LINK RIVER

From

50 Years On The Klamath

by John C. Boyle

          Link River , which is about one mile in length, heads in Upper Klamath Lake and flows into Lake Ewauna . It is entirely within the city limits of Klamath Falls . The headwater originally flowed over a natural reef (approximately 4137.8 feet above sea level) into a slack water extending about 3000 feet downstream to a second reef. The intake to the Government Irrigation Canal A is located on the east side of Link River, between the two reefs, and the Link River Dam is located on the lower reef, thereby holding back river discharges for prior use in the Government A Canal.

The intakes for the west side canal (Keno) and the Ankeny Ditch located on the east side, were at the lower reef. The rapid flow of water over the lower reef may have been the "falls" responsible for the name of the City of Klamath Falls . In any event, the requirements for the Canal A were 1200-second feet for June, July, and August and 1000-second feet in other months. These requirements require that the Upper Klamath Lake must not drop to an elevation below 4137 feet during June, July and August.

In February 1919, surveys of properties along Link River were started for the purpose of the purchase of lands and to prepare estimates of the cost of building a temporary dam.

The building of a temporary dam was authorized early in March of 1919. Work was started immediately and by May 5, 1919 , the final cribs were in place and enough flashboards installed to start regulating the outflow of Upper Klamath Lake and to store water for the coming season. Studies were made daily to see what effect this regulation would have on riparian properties bordering Upper Klamath Lake . 

KENO CANAL

In 1877, William S. Moore constructed a ditch and flume 61/2 feet wide, 4 feet deep and 950 feet long near the head of the rapids or lower reef, on the west side of Link River. These carried about l00 second feet of water used to furnish power for the operation of a sawmill. He obtained the first navigation and booming rights at the head of Link River .

On December 11, 1891 , the West Side Canal Co. filed notice of appropriation of 10,000 inches of water from Link River .

In 1892 Charles and Rufus Moore built another canal heading at the same point and took over the properties of the West Side Canal Co. This latter canal was 3750 feet long and 9 feet wide on the bottom and had a grade of 3 feet to the mile. Its carrying capacity was 15-second feet, part being used for power for a flour mill and the remainder for irrigation of lots and orchards in West Klamath Falls .  

          On June 22, 1905, C. S. Moore and R. S. Moore, now owners of the properties of the West Side Canal Co., obtained a water right for 205 second feet on the west side of Link River to use for power, domestic irrigation and industrial purposes. Evidence of the Moore rights was obtained in contracts with the United States Government dated October 16, 1905 when the Moore brothers proceeded with building a powerhouse.

It would have been impossible for the Reclamation Service to construct a proposed canal from Link River to the vicinity of Keno without acquiring the Moore brother’s interests. As a result of negotiations, the Government purchased the Moore canals and riparian and vested rights to waters of Link River , with the stipulation that 205-second feet be delivered to Moore Bros. powerhouse from the proposed canal to Keno by October 1, 1907 . Construction difficulties for 5500 feet of canal delayed completion until October 1908.

The United States Government spent about $104,500.00 to enlarge the canal from the dam to the Moore power plant and assumed a maintenance cost of about $5,000.00 annually.

The headworks of the canal constructed by the United States is still in existence, but the canal was extended upstream to new gates in the Link River dam when it was constructed in 1921. It was permissible for Moore to carry additional water above 205-second feet if the condition of the canal made this possible. The reconstruction of the canal by the U. S. Government was for carrying 635-second feet and besides the headgates, a new saw-tooth spillway with a concrete lined chute to the river was built. The unique wood flume spillway, which discharged surplus water over the top of the powerhouse was eliminated.  

205-second feet for Moore powerhouse

             35-second feet for town lots below the powerhouse

            400-second feet for irrigation at Keno and vicinity

Total   635-second feet  

The Moore powerhouse built in 1907-8 contained one 1050 HP Pelton Frances turbine, 300 RPM, 48 foot head, and one Westinghouse 600 KVA, 2300 Volt generator, 300 RPM, together with governor, switchboard and associated equipment, substation and switchyard.

The Moore interests, in negotiating with the Government over water rights and the west side canal, reserved the right to utilize Link River Canyon for bringing logs from Upper Klamath Lake to Lake Ewauna, and specified that the government should provide some satisfactory means of passing logs through the structure if it built a dam at the head of Link River Canyon. Copco acquired these rights held by Moore interests and others. The use of the Keno canal for passing logs was feasible with certain restrictions.

Weyerhaeuser owned large tracts of timber on the west side of Upper Klamath Lake and had in mind the use of Link River to bring logs to its mill site below Lake Ewauna.

During the railroad expansion days in the middle '20s the use of the west side of Link River for logging was reviewed by Weyerhaeuser, and the Great Northern Railroad made a railroad location survey. The survey indicated a railroad would take practically all of the land owned by Copco on the west side of Link River including the powerhouse, Keno Canal and Transmission No. 11. A valuation was made of these findings and the railroad abandoned this plan in favor of a location on the lower end of Lake Ewauna .

When Copco took over the Keno Canal , the cost of maintenance was excessive due to the fact that the canal was built about one-half on cut and one-half on fill. All extra excavation had to be made from the steep west hillside, which was mostly solid rock. The outer bank was subject to vibration from traffic on the county road, which was built on top of it, and holes from rodents, together with seepage on the bedrock surface made maintenance a continuing problem.

At times it was difficult to keep the canal in condition for delivery of the 205 second feet needed for the west side power plant.

When the County of Klamath became interested in removing the road from the top of the canal bank, Copco contributed to the cost of building a bridge at the head of Link River ( Fremont Bridge ), and closed the old road to public use:

ANKENY CANAL

In 1878 a number of Linkville citizens incorporated under the name of "The Linkville Water Ditch Co. " and dug a small ditch heading at the lower reef in Link River with a capacity of about 40 miners inches, the water being used for the irrigation of town lots. In the spring of 1884 William Steele enlarged this ditch and extended it into Klamath Valley for a distance of 15 miles.

For the privilege of enlarging, Mr. Steele gave each member of the old company a certificate for one miners inch of water, amounting in all to 40 miners inches. After Mr. Steele's death in 1888, a new company was incorporated under the name of "The Klamath Fal1s Irrigation Co. " The canal was enlarged from time to time until it had a carrying capacity of 50-second feet. After leaving Klamath Falls , it extended in a general southeasterly direction along the foothills for about 8 miles, where it was divided into two branches, the south branch to some of the best lands in Klamath Valley (Ankeny Ranch) and the east branch towards Olene. This canal occupied a strategic position and had to be secured by the Government before it could proceed with the proposed Reclamation project in the Klamath Valley . It was purchased about 1905 by the Reclamation Service for $47,530.65, with a vested water right for about 1800 acres of land.  

EAST SIDE POWER PLANT NO.1

In 1895, a company was organized, known as the Klamath Falls Light and Water Company.

The East Side No. 1 power plant was built. It was combined with the Klamath Falls water system pumping plant for domestic supply of water. This plant was located in an old wooden building on the east bank of Link River at springs near the North end of Conger Avenue .

The water for running this plant was taken from the Ankeny Ditch via a two-foot-square closed box about 250 feet long to a water wheel. The water wheel was belt-connected to run either the pump for the water system during the daytime or for generating electricity during the nighttime.

The No. 1 generator was rated as 50 HP, G. E. Ind. 720 RPM, 2300 V, 3-phase (also rated at 360-16 candle power lamps). It turned on the first lights in Klamath Falls on November 1, 1895 and continued to operate unti11908.  

The pump was a Gould Triplex 10" x 12" x 8" suction type; 8" discharge, suction lift 8 feet and discharge head 110 pounds.

In 1906 another pump and pumphouse was added for the water system, near the first one. It consisted of:

One 5-inch 3-stage Price centrifugal direct-connected to

One 100 HP G. E. Ind. motor, 2300 V, 3-Phase, 700 RPM; 8" suction, 6" discharge 110 pound head.

The building, 12 feet x 20 feet x 9 feet was concrete with galvanized roof on an iron frame. Both of these pumps were moved to the present pumphouse and water and electric service terminated at both original locations.  

EAST SIDE POWER PLANT NO.2

 On November 8, 1904, the Klamath Falls Light and Water Co. appropriated 6000 inches of the waters of Link River and during November 1904 the Company purchased from Joseph Conger a right of way for a pipeline over a tract of land bordering on Link River and the right to divert 6000 inches, 150-second feet from Link River.

Power Plant No.2 was built in 1905-1906 by the K. F. L. & W. Co. on the east side of Link River below the Ankeny ditch. Water supply was diverted from Link River about 3/8 mile above the powerhouse and delivered through a 6-foot diameter woodstave pipe and equivalent wood flume section to a wooden forebay 30 feet x 20 feet x 7 feet. Penstock 5 feet in diameter woodstave pipe 60 feet long delivering water under a 34-foot gross head. The plant had a rated capacity of 4800-16 candle power lamps and it was thought this was an abundance of power for all time to come.

The powerhouse building was "L " shaped, with a wooden floor, shingle roof and about 20 feet x 40 feet x 40 feet x 14 feet.

Installed was a Victor turbine 300 HP, belted to a G. E. 240 KW, 2300 V, 600 RPM 3- Phase Generator with a governor and a GE 11 KW, 125 V, 1250 RPM exciter belted to the waterwheel shaft.

This plant was operated until June 24, 1917 , when it had deteriorated sufficiently to need rebuilding. It was Copco's plan to rebuild it for the purpose of retaining the water right of 155-second feet. However, after the purchase of the Ankeny Canal from the Reclamation Service, the present east side plant No.3 was built in 1924.

In 1910 ownership of the Klamath Falls Light and Water Company passed to C. S. and R. S. Moore. The remains of power plants No.1 and No.2 and all of the Moore holdings on Link River became the property of Copco on January 1, 1912 .

EAST SIDE POWER PLANT NO.3

When the Reclamation Service made the control purchase of the Ankeny Canal it had a rated capacity of 50-second feet. The Reclamation Service had also acquired land on Conger Avenue adjoining Link River known as the Leavitt tract for its contemplated power development using the Ankeny Canal .

The canal had only an easement with no fee property. It carried an obligation to deliver about 2 second feet of water during the summer to satisfy water rights for domestic irrigation to residents along Conger Avenue . Copco, after acquiring the canal from the Reclamation Service, supplied these rights from a pipeline leading from its east side plant No.3.

This east side plant No.3 was connected to the Link River dam through a 1/2-mile woodstave pipeline 12 feet in diameter, 40 feet of steel penstock and surge tank, 42-inch diameter and 35 feet high. The powerhouse contains a generator directly connected to a 4250 vertical shaft, 3200 KW Allis Chalmers turbine together with governor and accessories. This controlled a 47-foot head.

This plant is Copco's first automatic remote controlled plant. Control circuits run to the west side plant. It was put in commercial operation August 22, 1924 .

On February 24, 1919, Copco filed in the office of State Engineer, application No.6414 to appropriate 1000 second feet of water from Link River for East Side Power Plant No.3. Subsequently the application was approved and a permit issued. Later an oral request was made of the Attorney General as to whether or not the State Engineer was authorized to issue the permit. On July 7, 1925 , a written opinion was given to the State Engineer to the effect that the permit was issued inadvertently and should be canceled, which was done. The East Side Power Plant No.3 in the meantime had been built in 1924 and the water put to beneficial use.

In 1926 a second transmission line (No. 18) was built via the Klamath River Canyon from Fall Creek to Klamath Falls to help supply the needs of the area.

KLAMATH FALLS WATER SYSTEM

When Copco purchased the electric system from the Moore Bros. it also got the Klamath Falls water system. The 5-inch pump and the 8-inch pump located in the northwest corner of the water property were connected to two drilled wells at the edge of a pond near the northeast corner of the property. The water system was anything but a good investment. It was inadequate to supply the city needs, particularly for fire protection. The mains were small and the reservoirs were leaking. In some places boiler tubing was used for distribution mains.

In 1920 both pumps were moved over to the wells. The pond, which was used mostly for swimming and raising toads, was filled in, thus reducing the chances of contamination.

At the same time the pumps were moved a new pumphouse was built and an additional 6-inch, 3-stage Byron Jackson pump was installed.

The overhaul and expansion of the water system was started and several new wells were drilled. Well No.7 surprised everyone with an estimated artesian flow of 4000 gallons per minute. It became the salvation of the Klamath Falls city water supply.

LINK RIVER DAM

The Link River dam, as a physical structure, was unique only in that it controlled the outlet of Upper Klamath Lake . It was well built with concrete firmly seated in bedrock and with water outlet capacity in excess of any recorded floods. Due to the shortage of labor and materials during the construction period of 1920-21, some of the work was done by contractors who had men and equipment available. Inspection of all the work as it progressed was made by personnel of the Bureau of Reclamation in company with Copco engineers.

The Keno Canal on the west side and the Ankeny Canal on the east side were connected to the dam with necessary inlet structures. 

Physical description of Link River Dam 

Length between abutments- 435 ft 6 in.

Inlet to Keno Canal -6 gates -5 ft wide 7 ft high

                        Main River Channel -6 gates -5 ft x 7 ft

Overflow weirs -25 -8-ft wide openings with flashboard

            East side -7 gates -5 ft x 7 ft

Lower cross channel bottom elevation -4142- 20 ft wide below dam

Upper cross channel bottom elevation -4130- 30 ft wide above dam

Top elevation of dam -4145

Average height of dam -15 ft

Discharge capacity at lake elevation of 4143.3,over 10,000 sec. ft