam. |
Upper Baker Dam The lake will start filling immediately, but will not reach it’s full height until some time in the fall. |
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NEW BAKER LAKE IS FORMING There was no actual ceremony, no speeches or flag waving, but a large number of visitors crowded the observation points at the Upper Baker River Dam last Thursday to watch the workmen “drop the plug” to start the lake filling. Company officials from all parts of the district were on hand for the first big milestone in completion of the project. The 30 ton cement and steel gates were dropped shortly after 2:00 P.M. and by the time the visitors left the water had covered the Baker River outlet portals and was rising rapidly on the dam. |
Upper Baker Dam The lake begins to rise. |
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NEW BAKER LAKE TO BE CENTER OF LARGE RECREATIONAL AREA During the past week water of the new Baker Dam began to raise the level of old Baker Lake, thereby starting the process in which all old familiar landmarks will soon be deep beneath the waters of a new and larger lake. The area has been logged off and cleared until there are few recognizable spots, the most notable one being the old fish hatchery grounds. Here the waters will rise over a most familiar spot for campers, and one not too much changed. The old Bagnell camp across the lake, however, the spot looks little like it was known by so many thousands of visitors who have camped there over the years. All that remains are three of the original cabins, including the old Ruth homestead house and these will soon be demolished. . . . In the program of setting up a recreation plan for the new Baker lake, the public camps will be of first consideration. After these are developed to fill the needs, next consideration will be given to organization camps. Last in line will be areas for private homes on government leases. |
Baker Lake Public camp grounds a big part of the new lake. “Whatever the havoc wrought by building the dam and clearing away virgin forests, the replacement will come in the way of a huge lake, plus all the mountain recreation. The possibilities have yet to be completely explored as the entire country is ideal for horseback trips, boating, hunting, winter sports and fishing.” |
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EDITORIAL A bit of quiet contemplation of the approaching development of the upper valley as recreation area that will draw tourists from all parts of the country is an interesting hobby for this writer. Our thoughts run far ahead of these now just building logging roads, dams and normal developments based on commercial value. The logging roads become driveways for people who wish to see some of the country now hours away by trail. The dam provides a lake that will be the envy of the state for accessibility and rugged beauty. . . . Another is the fact that the formerly deep and cold Baker lake, which only the hardy found suitable for swimming, will soon have many acres of comparatively shallow water that will conceivably warm up. . . . A public resort, the splendid opportunities for horseback trail trips, the many beautiful mountain lakes and streams, the undeveloped hot spring, winter sports all will reach a point of decision in time. Discovery of our assets by those us who live here should come first. |
Charles Dwelley on Baker Lake Resort Encouraged the local people discover the beauty of the new Baker Lake. |
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5 IN. RAIN BRINGS FLOOD-SLIDES The storm that struck the Northwest Sunday found the upper Skagit valley all soaked up and waiting. And as the skies poured a total of 4.98 inches more water on the soggy hills during the day things began to happen. Water went over the roads at many points from Lyman to Newhalem, slides began popping across the roads as the evening wore on. A slide on the Van Horn Cut finally shut off up-river power to add total darkness to the difficulties of the residents battling surface water and slides. . . . Official figures from the cement plant weather station gave the rainfall the past week as 11.85 inches, which plus the snowfall already on the ground would probably mean close to 14 inches of water. The record lists 1.19 last Tuesday; 1.31 Wednesday; .96 Thursday; 2.24 on Friday; none Saturday; but 4.98 inches on Sunday! |
11/24/59 Flood Event Rain USGS Concrete 32.17, 89,300 cfs.; Mt. Vernon 31.58, 91.600 cfs. 11 inches of rain in 6 days. |
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CITY LIGHT DAM CREDITED WITH HOLDING FLOOD Seattle City Light’s Ross Dam has again helped control the flow of the Skagit River during flood conditions. Supt. Paul Raver has revealed that Ross plant had been partially shut down from Thursday morning, November 19, to Monday noon, November 22, to reduce the amount of flood waters in the lower Skagit river. Flow at Ross Dam was cut down to the point where even with the additional amount of water from other streams feeding into the Skagit river below Ross, no water was spilled over the Gorge Diversion dam. The only flow at Newhalem was the normal amount necessary to operate the Gorge Powerhouse. Water flow at Ross plant was reduced Thursday morning and not increased until some hours after the flood crest had passed. In the interval the level of Ross Lake went up 2.33 feet (from elevation 1584.36 to 1586.69 feet). This amounted to 26,000 acre feet of water. Actual storage of flood waters was much greater as under normal conditions City Light would have drawn down about 6,000 acre feet to produce the power to carry the Seattle load. |
11/24/59 Flood Event USGS Concrete 32.17, 89,300 cfs.; Mt. Vernon 31.58, 91.600 cfs. Water level behind Ross was 1584.36. That is 8 feet below where it is during flood events now. Ross November 20th level is 1595.6 Ross minimum winter pool at 1592.1 |
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TO START IMMEDIATELY ON PLANS FOR BRAND NEW ROCKPORT SPAN More details on the bridge to be built at Rockport next year were furnished this week by Commissioner Brown Wiseman of the third district, who has already set things in motion for an early call for bids next year. … Negotiations are under way to have test drillers on the job shortly after the first of the year to furnish specifications for the two piers which will be out in the stream and the two ashore, so that the details may be included in the architect’s plans. Site of the bridge is now expected to be just east of the old City Light depot, and the north approach will be about at railroad grade. The approach will tie in with the present street into Rockport, and the connection with highway 17-A will be at the “Y” below Benton’s store. … On the south side of the river surveys are complete to bring the bridge approach in a direct tangent from the intersection of the Sauk river and Illabot Creek roads. The bridge will span the river at an angle to eliminate any abrupt curves. … Boat Landing Promised The bridge right-of-way deal includes a trade of property with City Light, who will take over the present ferry site on the north side of the river. An agreement has been made to keep this open for a sportsman’s boat landing as long as it is not needed for use by the City. |
Rockport Bridge |
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EDITORIAL The last Skagit river stern-wheeler sits on a sand bar below Mount Vernon while owners ponder whether to junk it or try to salvage it for sale as a dockside eating house. It has become unprofitable to use it for freight on the river. And so another tie with the past disappears. The old paddle wheel boats can’t run on our four-lane highways. |
Charles Dwelley on Stern-Wheeler |
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254,000 STEELHEAD PLANTED IN BARNABY SLOUGH If everything goes according to plan the Skagit river will become the best steelhead stream in the world. The plan belongs to the State Game Department, where now starting the program of raising steelhead in their 27 acre rearing pond across the river at Rockport in what is known as “Barnaby’s Slough”. The slough is stream fed with good water and has been cleared, diked and equipped with a releasing trap for permitting the mature fish in migrate naturally into the Skagit River. . . . In addition to the Barnaby fish plant a summer run will be started from Lake Shannon. The first plant of summer run steelhead was of 60,000 fry. Another 100,000 will be planted in hopes of assuring a continuing steelhead run from this spawning area. |
Steelhead Fish Issue It appears that at least 400,000 steelhead were put into the Skagit River system in just one year. |
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OLD GORGE DAM SITE DISAPPEARS FROM SIGHT AS NEW SKAGIT LAKE BUILDS UP BEHIND GROWING HIGH DAMOnly the tops of the sluice gate towers of the old Gorge Diversion Dam remain visible as the waters continue to rise behind Seattle City Light’s new high Gorge Dam. The crest of the concrete spillway of the diversion dam was about 35 feet under water at the time the accompanying picture was taken. It will be about 100 feet under water when the reservoir behind the high dam is filled. |
Gorge Dam |
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STEELHEADING ON SKAGIT BEST IN STATE LAST SEASONSteelhead fishing is definitely on the upturn last season and figures to date from the punch cards show that 148,281 fish were caught in the winter season. This is 21,751 more steelhead taken than in the previous season. This was tempered a bit by the fact that 3,417 more punchcards were issued last year but still shows an increase in the steelhead runs. The Skagit River again topped all rivers in the state with 18,568 fish counted. The Green river was next with 11,774 and the Cowlitzs third with 11,075. The previous winter season on the Skagit netted fishermen 14,803 fish. The Green was listed with 9.914 and the Humptulips third with 8,601. |
Steelhead Fish Issue 18,568 fish caught. |
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COUNTY BACKS JACKMAN CREEK PROJECTA flood control project set up for Jackman Creek, which has been awaiting a sponsor before the U.S. Army Engineers and the federal government would take action, finally found one this week in Skagit County. The commissioners have agreed to set in the case, and to take over the maintenance of the project after the work is done. Jackman Creek due to erosion of a gravel bank a short distance upstream from the state highway and the G. N. railway bridge, has jumped its banks a few times the past few years, causing damage to nearby property, but threatening much more serious damage in the future to highway bridges and private property unless some control work is undertaken. The county had balked at taking sponsorship of the project due to the fact that no county roads or property is involved and that the sponsor is to accept future responsibility for the control of the stream in flood times. The federal government has set up a $30,000 project for the repair of the stream bed, and a contract has now been let for the work. The county will have to secure the ownership or right of way. |
Jackman Creek Project And from this day forward the County taxpayers have been paying for this project. |
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DEDICATION OF GORGE HIGH DAM OF MANY YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION ON UPPER SKAGITFormal dedication ceremonies at the new Gorge High Dam, above Newhalem on the Skagit River, was held last Friday afternoon with two bus loads of dignitaries and guests making the trip from Seattle, and many others also present from the Skagit projects. Guests included Mayor Gordon Clinton of Seattle; members of the Seattle city council and other officials; Dr. Wm. A. Pearl, Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration; Henry Heckendorn of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce; City Light officials; newspaper and television men from Seattle and from Skagit and Whatcom County. . . . The Gorge plant was the first of the three Skagit plants built by the City of Seattle and was started in 1919. The first generator was started by President Coolidge in September of 1924. A second generator was installed later the same year and a third in 1929, giving the plant a capacity of 60,000 kw. |
Gorge Dam Started in 1919 as a diversion dam. Produced power in 1924. |
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BAKER LAKE LEVEL TAKES UP BULK OF FLOOD WATERThe 9.6 inch rainfall on the Baker district on January 14-15 resulted in a seven-foot rise in the water level behind the Upper Baker Dam. The dam held back about 9.7 billion gallons of water, helping to avert a flood on the Skagit River. Records show that during the week ending January 20th the run off raised the Upper Baker reservoir 16 feet and the Lower Baker three feet containing a total of about 67,000 acre feet. The total storage of the two is equivalent to 34,000,000 kwh. |
Upper and Lower Baker Dam Rainfall January 16, 1961 Flood Event USGS Concrete 79,000 cfs 30.61; Mt Vernon 76,000 cfs 29.40. 9 inches of rain in less then 48 hours. Lower Baker provided at least 3 feet of flood storage |
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FLOOD CONTROL HEARING DEVELOPS LITTLE DEMAND IN FABER HIGH DAMThe large courtroom in the courthouse at Mount Vernon was filled to capacity yesterday morning as Col. R. P. Young, District Army Engineer, opened what was to have been an all-day hearing on flood control problems of the Skagit River. At the last moment, however, the Colonel decided to cut off hearing those present at noon. . . . During the morning session only one speaker, representing a diking district, favored the Faber dam as the only solution. Speakers against the dam included the state game department, fisheries department and commercial fishermen. Also a number of speakers from the upper valley. A short but vehement telegram from Senator Fred Martin calling a dam at Faber ridiculous. Most of the testimony heard was on need for better diking in the lower valley and projects to dredge the river on the lower reaches to give the water a better flow. . . . The 1951 estimate on a 300 foot dam at Faber was $218 million, including only $2 million for land purchase. At this height the dam would back water to Darrington and cover approximately 35,000 acres. Land in the lower valley considered threatened by floods was estimated at about 60,000 acres. Thus the cost of building the dam would far outweigh the benefits gained. On a per-basis the benefit cost ration is figured at 81 or a loss of about $2.5 million per year. The upper Sauk dam site listed on the report is 9 miles above Darrington and would cost about $48 million. Here again the balance of benefit makes the dam impractical. |
Faber, Sauk, Cascade Dams Dams not feasible due to cost and environmental impacts. “In view of the costs and distinct lack of profitable operation, it is not expected that any immediate move will be made to use any of the dam sites in the present flood control program. It would seem from listening in at the hearing that the concentration will be on diking, dredging and possibly a secondary channel for the river in the lower valley.” |
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EDITORIALThe fuss over Faber dam, we predict, will quickly subside under the light of thought and close scrutiny of the basic facts. Unfortunately it is down on paper in a government report and will be raised from the file cabinet each time someone asks for a study of the river for many years to come. We were glad there was a prompt response in the upper valley when the subject appeared in print, but we must admit we were also shocked by the number who believed that our upper valley would be of more benefit to the county under water. But, as one man put it after a quick study of the original report, “None of us knew what we were talking about.” The report does not favor a dam at Faber, or Cascade, or Sauk. It merely states that the sites are there and what would be required to develop them. The findings on the latter showed none of the projects as sound investments, and most of them as huge debit items unfeasible except in dire emergency or sudden unlimited wealth. There are more sound and economical ways to end the periodic threat of floods in the lower valley. The thing is, don’t relax your vigilance in warding off danger to your valley and your homes. Someone is always ready to offer someone else as a sacrifice. Until we have more voters than the lower valley, we are expendable. |
Charles Dwelley on Faber Dam |
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EDITORIALThe new Baker Lake, promised to be unspoiled and even improved by the new dam, is in danger of becoming a public disgrace. We speak of the driftwood now making the water hazardous to boats and a menace to its usefulness to the public. According to the agreements, the power company is to see that no such condition is allowed to exist. So far they have had a perfunctory contract for sweeping the main debris, but since have ignored sensible suggestions of burning the drift as it please along the shores and low water periods. The lake is now high and the accumulation is at the mercy of the winds. It has been just a year since completion of the dam. We’d hate to see this beautiful lake go the way of Lake Shannon – one reason for all the pre-construction clearing and sweeping agreements. Apparently the public is going to have to get good and mad. Our suggestion is that they do it now, rather than complain periodically over a 30-year period with no results as in the lower lake. The Forest Service has not released the company from their commitments. What is occurring is just plain lack of active compliance. Besides the bad effect on visitors to the lake, condition of the water may cancel Cascade Days plans for boat races. A few well-placed letters might build the necessary fires needed to get immediate action. Delay can mean a long time grind. * * * The curse of money is a national problem. The poor are cursed by lack of it, the rich by too much of it, the government by the power of it, the world by our careless use of it. |
Charles Dwelley on Baker Lake and The Curse of Money |
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SKAGIT RIVER STILL TOPS FOR STEELHEAD FISHINGThe Skagit River still fed all streams in the state for steelhead last season. Although the catch for the entire state showed a decrease of 21 per cent from the 1959-60 season, a total of 117,750 fish were reported through the punch card returns. The Skagit River produced 12,566 steelhead, according to the figures reported back by the sportsmen. Next highest stream was the Green River, which had a total of 8,448. Last season the Skagit showed a total of 18,568 fish caught. |
Steelhead Fish Issue 12,566 fish caught. 18,568 the year before. |
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EDITORIALAlong the Skagit River in these parts, there is a comic opera feud raging between the ‘revenooers’ and the ‘natives’ over salmon fishing. Local fishermen contend that they are being discriminated against by being denied the right to catch a salmon at their door step on hook and line, while at the entrance of the river commercial fishermen catch more in a single night than all the fishermen up here would catch in a whole season. On the other hand the fisheries men feel that a salmon feel that a salmon who has escaped the nets and the lures of down-river should be home free when they reach here. There is also a difference of opinion on whether or not it is legal to play a salmon on sports tackle if it is turned loose without being harmed. Big fines are sought for law-breakers over the loud protest of those who are hauled into court. The result is a break-down in respect for law on one side and sportsmen on the other. It seems to us that the situation calls for a sensible get together at a public meeting where all angles can be discussed and a compromise reached that will give local anglers some fishing and still keep the fisheries men happy. To continue the feud merely widens the gap of discontent over a bad law. And bad laws are those that can not be enforced with fairness. |
Charles Dwelley on Fishing and Bad Laws |
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ROCKPORT BRIDGE DEDICATION AT 2:00 SATURDAYAll roads will lead to Rockport this coming Saturday, as that little community plays host to the entire county, and as many from outside as want to come, at the dedication of the new Rockport bridge. When the ribbon is cut following the ceremonies at 2:00 P.M., the Rockport ferry, which has provided transportation across the river since 1903, will no longer be needed. The people at Rockport feel this calls for a celebration and they intend to provide one. The opening of traffic across the bridge ends an era that once saw eighteen current-operated ferries in operation on the Skagit River. There were crossings at Skagit City, Burlington, Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, Skiyou, Lyman, Day Creek, Hamilton, Birdsview, Pressentin, … Concrete, East Concrete, Van Horn, Faber, Sauk City, Rockport, O’Brien’s and Marblemount. County Engineer Frank Gilkey once estimated that to maintain those same ferries today would cost the county at least a quarter of a million dollars a year. The new Rockport bridge contract was let for $258,433.00 to Croy Construction Co., just a little above what could been a year’s ferry costs. |
Rockport Bridge Skagit Ferry “Actually the first ferry in operation at Rockport was built in 1903 by Ed Carniele, valley carpenter. It was first used to bring children across the river to school and was operated by Skagit Bill Pressentin. After the ferry had proved it’s value, the county aided in the operation by paying the magnificent salary of $12 a month to the operator.” |
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RANCHER JIM OVENELL TELLS HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF EARLY DAYS ON THE SKAGIT FLATSA good crowd turned out on Tuesday evening for the Skagit Historical meeting to hear Jim Ovenell tell of the early days as he remembered them. He spoke briefly of his grandparents and of the trip his grandmother’s family made from Connecticut around the Horn to the west coast which took six months and ten days. His grandfather came to Whidbey Island in 1858 from England. Nelson Ovenell, Jim’s father, was born in 1861 on Whidbey and came with the family to Skagit County in 1866, settling on what was later known as the Downey farm. |
Local Pioneer Tells of Family Journey |
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FOREST SERVICE PLEASED WITH WORK OF CLEARING ROSS LAKE, RECENTLY COMPLETED BY CITY LIGHTSatisfactory completion of the creation of Ross Lake, begun 25 years ago, was acknowledged this week by the United States Forest Service. The announcement that the 24-mile-long lake behind Seattle City Light’s Ross Dam had met strict Forest Service requirements was made jointly by Mt. Baker National Forest Supervisor H.C. Chriswell and City Light superintendent Paul J. Raver. “As a result of your cooperation we now have a 24-mile lake which helps produce electric power provides a beautiful recreational area with excellent sports fishing and also aids in controlling floods. . . . Raver explained that preliminary clearing began in 1937 with start of construction on the dam. “The clearing operation began in earnest in 1943. Logging was completed in 1955, and the clearing of debris was completed in 1961. Cost of the clearing operation to City Light was over $3 million.” |
Ross Dam Preliminary clearing began in 1937 with start of construction on the dam. “The clearing operation began in earnest in 1943. Logging was completed in 1955, and the clearing of debris was completed in 1961. |
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SHREDDED GILL NET DRAPED AT CITY HALL MONDAY MORNING WARNS OF BATTLE OVER RIVER FISHINGIt remained for colorful Concrete to provide the incident in the present controversy over Indians gill netting steelhead in the Skagit. . . . Game man. Ole Eide said at present there are eight Indians setting nets between Sedro-Woolley and Loretta Creek and that last week they landed 256 fish. They are selling the fish for about 25 a pound. Until the rights of the Indian to fish freely is changed by federal laws, Eide said nothing can be done to stop the netting. . . . The big complaint on the Skagit is that this year the steelhead run is 30 per cent above normal due to an extended planting program paid for by game fishing licenses, and there is a belief that the run can be killed completely in a few years if the river is fished commercially with nets. In their visit here the Game Department officials warned the local sportsmen not to create an out-and-out war against the nets as evidenced by the city hall display, as this could only make negotiations more difficult. They suggest that each sportsman contact his congressman to ask for immediate federal action to clear up the treaty rights for all time. |
Tribal fishing controversy Local residents believed Tribal fishermen could exterminate steelhead runs by using nets. |
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ROSS DAM WAS ABLE TO HOLD MUCH FLOOD WATERCity Light last week released a report of the work of the Skagit projects during the flood situation on November 19th. Ross Dam was shut down from early Monday evening, Nov. 29th, at 9:30 p.m. and not reopened until 2:00 on Tuesday to hold back some of the abnormal river flow. The power was replaced on an interchange basis from Bonneville and Pries Rapids dams which furnished 639,000 and 264,000 kw, respectively. The Ross station showed a rainfall of 4.41 inches from 8:00 a.m. to midnight Monday. The Dalles gauge registered a stream flow of 114,000 cfs per second from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Tuesday. A flow of 90,000 cfs is the point at which Ross Powerhouse operators are alerted to flood control action. |
Ross Dam and Rainfall November 20, 1962 Flood Event USGS Concrete 35.73 114,000 cfs; Mt. Vernon 30.44, 83,200 cfs. 4.41 inches of rain at Ross in 16 hours. Ross was “shut down” for 16.5 hours. |
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BIG RIVER BOATS ONCE WERE MAIN SKAGIT TRANSPORTATION – SKAGIT RIVER BOATS HAD MINING HEYDAYNow that there is considerable talk being broadcast about the possibilities of the Skagit River being dredged and improved so as to again make it as navigable as it used to be for many years in the past, it might be worth while to give the people of today a summary of the business, and the boats, and activities that were everyday events on the river in the early 80’s and 90’s. To begin with we will name the first stern wheel steam boats that started operating on the Skagit in the spring of 1880 in the freight and passenger business, which was brought on by the discovery of placer gold by Otto Klement, Jack (John) Rowley, Charles Pressentin St. and another man. . . . There was the Josephine, Chehalis, Fanny Lake Lily, Nellie, Glide, Lady of the Lake, all loaded trip after trip with passengers and freight bound for Ruby Creek. A few boats made runs up as far as Durand’s Riffle, which is about one mile down river from Marblemount, but most got no further than the present site of Rockport, and some not that far. . . . The beginning of 1882 saw the finish of the gold stampede so many of the first boats named sought other runs and another crop of boats took over. The Queen, Henry Bailey, Bob Irwin, Monte Christo, Indiana, Cascade, Mamie of Snohomish, The Skagit Chief, W.F. McDonald, Black Prince, and the T.C. Reed. The T.C. Reed was the largest of the lot and Mamie of Snohomish was the midget, being only sixty-five feet long. The Queen, Indiana, and Monte Christo served more years than any others except the Black Prince. . . . The Indiana was built, owned, and captained by John Hamilton, son of Wm. Hamilton, the founder of the Town of Hamilton. . . . The boats would land at any camp or any homesteaders place along the river. From 1889 to 1903 there was little business for steamers on the river. Then in 1904 there started up a little towing business with very small gas engine powered boats. By 1906 there were larger and more powerful tug boats built and put on the river and the steamers, Black Prince, the W.F. McDonald and the F.C. Reed joined the fleet of gas powered tugs in developing the business of log-towing. Then for 40 years the towing business continued. Hundreds of million of board feet of logs were towed down the Skagit. |
Old Steamboats on the Skagit. This wonderful piece of history documents the “paddle wheelers” or steamboats on the Skagit River. The article goes on to discount the infamous “race between the boats” once glamorized by Corps of Engineer annual reports. This article was authored by Otto K. von Pressentin. Some of what is reported in this article is in direct conflict with early Corps of Engineers annual reports. “By 1890 there were four steamboats plying the Skagit River waters. They were the Henry Bailey 209 tons; W.F. Munro, 100 tons; Cascade, 63 tons; and the Indiana, 82 tons. The first three ran from Seattle to Mt. Vernon. The Indiana went from Mt. Vernon to Sauk City and was dubbed the “mail boat”. (Source: Report of E.H. Jefferson, Asst. Engineer in charge of the Skagit, Corps of Engineers, June 17, 1890) The Corps reports document “log towing” in 1897. ((Source: Report of Capt. Harry Taylor, Corps of Engineers, December 11, 1897) |
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EDITORIALThe state Supreme Court has given the state the right to restrict Indian net fishing, reversing a previous decision that treaty rights still held. As always, past agreements have a way of becoming unworkable when carried beyond the era for which they were inscribed. More and more the theory of law is “what is good for us now.” |
Charles Dwelley on Fish Issue State had right to restrict Indian fishing. |
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EDITORIALThe eventual role of the upper Skagit seems to be that of a recreation area. At least in our time we see no huge developments in minerals, such as the crowd here in the 1890’s envisioned. Someday, maybe, but not until there is a need greater than that now projected for folks with idle time on their hands. Our highway over the mountain is going to swell traffic of those who come to see. Most will want to come back again for a longer, closer look. Our potential in parks and camp grounds is a long way from fulfillment. The field of commercial food and lodging is almost untouched. Encouragement of more and better roads, development of our forest camps, and some way to interest capital in investment in tourist facilities will be the booster activity needed in the next few years. |
Charles Dwelley on Upriver Development as Recreational Area |
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RAINMAKERS HOPE THEY HAVE ADDED TO SKAGITA six-month experiment designed to drench the Skagit Valley and make its river work harder will end this week. It will be another six months before state officials know how much extra effort they got from the stream. Stuart Shumway, weather-modification supervisor for the conservation department, has been in the Upper Skagit River basin since October, directing a dozen rain-making machines. The rain makers are ground-based generators that spray silver iodide solution into passing storm clouds. The silver-iodide particles have the effect of ice crystals, causing water vapor to gather around them and descend as rain. “We hope we’ve increased the water runoff in the valley by 15 per cent,” Truman Price, conservation’s supervisor of power resources said yesterday. “But we won’t know for certain until the runoff is finished next fall.” |
Rain Makers “Rain makers” were in operation from October 1963 until the end of April 1964. During that time frame there were two recorded small flood events. 10/22/63 – 73,800 cfs (29.8) Concrete 11/27/63 – 84,200 cfs (31.4) Concrete No indication rain makers were responsible. |
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SAUK AND CASCADE DAMS ARE URGEDDams on the Sauk and Cascade rivers were again urged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at a Puget Sound Water Resources Task Force hearing in Anacortes Monday. Robert Gedney, chief of the planning branch, told the group to continue study of the dams, which he says are needed for 100% flood control on the Skagit River. . . . It was also urged that all Skagit flood control projects be coordinated under a master plan so that there would be no overlapping of expenditures in piecemeal work. The twenty diking and irrigation districts of the county now spend $250,000 a year on Skagit river work. |
Sauk and Cascade Dams Only projects that would provide 100% flood control for the Skagit River. |
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LETTER TELLS OF TRIP TO DIABLO IN SNOWS OF 1907A trip from Marblemount to Diablo, which was impossible by road a few weeks ago, was not too easy by trail in 1907. Reading of the Diablo road being closed by snow slides prompted Glee Davis of Sedro-Woolley to dig out a letter written by his mother, which describes a trip home through the snow. The Davis place was located on the flat just below Diablo – a portion of which is now under the waters of Gorge Lake. |
Life In Skagit County in 1907 This is a fascinating article about how people upriver had to travel in the early days. |
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MUD SLIDE AT POWER HOUSE NOT SERIOUSThe mud slide, currently plaguing Puget Power above the lower Baker power house here, is of no real danger, according to Andy Miller, local superintendent. The trouble is stemming from a mass of clay on the side hill above the powerhouse on the area cleared for the high lines from upper Baker. Mud started slipping, taking out the quarry road and dumping portions of slippery ooze over the bank and down behind the bulkhead that protects the east wall of the power house. . . . The condition of the soil on the hillside has been known since the dam was built and provisions had been made for expected small slides and runoff water from the area. An old logging road through the section slid out a few years ago. It was believed that springs and seepage at this point caused the latest trouble. |
Lower Baker Dam Powerhouse Slide Begins Soil conditions were known since the dam was built. “Threat of serious damage to the building was deemed remote.” |
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SLIDES CONTINUE TO PLAGUE PSPLMud from the slipping hillside above the powerhouse of the Lower Baker River Dam here, continued to harass the officials and employees last week as they fought to keep the doors of the powerhouse clear and the material moving from the rear of the building where a thick retaining wall shunted it around both sides of the building. The slides on the hill above had been caused by the heavy rains. In the adjoining photo the paths of two separate channels of the mud and dirt can be seen coming down at the rear of the building. Work is continuous on the upper slopes to pump water pockets from the slide area and take weight off the loose masses of top soil.
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Lower Baker Dam Powerhouse Slide Continues Slides allegedly caused by heavy rains. |
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BAKER POWERHOUSE SLIDE AREA 24-HOUR JOBIn any hill-county location the earth slide is a common hazard. In most cases the only thing done is clear it away and forget about it. In the case of the sliding hill above the Puget Power Baker River power station here, it can not be that simple. Their problem is to get the material that must eventually slide to do so gradually, and then work out a plan of attack to prevent any future sliding. Continued wet weather has kept the slide area moving for the past month. In addition to trying to clear away what comes down, the company is now engaged in long range planning of work that will be continued far into the summer to make the hillside safe for future winters. |
Lower Baker Dam Powerhouse Slide Continues |
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EDITORIALWe wish the state government would stop trying to create the idea that taxes can be directed toward a certain segment of our economy without touching the “common taxpayer”. . . . We would appreciate it if the powers that be would for one honest moment admit that they are not the slightest bit interested how much you pay, but only in the methods used to get it away from you. |
Charles Dwelley on Taxes |
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SKAGIT AND TRIBUTARIES IN SPAWNING PROGRAMThe State Fisheries is now conducting a study in which they hope to build the sockeye run in the Skagit River and tributaries by establishing a controlled salmon run incubation channel which would allow them to have a maximum take of eggs from the state fish hatcheries. The proposed planning would include another artificial spawning beach at upper Baker Lake, to be built this summer. The department has negotiated with Puget Power for the building of this third spawning beach, which will be the same size as No. 2 now being used and will handle another 1,000 sockeye adults. |
Fish Issue Upper Baker Dam 58 million eggs could be used in Skagit project. Need to determine how successful this program was and what is its current status today. |
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SLIDING DESTROYS BAKER POWER HOUSEEarth slides from the unstable hill above the Lower Baker increased in activity due to the heavy weekend rains, and early on Tuesday morning started a series of movements that ended with complete destruction of the multi-million dollar installation. First warnings came about 3:00 a.m. and soon a gush of mud from the canyon south of the power house piled high against the building. Working according to a pre-arranged evacuation schedule, men on duty shut down the power operations and were removed to safety by boat. The last man left the building about 4:00 a.m. As the Puget Power men anxiously watched, the hill above began to move like an awakening giant, rolling and slipping with increasing violence. Dirt began to pile up behind the original section of the power station and just before 8:30 the weight of the new slides suddenly broke through the top story walls and sheared off that floor, dropping the roof onto the floor beneath. A huge cloud of dust and the accompanying roar brought townspeople to the observation post high and out of danger south of the power house. From there they watched, fascinated by the force of nature, as the continual slides gradually ground the buildings into twisted girders and crumbling bits of concrete. The process took most of the day, although the old part of the building was completely gone except for the north wall, early in the afternoon. After that forces seemed to divert themselves to the remaining building and by the cessation of slide activity about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday morning it, too, had been damaged beyond repair, though still standing. |
Landslide Destroys Lower Baker Power House “As the Puget Power men anxiously watched, the hill above began to move like an awakening giant, rolling and slipping with increasing violence.” “No huge slides came during the morning hours after the first push took the top floor. It was the continual building up of earth that poured onto and around the damaged building that slowly pushed it out of shape until, with screaming of stretching steel and the sharp cracking of cement walls, a section would topple into the river. Once the break-through had been made from the rear, earth poured into the building and out through the other side, taking with it equipment, windows, machinery and all moveable material.” |
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EDITORIALDisaster usually strikes swiftly, dealing its lethal blow and then departing to leave the victims wondering what happened. Nature seldom gives the kind of performance a great many people were fortunate to witness Tuesday. Before their eyes a powerful unseen force moved with deliberate menace to destroy what most of us would accept as a strong and durable bit of man’s ingenuity. Streams of seemingly powdery dirt eroded in a matter of hours what it took many men a great many months to construct. Here for all to see was a slow-motion demonstration of the ravages by the elements of the puny efforts of man. No wonder a number of civilizations have vanished from the earth, leaving only buried remnants of buildings to be discovered thousands of years later. What we saw was a natural phenomena, a demonstration of the irresistible force of many little grains of sand against a firm block of rock-hard material. The monetary loss will be great in this case, yet due to the whim of timing there was no loss of lives that normally would have added to the tragedy. People who witnessed Tuesday’s spectacle will talk for many years about “the day time gave the minutes in hours”. |
Charles Dwelley on Natural Disasters |
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OVERTIME EDITORIALWHAT DO PEOPLE think about when they watch millions of dollars and a familiar place disappear before their eyes, with nothing they can do to prevent it? A relentless natural force is something that can hold a person’s entire being in a grip that is hard to break. Some of those who came early Tuesday morning to see “what had happened” remained throughout the day for a sight they will probably never again see – a whole mountain moving and heaving as if alive. What did they talk about…Keith Hicks, operator on duty, “There was no excitement, just the closing down to be done. This was all as had been set beforehand.” George Theodoratus: “I thought it was just another clean-up job for the outside crews. After getting out in the boat I went home and went to bed. I came back in the morning to see how it looked and found this. Dick Gardinier: “I’ve been around the powerhouse for thirty years and I just can’t believe it is gone. I’ve done a lot of work down there. My tools are down in that mess somewhere.” Spectator: “Why doesn’t the hill stop moving? It’s eerie the way it creeps along and never stops.” |
Charles Dwelley on What People Talk About While Watching A Natural Force At Work Most universal comment on seeing the destruction for the first time: “Oh, My God!” |
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UPPER BAKER POWER IS ONLINE WEDNESDAYAs anticipated, the line crews of Puget Power had the Upper Baker power station on the line Wednesday of last week after the slide had taken out the lines which were brought through the lower power house, destroyed in Tuesday’s big earth movement. A helicopter was used to carry ropes across the 2,150 foot canyon. The heavy lines were then pulled across by tractor and strung from the poles high above the power house. As there was no place for other suspension, the lines cross the entire distance in one span. Power was turned on at 10:00 p.m. Wednesday. Operators and crews for the lower Baker powerhouse are now on duty at Baker Lake operating the station there manually. Previously it had been operated by remote control from the Concrete station. |
Upper Baker Dam Power Back Online |
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WORK STARTED ON BAKER SLIDEThe transformer from the small sub-station unit was salvaged this week. Officials are still studying means and methods of removing the earth slides and getting to the job of seeing what can be salvaged from the power house itself. . . . Losses to Puget Power in the destruction of their power station and the three huge generators has not been accurately determined. A $5 million all-risk policy had been carried on the installation. The $5 million risk was handled by ten insurers and written by D. K. MacDonald & Co. There is a $100,000 deductible clause. The loss will probably be the biggest insured loss in Northwest history, eclipsing the $4 million loss paid when the first Tacoma Narrows bridge broke up in a high wind. The policy was first written in 1960 and renewed each three years since that time. Coverage is stated to be on a replacement basis. |
Largest Insured Loss in Northwest History |
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MUCH ACTIVITY ON BAKER RIVER PROJECTActivity at the site of the wrecked Baker Rover power station was progressing in several directions during the past week. Mud from the slide has been removed up to power house, permitting entry to the building. A big drag-line scoop has been clearing slide debris from the river, a 170-foot crane was put into action to retrieve twisted metal parts from the river and to start the work of removing the girders from the damaged building, preparatory to wrecking it. . . . Soil experts are studying the hill from which the slide emerged and their opinion is that the 20-acre mass of loose earth is sitting in a sloping bowl of rock. It was felt that the earthquake possibly could have changed the position of the mass to set off the sliding. Findings of the experts will determine whether or not the power house will be rebuilt in the same location or a complete new installation erected either upstream or down. At any rate it is expected it will be at least two years before the Lake Shannon water is again producing electric power. |
Earthquake Could Have Set Off Slide |
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FLOOD CONTROL STUDY IS READY FOR CONGRESSRecommendation of flood control and other improvements in the lower portion of the Skagit Valley by the Federal Government is being reviewed by the Army’s Chief of Engineers for transmittal to the Congress. The plan of improvement for the 68,000 acre delta flood plain downstream from Sedro-Woolley was developed by Seattle District of the Corps of Engineers. Studies indicate that a high level of flood control is needed if that area is to progress. The project plan going to the Congress is a modification of the present Avon Bypass authorization to permit Federal participation in the construction of recreation facilities. The value of lands and improvements in the Skagit delta area was estimated at more than $113,000,000 in 1962. . . . The improvements would increase flood protection in the delta from present three-year minimum flood frequency protection to an eight-year minimum protection. . . . They plan to evaluate feasibility of upstream multi-purpose storage in 1966, 1967 and 1968. Storage would be planned to control flow of the main river and tributaries so that with all three elements: levees and channel improvement, the Avon Bypass, and upstream storage, 100-year or higher flood protection could be realized. |
Flood Control Plan Value of Skagit Delta in 1962 was $113,000,000. Today it is valued at over 3 billion dollars. (Source: Letter Report , Alternatives for Compensation for Flood Storage Capacity, Upper Baker Reservoir, 22 January 2003 Review Copy ) |
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MEN AND MACHINES FIND GOING DIFFICULT ON SLIDE NATURE MOVED IN DAYAt the Lower Baker powerhouse site and on the hill above, a million dollars worth of equipment and crews of skilled operators have been at work for several months trying to complete a job done by the forces of nature in just a few hours. At the shattered power house, crushed into debris by the sliding earth of May 18th, it took a crew of men and two pieces of heavy equipment to pull down the walls left standing. . . . The upper hill is now shaping up in a terraced embankment that is expected to prevent any further slippage. Large drainage ditches go deep into the arrears where water seepage is present. |
Slide Area Being Stabilized |
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RIVER NAVIGATION IS TURNED DOWN The request of a county group for opening of the Skagit River to navigation as far as Concrete, made at a public hearing in Mount Vernon last April, has been given an unfavorable report by the North Pacific Division of the Corps of Army Engineers. The study made by the engineers was the feasibility of improving the river for navigation by dredging from deep water in Skagit Bay upstream 54 miles to the Baker river at Concrete. The engineers found that the estimated transportation savings would not be sufficient to warrant expending the amount of money necessary for the project. |
Dredging Project didn’t meet Corps cost benefit ratio. |
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PUGET POWER IS LAWSUIT WINNERThe $4,900,000 suit involving insurance claims on the destruction of the Baker River power house here, was decided in favor of the power company by a Seattle jury Monday evening. After hearing all the evidence presented by both sides during a session that has lasted since May 23rd, the jury found that the insurance claims should be paid in full for the loss. The insurance companies who had shared the large account had contended that due to a clause in their policies specifying written notice of any dangerous condition on the property, the claims should not be paid. They held that the company failed to contact them during the time slides had come off the hillside before the big movement destroyed the power house completely on May 18 of 1965. According to information received here the insurance firms could appeal the decision, but would be liable for $1,000 a day additional payments due to interest and other costs if they should lose the appeal. |
Insurance Companies Had To Pay Puget Power $4,900,000 |
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SKAGIT IS BACK ON WILD RIVER LISTThe Mount Vernon Argus, a weekly newspaper which does an unusually good job of covering all aspects of affairs concerning the county, last month went deeply into the “Wild River”, proposal now in Congress. Editor Steve Mergler’s column on the subject gives a complete picture of the situation as it now stands and is herewith reprinted in full: “Those who viewed with concern the Skagit river and its tributaries as “wild rivers,” whose use and development would be severely limited, breathed some relief when U.S. Senate deleted this basin from its “immediate” list in recently passing S. 1446. “But, left out of the Senate’s list of six “wild” streams and instead consigned to future study, the Skagit is back in the “immediate” picture in a new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The House bill, H. R. 14922, by Rep. John P. Saylor of Pennsylvania, changes the name of the “don’t touch” streams to “national scenic rivers” and proposes to so classify the Skagit (and tributaries) and 15 others at once. The Columbia is to be studied within three years for possible addition to the “scenic” system and, within ten years, the Methow, to name only one of the Washington state waters in a long list. |
Wild & Scenic River Designation For Skagit River “A special clause in the House bill would forbid the construction, operation or maintenance of any “dam or other project,” except by special act of Congress, on not only the streams immediately designated as “scenic”, but also those in the listings for future study. It also would expand (from the Senate “wild rivers” plan) from 300 feet to a mile either side the !-width of river lands that the federal government could condemn, and from one-quarter to two miles the !-width from either bank it could put under “scenic easements”. |
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EDITORIAL$100,000 for more study on the Avon By-Pass to provide a spillway for Skagit flood water. Also in present legislation is nearly six million dollars for flood control and improvements on our river. Apparently its “wild river” status is going to be plush. |
Charles Dwelley on Avon By-Pass |
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SEATTLE SIGNS ROSS LAKE PACTAfter a number of years of negotiation an agreement has been made between Seattle City Light and the Province of British Columbia over the use of Canadian land flooded by the waters backed up by Ross Dam. In signing the pact the Seattle light department agrees to pay British Columbia $34,566.21 a year on a 99 year lease. The Canadians have given the city permission to raise Ross Lake’s elevation to 1,725 feet and put Ross Lake to a point six miles beyond the border. The project of raising height of Ross Dam is one for the future, but until that time City Light proposes to add 2 feet to the top of the spillway gates. This will allow an increase in storage capacity of the lake and furnish about 25,900,000 more kilowatt hours a year. |
Ross Dam Agreement would allow Ross Lake to be raised to 1,725 foot elevation. Cost $34,500 a year. |
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RIVER HOLDING AT FLOOD STAGEAfter a week of warm weather, melting snow in the hills has brought all streams in the valley up and consequently the Skagit has been carrying the run off. The City Light dams and Upper Baker and Lower Baker dams here managed to hold the run off for the early part of the run, but all are now at capacity and spilling. The Skagit has been measured at 27.35 at the Dalles gauge, and 26 feet is considered flood stage. However, although some flooding has occurred at Rockport and at other low points along the river, the main stream has been running bank full and carrying the load well. Weather in the 80’s on Monday sent the gauge up higher but still not to the point where flood damage can be expected in the lower valley. With the steady stream flow no emergency is expected unless a storm and warm rains speed up the run-off of snow from the higher altitudes. |
June 22, 1967 Flood Event USGS 72,300 cfs 29.59 Concrete; 72,000 cfs 28.28 Mt. Vernon. 26 feet was considered flood stage??? |
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BAKER PROJECT FACTS OUTLINEDPuget Power’s employee magazine last week carried pictures and the full story on the construction of a new powerhouse at the lower Baker plant in Concrete. With the story was the project drawing shown here of the construction under way. Their story, in part: “Bechtel Engineering Corporation of San Francisco designed the powerhouse and has begun construction on the site at Concrete in Skagit County. Cost of the project is estimated at $4,750,000. . . . Debris from the 1965 landslide remains in the tunnel and in the river bed itself, where it blocks the draft-tube outlet channel. The tunnel will be cleared, an old underground surge chamber rebuilt, and the river bed dredged for some 1,500 feet below the powerhouse. . . . All 23 of the spillway gates on Lower Baker dam will be modified to permit their operation by remote control from the powerhouse. At present, only three are so equipped. The others are manually opened and closed. The reconstructed plant will be designed for remote operation from the Company’s Eastside operation center at Kirkland via the microwave system. |
Puget Power Dredged Baker River “The tunnel will be cleared, an old underground surge chamber rebuilt, and the river bed dredged for some 1,500 feet below the powerhouse.” This is significant due to the erasing of geologic evidence of old flood events. |
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PERMIT GIVEN TO RAISE ROSS LAKE BY 2 FT.The Federal Power Commission has granted Seattle City Light the right to increase storage on Ross Lake reservoir by some 2 feet. The additional storage is now made possible by raising the level of the Ross dam spillway gates by that height. The increased height will provide about 25-million kilowatt-hours a year in electrical power. The new lake level is not expected to affect the lake for its use in recreation. The request was made by City Light following a new agreement signed with British Columbia last January in which the new level of the lake is set for 1725 feet. This will allow Ross Dam to be raised 125 feet sometime in the future and will fulfill the original plans for adding to the height of the dam. |
Ross Dam Spillway gates raised 2.5 feet. |
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CEMENT PLANT TO PHASE OUT IN 1968Lone Star Cement Corporation will close it’s 61-year old cement plant in Concrete and de-activate the quarry during 1968. The plant will be down for two months starting January 1st, then reopen to phase out over the balance of the year. It will be a gradual operation with the quarry first, then the raw end, kilns, grinding and finish end. Storage and shipping will continue until all finished product is shipped. . . . In his statement, Mr. Hutton stated that a formal economic study of the earning capacity of the Concrete plant indicated it did not measure up to the specifications of the program. He described the plant as “one of oldest ones in the Company’s system that had too many unprofitable years to justify its continued operation.” . . . The Concrete mill, which began producing cement in 1906, was acquired by Lone Star from Superior Portland Cement Company in 1957. One of the oldest plants in Lone Star’s 15-plant system, Concrete’s operating costs are the highest of all the plants. |
Lone Star Cement Plant To Close Plant began producing cement in 1906. |
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SEATTLE BIDDER GETS LAKE JOBCascade Northern Company has been awarded the contract from among a dozen bidders for the first phase of Puget Power’s beautification project to clean up Lake Shannon and improve its recreational use. . . . “Our goal is to make the lake more useful for fishing and boating,” said Andy Miller, superintendent of the Company’s Baker River power projects. “At the moment, we’re not sure how much time it is going to take to complete the job or how much it is going to cost, but we do want to do the best we can to make the lake useful for people.” Miller also announced that as of last Friday, the lower Baker powerhouse reconstruction had reached about 67% completion and that the project is about a month ahead of its scheduled September 1, 1968, start-up time. The powerhouse building is essentially finished; the erection of the 70,000-kilowatt generator is about 40% completed; the surge shaft and expansion chamber, which handle the back up of water in case of a sudden shut-down at the plant, are about 90% complete; the transmission substation, which will receive power from the generator for delivery to Company lines, is about 10% completed. |
Lower Baker Dam Lake Shannon Powerhouse Reconstruction Puget Power wanted to make Lake Shannon “useful for people”. |
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DAMS HELPED IN LAST THREAT OF FLOODSFlood control benefits of power dams were demonstrated during the weekend of heavy rains the first of the month when Seattle City Light held back part of the flow of the upper Skagit River. Between midnight Friday, May 31, to 6 a.m., Monday, June 3, City Light held back 112,336 acre-feet of water in Ross Lake because of the near-flooding conditions in the lower Skagit. Power Manager Cas Bradeen reports that Ross Lake rose 9.8 feet during that period. At one time Ross reservoir received approximately 25,000 cubic feet per second flow of water from that part of the Skagit River and its tributaries upstream of the dam. Outflow was kept down to the minimum. |
June 3, 1968 Flood Event USGS Concrete not available; 68,800 cfs 28.09 Mt. Vernon. 2 feet over flood stage if flood stage 26 feet. See 6/21/67 C.H. Ross Lake rose almost ten feet in 4 days. |
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SKAGIT TRIBE IS OFFERED GRANTThe Upper Skagit Tribe will meet this Saturday, August 31, at Hillcrest Park in Mt. Vernon to discuss and vote on accepting a proposed settlement of $384,471.42 offered the Tribe to settle its claim case against the United States, which has been pending since 1951. The settlement represents additional compensation for 453,000 acres of land ceded under the Treaty of Pt. Elliott in 1859, and is based on a value of 90 cents per acre at the time of law, such valuations are established on the basis of what the land was worth at the time of the Treaty. . . . Charles Boome of Sedro-Woolley is Chairman of the Upper Skagit Tribe and Mrs. Alice Cuthbert is secretary. They state that this is the most important meeting the Tribe has had. They emphasize that individuals must be present to vote and urge everyone to attend. |
Upper Skagit Tribe Offered payment for their land that the government took from them. See 6/21/51 C.H. |
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SKAGIT INDIANS ACCEPT GOVERNMENT AWARDThe Upper Skagit Indian Tribe voted to accept the U.S. government’s offer of $348,471.42 in settlement of the tribe’s claim for additional compensation for 453,000 acres of land ceded under the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1859. |
Upper Skagit Tribe See 8/28/68 C.H. and 6/21/51 C.H. |
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BAKER POWER PLANT BACK ON THE LINEKilowatts, which had been flowing past the Lower Baker River Powerhouse since the slide of May 1965 were being collected again this week and put to work on the power grid of Puget Sound Power & Light. The new powerhouse, which houses the 70,000 kilowatt generator salvaged from the disaster, is now in official operation although testing and the usual shakedown of “bugs” will continue until all equipment is operating efficiently. . . . Work on the project was done by the Bechtel Corporation and was started in the spring of 1967. The cost of the completed project has been set at $4,750,000. The company has been awarded $5,144,645 from insurance following the destruction of the original plant. . . . While the Bechtel Corporation was on the job, the company had them renew all 23 of the spillway gates on the dam. Eight of them were replaced with steel instead of wood and will be operated by remote control. The entire powerhouse has been designed for remote control operation from the Redmond Operation Center by solid state microwave units. |
Lower Baker Dam Powerhouse Spillway gates operated by remote control. It took them almost as long to rebuild the powerhouse as it did to build the dam. |
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SLOW RUNOFF PERFECT FOR BAKER RIVER DAMSWith snow in the hills about gone, river control is the practice at dams both on the Skagit and Baker. The Skagit River is at about its lowest point in several years, due to the lack of rainfall the past month. Power potentials have been maintained by holding the water behind the dams to the best advantage. . . . Lowest water recorded on the Skagit in August was ’41 when it ran 6,400 cu. ft. 1969 August average was 8,000. August average over the years is 9,660. Normal flow in July is 18,000 cu.-ft. per second. September is considered the low month of the year so another drop is expected unless heavy rains set in. |
Upper Baker Dam Lowest water recorded on the Skagit in August was 1941 when it ran 6,400 cu. ft. 1969 August average was 8,000. August average over the years is 9,660. Normal flow in July is 18,000 cu.-ft. per second. |
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BAKER AREA EARTH SHIFT BRINGS 4.5 EARTHQUAKE SUNDAY NIGHTThe Upper Skagit Valley now has its own earthquake. The first sign of this phenomenon came at about 11:40 Sunday night when a growing rumble turned into a real, house-shaking 4.5 Richter-scale earthquake that lasted for several seconds. In a few minutes came another shock of lesser intensity and more of these varying from mere rumbles to definite and disturbing tremors continued through the night until past 3:00 in the morning. As residents from Diablo down valley to Hamilton turned on the radio and TV sets Monday morning to learn what disaster had struck the state at some distance away it was found that no one on the newscasts had knowledge of the night of tremors. It was along in mid-morning before the word reached outlying areas, and around noon before word came from the University of Washington seismograph that there WAS an earthquake of strong signal and it was centered in the Mount Baker-Baker Lake area. |
Earthquake -- Epicenter Baker Lake Area 4.5 on Richter-scale. |
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FIRST BATCHES OF SOCKEYE SALMON OF SEASON START MIGRATION TO DEEP WATEROver 9,000 small fingerlings slipped into the creek at the north end of Baker Lake last Saturday as Vern Daves, superintendent of the Game Department’s fish hatchery, released the first batch of sockeye for the season. The tiny silver streaks were about an inch and a half in length and weighed out at 5 fish to 1 gram. Daves dips the fish in sieves from the trough and weighs them to judge how many he is releasing at a time. He said that 6 million were released last year. Mortality rate is extremely high with thousands lost over the dam and to birds and other predators in the lake. Only about one in a thousand survives to hit open water. |
Sockeye Salmon Fish Issue The mortality rate is shocking. If the figures given in this article are true only 6,250 fish out of 6,250,000 survive to reach the Skagit River. There has got to be a better way. |
[1] This story was divided into three issues. Each issue is separated by a date heading.