|
In 1905,
James Ritchie, the developer of West Summerland,
was searching for new opportunities in the south Okanagan. Ritchie looked across
the parched hills on the western shore of Skaha Lake and visualized orchards
that could materialize if water was supplied. Over the next year he and family
members purchased some 3,000 acres and by 1908 plans for subdividing and
construction of an irrigation system were well underway. In the spring of 1909
this new development was named “Kaleden”.
Thirty five
prospective buyers deposited a sum of $50 with
Mr. Ritchie for each 5 acre blocks they wished to purchase, which were sold on a
first come first serve basis. From that point on, lots were sold for $240 per
acre plus the cost of water shares at $80 an acre, raising the cost from $50 to
$1800 for a 5 acre block.
Mr. Ritchie
promoted the Kaleden Development Company, with
its capital chiefly being obtained in England. The matter of guaranteeing water
for thirsty land was the crux of the whole development and the largest task was
construction of an irrigation system capable of meeting the needs of the area.
Water rights were obtained from Shatford and Sheep Creeks and the first stage of
the water system was started in 1908. Water was taken from Shatford Creek by
means of a diversion dam and crossed the valley at Allen Grove through an
inverted siphon of 24” wood stave pipe. From that point it was conducted by
ditch and wooden flume to a place on Marron Creek, 1 1/2 miles west of the
junctions of Highways 3 and 97, where a concrete intake was built. Because of
the hilly nature of Kaleden below the intake, ditches and flumes could not be
used. The alternative was a system of pipes for distribution- more expensive,
but it gave Kaleden a year round water supply where neighboring communities had
to store their winter supply in cisterns.
The pipe
used was made of douglas fir staves, wound with
heavy tempered steel wire and covered with pitch and two layers of burlap. This
pipe was built to withstand 300 pounds pressure and varied in diameter from 2 to
18 inches. Some of the original pipe lasted for over 30 years before being
replaced. Remnants still exist in the community today.
Tom McAlpine
was brought in by Ritchie in the spring of
1909 and placed in charge of all construction. He spent most of his time
overseeing the work from Shatford Creek to the intake and placed Harry Corbett
in charge of 20 men to dig ditches in Kaleden in preparation for pipe laying the
following spring. Most of the workers were recruited from the Penticton Indian
Band.
The work
was pushed ahead so planting could be done the
following spring. One of the pieces of construction completed that fall of 1909
was a concrete lined ditch at the north end of Marron Valley designed to prevent
the soil washing down steep slopes. This was one of the first pieces of concrete
irrigation ditch built in the Okanagan Valley.
The first
system serviced about the same area that the
present Irrigation District covers, but was intended for a larger area. In 1911,
a branch line was started to supply water to Gillespie Flats. With this in mind
a cumbersome and antiquated ditch digger was purchased to replace hand dig
trenches. However, it proved to be useless for the job and this coupled with a
lack of funds and the uncertainty as to an adequate supply of water brought this
extension to a halt at Junction Ranch. As a result, a planned Gillespie
subdivision of 618 acres was abandoned.
There were
many changes and addition to the water system
over the ensuing years. The old Gillespie earth dam at Marron Lake was
reinforced and a new dam with a cement core was erected at Aaneas Lake in 1912.
During the
development period from 1911 to 1916 no tolls or
taxes were levied on the area planted. By 1916, when approximately 1/3 of the
planted area had been sold to private individuals, it was realized that funds
had to be raised for the maintenance of the irrigation system and the Water
Rights branch authorized a tax levy of $2.00 per acre.
From 1916
to 1922 the orchards suffered considerably from
lack of care and attention. Labour during World War 1 was extremely short and
further funds were not available from London. During this period trees planted
over approximately 300 acres died out.
In 1922
Sir William Hutchison Poe acquired all the lands
granted to the Kaleden development Corporation with the exception of
approximately 200 acres purchased by private individuals. At that time, Kaleden
under the provisions of the Water Act was constituted an improvement district.
The first trustees of the Kaleden Irrigation District were Col. Ewart, Frank
Harrison, F.W. King, R.D. Mutch and H. W. Corbitt.
An agreement
was reached between Sir William and the
Improvement District to the effect that Sir William would expend the sum of
$31,300 on repairs and renewals to the existing irrigation system. In 1922,
Robertson and Partners were awarded the contract to replace the old earth dam at
Marron Lake with one having a concrete core, increasing the height from 5 to 25
feet.
In return
for this expenditure the Improvement District
undertook to refund a portion of this sum by the issuance of 30 serial
debentures payable without interest each year from 1922 until 1951 inclusive.
To provide
for the redemption of the debentures the
district was authorized to levy an additional tax of $4.00 per acre on
approximately 200 acres classified as grade A lands, over and above the tax of
$8.00 an acre on other land.
By 1931
the orchards were in full bearing and it became
evident that Shatford Creek could not be counted on for an adequate supply of
water. Consequently the system was extended by diverting water from Shingle
Creek and erecting two dams to form upper and lower Brent Lake. Interior
Contracting Company completed the work in 1932, providing and increase of 1,000
acre feet.
Unfortunately the
whole quantity of water was not available
to the Kaleden Irrigation District. In exchange for rights of way, the District
undertook to supply and convey to property owners along the route over which the
system was installed , approximately 1014 acre feet of water for which no tax
was levied, with the exception of one isolated case where a small and inadequate
levy was made.
In 1950’s
the system had deteriorated to the point where
replacement of certain sections became essential. The cost of maintenance
exceeded the revenue obtained from taxation and the sale of lands. Loans
totaling $57,000 were obtained from the provincial government through the Water
Rights Branch, which enabled the District to replace the siphon at Allen grove,
1000 feet of wood flume, excavation of a channel to replace 1700 feet of wood
flume and 4876 feet of wood pipe along the south main in Kaleden.
The system
extended over 12 miles from Shingle Creek to the
intake at Marron Creek and included flumes and ditches. From the intake into
Kaleden and including the distribution mains, there were approximately 10 miles
of piping.
The next
change in the system was in the orchards
themselves, when in 1949 the sprinkler replaced the old furrow method of
irrigation. As Kaleden has always had a pressure water system, the change was
easily made and in the 1960’s over 90% of the orchards had adopted this method.
Jim Harrison
and Hartley Simpson were the first water
foremen for the upper system while N. K. Simpson served in that capacity in
Kaleden, followed by Tosh Rawkins and Jack Swales, the latter serving for over
20 years.
On September 13, 1963
the general meeting of Kaleden
ratepayers elected to proceed with a program to rehabilitate the gravity
irrigation system with ARDA (Agricultural………. ) assistance. In June of the
following year the decision changed to convert to a pumping system. Work
proceeded to install a pumphouse on Skaha Lake consisting of four units totaling
725 HP, capable of pumping 5 ¾ million gallons per day over a total of 535
acres.
Laying of
35,300 feet of new distribution mains began on
April 1, 1965 and the construction of the intake line commenced the following
January. The new irrigation system was officially opened by the Honorable Frank
Richter on 30 June 1966.
Excerpts taken from “History and
Development of the Kaleden Irrigation System” by W.E. Lane, Secretary
Treasurer of the Kaleden Irrigation District (1957) and “The History of
Kaleden” by H.W. Corbitt (1967/1971).
Back to Top |
