DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

WATER-SUPPLY 

AND 

IRRIGATION PAPERS 

OF THE 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

No.2 

IRRIGA'fiON NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA.-DAVIS 

WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRIN1'ING OFFICE 

1897 
IRRIGATION REPORTS. 

The followfng list contains the titles and brief descriptions of the principal reports 

relating to water supply and irrigation prepared by the United States Geologic:J! 

Survey since 1890: 

:lS90. 

First Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1890, octavo, 123 pp. 

Printed as Part II, Jnoigation, of the Tenth Annual Report of the United States Geological 

Survey, 1888-89. Contains a statement of the origin of the Irrigation Survey, a preliminary 

report on the organization and prosecution of the survey of the arid Ianda for purposes o! irngation, and report of work done during 1890. 

:lS9:t. 

Second Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1891, octavo, 395 pp. 

Published as Part II, Irri~ation, of the Eleventh Annual Report of the United States Geolog- ical Survey, 1889-90. Con tams a description of the hydrography of the ari<l region and of the 

engineering operations carried on by the Irrigation Survey during 18UO; also tlie statement of 

tho Director of the Survey to the House 0ommittee on Irrigation, and other papers, including a bibliography of irrigation literature. illustrated by 29 plates and 4 figures. 

Third Annual Report of the United States Irrigation Survey, 1891, octavo, 576 pp. 

Printed as Part II of the Twelfth Annual Report of the United States Geolo!(ioal Survey, 1890-91. Contains a report upon the locativn and survey of reservoir sites durmg the fiscal vear ending June 30, 1891, by A. H. Thompson; "Hydrography of the arid regions," by F. H. 

Newell; ''Irrigation in India," by Herbert M. Wilson. Illustrated by93 plates and 1QO' 

Bulletins of the Eleventh Census of the United States upon irrigation, prepared by F. II. Newell, quarto. 

No. 35, Irrigation in Arizona; No. 60, Irrig-ation in Now Mexico; No. 85, Irriga- tion in Utah; No. 107, Irrigation in Wyommg; No. 153, Irrigation in Montaua; 

No. 157, Irrigation in Idaho; No. 163, Irrigation in Nevada; No. 178, Irrigation 

in Oregou; No, 1931 Artesiau wells for irrigation; No, lS81 Irrigation in Wash- ington, 

:lS9~. 

Irrigation of western United States, by F. H. Newell; extra census bulletin No. 23, September 9, 1892, quarto, 22 pp. 

Contains tabulations showinq; the total number, average size, etc., of irrigated holdings, the 

total area and average size of nrigated farms in the subhumid regions, the percenta~e of num- ber of farms irrigated, character of crops, value of irrigated lands, the average cost of Irrigation, the investment and profits, together with a resume of the water supply and a description of irrigation by artesian wells, Illustrated by colored maps showing the location and relative extent of the irrigated areas. 

:lS93. 

Thirteenth Annu"'l Report of the United States Geological Survey, 1891-92, Part III, Irrigation, 18:13, octavo, 486 pp. 

Consists of three papers: Wator supply for irrigation, by F. H. N ew<>ll; American engineering 

ami engineering results of the Irrigation Survey, by Herbert M. Wilson; Construction of topo- graphic maps and selection and survey of reservoir sites, by A. H. Thompson. Illustrated by 77 plates and 119 figures. 

A geological reconnoissanco in central Washington, by Israel Cook Russell, 1893, 

octavo, 108 pp., 15 plates. Bulletin No. 108 of the United States Geological Survey; price, 15 cents. 

Contains a description of the Cltamination of the geologic structure in and adjacent to the 

drainage basin of Yakima River and the great plains of the 0olumbia to the east of this area, with special reference to the occurrence of artesian waters. 

(Continued on third page of cover.) 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

WATER-SUPPLY 

AND 

IRRIGATION PAPERS 

OF THE 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

No.2 

WASHINGTON 

GOVERNM.EN'l.' PRINTING OFFIOE 

1897 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR 

IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA 

BY 

ARTHUR POWELL DAVIS 

WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMEN'I' PRINTING OFFICE 

1897 l . j 

CONTENTS. 

Letter of transmittal ____________________________________________________ _ 

Preface _________________________________________ . ______________ .. _____ . __ _ 

Topographic features of Arizona __________________ .._ ______________________ _ 

Gila Basin ______________ ._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . ____________________ _ 

Temperature ____________________________________________________ .. ___ _ 

Rainfall ________________________ ~ ________________________ .. ___________ _ 

Wind . ______________________________________________________________ _ 

Products ______________ .. ________ ---------------- ------ ---------------- Methods of applying water ________ .. ___________ ~ ______________________ _ 

Water supply _______________________________________________________ _ 

Duty of water _______________________________________________________ _ 

Silt and alkali _________________________________________________ .. _____ _ 

Middle Gila Valley ____ .. __________________________ - - _ - __ -- - _ - - - --- ----

Florence Canal ________ .. _______________ . _________________________ _ 

Lower Gila Valley ___________________________________________________ _ 

Buckeye Canal ___ ~ _____________________ , _________________________ _ 

Gila Bend Canal _________________________________________________ _ 

Salt River Valley ____________________________________________________ _ 

Arizona and other north -side canals _________ . ____________________ _ 

South-side canals ________________________________________________ _ 

Area irrigated ___ . _______________________________________________ _ 

Adjudication of water rights _________ . __________________________________ _ 

Judge Kibbey·s decision ____________ . _________________________ ~ ______ _ 

Irrigation works projected _______________________________________________ _ 

Rio Verde __________________________ -. _______________________ - - -- - -- __ -

Tonto Basin _________________________________ . ___________ . ___________ _ 

Walnut Grove ______________ .. ________ . __________ . ____________________ _ 

Agua Fria __ . ________________ . __________________ • ________ -- _ -.. ---- ----

Cave Creek ______________________ . ___________________________________ _ 

The Buttes reservoir _________________________________________________ _ 

Queen Creek reservoir _______________________________________________ _ 

Lower Gila ___________________ .. _________ . _______________ ~ _ . ___________ _ 

Future developments _______ . ____________________________________________ _ 

Natural advantages _________________________________________________ _ 

Storage of floods ______________ .. _______________________________________ .., 

Silting of reservoirs ____ :.. _____________________________________________ _ 

Evaporation _________________ .. ____________ . _______________________ .- _:.. _ 

Mountain reservoirs ______________________ .. __________________________ _ 

Underground waters ______________________________________________________ _ 

Summary ____________________________________ . ___ .. _________ . ____________ _ 

Index ________ .. __________________ .. ________ .. ______________________________ _ 

5 

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~ 
l 

! 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PLATE I. Three-year-old almond grove, near Phamix ___________ . _. _______ _ 

II. Irrigated vineyard, near Phcenix _______________________________ _ 

III. Fig tree, near Phcenix _______________________ . ___________ .- ____ . 

IV. Palm avenue, near Phcenix ------------------------------------- V. View on Bartlett ranch, near Phcenix ___________________________ _ 

VI. Drying apricots ___ ~. __ .. ____________ . ___ . _________ . __ -- ___ --. _--

VII. Irrigation by furrow method ______________ . ___ . ________________ _ 

VIII. Fieklprepared forirrigation by checks ________________________ --

IX. Gila Bend dam, looking east. ______ .. __ . ___________________ . ___ _ 

X. Gila Bend dam, spillway and head works _______________________ _ 

XI. Gila Bend dam, canal head-gates _______________________ . ___ .----

XII. View of original Arizona dam ______________ . __________________ . _ 

XIII. Great flood of 1890, on Salt River. __ . _____ . ___ . ____ . _______ . ____ _ 

XIV. Arizona Canal head-gates ______________________ . ____ . _____ - ____ -

XV. View of present Arizona dam _____________________________ ---- __ 

XVI. Falls on Arizona Canal ______________________ . _________ ·_. __ -- _-. _ 

XVII. View on Crosscut Canal. _______ . ______ . ________________________ _ 

XVIII. Mammoth dredge, excavating Mesa ConRolidated Canal _________ _ XIX. Division on Tempe Canal __________________ . __ . _________ .. ~ _____ _ 

XX. Irrigation scene .. ____ · _____________ . _______ . _______________ - ____ _ 

XXI. Plan of proposed dam on Salt River, showing spillways _________ _ 

XXII. View in canyon of Salt River below mouth of Tonto Creek. ____ _ XXIII. Tonto reservoir site _____ . _. __________ . __ . ______________________ _ 

XXIV. Walnut Grove dam ______________ . ___ . _________________________ _ 

Page. 

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42 

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48 

.50 

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68 

XXV. Diverting dam on the Agua Fria _______________ ~ _____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 70 

XXVI. View of dam site at The Buttes, Gila River, looking north_______ 72 

XXVII. Elevation of proposed dam at The Buttes _________________ ~.: _ _ _ _ _ 74 

XXVIII. Comparative diagram of reservoir sites _____________________ ~____ 76 

XXIX. Map of Florence Canal, showing irrigated lands_________________ 78 

XXX. Detail map of Salt River Valley _________________________ . ___ .. _ _ 92 

XXXI. Map of southern .Arizona _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 96 

FIG. 1. Map of Arizona, showing location of rainfall stations_____________ £0 

2. Irrigation by flooding_-.· _________________ .. _____________ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 34 

3. Da.ily discharge of Salt River at Arizona dam, 1888-1891 ____ .______ 35 

4. Daily discharge of Rio Verde above Salt River, 1895 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 38 

5. Daily discharge of Salt River above Verde, 1895 _______________ ~ _ _ 39 

6. Daily discharge of Gila River at The Buttes, 1889-90 ____________ "'_ 41 

7. Daily dischargeof Gila River at The Buttes, 1896 _____ ~---------'-- 41 

8. Daily discharge of Queen Creek. ____ . _____ ~ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 42 

9. Elevation of proposed dam on Salt River _____ . ________ . ______ ~--- 65 

10. Profile of proposed dam on Salt River ___________________________ . 65 

11. View of Walnut Grove dam------------------ .. ----------------- 68 

12. Cross section and elevation of Walnut Grove dam ~ _________ • ____ . 69 

13. Profile of proposed dam at The Buttes___________________________ 73 

14. Profile of Queen Creek dam _______________ . ________ ~ ____________ . 75 

15. Section of South Gila dam_ . _ ~ ___________ . __ -.- . _____ ·- ...... __ -- . --- 76 

6 
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

DIVISION OF HYDROGRAPHY, 

Washington, January 25, 1897. 

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a paper entitled "Irrigation near Phmnix, Arizona," by Arthur P. Davis, hydrographer, 

and to recommend that it be published in the series of papers "in 

relation "to the gauging of streams and to the methods of utilizing the 

water resources," the printing of which was .a,uthorized in the act 

making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government 

for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897, approved June 11, i896. 

Very respectfully, 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, 

F. H. NEWELL, 

Hydrographer in Charge. 

Director United States Geological Survey. 

7 

PREFACE. 

The storage of flood waters on a large scale is fast coming to be a 

matter of prime importance in connection with the development of 

the arid portions of the United States. The irrigation projects which 

involve comparatively small expenditure, or which can readily be 

ha.ndled by associated effort, have already been entered upon,· but 

there still remain many localities where, as time goes on, the necessity for water conservation becomes more and more pressing. This 

is especially the case in southern Arizona, in the Salt and Gila valleys. 

Here, under the genial semitropic conditions, large returns are obtained from the fertile soil, some of the most vaiuable fruits are raised, 

and crop follows crop in rapid succession, farming operations being 

continued throughout the year. 

The success of agriculture has been such that a considerable number of large irrigating canals have been built and lateral ditches 

extended until the available supply during low water has been pl·actically exhausted. The streams of this country are, however, extremely 

irregular in character, fluctuating at times with great rapidity, floods 

coming down without warning, and disappearing in the course of a 

few hours. At certain seasons of the year high waters prevail and 

run to waste to the Gulf, or disappear by evaporation and percolation 

into the sandy desert. It is obvious that by providing suitable storage works the area of land to be irrigated can be greatly increased, 

the limiting conditions being practically the cost of storing water 

relative to the value of the crops produced. 

The conditions briefly described above are not peculiar to the vicinit.y of Phrenix, or even to the Territory of Ariwna; they prevail in 

greater or less degree throughout the more arid parts of the United 

States, for in nearly every portion of this country irrigation has been 

demonstrated to be successful and largely profitabl~. Systems of 

water supply have been built, the more easily available waters utilized, 

and the extension of irrigable lands now rests mainly upon the conservation of waste waters. It is for this reason that a discussion of 

the conditions near .Phrenix, Arizona, has an interest not only to the 

citizens of that locality, but in general is of value to residents in other 

portions of the West. In certain respects the needs for water are more 

9 
10 PREFACE. 

pressing in southern Arizona than elsewhere, and thus the probabilities of early solution of some of the problems of water storage are here 

more likely to be settled in the near future. For this reason the following paper by Mr. Davis will be of benefit to a larger circle of readers 

than those to whom, from the title, it may appear to be addressed. 

In order to make clear all of the surroundings, Mr. Davis gives a 

general description of the topographic and climatic conditions of the 

Salt and Gila valleys, and of the irrigation works already constructed. 

He also mentions the legal complications which have arisen, and outlines some of the projects now being constructed. He points out the 

great natural advantages of this country, and shows as far as data 

can be procured the facts relating to water supply, evaporation, silting 

of reservoirs, and other factors which make or mar projects of water 

conservation. 

At first sight the storage of water appears to be a very simple matter. In popular discussions it is common to assume that the only 

steps necessary are to place rock or timber obstructions in some of 

the many canyons or narrow places along the course of the river in 

order to hold back t.he water of floods, and later allow it to flow down 

the stream as necessity requires. On carefully examining any proposition of this kind, many obstacles are found to arise, some of these 

natural-such as the difficulty of finding a proper location, the expense 

of laying foundation, and the liability of the reservoir to fill by siltand others artificial or legal, such as interference with vested rights, 

and difficulties of securing title to the stored water after it has left 

the reservoir and is on the way to the land to be covered. 

A traveler going over the Territory sees here and there almost numberless places where it appears probable that a storage dam might be 

built holding behind it considerable water, but when a careful survey 

has been made it is usually found that the slope of the stream is so 

great that if a dam were built the amount of water held behind it 

would be relatively too small to repay the cost of construction. 

Should it be found that there is ample space behind the selected dam 

site, further investigation may reveal the fact that solid rock can not 

be found at moderate depth beneath the surface. In other words, the 

stream has washed into the gorge such a mass of loose material as to 

fill it to a depth of 20, 40, or even 60 feet or more. To remove this, 

place the foundation on bed rock, and then rear a structure to the 

proper height,. will necessitate the expenditure of such large sums as 

to render the enterprise impracticable.' This is a very common condition within the arid region, where the drainage lines, dry for a great 

part of the year, are filled, perhaps for a few days or even a few hours 

only, with a great torrent resulting from excessive local rainfall. The 

water discharged down the steep slopes dislodges not only t·he accumulated sand and dust which has been blown about by the desert 

winds, but rolls along gravel and bowlders into the channels. Even 
PREFACE. 11 

in the narrow gorges through which these sometimes pour the velocity 

of the water is not sufficient, except perhaps in extraordinary floods, 

to tear out the loose material and reach bed rock. Thus the gravel 

and bowlders accumulate during the lesser floods all along the course 

of the stream, covering the dam sites, and form long lines of barren 

wash. 

Not only does the loose material transported by the floods cover the 

bottom of many otherwise feasible dam sites, but deposits of this character constantly imperil and shorten the life of all storage reservoirs. 

The flood waters bear this along, and whe~ brought to rest drop the 

heavier material at first and then the lighter, retaining only the finest 

particles, the greater part of which in time may settle within the interstices of the coarser. Thus the upper ends of all reservoirs are rapidly filled with silt, and it becomes an important question to the 

projectors of storage works as to how many years will elapse before 

the value of the reservoir is practically destroyed and whether its 

use can be restored in part by subsequent removal of some of this 

material. 

The legal obstacles are in many localities no less vexatious than 

those offered by nature. While many principles have been settled in 

regard to the use of wate1· for irrigation, their application to particular cases. is still a matter of doubt. Even in the case of persons 

diverting water from perennial streams there are innumerable controversies whenever a shortage occurs. But when a portion or all of 

the surplus water is being held in reservoirs and returned perhaps to 

the same stream, to be again recovered, there can not fail to be still 

greater complications than those now brought to the attention of the 

courts. The primary cause of most of the contentions which arise is 

the lack of exact knowledge concerning the amounts of water which 

are flowing in th~ streams from day to day and the quantities taken 

out by different canals. These are not only fluctuating, but the matter is complicated by the disappearance of water by evaporation and 

the reappearance of <;>ther waters in the natural drainage .lines by 

seepage from canals above, or from the slow progress of water comjng 

originally from rainfall aud finding its way gradually toward the 

lowest points. 

When one has noted the interminable lawsuits over water rights 

and appreciated the fact that most of these are due to lack of precise 

knowledge as to past conditions, it appears almost incredible that 

greater care is not being taken to ascertain exactly how much water is 

flowing at different points in the natural streams, especially in view of 

the fact that later large investments are to be made in storage projects. 

It is, however, a lamentable fact that very little attention is given to 

this matter, mainly perhaps because the persons investing in irrigation works are usually from humid climates, and it never occurs 

.tothem that rivers do not always have water to spare within .. their 
12 PREFACE. 

channels. Yet in southern Arizona, where, as in other portions of the 

arid regions, the rivers at certain seasons of the year diminish and 

even cease flowing, enormous investments are being made upon crude 

assumptions as to the quantity of water available, these assumptions 

being supported only by a few isolated facts or measurements. 

The determining point in the construction of storage works, after 

their feasibility has been settled upon, is whether they will paywhether the value of the water thus obtained and the benefits derived 

are sufficient to make the projects remunerative. The answer to this 

question depends largely upon what may be considered as profitable; 

for example, if these storage reservoirs are under consideration by 

corporate enterprise, it will be necessary to show that the annual 

water sales or rent,als will not only repay the expense of management 

and a fair interest on investment, say 6 or 8 per cent, but will also 

yield a surplus which can be used as a sinking fund to repair damages 

or ultimately cover the cost of the works, should these be gradually 

deteriorated by accumulation of silt. The aggregate of these items is 

large and may amount to 10 per cent or upward. Thus it is necessary to show that the storage works will, after completion, pay for 

themselves within a brief period; otherwise individual capital will 

not be attracted. 

If, on the other hand, these reservoirs, or the best of them, are built 

by the whole community interested or by State or national funds, the 

question of immediate profit does not enter so largely into the calculations. In this latter case the indirect benefits to be derived by the 

people offset to a certain extent the interest charge, and if the works 

can be shown to pay the cost of maintenance and provide a small 

sinking fund, they may be considered as feasible. Thus it is that a 

project which will be condemned by the investor as worthless may at 

the same time be of the utmost value to the community and one which 

would well repay cost of construction if this cost were distributed 

uniformly to all benefited. ' 

The situation in the Salt and Gila river valleys is fairly typical of 

that elsewhere as regards the probable profits to be obtained by constructing storage reservoirs. Briefly stated, it may be said that the 

canal systems already constructed or partially completed cover a 

larger area of land than can be supplied by the average summer :flow 

of the streams. Water from reservoirs is needed for lands already 

under ditch and whose owners have already purchased water rights. 

There are above these ditches still larger tracts of land which would 

be valuable if water could be had, but it is apparent that the greatest 

good would result from securing an ample supply of water to the 

lands already partly cultivated rather than indefinitely increasing the 

area of poorly watered farms. 

If a corporation contemplates building a reservoir within the Gila 

Basin, the first question is, Shall the attempt be made to sell the water 
13 

to lands already under ditch, or :shall this water be taken to areas now 

desert? The former plan would be perhaps the best for all concerned; 

but experience has shown that there is no certainty that the owners of 

lands now partly supplied with water will purchase additional water 

rights, even though these would assure an ample supply at all times. 

This is due partly to the fact that many of these lands now under 

ditch are held by speculators, hoping for a general rise in land valuessuch a rise as will follow the construction of storage works. In other 

cases the lands are held by farmers, who, although cultivating a considerable part of their land, hesitate about purchasing additional 

water rights, preferring ·to try to get along with a deficient supply 

rather than risk additional outlay. '"rhus it has happened that similar 

enterprises of this character, where the water was apparently in great 

need, have been forced into bankruptcy by the accumulation of interest and maintenance charges during the period following construction 

and before the water rights could be sold to bona fide irrigators. 

By the construction of storage works commanding the valley lands, 

there necessarily results an increase in value of every acre even 

though water rights have not been purchased, from the fact that 

there is a possibility of purchasing these. Upon the completion of 

such works, there takes place what is termed an unearned increment 

of value of all lands, for with the assurance of a larger supply even 

to other portions of the valley the chances of securing water in one 

way or another are increased. This increment of value is in round 

numbers equivalent to the cost of the storage works, and if it could 

be transferred from the pockets of the recipients, who have done 

nothing to deserve it, to the hands of the persons who have built the 

works, accounts would be balanced and it would be possible to construct these great enterprises. As a matter of fact, however, the 

association or group of men who build a reservoir must look to voluntary purchases by individuals slowly purchasing water rights for lands 

already owned or must seek reimbursement by putting the water upon 

desert lands and selling land and water. 

Thjs latter method, that of a storage compan·y selling land and water 

together, is apparently the only feasible mode of procedure. It necessitates, however, not only the acquisition of reservoir site and expensive construction of storage works, but also, as a rule, the building of 

canal lines and' the acquisition of large bodies of desert land, the 

latter being a contingency for which the land laws of the United 

States make no provision. If by one means or another such lands can 

be secured, directly or indirectly, the question of profit rests mainly 

upon the ability to dispose of these lands at a rate sufficiently rapid 

to prevent the accumulation of such indebtedness as often sweeps 

away a newly completed project. The tendency is, therefore, to extend irrigation by stored waters to new areas where land can be 

obtained at a nominal price and sold at a sufficient advance to repay 
14 PREFACE. 

the cost of construction, rather than attempt to supply water to lands 

already under ditch and partly irrigated. 

Some of the best storage projects, however, are so situated that the 

water can not be taken readily to new areas, and it appears probable that these, although among the most important in the country, 

can only be constructed by the adoption of some scheme by which all 

of the lands of the valley benefited directly or indirectly will be force<! 

to contribute an amount equal to the benefits derived. This is possible only under some system similar to that of the district organization 

in California, where all of the lands receiving water from a given 

source are assessed. Here it is not necessary to consider whether the 

enterprise will be money making in itself. Thus it is possible to push 

forward the construction of beneficial works which otherwise never 

could be built. 

F. H. N. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. I 
IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. 

BY ARTHUR P. DAVIS. 

TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF ARIZONA. 

The Territory of Arizona covers approximately 113,000 square miles, 

of which about 39,000 lie below the altitude of 3,000 feet, about 27,000 

lie between the contours of 3,000 and 5,000 feet, and about 47,000 lie 

above the elevation of 5,000 feet. The highest point in the Territory 

is San Francisco Mountain, in the northern part, which reaches an 

altitude of nearly 13,000 feet. The Territory is sharply divided into 

two characteristic portions by t,he trend across it of the main axis of 

the great Colorado Plateau, from the northwestern corner of the Territory in a nearly southeasterly direction. This plateau slopes gently 

to the northward, but on the southwestern side breaks off suddenly 

throughout most of its course, and its steep slope is deeply carved by 

lines of erosion. Almost the whole of that portion of the Territory 

which is below an elevation of 3,000 feet lies to the southward of this 

escarpment. 

1.,o the north of the escarpment the temperature ranges from that of 

the temperate zone to that where snow is nearly perpetual, on the 

summits of the San Francisco and White mountains. The southern 

portion of the Territory is characterized by temperatures which may 

be designated as ranging from temperate, along the foothills of the 

Colorado Plateau, to semitropic, in the lower valley of the Gila and 

Colorado. The southern portion of the Territory may be again subdivided into two portions, that draining directly into the Colorado and 

lying to the westward of Prescott, and the greater portion to the south 

and east, which forms the great Gila river system. The Colorado 

Plateau is partly of igneou:s origin, and a great portion of it is somewhat pervious to water. Its northern slope for a considerable distance 

from the summit is very gentle, and though the precipitation is greater 

than in most portions of the Territory, it is very meagerly marked by 

15 . 
16 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [NO.2. 

drainage lines and almost destitute of water. Sharply contrasted with 

these facts are the conditions on the southern slope. Here, through 

most of its course, the plateau drops off with a very steep slope, which 

is deeply cut with drainage lines in which are living creeks and rivulets of clear, beautiful water, su(}h as San Francisco River;Black Creek, 

Bonito Creek, White River, Carrizo Creek, Cibicu Creek, Box Creek, 

Cherry Creek, Tonto Creek, Wild Rye Creek, East Verde River, Pine 

Creek, Fossil Creek, Clear Creek, Beaver Creek, etc. 

The region of high altitude, as before remarked, lies largely north 

of the divide, while the great bulk of the water flowing from the 

plateau, as proved both by erosion of drainage lines and by the volume of permanent streams, flows away to the south. The explanation of this is partly the porosity of the strata composing the plateau, 

which allows the water to sink instead of flowing off the surface. 

Once underground, its egress to the south is favored by the shorter 

distance which it must percolate on a given grade before reaching a 

surface, due to the more abrupt slope. 

Another partial explanation is found in the meteorological condition. The moisture of this region is brought from the Pacific Ocean 

and the Gulf of California by the prevailing southwest wind. As this 

wind ascends the elevations toward the Colorado P.iateau, its temperature is lowered, which reduces its capacity for holding moisture and 

increases its relative humidity. When this quantity reaches 100 per 

cent in any part, precipitation occurs. This influence continues until 

the wind passes the summit, where the process is reversed. 

As might be expected, therefore, the hydrographic resources of the 

country immediately southwest of the Colorado Plateau are disproportionately great when compared with those to the northward. For 

instance, the precipitation at Fo~t Apache, as shown by a mean of 

twenty years' observations, is 19.75 inches, the elevation being 5,050 

feet, while the precipitation at Holbrook, at an elevation of 5,047 feet, 

on the northern slope, is 8.47 inches, as indicated by the mean of ten 

years' observations. This is an important fact, especially when taken 

in connection with the fact that the great areas of valley land with a 

semi tropic climate lie in the southwestern portion of the Territory, and 

are easily covered by the streams which are formed by the conditions 

above described, and which constitute the main features of the great 

Gila river system. 

GILA BASIN. 

The drainage area of Gila River, including a number of small lost 

basins which are topographically tributary but which seldom or never 

f1irnish any run-off to the main stream, is about 72,000 square miles, 

of which nearly 57,000 lie in the Territory of Arizona, about 14,000 

in New Mexico, and something over 1,000 in Mexico. The areas in 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN: 17 

the United States are distributed, with respect to elevation, approxi· 

· mately as follows: 

Distribution of area of Gila Basin by altitude. 

I Elevation. 

1 1~--1- Under 1,000 feet _______________________ _ 

Peroont I Arett, 

0f area square of basin. miles. 

9 6,400 

Between 1,000 and 2,000 feet ___________ _ 19 13,500 

Between 2t000 and 3,000 feet ___________ _ 16 11,400 

Between 3,000 and 4,000 feet ___________ _ 14 10,000 

Between 4,000 and 5,000 feet ___________ _ 15 10,700 

'9etween 5,000 and 6,000 feet ________ . _ _ 12 8, 500 

Between 6,000 and 7,000 feet ____ . _ _ __ _ __ 8 5, 600 

Over 7,000 feet ___ - _ -- _- _- . -- --- ---- ---- 7 4, 900 I 

Total ______________________________ -too J71~oo, 

' ____J 

Gila Basin is conveniently divided into four parts. Of these, t.he 

most northerly is Salt River Basin, which includes all the territory 

tributa:cy to Salt River. This again is sharply divided into its valley 

and mountain portions. Salt River Valley (see map, Pl. XXX) may be 

taken as including all the territory adjacent to Salt Riverfromitsmouth 

up to the junction of the Rio Verde. Above that point the greater 

portion of the basin is mountainous, with small valleys on the Rio 

Verde, in Tonto Basin, and at a few points on Salt River and other 

tributaries. The Lower Gila district may be taken as the portion 

lying below the mouth of Salt River; the Middle Gila district, that 

portion from the mouth of Salt River to The Buttes above Florence. 

and including the Pima Indian Reservation and the great Casa Grande 

Valley. The Upper Gila district includes the valley in the region of 

Cainp Thomas and Solomonsville and the tributary mountainous districts. In addition to these main divisions of the trunk streams may 

be taken the subordinate divisions of tributaries, such as San Pedro; 

Santa Cruz, Hassayampa, and Agua Fria creeks. 

TEMPERATURE. 

The tables of temperature for the Gila and Salt River valleys show 

that the climate is very warm. But care should be taken not to exaggerate this feature, for the actual conditions in their relation to human 

life and comfort are by no means as unfavorable as they might appear 

to persons comparing these tables of temperature with those of sorne 

Eastern localities. For about eight months in the year the tempera-

. ture of this valley is delightful. Cool nights, bracing mornings, and 

IRR2--2 
18 IRRIGATION NEAR PHffiNIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

bright, pleasant days are the rule, except in the months of June, July, 

August, and September. In these months the heat becomes intense, 

and though there is of course some variation, the temperature remains 

continually high throughout the greater part of this period. 

The physiological effect of this heat is markedly modified by t,he 

aridity of the climate. The human economy provides that when the 

temperature of the healthy body rises above the normal the perspiratory glands begin to act and furnish the skin with moisture, the 

evaporation of which lowers the temperature of the body. An essential condition of this natural safeguard against excessive heat depends 

upon the ready evaporation of the moisture furnished by nature. In 

a very humid climate this evaporation can not occur; and. in those 

portions of the country where the humidity is comparatively high 

such evaporation must be proportionately tardy and sluggish, so that 

any considerable temperature above normal blood heat produces 

great suffering and exhaustion, and even prostration. In an arid 

region, on the contrary, the low percentage of humidity causes prompt 

and quick evaporation of the moisture and the consequent success of 

nature in its attempt to preven·t uncomfortable and injurious bodily 

temperature. In southern Arizona these favorable conditions for 

resistance to heat are at their maximum. Though the temperature 

is high, the relative humidity is very low, and every particle of 

moisture which reaches the surface of the skin is promptly evaporated-so promptly that its presence is not perceived_:__and while 

the body is thus kept at its normal temperature the unpleasant effects 

of excessive moisture are not experienced, and the sultry, sticky days 

so common in the East are unknown in Arizona. 

The principles involved in these facts are frequently illustrated to 

the sojourner in southern Arizona in the following manner: Riding 

in a wagon or buggyin the month of Julythetravelermayfeel greatly 

oppressed and enervated by the intense heat; the climate seems wellnigh insupportable; but if he will get out and walk for a short time, 

the circulation induced by the exercise starts the perspiration and the 

traveler is surprised to find himself greatly refreshed, and he may 

then resume his ride in comfort. Farm labor, the construction of 

canals, the rounding up and branding of cattle, and other active, hard 

labor are performed at any time in the summer with less comfort, of 

course, but with no worse effects, than at any other time of year, and 

without actual suffering, the only requisite being plenty of drinking 

water. 

A fair comparison of the sensible temperatures of two places may 

be obtained by a comparison of the readings of wet-bulb thermometers. The difference between the readings of wet and dry bulb thermometers here often exceeds 30 degrees. The summer is, therefore, 

far from being as uncomfortable as might be supposed, and the delightful autumn, winter, and spring fully compensate for the discomforts' 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 19 

of the summer months; and the climate, taken as a whole, with its 

extreme aridity, its mildness, and its large proportion of sunshine, is 

exceptionally healthy and especially beneficial to those suffering :from 

bronehial or pulmonary troubles. · 

RAIN.FAI.tL. 

Rainfall records of Arizona, from the date waen they began up to 

and including the summer of 1890, were prepared by Capt. William A. 

Glassford and published in a Report on the Climatology of tll_e,United 

States, with Reference to Irrigation, by Gen. A. W. Greely, ·Chief 

Signal Officer .1 Later 1·ecords may be found in the various annual 

and monthly publications of the Weather Bureau, and it is deemed 

of value to reproduce some of them here, brought up to date, partly 

because of the scattered condition of the original records, some of 

them being now out of print, and partly for the reason that for purposes of irrigation the season is best divided about the end of August. 

Rainfall occurring after September 1 can not in most cases be relied 

upon for irrigation use in that season, but may be stored for use in the 

following year. Precipitation occurring before this date may' usually 

be utilized the same year, especially if storage is provided. 

No arbitrary line can be drawn separating the precipitation available in one year from that available only by storage for t.he next, but 

it is thought that more cases will occur where September precipitation 

can be used the same year than where August precipitation can not, 

and that it is fair to divide the season as above indicated. For the 

convenience of those contemplating storage works, therefore, theta bles 

are rearranged and the total annual rainfalls recomputed on this basis. 

A glance at the annual and monthly means shows at once.that agriculture in the valleys of southern Arizona must depend entirely upon 

irrigation. 

Short fragmentary records in Arizona are of very little value, on 

account of the erratic nature of Arizona rainfall, which is peculiarly 

marked during the summer rainy season. This season is ch.aracterized 

by sudden violent local thundershowers, often called cloudbursts, 

and while in a long series of years such local storms probably distribute themselves with a fair degree of uniformityover districts governed 

by the sa:p1e general conditions, yet a short record may be so affected 

by them as to be abnormal. ·A station receiving one-or more storms of 

this character, or being avoided altogether, as is likelytooccurin a short 

record, may give results that will be very misleading. For instance, at 

Fort J,owell, which is but9 miles east of Tucson, and .only 4 feetlower, 

there fell during July and August, 1878,0.60 and 7.88 inches of rain, 

respectively, while at Tucson during the same months the rainfall was 

5. 72 and 4. 71 inches. Such discrepancies would probably disappear 

1 Fifty-first Congress, 2d session, H. R. Ex. Doc. No. 287, Irrigation and Water Stor~ in the 

Arid Regions. 
20 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

in the average of a long series of observations. Very short records, on 

account of the great secular variations even in countries of greatest 

uniformity, can not be depended upon as giving the average rainfall 

for the region in which they are taken. In this climate, for the reasons given above, they are of little, if any, value, even when a long 

record exists in such situation that a comparison of its mean with that 

of the short record may be made. 

FIG. 1~-'Ma.p of Arizona, showing location <•f rainfall stations. 

In, a region like Arizona, where the water supply bears such a vital 

relation to its prosperity, and where, moreover, the means available 

for keeping rainfall records a_re limited, rainfall stations should be, 

and usually are, so far as practicable, widely distributed over the Territory, in order that all varieties of elevation, topography, latitude, 

and climatic conditions may be represented. Such records, if care-
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 21 

fully kept for a long series of years, say twenty or more, 'become valuable for determining the ~ctual rainfall to be expected in a:p.y pa.rticular locality by means of a short record embracing four· or five 

years. The comparison of such short record with the synchronous 

record at the station of long observation establishes an approximate 

relation between the point under investigation and the point at which 

the long record was taken. In a similar manner a comparison may be 

made between the measured discharge of any given stream and the synchronous rainfall at the old station, and in a few years a relation can be 

thus established from which may be derived an approximate hypothetical history of the stream or hydrographic basin under investigation. 

The value of these old records, which, unfortunately, are very rare, 

depends chiefly upon their continuation. It may be broadly stated 

that the older such a record becomes the stronger is the argument for 

continuing it. It is especially to be deplored, therefore, that some of 

the old records in Arizona have been discontinued. For instance, 

Fort McDowell, having in 1891 the oldest continuous record :in Arizona, was in that year discontinued, and has not since been resumed. 

A great part of the value of this old record might be restored if it 

were practicable to reestablish the station. 

A selection has been made of 16 stations, most of them having a 

record covering at least fifteen years, so distributed as fairly" to indicate the means and extremes of precipitation in the various portions 

of the basin. A short record at Pinal ranch, not hitherto published, 

is also included. These records are contained in the following tables: 

Record of precipitation at Fort Whipple, Yavapai County. 

[Latitude 34° 33', longitude 112° 28'; elevation, 5,389 feet. Authority, United States Hospital 

Service and Weather Bureau.] 

Year. Sept.[ Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Total. 

-----------------------

1866-67 .•. 3.65 0.57 0.08 0.31 1. 72 1.16 8.00 0.06 1.17 0.00 2.70 2.38 21.80 

1867--68 ••. ............. 0.10 0.20 2.20 2.97 5.30 0.50 1.00 ............. 0.00 6.16 2.72 --------· 1868-69 .. ~ 0.30 0.55 1.50 4.40 0.80 0.92 ............... .............. ............ ............. ............. ---...... ............ ---- 1869-70 ... [1.08] 1.40 1.45 0.00 0.00 1.20 1.09 0.26 1. 73 0.24 7.98 3.4:9 19.92 

1870-71 .•. 0.00 1.59 0.30 0.53 0.70 1.01 0.10 1.92 0.47 0.00 4.00 1.80 12.42 

1871-72 .•• 1.51 1.40 0.52 0.00 050 0.80 0.12. 1.62 1.47 1.24 3.74 6.25 19.17 

1872-73 .•• 0.04 0.24 o.oo O.M 0.00 1.00 0.23 0.17 0.40 0.42 1.56 4.78 9.48 

1873-74: ... 0.30 0.00 0.80 2.55 5.51 5.68 3.56 1.70 0.65 o.oo 5.72 1.mr 28.()3 

187!--75 ••• 0.00 0.50 ...... ,.. .. ........... ------ ............ .............. ... ............ 0.00 o.oo 5.9~ 1.00 ····-·--· 1875-7tL_ 0.77 0.00 0.18 0.63 4.60 0.01 0.83 0.51 0.52 o:25 8;28 4.51 16.09 ~ 

1876-77 .•. 0.72 0.93 0.00 0.00 0.36 0.56 -0.49 1.50 1.82 0.00 1,29 0~~ 7.91. 

1871-78 ... 2.42 1.38 0.00 2.23 0.28 2.02 0.48 2.86 0.88 0.38 0.91. tl.M- 1t.ll6 

1878-79 ... 0.61 0;60- ikMi 1.02 0.91 0.9!1: 0.05 0.03 0.00 .o.oo 1.87 2.~ 8.13 

1879-80 ... 0.68 0.3'/ 1.58 4.21 0.35 0.16 0.11 0.52 0.00 O.Ol 2.34 2.80 18.16 

1880-81. •. 1.26 0.18 0.42 1.84 0.16 0.10 2.91 '0.67 0.42 T. 8.27 IUI5 16.48 

1881-82 ... 1.69 0.33 0.30 0.33 2.53 2.04 0.00 0.28 0.45 0.47 1.64 3.34 13.4.0 

l 1882-83 .•. 2.57 0.39 1.55 0.00 0.31 0.63 2.33 0.86 0.15 0.09 3.20 3.26 16.34: 

1883-84:.-- 0.33 0.43 T. 4.M 0.25 6.55 5.51 1.62 1.45 0.32 1.33 1.57 JS.DO I 
22 IRRIGATION NEAR ·PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

Record of precipitation at Fort Whipple, Yavapai County-Continued. 

[Latitude 34° 33', longitude 1120 28'; elevation, 5,389 feet. Authority, United States Hospital 

~ Service and Weather Bureau.] 

I 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. I Feb. Mar. Apr.J May.lJune. July. Aug. Total. 

--,-- 1884-85 ___ 0.99 1.42 0.16 5.58 0.08 0.46 1.47 0.62 0.37 0.07 2.53 1.24 14.99 

1~6 ... 0.11 0.38 2.46 0.32 5.99 1.15 3.04 1.18 0.03 0.00 0.61 4.41 19.68 

1886-87 ... 0.46 0.23 1.68 T. T. 3.12 T. 2.57 0.43 0.57 2.64 0.71 12.41 

1887-88 ... 4.88 0.05 1.57 0.82 1.30 1.68 1.66 0.52 1.96 0.00 2.49 1.42 18.35 

1888-89 ... 0.62 1. 75 1 3.1s 2.94 1.73 1.35 2.91 0.19 T. 0.02 1.45 1.51 17.65 

1889-90 ..• 2.11 1. 76 0.42 7.38 2.29 3.02 1.52 0.86 0.00 0.06 2.19 2.67 24.28 

1890-91. .. 1.48 ------ ------ ·----- 0.00 5.96 0.86 T. 0.27 0.00 1.86 3.04 -----·--- 1891-92 ... 1.48 0.00 0.00 1.19 1.98 1.64 1.91 0.58 0.85 0.00 1. 74 2.04 13.41 

1892-93 ... 0.14 1.41 0.00 0.61 1.18 0.47 3.26 0.00 0.88 0.00 1.31 4.30 13.56 

1893-94 ... 0.57 0.15 1.16 0.73 0.30 0.30 0.88 0.00 0.23 T. 1.13 3.88 9.33 

1894-95 .•. 0.45 1.37 0.00 3.43 4.37 0.55 T. 0.25 0.50 0.00 0.88 3.53 15.33 

1895-96 ... 0.09 0.24 3.59 0.50 0.55 0.20 0.81 0.35 T. 0.14 4.70 2.61 13.78 

---------------------------

Mean .. 1.08 0.66 0.84 1. 75 1.44 1.10 1.59 0.81 0.59 0.15 2.77 2.95 16.C6 

Record of precipitation at Fort Verde, Yavapai Ooonty. 

[Latitude 34° 32', longitude 111° 44'; elevation, 3,160 feet. Authority, Signal Service and United 

States Hospital Service.] 

Year. Sept.! Oct. Nov.

1 

Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. I Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Total. I 

1868-69 ... ------ ------ ------ 0.27 0.34 1. 72 1.00 0.09 0.03 0.83 0.07 7.26 ---------

1869-70 •.. 0.00 0.02 4.04 0.00 0.50 0.01 0.50 0.15 0.00 0.22 3.06 0.89 9.39 

1870-71... 0. 00 0. 60 0.10 0. 58 o. 20 0. 00 0. 04 0. 73 0. 00 0. 00 o. 84 0. 26 3. 35 

1871-72 ... 1.00 1.10 0.39 0.26 0.47 1.12 0.16 1.56 0.54 0.22 2.22 4.35 13.39 

1872-73.-- 1.12 0.10 0. 00 o, 83 0. 00 1.16 0. 00 0. 00 0.15 0. 20 0.14 2. 52 

1873-74 ... 0.26 0.00 0.74 3.26 2.65 2.05 1.05 1.48 0.08 0.00 1.88 2.48 

1874-75 .•• 0.00 1.45 3.52 0.66 2.91 0.05 0.30 T. 0.06 0.00 3.33 2.01 

1875-76 •.. 1.35 0.00 0.65 0.13 2.06 0.75 1.00 0.75 0.00 0.98 5.3112.08 

1876-77--- 2. 40 2.10 0.15 o. 00 0. 71 0. 51 0. 89 o. 85 1. 70 0. 00 o. 70 0. 41 

1877-78 ... 12.08 o.~ o.05 2.23 o.14 1.12 1.84 1.75! o.I6 r.06 2.10 4.60 

1878-79 ... 0.98 0.00 0.36 1.24 0.20 0.14 0.00 0.10 o.oo 0.00 0.97 0.53 

1879-80.-- 1. 40 0. 23 2. 40 3. 03 1. 08 0.13 0. 30 o. 27 o. 00 0.16 1. 85 o. 97 

6.22 

15.93 

14.29 

25.06 

10.42 

16.56 

4.52 

11.82 

1880-SL .. 0.19 0.57 0.13 1.56 0.07 0.12 2.64 0.97 0.07 T. 1.41 7.53 15.26 

1881-82 ... 1.88 0.20 0.21 0.27 2.72 0.93 0.01 0.03 0.19 1.35 1.25 1.18 10.2'.3 

1882-83 .•. 2.16 0.25 1.73 0.07 0.44 1.35 1.63 0.12 0.27 0.04 3.35 1.14 12.55 

1883-84.-- 0. 00 0. 45 0. 00 4. 30 0. 39 3. 59 3. 60 1. 43 0. 72 0. 23 0.19 1. 24 16.14 

1884-85.-- 0. 68 0. 84 0.15 4. 66 0. 00 0. 80 2. 2,1) 0. 69 0.19 0. 05 0. 84 3. 01 14.16 

1885-86.-- 0. 03 0. 61 1. 88 0. 52 1. 90 1. 48 2. 09 0. 82 0. 02 0. 01 0.18 3.18 12. 72 

1886-87--- 0. 20 0.13 0. 55 0. 60 0. 04 0. 78 0. 02 0. 581 o. 60 0.18 3.11 2. 96 9. 75 

1887-88 •• ·• 4.72 0.00 1.37 0.87 0.96 1.56 1.78 0.43 0.96 0.00 2.21 0.73 15.59 

1888-89.-. 0. 56 4. 47 2. 80 3.15 1. 95 0. 25 1. 66 o. 00 0. 00 o. 02 3.10 0. 75 18. 71 

1889-90 ••• 1.60 1.74 0.08 5.08 1.39 1.97 1.35 0.8210.01 0.00 1.83 2.30 18.17 

1890-91. •• 0.55 [1.50] [3.65] [1. 72] ------ ------ --·-·· ·-··-· 

Mean •• 1 1. 05 0. 76 1.13 1. 53 0. 96 0. 96 1.10 0. 621 0. 26 0. 21 1. 82 2. 84 13.24 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 23 

Record of precipitation at Fort McDowell, Maricopa County. 

[Latitude 33° 38', longitude 111° 38'; elevation, 1,250 feet. Authority, United States Hospital 

Service and Weather Bureau.] 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.JApr. May. June. July. Aug. Total-

---- 1866-67 ___ L63 0.25 0.06 0.10 0.88 0.16 2.11 0.03 0.00 0.00 2.97 1.18 9.37 

1867-68 ___ 1.62 0.03 0.29 5. 70 2.70 1.60 0. 70 [1.00] 0.00 0.00 4.50 1. 70 19.84 

1868-69 ___ 3.01 T. 0.01 0.00 0.64 2.60 0.00 0.15 T. 0.10 0.40 1.10 8.01 

1869-70 ___ 0.00 0.00 2.15 0.55 T. 0.60 0.65 T. T. 0. 70 0.90 1.98 7.53 

1870-71_ __ 0.22 0.40 0.00 T. 0.25 0.40 0.00 0.40 T. T. 0.16 2.08 3.91 

1871-72 ___ 0.20 0.00 1.25 0.20 0.50 0.40 0.00 0.53 0.30 0.31 9.16 7.17 20.02 

1872-73 ___ 0.08 T. 0.00 1.56 0.00 1.60 0.90 0.00 0.16 T. T. 0.56 4.86 

1873-74 ___ 0.00 T. 0.21 4.70 3.10 2.86 1.06 1.30 0.30 0.00 1.31 1.99 16.83 

1874--75 ___ 0.05 1.11 2. 76 1.00 1.40 0.62 T. 0.10 T. 0.00 0. 75 0.46 8.25 

1875-76 ___ 1.00 o.oo· 0.00 0.64 0.70 0.10 0.40 T. 0.00 1.00 3.25 1. 70 8.79 

1876-77 ___ 0.00 T. 0.58 0.00 1.08 2.2! 0. «, 0.50 1.04 0.00 T. 0.06 5.94 

1877-78 ___ 1.52 0.38 T. 2.12 0.04 1.54 1.18 3.20 T. T. 0.86 1.57 12.41 

1878-79 ___ 0.98 0.00 0.99 1.56 0.50 1.22 0.60 0.20 0.00 0.00 T. 0.12 6.17 

1879-8() ___ 0.34: 0.58 2.14 2.64 1.56 0.38 0.50 0.38 0.00 T. 0.52 0.84 9.88 

1880-81 ___ 0.34: [ 0.40] 0.00 1.69 T. T. 1.46 0.22 0.12 0.00 1.16 3.38 8.77 

1881-82 ___ 0.10 T. 0.80 T. 3.22 0.58 0.00 T. 0.10 0.56 0.40 1.52 7.28 

1882-83 ___ 1.34: 0.00 1.38 0.00 0.59 0. 78 0.42 0.00 0.28 0.04 1.12 1. 76 7.71 

1883-84 ___ 0.32 0.30 0.06 4.22 0.33 4.37 3.47 0.58 0.45 0.09 0.08 1.25 15.52 

1884--85- -- 3.96 1.38 0.45 4.54 0.00 2.50 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.90 14.33 

1885-86 ___ 0.90 0.40 1. 75 1.25 3.35 1.60 1.50 T. 0.00 [0.00] 0.00 0.62 11.37 

1886-87 ___ T. 0.27 0.44: 0.30 0.00 0.86 0.00 0.68 T. 0.00 0.06 1.54 4.15 

1887-88 ___ 4.11 0.48 1.82 0. 77 0.87 0.72 0.62 0.14 0.40 0.00 0.86 0.17 10.96 

1888-89 ___ 0.35 2.82 1.49 3.47 2.85 0. 77 0.14 0.09 0.00 0.06 0.62 0.29 12.95 

1889-90 ___ 0.61 1.31 0.73 5.31 0.89 1.37 0.96 0.55 0.00 0.00 1.10 1.55 14.38 

1890-91_ __ 0.26 

-- Mean ____ 0.94 

1.07 ------ '"'!""'"""-- ------ ------ ............... ------ ................ ------

0.45 0. Si ----1. 76 1.06 1.24 0.74 0.42 0.13 0.12 ==~,~ 1. 2611.48 10.39 I 

Record of precipitation at Fort Apache, Navajo County. 

Latitude 330 48', longitude 109° 57'; elevation, 5,050 feet. Authority, Signal Service and United 

Statfls Hospital Service.] 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. l\1ar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Total. 

-------------------------

1875-76 ___ ------ ................. ............. .............. 0.92 1. 72 2.02 0.08 0.26 1.02 5.20 2.52 .. ................... 

1876-77 ___ 2.00 2. «, 1.34: 0.22 0.36 0.94 0. 72 0.96 1.15 0.00 3.11 1.20 14. «, 

1877-78___ 0.99 0.81 0.19 2.07 0.18 1.35 2.41 1.77 0.18 0.79 8. 76 9.33 28.83 

1878-79 ___ 0.76 0.00 1.94 1.14 1.89 1.17 0.03 0.12 0.00 0.05 3.92 3.06 14.08 

1879-8() ___ 1.52 2.64 1. 77 2.41 1.31 u.95 0.80 0.46 0.00 0.46 5.83 1.44 19.59 

1880-81 ___ 0.55 0.56 0.03 2.38 0.20 1.17 2.45 L53 0.35 T. 5.63 8.31 23.16 

1881-82 ... 5.41 4.68 0.85 0.54 2.82 2.85 1.09 0.91 0.94 3.27 4.79 7.36 35.51 

1882-83 ___ 1.02. T. 2.34: 0.23 0.85 2.46 2.03 0.22 0.86 0.02 5.46 4.26 19.75 

1883-84 ___ 0.60 1.39 0.02 3.48 0.68 3.43 4. «, 1.67 1.31 2.35 0.14 5.59 25.11) 

1884--85_-- 1.50 2.02 0.82 5.52 0.52 1.00 2.05 0.52 1.12 0.82 2.60 3.16 21.65 

1885-86 ___ 0.44: 0.38 1.56 1. 41. 3.90 2.73 1.06 0.91 0.00 0.19 1.90 4.75 19.23 

1886-87 ___ 3.16 1.66 0.56 0.24 0.59 2.16 0.04 0.81 u 15 1. 70 3.29 3.92 1H.28 

1887-88___ 2.23 0.55 1.83 0.57 1.42 1.83 2.92 0.71 0.71 T. 3.24 (1.00] 17.01 

1888-89 ___ 0.32 1.23 2.63 2.88' 2.2! 0.88 1.85 0.47 0.00 0.11 2.67 2.87 18.15 

1889-90 ___ 1.02 0.46 0.55 3.98 2.26 2.40 0.82 1.39 0.00 0.00 5.00 4.44: 22.32 

1890-91_ __ 2.37 2.17 2.85 3.02 1.65 4.10 0.80 T. 0.36 T. 2.72 1.22 21.31 

1891-92 ___ 1.81 0.00 0.00 0.65 0.65 2.29 2.22 1.36 0.36 0.15 1.38 1.00 12.12 

1892-93 ___ 1.23 0.55 0.57 0.69 0.28 1.10 2.45 0.00 2.18 0.00 2.57 3.43 15 .. 05 

1893-94 ___ 2.65 0.04 0.28 0.10 1.24 0.96 1.36 0.19 0.79 0.00 1.21 5.01 18.89 

1894,-95 ___ 1.32 2.4:7 0.00 $!.81 1.89 0.72 0.02 T. 1.00 0.01 0.74 5.44 l6.42 

1895-96 ___ 1.68 3.02 2.39 1.12 0.16 0.33 0.86 0.34: 0.00 0.52 4.31 4.36 19.09 

---------------- --------- Mean __ 1.63 1.35 1.13 1.77 1.23 1.74 1.55 0.69 0.56 0.55 3.55 4.00 1.9.71> 
24 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

Record of precipitation at Pinal Ranch, Pinal County. 

[Latitude 33° 25', longitude 1100 58'; elevation, 4,400 feet. Authority, Irion and Craig.] 

Sept. I Oct. ! Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.,Apr. May.IJnne. July. Aug. Total. E- 1891 92 ___ -I- -~.-i5- -~--~-1-o.-~- ------ .................. ------ ............. 0.00 . 0.81 

1892-93 ___ 0.99 0.92 1.57 5.21 0.00 1.44 0.00 2.86 3.69 18.16 

1893-94 ___ 4.13 0.00 J1.66 0.83 1.23 1.81 1.93 0.00 0.14 0.00 1.63 2.87 16.23 

1894-95 ___ 0.32 l.lT"' 7. 77 7.28 1.06 0.31 0.00 0.36 0.00 0.63 5.88 24.80 

I 1895-96 ___ 2.04 4. 78 5.33 1.52 1.10 0.18 1.05 0.50 0.00 0.24 4.04 2.90 23.69 

1896-97 ___ 3.47 3.42 2.35 1.13 

---- Mean __ 2.02 2.0611.95 2.45 2.63 1.16 2.13 0.13 0.48 0.06 1.83 3.23 20.46 

Record of precipitation at Phrenix, Maricopa County. 

[Latitude 33° 28', longitude 112° 00'; elevation, 1,068 feet. Authority, Weather Bureau.] 

Year. [sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Total. 

1875-76 ___ .............. .............. ------ .............. .. ............ 0.82 0.27 0.00 0.00 ................. ------ [1.00] ............ ----- 1876-77___ 0.90 0.72 0.00 0.00 0.60 1.63 0.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 [1.00] 0.02 5.18 

1877-18 ___ 1.11 0.04 0.03 0.43 0.07 1.07 0.96 1.25 0.04 0.00 2.40 1.63 9.03 

1878-79_ -- 0.19 0.00 0.27 0.64: 0.07 0.75 0.33 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.54 0.67 3.53 

1879-80 ___ 0.69 0.27 1.66 1.35 1.16 0.38 0.26 0.15 11.00 0.49 1.18 0.72 8.31 

1880-SL .. 0.67 0.20 0.00 1.61 0.00 0.20 1.46 1.1u 0.12 0.00 2.03 2.19 9.58 

1881-82 ___ 1.04 0.25 0.36 0.16 1.62 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.37 0.32 1.81 6.10 

1882-83 ___ 1.25 0.10 1.30 0.00 0.83 1.27 1.16 '1'. 0.44 0.00 0.07 0.07 6.49 

1883-84 ___ 0.00 0.20 0.00 3.36 0.16 2.46 2.14 0.40 0.01 0.15 0.07 1.84 10.79 

1884-85.-- 1.50 1.12 0.24 2.74 0.00 0.47 0.33 0.00 0.65 0.04 0.18 0.71 7.98 

1885-86 ___ 0.07 0.09 0.91 0.32 1.32 1.25 1.86 0.29 0.00 0.00 0.05 0.59 6. 75 

1886-87 ___ 0.45 0.58 0.32 0.07 0.00 0.28 T. 0.75 0.06 0.00 .................. ............... --... -... --. ~ 

1887-88 ___ ................. ............. ................ [0.50] .. ............. ............... ................ 0.01 0.30 0.00 0.13 0.27 --------- 1888-89 ___ 0.23 [2.80] 1.10 [3.00] 0.00 0.12 0.66 1.77 ......................... 

1889-90 ___ 0.39 0.99 0.77 3.38 0.95 0.52 1.18 0.51 0.00 ............... .............. .............. -----........... 

1891-92 ___ .............. ---·-- 0.00 0.13 1.85 2.20 0.60 0.70 0.15 0.00 0.00 0.00 

:::::~] 1892-93 ___ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.46 0.00 1.00 0.00 3.20 [1.42] 

1893-94 ___ 0.00 0.00 0.60 1.00 0.00 0.70 0.62 0.00 0.07 0.00 ·o.97 079 

1894-95 ___ 0.15 0.77 0.00 1.43 ------ .............. ................ 0.00 

1895-96 ___ ............... ............... 1.22 0.07 0.48 0.00 0.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.66 1.05 --------- --------------------------- Mean __ 0.54 0.51 0.48 1.44: 0.57 0.83 0.72 0.29 0.15 0.07 1.03 0.97 7.60 

Record of precipitation at Fort Bowie, Cochise County. 

[Latitude 32° 12', longitude 109° 20'; elevation, 4,781 feet. Authority, United States Hospital 

Service and Weather Bureau.] 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. 

1866-67 ... 2.67 -~~~L~ 1867-6!L. 1.70 T. 0.50 1.64 2.39 1.10 0.00 0.70 0.50 0.00 7.15 2.40 18.[8 

1868-69 ___ 3.15 T. 0.70 0.00 0.10 3.50 0.39 0.15 0.00 0.40 1.30 5.60 15.29 

1869-70 ___ 0.20 T. 1.45 0.15 0.30 O.b'9 0.50 T. 0.00 0.60 4.50 5.42 13.81 

1870--71.-- 1.00 0.00 T. 1.00 0.50 [1.00] [0.50] [0.60] 0.18 0.60 7.90 2.30 15.58 

1871-72 ___ 1.00 0.70 0.90 [1. 25] [0.40] [0.50] 0.00 0.25 0.20 1.04 1.67 ·3.36 11.27 

1872-73 ___ 0. 77 T. 0.15 2.95 0.00 1.16 2.22 T. t.oo 0.14 0.50 Lm 10.32 

1873-74 .•• 0.01 0.03 1.12 2.02 2.33 5.40 1.50 0.35 0.00 T. 2.66 3.12 18.54 

1874-75 ___ 0.06 1.40 1.45 0.46 1.35 ·1.20 0.13 0.13 T. 0.65 4.22 1.77 12.82 . - ... ~ ..... .. I 
"D.A.'nS.] GILA BASIN. 

Record of precipitation at Fort Bowie, Cochise County-Continued. 

,[Latitude 320 12', longitude 109° 20'; elevation, 4,781 feet. Authority, United States Hospital 

Service and· Weather Bureau.] · 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. A;r.,May. June. July. Aug. Total. 

1875-76 ... 3.19 0..00 0.25 0.83 0.60 0.45 0.48 T. T. 2.05 4.55 4.00 16.40 

1876-77 ... 1.95 0.73 0.40 0.00 0.14 2. 70 0.12 0.14 0.90 0.00 1.24 0.18 8.50 ~ 

1877-78 ... 1.16 0.00 0.00 2.04 [0.50] 0.50 2.83 1.00 0.20 0.20 4.92 7.4.4 20.79 

1878-79 ... 0.07 0.07 1.50 1.09 3.00 0.63 0.40 0.02 0.00 0.60 1.01 0.20 7.99 

1879-80 .•. 2.00 0.60 0.10 0.50 0.25 1.40 1.45 0.15 0.00 1.50 4.80 0.97 13.72 

1880-SL .. 1.35 0.70 0.05 0.82 0.00 0.20 0. 79 0.05 0.10 0.06 5.53 5.16 14.81 

1881-82 ... 2.27 1.15 0.58 0.03 0.90 1.15 1.51 0.26 o. 71 1.39 3.58 4.i4 18.37 

1882-83 •.. 1.51 [0.00] 1.79 0.35 1.49 1.33 2.84 0.00 1.50 0.33 2.21 1.73 15.08 

1~--- 0.72 0.20 0.39 1.12 3.14 4.96 2.63 0.00 0.23 0.12 0.65 2.4.4 16.60 

1384-85 .•. 0.62 3.58 0.42 6.41 0.53 1.81 2.19 0.00 0.19 0.66 1.83 2.19 20.43 i 

1885-86 ... 0.4.4 0.00 1.42 1.74 4.24 4.88 4.48 0.07 0.01 4.21 2.24 2.49 26.22 

1886-87 ••. 1.26 0.36 0.74 0.15 0.13- 2.11 0.00 0.23 T. 1.30 4.49 5.51 Hi.28 

1887-88 ••. 2.71 1.01 1.10 1.94: 1.11 1.50 1.92 T. 0.46 0.53 2.50 1.37 16.15 

1888-89 •.. 0.21 1.89 1. 95 2.12 1.38 1.62 1.58 T. 0.09 0.09 2.65 0.20 13.78 I 

1889-90 ... 3.37 0.74 T. 0.51 0. 78 0.23 0.03 0.59 o.oo· T. 4.97 4.06 15.28 

1890-91. •. 1.74 1.60 0.61 2.45 0.69 2.18 0.65 0.00 1.38 T. 0.28 1.00 12.58 

1891-!}2 ... 0.61 0.00 0.00 1.26 0.81 3.36 1.62 0.41 0.00 0.50 1.12 2.65 12.34: 

1892-93 ... 0.00 1.80 0.30 0.60 0.40 0.80 2.70 0.00 0.30 0.00 3.69 3.41 14.00 

1893-94 ... 1.00 0.04 0.07 0.25 0.65 ~.55 1.07 0.01 T. T. 1.07 4.80 11.57 

1894:-95 ..• 1.06 .............. ................. .............. .............. -............. .. ............ .. ............. ... ............ ... .............. .............. ---·-- .. ........ -..... -- --------------------------- Mean .. 1.26 0.59 0.66 1.25 1.04 1.81 1.28 0.19 0.30 0.61 3.08 3.95 16.02 ~ 

Record of precipitation at Wilcox, Cochise County. 

[Latitude 32° 20', longitude 109° 42'; elevation, 4,164 feet. Authority, Weather Bureau.] 

~Sept Oct. Nov. Dec.IJan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. I Aug. 

1880-81. ........ 0.04 0.00 0.40 0.02 0.00 2.95 T 0.00 [0.00] 3.97 5.17 

§ ; 1881-82 ... 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 [0.50] 1.15 I 1882-83 ... 1.56 0.00 0.58 0.32 1.25 0.31 

1883-84 ... 0.04 0.30 0.36 0.99 0.80 1.61 

1884-85 ... 0.14 3.59 0.25 3.49 o.o5 0.63 I 1885-86 .•. 1.11 0.00 0.56 0.19 [3.00] [1. 00] 

I 1886-87 ••. 1.68 0.36 0.58 0.08 T. 1.83 

1887-88 ... 2.96 0.45 0.22 0.92 0.36 1.21 

1888-89 ... 0.50 1.15 1.86 1.37 1.31 0.90 

1889-90 ... 2.91 0.83 T. 0.62 1.61 0.35 

1890-91 ... 1.97 0.54 0.43 0.72 0.54 2.45 

1891-92 ••• 0.22 0.00 0.00 0.85 ().flO 1.45 

1892-93 ... 0.32 0.00 0.00 0.17 u.oo 0.10 

18934L. 0.93 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.50 1.37 

1894-95 ... 0.27 0.78 0.00 0.67 0.11 0.00 

1895-96 ... 0.11 0.08 1.59 0.40 0.27 1.03 

---~ -------- Mean .. 0.98 0.51 0.40 0. 70 0.65 0.96 

0.00 0.00 0.00 

0.41 0.00 0.33 

1. 75 0.00 0.00 

1.52 0.03 [0.20] 

0.15 0.01 0.00 

0.00 0.03 0.48 

1.13 0.03 0.14 

1.03 0.04 0.00 

0.22 0.63 0.00 

0.26 0.00 0.87 

0.84 0.25 1.02 

0. 79 0.00 ().59 

0.77 0.00 0.00 

0.00 0.00 0. 77 

0.05 0.00 0.00 

----·-- 0. 74 0.06 0.27 

[0. 9()] 

0.03 

0.04 

0.34: 

T. 

0.47 

0.08 

0.13 

0.14 

0.07 

2.00 

0.00 

0.00 

0.00 

0.00 

--

0.26 

0.11 

1.56 

1.17 

1. 78 

0.37 

3.82 

3.68 

4.91 

2.64 

T. 

0.97 

J.. 74 

0.00 

1.92 

1.46 

--

1.88 

3.46 

3.15 

1.54 

2.10 

2.14 

5.31 

0.42 

0.97 

5.20 

2.10 

0.94 

1.03 

1.52 

3.06 

1. 77 

--

2 .. 49 

6.22 

9.50 

8.60 

14.12 

8.53 

14.64 

11.60 

14:.20 

15.15 

9.95 

8.59 

4.65 

5.00 
26 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. (N0.2~ 

Record of precipitation at Fort Grant, Graham County. 

[Latitude 32°. 36', longitude 109° 53'; elevation, 4:,860 feet. Authority, Weather Bureau.] 

~ Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July; Aug. Total. ~ --------

~ ------ -····· ------ 0.00 0.10 1.00 0.00 0.50 1.40 1. 70 5.20 9.00 ' 

1873-74 .•• 2.50 0.4:6 3.38 1. 75 1.58 2.87 2.4:5 0.58 0.07 0.00 2.70 2.01 20.35 

1874:-75 ... 0.00 1.4:7 0.30 3.78 2.4:8 1.4:4: 1.95 1.52 0.00 0.50 7.02 1.08 21.54: 

1875-76 ... 4:.59 0.01 0.20' 0.12 0.26 0.24: 0.4:4: 0.65 5.27 7.4:1 l .............. ................. --------- 1876-77 ... 1.99 2.86 1.00 [1.42] 0.17 1.50 0.30 0.42 0.66 0.00 0.94: 0.60 11.86 • 

~ 1877-78 ... 2.138 0.50 0.00 2.16 0.23 0.50 0.37 0.18 0.00 0.32 6.4:4: 4.93 18.51 

1878-79 ... 0.20 0.00 1.00 1.39 1.38 0.4:7 0.85 0.07 0.00 0.08 2.59 1.12 10.05 

1879-80 ... 2.18 1.83 0.87 1.38 0.60 0.4:8 0.8.5 0.08 0.00 1.32 5.63 3.73 18.95 

1880-SL .. 1.01 0.4:7 0.00 1.57 0.05 0.33 0.89 0.84: 0.26 T. 5.53 5.4:7 16.42 

1881-82 ... 3.84: 1.02 0.08 0.65 0.86 1.26 1.84: 0.07 0.81 1.47 2.62 4.73 19.25 ~ 1882-83 ... 0.80 0.00 0.79 0.17 1.21 1.4:0 1.27 0.03 1.16 1.26 2.90 3.07 14.06 i 

1883-84: ... 0.42 1.21 0.11 1.4:4: 1.12 4:.62 3.87 0.47 0.81 1.20 0.67 2.4:1 18.35 ' 1884:-85 ... 0.98 3.06 0.53 5.93 0.31 1.02 1.40 0.04 0.25 0.73 0.93 1.58 16.76 

1885-86 ... 0.81 0.03 1.30 0.81 2.4:6 1.29 0.53 0.30 0.04 0.57 2.'1'9 3.40 14:.33 

1886-87 ... 3.4:9 0.57 0.10 0.09 0.11 2.58 T. 0.36 0.16 0.85 9.00 6.20 23.51 

1887-88 ... 4.20 0.37 0.28 0.21 0.12 0.4:4: 0.83 0.50 0.18 0.02 4.27 0.52 11.94: 

1888-89 ... 0.78 1.19 3.67 1.68 1.99 1.28 1.04 0.13 T. 1.06 3.57 1.35 17.74 i 

1889-90 ... 0.69 0.94: 0.16 1.11 1.58 0.4:6 0.4:6 0.92 0.01 0.20 3.23 I t.M .H.30 

1890-91 ... 0.69 1.62 0.16 2.01 0.82 3.78 0.28 0.00 1.40 0.10 1.19 2.25 14.30 

1891-92 ... 1.21 0.00 0.00 1.18 0.96 1.59 1.66 0.64: 0.35 0.00 0.86 1.00 9.4:5 : 1892-93 ... 0.11 0.4:6 0.12 0.15 0.56 0.59 1.26 0.00 0.58 0.00 4:.24: 2.00 10.07 

1893-94: ... 3.87 T, 0.40 0.35 0.38 3.43 0.66 0.13 0.37 0.00 2.55 1.98 14:.12 

1894:-95 ... 0.14: 1.10 0.00 2.79 1.65 0.37 0.02 0.07 0.30 0.14: 1.09 4:.02 11.69 

1895-96 ... 1.69 1.21 2.05 0.61 0.29 0.50 0.34 0.26 0.00 0.90 1.88 2.68 12.41 --------------------------- Mean .. 1. 70 0.89 0. 76 1.42 0.88 1.36 1.02 0.33 0.34 o.sa 3.32 3.05 15.45 

Record of precipitation at Fort Thomas, Graham County. 

[Latitude 33° 04', lonl;itude 100° 51'; elevation, 2,700 feet. Authority, United States Hospita.) 

Service and Weather Bureau.] 

I 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. 

---------- 1879-80 ..• ------ ............ ------ ------ ------ .............. 1880-81... 0.55 0.18 0.03 1.27 0.03 0.13 

1881-82 ... 1.55 0.40 0.32 0.40 0.33 1.01 

1882-83 ... 0.28 0.00 0.77 0.4:6 1.23 1.54: 

1883-84 ... T. 0.52 0.00 1.07 0.4:5 2.94: 

1884:-85 •.. 0.91 0.69 0.56 5.16 0.03 1.00 

1885-86 ••. 0.02 0.01 0.38 0.71 2.16 1.40 

1886-87 .•. 1.18 1.12 0.16 0.04 0.09 0.84: 

1887-88 •.. 3.87 0.28 0.52 1.05 0.65 1.06 

1888-89 ... 0.55 2.80 1. 72 1.66 1.4:7 1.35 

1889-00 ••. 0.38 0.26 0.34 1.18 1.92 0.4:9 

1890-91... 0.75 1.30 0.69 0.99 0.72 2.98 ------------ Mean .. 0.91 0.69 0.50 1.27 0.83 1.34 

Mar. Apr. May. June. 

--------

----·- 0.06 0.00 0.55 

1.21 0.63 0.07 0.00 

0.70 0.02 0.47 1.26 

1.33 0.00 0.79 0.00 

3.21 0.72 0.60 0.52 

0.75 0.14: 0.09 0.18 

0.4:4: 0.24: 0.00 0.00 

0.00 0.31 2.73 0.35 

1. 78 O.a7 0.23 0.00 

0.96 0.10 0.00 T. 

0.45 1.21 0.00 T. 

0.40 0.00 1.61 0.18 -------- 1.02 0.32 0.55, 0.25 

July. 

--

0.87 

4:.18 

0.88 

1.85 

0.36 

2.93 

0.10 

3.78 

1.88 

3.4:5 

2.02 

.............. 

Aug. 

--

2.4:9 § ---- 2.4:9 

2.4:8 

2.52 

2.04 

2.4:6 

4:.02 

2.53 

0.64: 

1.40 

4.11 

...... ......... 

10.77 

9.82 j 

10.77 

12.43 

14:.00 

9.4:8 

13.13 ' 

12.33 

15.46 

2.0312.47 8

12.36 

-- . 

' 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 27 

Record of precipitation at San Carlos, Gila County. 

(Latitude l*J0 12', longitude 110° 27'; elevation, 3,456 feet. Authority, Weather Bureau.] 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. 

-------------------- 1880-SL __ .............. ............ ... .............. ... ........... ------ ............. .. ............ .. ........... ------ 0.00 4.13 

1881-82 ___ 1.94 0.93 0.00 0.52 1.24 0.93 0.55 0.00 0.71 1.09 1.98 

1882-83 __ . 0.58 0.00 1.58 0.66 1.60 2.07 0. 71 0.00 0.53 0.00 2.48 

1883--84_-- 0.11 1.13 0.00 2.47 1.00 3.83 3.97 0.84 0.32 0.49 0.37 

1884--85_-- 0.83 1.49 0.55 5.48 0.05 1.39 1.28 0.03 0.22 0.47 1.25 

1885-86. __ 0.34 0.34 0. 70 0.90 2.88 1.29 0.82 0.14 0.00 0.00 0.03 

1886-87 ___ 0.87 0.46 0.46 0.00 T. 1.12 0.00 0.23 0.00 0.31 2.49 

1887-88_ -- 0.88 0.08 (0.50] 1.45 0.52 1.03 1.93 0.00 0.10 0.00 2.10 

1888-89 ___ 0.63 1. 73 1. 76 2.84 1.62 1.33 2.15 0.25 0.00 T. 1.83 

1889-90 ___ 2.05 0.60 0.40 2.30 2.11 1.66 1.03 1.31 0.00 0.00 2.25 

1890-91 ___ 0.89 1.22 2.12 2.63 0.75 5.25 0.47 0.00 0.77 0.00 0.57 

1891-92 ___ 0.75 0.00 0.00 1.44 1.80 3.51 1.22 1.03 0.08 0.00 1.30 

1892-93 ___ 0.00 0.65 0.34 0.22 0.50 0.55 2.96 0.00 0.67 0.00 0.80 

1893-94 ___ 2.56 0.00 0.34 0.37 0.63 1.37 1.14 0.11 0.31 0.00 0.81 

1894-95 ___ 0.09 1.05 0.00 2.58 2.16 0.45 0.18 0.00 0.04 0.05 0.32 

1895-96 ___ 1.94 3.01 3.42 0.45 0.43 0.04 0.50 T. 0.00 T. 3.78 ---------------------- Mean __ 0.96 0.85 0.82 1.62 1.15 1. 72 1.26 0.26 0.25 0.15 1.66 

Record of precipitation at Benson, Cochise County. 

Aug. 

--

5.93 

6.05 

1.11 

1.24 

1.22 

3.49 

1.56 

0.40 

0.87 

3.41 

1.00 

1.90 

3.78 

2.06 

2.39 

0.88. 

--

2.33 

_:::.1 

16.00 

11.32 

15.77 

14.26 

10.93 

7.56 

8.99 

15.01 

17.12 

15.67 

13.03 

10.47 I 

9. 70 

·: I 

[Latitude 32° 00', longitude 110° 22'; elevation, 3,580 feet. Authority, Pacific Railway System.] 

• 

Year. Sept.! Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. :May. June. July. Aug. ToW. I 

1880-SL_ (0. 71] 0.00 0.00 [1.50] 0.00 0.00 0.75 0.00 0.00 0.02 2.17 4.33 9.48 

1881-82 ___ 0.99 0.34 0.00 0.00 0.40 1.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.86 2.00 3.58 9.37 

1882-83 ___ 0.65 0.00 0.80 0.15 0.65 0.63 2.08 0.00 0.42 0.16 2.97 2.78 11.29 

1883-84, ___ 0.10 0.21 0.07 0.50 0.20 0.63 1.20 T. 0.00 0.00 o. 70 0.27 3.88 

1884-85 ___ 0.30 2.89 T. 2.50 0.05 0.95 0.07 0.00 0.00 0. 75 0.58 1.44 9.53 

1885-86 ___ 0.14 0.00 0.09 0.17 0. 79 0.67 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.44 2.68 6.00 

1886-87 ___ 0.17 0.25 0.00 0.19 0.00 0.34 0.00 T. 0.08 0.00 1.49 2.39 4.~1 

1887-88 ___ 2.92 0.45 0.37 0.15 0.04 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.37 0.00 2.44 1.66 8. 70 

1888-89 ___ 0.05 0.84 1.11 1.03 0.93 0.07 0.63 0.00 0.00 0.63 2.16 0.94 8.39 

1889-90 ___ 1.04 0.05 0.00 1.33 1.94 0.00 0.00 0.23 0.00 0.52 [2.50] 4.81 12.42 

1890-91_ __ 1.44 0.41 0.50 1.48 0.38 1.31 0.15 0.00 [0.00] [0.25] 1.19 1.81 8.92 

1891-92 __ , 0.34 0.00 0.00 0.38 0.40 1.30 0.40 0.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.07 3.31 

1892-93 ___ 0.03 0.00 0.00 [0.63] 0.00 0.00 [0.92] 0.00 0.76 0.00 2.88 3.03 8.25 

1893-94 ___ 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 T. 1.50 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.10 1.65 2.03 5.80 

1894-95 ___ 0.95 0.00 0,00 0.74 0.00 0.00 [0.47] 0.00 1.00 0.00 0.13 1.20 4.49 

____ 1 ... 0.00 0.00 0-00 0.10 0-00 0-12 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 o .... B --------------------------- Mean_- 0. 71 0. 34 0.18 0. 63. 0. 36 0. 54 0. 47 0. ()( 0.16 0. 21 1. 68 2.10 7. 42 
IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

Record of precipitation at Tucson, Pima· County. 

[Latitude 320 14', longitude 1100 54'; elevation, 2,404 feet. Authority; Pt.cif:ic Bail way System and 

E. L. Wetmore.] 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. [Feb. Mar. Apr. May. J\lne. July.' Aug. Total. I ---- 1875-76 ___ ___ ,._ .. ............ 0.18 0.82 0.37 0.25 1.22 0.00 0.00 0.29 3.71 4.19 --------- 1876-77 ___ 2.28 0.96 0.75 0.00 0.19 2.53 0.20 0.57 0.41 o.oo 3.04: 0.02 10.95 

1877-78 ... 2.44 0.46 0.00 2.91 0.22 1.00 1. 77 0.52 0.00 0.65 5.72 4.71 20.40 

1878-79 ___ 0.08 0.00 1.31 0.68 2.02 0.94 0.83 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.84 1.76 8.49 

187"9-80--- 0.74 0.94 0.60 3.31 0.56 0.15 0.41 0.04: 0.00 T. 1.62 1.28 9.65 

1880-81 ... 1.89 0.00 0.00 0.57 0.05 0.25 1.17 0.62 0.04 o.oo 5.69 3.92 14:.29 

1881-82 ... 2.37 0.62 0.00 0.19 1. 75 1.64: 0.72 0.05 0.01 0.99 2.63 6.32 17.29 

1882-83 ___ 0.32 0.00 1.12 0.04: 1.27 0.51 1.14: T. 0.35 0.08 2.20 1.40 8.4:3 

1883-84 ... 0.10 0.65 0.02 0.06 0.83 2.59 1.91 0.17 0.23 0.23 0.32 1.15 8.26 

1884:-85.-- 0.30 2.24: 0. 34: 4:.72 0.00 0.4:2 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.13 1.00 1. 76 11.31 

1885-86 ... 0.12 0.00 0.4:2 1.01 1.61 0.36 0.87 0.06 0.00 0.00 1.06 2.47 7.98 

1886-87 ... [1.00] 0.31 0.45 0.40 0.00 0.85 0.00 0.38 0.32 0.26 5.08 1.25 10.30 

1887-88 ___ 2.08 1.72 0.74 0.27 0.73 0.57 1.03 T. 0.32 0.55 1.58 0.92 10.51 

1888-89 ... ().10 0.78 2.06 1.96 1. 74 1.06 1.98 0.18 T. 0.30 5.00 2.06 17.88 

1889-90 ... 3.12 0.36 0.32 1.59 1.27 0.76 0.29 0.10 0.00 0.00 2.37 5.13 15.31 

1800-91. .. 1.44 0.65 0.83 1.32 0.12 2.08 0.17 0.00 0.18 0.22 0.70 2.26 9.97 

1891-92 ... 0.65 0.00 0.00 0.23 1.66 2.54 1.01 0.26 0.36 0.21 2.19 1.84 10.95 

1892-93 ___ 0.61 0.32 0.00 0.25 0.27 0.88 1.16 T. 1.09 0.00 2. 44: 5.65 12.67 

1893-94:. -- 0.96 T. 0.40 0.41 0.11 1.04: 1.17 T. 0.05 T. 1.60 1.01 6.75 

1894:-95.-- 0.12 0.31 0.00 1.88 0.56 T. 0.00 T. 0.09 0.02 0.11 5.35 8.44 

1895-96 ___ 0.75 0.68 4.30 0.08 0.53 0.10 0.27 0.12 T. {J-19 3.45 1.25 11.72 

---------------- -------

Mean .. 1.07 0.55 0.66 1.08 0.76 0.98 0.84 0.15 0.16 0.20 2.52 2.65 11.62 

Record of precipitation at Casa Grande, Pinal County. 

[Latitude 32° 54:', longitude 111° 4:0'; elevation, 1,398 feet. Authority, Pacific Railway System.] 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Total. 

-------------------------

1880-81. .• [0. 45] 0.05 0.00 [1.00) 0.00 0.00 [1. 00] 0.73 0.00 0.00 0.00 T. 3.23 

1881-82 ___ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 [2.00] [0.80] 0.00 0.00 0.00 [0.10] 0.00 0.00 2.00 

1882-83 ... 0.00 0.00 [0.35] 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.24 0.00 [1.00] 0.81 2.4:0 

1883-84 ... 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.86 0.75 [1.00] 1.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.37 6.16 

1884-85 ___ 0.00 1.31 0.00 3.20 Q.OO 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.75 0.64: 6.30 

1885-86 •.. 0.00 0.00 0.23 0.00 0.90 [1.25] 0.74 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.83 1.4:6 5.00 

1886-87 •.. 0.00 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.00 0. 4:0 0.00 ().30 0.20 0.40 1.07 0.97 3.69 

1887-88 .•. 1.99 0.95 1.28 0.15 0.61 0.00 0.45 0.00 [0.10] 0.00 0.28 0.00 5.81 

1888-89 .•. 0.41 [1. 00] 0.70 0.75 [1. 00] 0.00 0.50 0.10 0.00 o.oo 0.00 0.00 4.4:6 

1889-90 .•• 0.50 0.80 0.10 1.25 0.30 0.61 0.41 0.88 0.00 0.00 1.38 3.41 9.14: 

1890-91. •• 0.96 0.38 2.00 0.87 0.65 1.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.90 0.00 7.66 

1891-92 .•• 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.17 3.25 2.35 0.65 0.00 0.34: 0.00 0.23 0.64: 7.63 

1892-93 .•. 0.00 0.15 0.00 1.14 0.06 . 0.00 1.87 0.00 0.07 0.00 1.72 0.95 5.96 

1893-9L. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.10 0.62 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.67 0.81 2.52 

1894:-95.-- 0.89 0.13 0.00 2.53 0.45 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.35 1.30 5.65 

1895-00 ••. 2.00 1.60 0.60 ............. 0.65 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 .. -.. ·-~ 0.88 ....................... --------------------------- Mean .. 0.45 0.40 0.35 0.81 0.66 0.54 0.47 0.10 0.06 0.03 0.58 0.89 5.34: 
D.A.VIS.] GILA BASIN. 

Record of pre.cipitation at Maricopa, Pinal County. 

[Latitude 33° 05', longitude112o 00'; elevation, 1,100 feet. Authority, PacificRailwa.ySystem and 

Weather Bureau.] 

I Year::_ Sep~' Oe~ Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. Jli'ay.June. July. Aug. Total- I 

1875-76 ... ------------ 0.00 0.00 0.72 0.27 0.39 0.00 0.00 0.45 0.44 1.09 ---------

187(}..77- -- 0.00 0.10 0.41 0.00 0.08 1.57 0.30 0.03 0.41 0.00 1.26 0.00 4.16 

1877-78 ... 1.07 0.00 0.01 1.54 0.00 1.01 ............ ------ ------ ............. ------ .............. .............. --

1878-79 •.. ............... ............ .............. ............... ------ ------ .............. ... ............ ------ 0.00 0.10 1.81 -.............. --

1879-80 ___ 0.38 0.04 0.85 0.80 1.45 0.16 0.00 0.75 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.43 

1880-81 •.. 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.88 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.47 3.35 

1881-82 ... 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 T. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.38 0.88 

1882--83 ... 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.34 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.50 3.57 5.41 

1883-84 ... 0.30 0.00 0.00 1.96 0.38 0. 74 2.83 0.51 0.01 0.32 0.53 0.86 .. 8.44 

1884-85 •.. 1.10 1.51 0.20 2.97 0.00 0.45 0.15 0.00 0.18 0.04 0.48 0.92 8.00 

1885-86 •.. T. 0.00 0.56 0.19 1.32 1.65 1. 71 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.16 0.08 5. 73 

188t}-87--- 0.06 0.76 0.21 0.11 0.00 0.17 T. 0.51 0.31 0.03 0.43 Q.50 3.09 

1887-88 •.. 1.00 0.28 1.13 0.00 0.00 0.12 0.48 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.80 0.22 4.03 

1888-89 ... 0.35 0.52 0. 75 0.70 0.85 0.15 1.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.55 0.00 5.96 

18,89-00--- 0.00 1.20 0.83 3.00 0.00 0.22 1.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 4.29 11.56 

1890-91 ... 0.15 0.07 0.31 2.47 0.02 2.33 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.13 0.39 5.88 

1891-92 •.. 0.13 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.55 2.44 0.50 0.40 0.14 0.00 0.62 0.25 6.03 

1892-93 ... 0.15 0.00 0 .. 00 0.00 1.26 0.00 1.14 0.00 0.64 0.00 0.68 0.50 4.37 

1893-94 ... 2.08 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.32 0.12 0.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.38 1.96. 5.66 

1894-95 ... 0.35 0.50 0.00 2.44 0.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.93 0.85 5.68 

1895-96. _ _ 1.10 1.10 ~. 48 .0. 00 0. 68 0. 00 0. 22 0. 00 0. 00 0. 03 1.18 0. 27 6. 06 r --------------------------- Mean .• 0.53 1.01 0.35 0.83 0.52 0.57 0.60 0.12 0.81 0.04 0.46 1.01 6.85 I 

Record of precipitation at Texas Hill, Yuma County. 

[Latitude 32° 44', longitude 113° 38'; elevation, 355 feet. Authority, Pacific Railway System.] 

Year. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July Aug. Total. I 

1879-80 ... 0.05 0.55 0.43 0.47 0.23 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1. 79 

1880-8L •. 0.35 0.00 0.00 0.34 0.00 0.00 0.24 0.56 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.24 1. 76 

1881-82 ••• 0.12 2.50 0.00 0.18 1.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.53 5.20 

1882-83 ••• [0.00] 0.05 0.12 0.00 0.19 0.14 0.20 0.03 0.00 0.00 0.68 0.70 2.11 

1883-84 .•• 0.00 0.09 [0.00] 1.05 0.22 1.21 1. 75 0.28 0.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.88 

1884:-85.-- 0.02 0.00 0.00 1.26 0.00 0.04 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.25 3.59 

1885-86 ••• 0.00 0.00 0.32 0.00 0.93 1.15 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.00 T. 0.95 3.55 

1886-87 ... 0.00 1.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 T. 0.00 0.00 T. T. 1.51 

1887-88 ... 2.89 0.00 1.40 0.05 0.25 0.00 0.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.00 5.30 

1888-89 ... [0.30] 1.94 [0.50] 1.29 2.65 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 T. 0.00 6.80 

ISSe-00 ... 0.00 0.10 0.05 0.62 0.00 0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 [0.50] 

·--~~..1 1890-91... 0.10 0.03 0.10 1.28 0.00 2.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.11 0.65 

181U-92 ••. 0.20 0.00 0.00 [0.05] 1.64 ............. ------ ............ 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 

1892-93 •.. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 [1. 50] 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40 0.00 1.00 1 

1893-94 ... 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 .............. ................ ............... ------ .. --........... -- -~ 

... "'i ___ 

I 

1894-95 .•. 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 

···::··1 1895-96 •. - 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.75 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.15 1.20 ---~ 

Mean •. 0.25 0.42 0.18 0.41 0.50 0.36 0.35 0.08 0.02 0.00 0.16 0.43 
30 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<E~IX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

Record of precipitation at Yuma, Yuma County. 

[Latitude 32° 44', longitude 114° 36'; elevation, 141 feet. Authority, Weather Bureau.] E &pt. Oct. Nov. Dec. I Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. \) To"'L I --- ----

1875-.6 ... [0.17] T. 0.00 0.00 0.44 0.46 0.04 0.00 0.00 Q.OO D-.M 6. fJ8' 1.11 

1876-77 ... 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.09 1.72 0.00 0.00 Q;.Oil Cl-.09 0.50 0.06 2.48 

1877-78 ... T. 0.00 0.00 1.23 0.00 0.06 G.:GJ. 0..02 0.00 o.oo 0.55 1.59 3.58 

1878-79 ... 0.37 0.00 0.02 0.14 0.39 1.~ <JA8 0.15· 0.00 o.oo 0.00 0.00 2.96 

1879-80 ... 0.11 0.33 0.15 o.r T. T. 0.00 T. 0.00 o.oo T. T. 0.86 

1880-SL .. T. T. 0.00 0.74 0.00 0.00 T. 0.55 0.00 T. 0.20 0.08 1.57 

1881-82 ... 0.05 T. 0.00 0.10 1.35 0.01 0.00 o,oo 0.00 0.05 0.20 0.03 1. 79 

1882-83 .•. 0.04 0.01 0.09 0.00 0.96 0.68 T. T. 0.00 0.00 0.31 0.22 2.31 

1883--& ... 0.13 0.05 0.00 [1. 61] T. 1.58 1.48 0.07 0.44 T. 0.01 0.32 5.69 

1884-85 ... T. T: T. 1.96 T. 0.02 T. 0.07 T. 0.00 0.05 0.86 2.96 

1885-86 •. -- 0.00 0.00 1. 71 0.01 1.06 0.08 0.33 0.31 0.00 0.00 T. 2.23 5.73 

1886-87 ... 0.00 1.11 0.23 0.00 0.00 T. 0.00 0.20 T. 0.(;1 T. T. 1.55 

1887-88 ... 1.09 0.02 2.48 0.15 0.18 0.05 0.05 T. 0.00 0.00 0.04 T. 4.01 

1888-89 .•. 0.01 0.99 0.68 0.95 1.12 0.06 0.24 0.00 0.00 T. T. 0.25 4.30 

1889-90 ... 0.00 0.59 T. 2.48 T. 0.86 T. 0.37 0.43 0.00 0.00 0.67 5.35 

1890-91. .. 0.64 ................ ................ ------ 0.00 2.53 T. 0.00 T. 0.00 0.04 0.05 -----4 ..... 1891-92 ... T. 0.00 0.00 0.05 1.85 0.87 0.52 T. 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.02 3.36 

1892-93 ... 0.04 0.00 0.00 T. T. [0.57] 1.53 0.00 0.31 0.00 0.40 0.42 3.27 

1893-94 ... 0.30 0.00 0.30 0.11 0.00 T. 0.74 0.00 T. 0.00 0.36 0.10 1.91 

1894-95 ... 0.51 0.84 0.00 0.40 0.77 .............. --.......... ................ .............. ... -. ........ ------ ... ............. --------- --------------------------- Mean .. 0.17 0.21 0.30 0.53 0.42 0.57 0.29 0.09 0.07 .............. 0.14 0.36 3.15 

Miscellaneous rainfall observations in Arizona, 18.96. 

Station•. ~'i\~~~ Jan. Fe b. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. &pt. Oct. Nov. Dec. I Total. 

Buttes.1 1, 600 0. 66 0.16 0. 77 0.12 0. 00 0. 00 3.10 0. 90 1. 69 1. 27 0. 67 1. 09 10.48 

Pinal .. j2,550 ______ ••.... 0.20 0.00 0.00 2.13 1.19 0.90 3.28 1.22 1.27 ---~----

~r::~~2,050 ______ _ _____ 

1 

______ 0.00 

1 

0.06 2.67

1

1.58 1.68 3.16 1.21

1 

0.91 ______ __ 

King. 3, 650 2. 25 0. 35 {). 00 0.10 0. 00 0. 00 4. 7 4 3. 03 2.' 73 3. 66 3. 40 0. 90 21.16 I 

·'_'·4···.·

·~----;: 

·~· 
li. s. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. II 

IRRIGATED VINEYARD NEAR PHCLNIX. ARIZONA. 
DAVIS.) GILA BASIN. 31 

WIND. 

The amount and violence of the wind movement is of considerable 

importance in a climate such as that of Arizona, on account of its 

·~ffect not only upon the vegetation but also to a certain degree upon the· 

comfort of the inhabitants. A considerable amount of wind is not 

·Only injurious to fruit trees, but, by continually keeping the dust in 

motion in such an excessively dry country, renders outdoor life 

-extremely annoying to persons who from lung or throat troubles seek 

refuge in an arid climate. Fortunately, as indicated by the records 

.and shown by common experience, the wind movement in the Salt and 

Gila valleys is relatively. small, so that the orchards are rarely injured 

.and the amount of dust in the air is not often noticeable. With every 

advantage of this kind there may be a small loss, and in this case the 

principal drawback is in the fact that windmills can not be used to as 

great advantage in pumping water as out upon the Great Plains, 

where the wind has a sweep found nowhere else and prevails through-

-out the year. 

Wind movements have been carefully recorded at a number of places 

within the Territory, the principal of these within or near the Gila 

Basin being Fort Apache, Fort Grant, Phrenix, Prescott, and Yuma. 

'The record at Phrenix from 1879 to 1881 gives an average hourly wind 

movement of only 2.4 miles. This small amount is accounted for by 

-the fact that the anemometer was exposed only 19 feet above the 

ground. As stated by the Chief of the Weather Bure;tu, in August, 

1895, when the station was reestablished, the anemometer was placed 

.{)7 feet above the ground, giving considerable higher velocities, the 

monthly averages being about 5 miles per hour, or more than twice 

-those previously obtained. The averages for Fort Apache were 6.4 

miles per hour, for Fort Grant 6. 8, for Prescott 6. 9, and for Yuma 6.1, 

.all of these being low in consideration of windmill efficiency. 

The distribution of wind through the day is very clearly marked. 

:Beginning at about 10 o'clock in· the morning, the wind usually 

increases from about 3 miles per hour up to from 8 to 12 miles per 

hour at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. At sundown it decreases, dropping off rapidly until midnight, and slowly decreasing in force until 

.about the middle of the forenoon of the next day. Thus, as a rule, 

nearly all of the effective wind movement occurs within six hours in 

the afternoon, or from about 1 or 2 o'clock until about sundown. 

'The distribution of wind through the year is comparatively uniform, 

the greatest amount being in the spring months, the strength decreasing notably during September and October. By erecting tall windmills in well-exposed localities it may be practicable to utilize these 

-to a notable extent in pumping water for irrigation, but to att,ain 

·success these must be proportioned to the prevailing strength of the 

-wind and to the work to be done. Even if these operate during only 
32 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.Z. 

one-fourth of the day, it may be possible, byproviding suitable small 

. ponds or earthen tanks, to hold sufficient water for the irrigation of 

gardens and a small area of forage plants. 

PRODUCTS. 

It need hardly be stated that on the deep alluvial soil of the valleys. 

in such a climate as that described the gTowth of nearly all kinds of 

vegetation is luxuriant if only sufficient water be applied. All warm. 

temperate and many semitropic products flourish here, and most of 

them produce in an abundance indicated by the favorable climate .. 

The principal crops now grown are alfalfa, wheat, and barley, with. 

more or less of peaches, grapes, apricots, oranges, and other fruits,. 

and a variety of vegetables. 

Gila Valley aspires to competition with California in the citrus fruit. 

market, and a number of thriving orange groves indicate that in certain localities the climate and soil are favorable to success. Although 

there have been many failures, mainly from frost, it should be remem-· 

bered that this has been the case in every citrus region at first, and 

that even in California only occasional spots and strips are sufficiently 

free from frost and other foes of the citrus family to be profitably 

devoted to this branch of fruit culture. Past experience seems to. 

indicate that, as in California, there are exceptional thermal belts. 

sufficiently exempt from frost to permit profitable growth of oranges 

and lemons, but such belts can be located only by observation and 

experience, and their discovery is often preceded by failures due to. 

ignorance or disregard of the true conditions. 

There are two respects in which Arizona· seems to enjoy a decided 

advantage over California in the production of citrus fruits: First, theextreme heat and aridity of the climate are claimed to be unfavorableto the development and spread . of such enemies of citrus growth as. 

the scale bug (Aspid,iotus perniciosus) in its several yarieties; second, 

oranges, as well as some deeiduo~s fruits, mature from two to fourweeks earlier tl1an in most parts of California, and they thus secure the, 

advantage of an early market, which is always the best. The lemons. 

produced in this valley are beautiful in appearance, of large size, and 

of excellent flavor. It would appear that this valley is under a disadvantage owing to the inconvenience or expense of curing lemons~ 

which process requires the steady maintenance of a low temperature. 

The great distance from any ~ufficiently cool climate and the expense 

of maintaining local refrigeration seem to stand in the way. Claims. 

are made that the Arizona product does not require curing as in otherlemon-growing regions, but this claim seems not yet to be well established. Undoubtedly, however, though lemon culture will besom(-· 

what more restricted than orange culture, it has .come to stay. The 

actual location and development of favorable localities along the lines 

mentioned will be slow, but enough is known to guarantee the fact. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SU RVEV WATER-SUPPLY PAPIOR NO. 2 PL. ill 

FIG TREE NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 33 

that if citrus culture continues as profitable as it has been in the past, 

Arizona will some day be one of the important competitors for a share 

of the citrus market. 

This valley appears to be preeminently the home of the grape. 

Table grapes of good quality and wine grapes yielding a very superior 

product may be grown here in abundance, as already proved by 

experience. Undoubtedly, also, the raisin industry will some day be 

important, and the hot, dry summers are favorable to the production 

of a superior article. In one respect, however, this valley is under a 

disadvantage as compared with southern California, in that it is more 

likely to receive sudden showers of rain during the curing season. 

Claims are also made of the superiority of this region for such products as figs, prunes, almonds, pomegranates, olives, and even dates. 

Undoubtedly figs and prunes can be successfully grown, and the experience obtained with almonds both in this and other localities seems to 

justify the claims made regarding this product, but most of the other 

fruits mentioned are still in the experimental stages. It is doubtful 

if dates can be profitably grown except in some favored and wellsheltered localities. Apples appear not to do well in a climate like. 

that of Arizona. Even those varieties which can be abundantly 

grown are inferior in quality and quickly decay. This fruit is better 

adapted to a colder climate. 'l'he same appears to be true in a less 

degree of pears. Most small fruits yield abundantly, and so far have 

been very profitable. 

The quantities of fruits and vegetables which have been exported 

from Arizona are inconsiderable. On the contrary, large quantities 

of some kinds are annually imported for consumption in the industries 

of mining and grazing. These two interests are the main sources of 

exportable products, and agriculture and horticulture, so far as developed, are devoted chiefly to satisfying their wants. Alfalfa may be 

taken as the staple agricultural product, and is largely utilized in the 

fattening of cattle grown on the ranges of the adjacent mountains and 

foothills. Large areas of this productive forage plant are used as 

pasture, while others are utilized for maturing hay. Barley is largely 

used as hay, and also furnishes the bulk of the grain fed to live stock 

in the valley. 

METHODS Q]j' APPLYING WATER. 

Alfalfa and the grains being the principal crops of this region, it 

may readily be inferred that the usual method of applying water in 

irrigation is by :flooding the ground, since these products lend themselves to this method most readily. This system, as is well known, is 

also susceptible of great wastefulness in its application, especially in 

an ultra-arid climate, since it wets the whole surface of the ground 

and gives full scope to evaporation, and is often followed by baking, 

which favors the rise of underground waters to the surface to evaporate. 

IRR 2--3 
34 IRRTG.A.TION NE.AR PHCENIX, .A.RIZON.A.. [No.2. 

In the irrigation of fruit trees and vines the furrow method is used, 

which, when properly employed, is an excellent method. Pl. VII 

shows the ground properly prepared for the furrow method of irrigation. The water is turned into each furrow at the upper edge of the 

field in just sufficient quantity to run freely down the furrow without 

erosion, and soaks gradually away downward and sidewise. As soon 

as it reaches the lower end of the furrow it is shut off at the upper 

end ; thus only a small percentage of the surface of the ground is wet, 

and the water reaches the roots of the trees at some distance below 

the surface. A light cultivator should follow irrigation, filling the 

furrows with loose earth and leaving the surface of the ground level 

and dry, so that the minimum of evaporation takes place and no saturated surface is exposed to bake in the hot sun. Unfortunately, 

however, the predominance of the flooding system seems to influence 

irrigation by means of furrows, and the water is often so lavishly and 

carelessly applied that the ground is almost flooded, and the water 

stands in pools and furrows until the field becomes an absolute bog, 

a condition which is not only most wasteful of water, but actually 

injurious to the irrigated corps, by shutting off the ventilation of the 

roots. It also interferes with cultivat.ion, causes the ground to bake, 

and allows the weeds to start. This is, however, by no means the 

universal practice, and many of the irrigators are approaching more 

and more nearly to ideal methods of irrigating. The Arizona Improve-
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. IV 

PALM AVENUE NEAR PHO::N IX, ARIZONA. 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 35 

ment Company is setting an excellent example in this respect, as are 

also some of the individual irrigators, and the neat appearance of the 

orchards might profitably be emulated by many a city park. 

WATER SUPPLY. 

In comparison with the size of the T~rritory and the importance of 

its· water resources, the hydrographic data are very meager. Some 

measurements of stream flow were made in 1889 and 1890 by the 

United States Irrigation Survey at a point about 14 miles above Florence, on the Gila River, known as The Buttes. Gaugings at this point 

were resumed in December, 1895, and are still being carried on, the 

JAN. rl:o MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT: OCT. NOV. 10 20 10 20 10 20 10 20 1020 10 20 10 20 1020 1020 10 20 

n 

Iii 

ii 

II 

II •j 

I 

!i 

oj 

m ~; 

I 

i 

i ' 

i 

i 

i 

~ i .~ 

.j ! 'i I I 

I· ! ! 

! I 

: \ ~\ "h I~ i ,, 

1\j\ fY ~~~ 1"'- ,y 

"""'"" 

II ......... _ telss J -

FIG. 3.-Daily discharge of Salt River at Arizona dam, 1888-1891. 

oe:c. 

10 20. 

:! 

-~ :: ~ :i 

,, 

., '• 

:• 

:; 

'I 

,, 

II 

'I 

'I 

:: i: 

II I I 

~I I 

I 

I. 

!'JN 

SECOND 

FEET. 

44,000 

40,000 

36,000 

32,000 

zapoo 

24.000 

20,000 

I 6..000 

12POO 

8,000 

4,000 

results being used also to estimate the discharge from gauge readings 

and soundings taken during the fall of 1895 by private pttrties. MeasurelllBnts have also been made by the United States Government of 

the discharge of Queen Creek, a small intermittent stream tributary 

to the Gila River. 

Approximate estimates of the discharge of Salt River were made 

by Mr. Samuel Davidson from data obtained by the Arizona CanaCompany at its dam a short distance below the junction of the Salt 

and Verde rivers. 

Measurements of discharge have been more recently made on Salt 

and Verde rivers by the Hudson Reservoir and Canal Company. Surface velocities were measured by means of floats, and eight-tenths of 

the result thus obtained was assumed as the mean velocity, and mul-
36 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

tiplied into the cross section determined by sounding, to obtain the 

discharge, the sum of the discharges of both being adopted as the flow 

of Salt River below the junction. The measurements were begun on 

February 4, 1895, and were continued through the year without interruption except on the four days from October 4 to 7, inclusive, on 

Verde River, which was during that time inaccessible. An estimate 

for those four days has been made from the highest watermark found 

at the gauge and from such other data as were available. Also, for the 

month of January, one of the most important flood months of the year, 

estimates have been prepared from the daily record taken at the Ari· 

zona dam, about a mile below the junction of the two rivers. It appear~ 

from all available data that Salt River furnishes a considerably larger 

proportion of water than Verde River, and the assumption has been 

made that 60 per cent of the January flow at the Arizona dam came 

from Salt River above the Verde. 
U. S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. V 

VIEW ON BARTLETT RANCH, NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 37 

The results of the computed discharges for each locality are given 

in the following tables: 

Estimated monthly discharge of Salt River at Arizona dam, Arizona. 

[Drainage area, 12,260 square miles.] 

Discharge. Run-off. 

Total 

:Month. for Per :Maxi· :Mini- :Mean. month. Depth. square mum. mum. . mile. 

---------------

1888. Second- Second- Second- Acre- Secondfeet. feet. feet. feet. Inches. feet. 

August .••••••.. ........ .,.e ........ .................... 3.1)() 21,525 0.03 0.028 

September •••.•• .................... ---------- 350 20,825 0.03 0.028 

October .....•... 350 300 331 20,356 0.03 0.027 

November •••.•• 5,760 425 842 50,099 0.08 0.068 

December •••••• 4.3,489 1,665 6,698 411,927 0.63 O.M.'i 

1889. 

January •••••.•. 24,953 1,665 5,947 365,740 0.56 0.48 

February ••••... 3,940 1,534 2,605 144,&77 0.22 0.22 

March •••.••••.• 33,794 3,563 8, 745 537,817 0.82 0.71 

April •••••••••.•• 5,559 2,496 3,975 236,512 0.36 0.32 

:May- ••.••••••••• 1,784 622 1,039 63,898 0.10 0.08 

June ••••••••.••. 615 356 470 27,965 0.04 0.04 

July ••••••••••••. 1,311 334 495 30,522 0.05 0.04 

August •••••••••• 755 389 417 25,645 0.04 0.03 

September •••.•• 1,172 389 521 31,000 0.05 0.04 

October ••••.•••• 704 319 440 27,060 0.04 0.04 

November •••.•. 629 532 576 34,272 0.05 0.05 

December •••.•• 25,371 557 5,686 349,689 0.53 0.46 

1890. 

January .••••••. 15,750 1,376 4,982 306,393 0.47 0.40 

February .••.••. 14.3,288 1,045 10,097 560,383 0.86 0.82 

March ...•••...• 17,228 2,566 6,421 394,891 0.60 0.52 

April •••.•••••.•• 2,077 1,369 1,840 109,480 0.17 0.15 

May----- •••• ---- 1,369 630 914 56,211 0.09 0.08 

June •••••••••••• 672 397 511 30,404 0.05 0.04 

July .••.••••••••. 872 397 524 32,226 0.05 0.04 

August ..•••.•.. 7, 734 1,114 3,885 238,927 0.37 0.32 

September •• ~--- 3,685 725 2,339 139,170 0.21 0.19 

October ••••.•.•• 7,465 753 2,768 160,232 0.25 0.23 

November ••••.• 30,504 766 4,717 280,661 0.4.3 0.38 

December ••.... 30,366 1,110 6,259 384,928 0.59 0.51 

1891. 

January ••••••.. 17,127 1,060 3,416 210,084 0.32 0.28 

February ••••••• 300,000 825 39,201 2,175,655 3.32 3.10 
as 

I 

35.000 

30,000 

25,000 

.. _.t .. •r 

15,000 

IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. 

Estimated discharge of Verde River above Salt River, Arizona. 

[Drainage area, 6,000 square miles.] 

Discharge. 

Total 

Month. for 

Maxi- Mini- Mean. month, mum. mum. 

---------

1895. Second- Second- Second- Acrefeet. feet. feet. feet. 

January ........ 33,000 527 4,037 248,225 

February .••...• 5,800 583 1,688 93,U7 

March---------- 8,400 1,887 3,720 228,734 

ApriL .•.•....... 2,800 280 750 44,628 

May------- •..... 429 127 258 15,864 

June ............ 180 129 153 9,104 

July------------- 275 116 145 8,916 

August ......... 1,426 185 359 22,074 

September __ .... 348 141 176 10,473 

October .... __ ... 3,912 197 475 29,207 

November------ 1,800 241 463 27,550 

Dec~mber ------ 881 345 ~I 24,042 

Total, year_ •.. 33,000 116 1,051 762,564 

------= --- 1896. 

January ........ 354 314 324 19,923 

February . _ ..... 352 278 154 8,852 

March --------·· 338 258 276 16,971 

ApriL .......... 237 206 220 13,090 

May ............. 206 138 172 10,576 

June ............ 137 1(11 117 6,962 

July ............. 3,380 98 864 53,127 

' 

Run 

Depth. 

---

Inches. 

o. 77 

0.29 

0.71 

0.14 

0.04 

0.03 

0.02 

0.07 

0.03 

0.09 

0.09 

0.08 

2.86 

---

0.06 

0.03 

0.06 

0.04 

0.03 

0.02 

0.16 

~ --;:-I 

square 

mile. 

Secondfeet. 

0.67 

0.28 

0.62 

0.13 

0.04 

0.00 

0.02 

0.06 

0.03 

0.08 

0.08 

0.07 

0.18 

0.05 

0.03 

0.05 

0.04 

FIG. 4.-Daily discharge of Rio Verde above Salt River, 1895. 

[N0.2· 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WAT ER-SU PPL Y PAPER NO. 2 PL. VI 

DRYING APRICOTS. 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 

Estirnated discharge of Salt River above mouth of Verde River, Arizona. 

[Drainage area, 6,260 ~quare miles.] 

Discharge. 

Month. 

Maxi- Mini· Mean. mum. mum. 

------

1895: Second- Seco'>td- Second· 

feet. feet. feet. 

January -------- 49,796 791 5, 733 

February------- 3,892 914 1,445 

March ---------- 3,340 1,319 1,829 

April ...... ------ 2,939 1,044 1,860 

May------------- 990 505 708 

June---"-------- 500 203 32.1) 

July------------- 896 145 204 

August--------- 1,516 226 584 

September ______ 684 201 329 

October--------- ~~I ~ 1,624 

November------ 9,620 380 1,376 

December ------ 2,055 513 888 

------ Total, year ____ 49,796 145 1,408 

---------

1896. 

January-------- 613 400 470 

February------- 612 414 476 

March ---------- 3,020 457 1,185 

ApriL _____ ------ 1,660 605 959 

May------------- 621 335 446 

June------------ 332 158 224 

July _____________ 4, 37'1 151 639 

Total 

for 

month. 

---

Acrefeet. 

352,508 

80,251 

112,461 

110,678 

43,533 

19,339 

12,543 

35,909 

19,577 

99,856 

81,878 

54,601 

1,023,134 

---

28,900 

27,380 

72,863 

57,061 

27,424 

13,328 

39,292 

RunDepth. ~ I ---

Inches. 

1.06 

0.24 

0.33 

0.33 

0.13 

0.06 

0.03 

0.10 

0.06 

. 0.30 

0.25 

0.16 

3.05 

---

0.08 

0.09 

0.22 

0.17 

0.08 

0.04 

0.12 

square 

mile. 

Second· 

feet. 

0.92 

0.23 

0.29 

0.30 

0.11 

0.05 

0.03 

0.09 

0.05 

0.26 

0.22 

0.14 

0.22 

0.07 

0.08 

0.19 

0.15 

_ill 04 

0 

39 

.~~~- foEfo Ml~R27,H ~~~IJ" MAY ,JUNE 10 20 to 20 ~~~~ ~y~ ~~~ r,c:o "oo:~ ,g~c;,· 

35,000 

30,000 

25,000 

20.000 

JS,OOO 

10.000 

s.ooo 

ua 1 -... .. c..J a ... Ito. 

FIG. 5.-Daily discharge of Salt River above Verde, 1895. 
IRRIGATION NEAR PHffiNIX, ARIZONA. [NO.2. 

The following table shows the discharge of Gila River for the season 

of 1889-90, measured by the irrigation survey, and the results from 

measurements still in progress for the season just closed: 

Estimated discharge of Gila River at The Buttes, Arizona. 

[Drainage area, 13,750 square miles.] 

I 

Discharge. 

Total Run~ Month. for Per Maxi- Mini- Mean. month. Depth. square mum. mum. mile. 

------------------

1889. Second- Second- Second- Acre- Secondfeet; feet. feet. feet. Inches. feet. 

September ______ 210 90 128 7,616 0.010 0.009 

October _________ 210 HO 157 9,655 0.013 0.011 

November------ 250 156 212 12;614 0.017 0.015 

December ------ 890 124: 275 16,909 0.023 0.020 

1890. 

January-------- 2.;100 310 680 4:1,812 0.056 0. 04:9 

February------- 1,514. 405 578 32,100 0. 04:3 0.04:2 

March---------- 710 300 387 23,795 0.032 0.028 

ApriL __________ 333 158 238 14:,161 0.019 0.017 

May _____________ 150 35 87 5,350 0.007 0.006 

June------------ 35 27 28 1,666 0.002 0.002 

JulY-----··------- 3,112 11 130 7,995 0.010 0.009 

August __________ 6,330 1,115 3,137 192,888 0.263 0.228 

------------------

Total, year __ ---------- -----·---- ---- ------ 366,561 ---------- ---------- ------------------ 1895. 

August--------- 3,910 536 1,583 97,336 0.133 0.115 

September ______ 2,880 300 812 4:8,317 0.065 0.059 

October _____ ---- 12,000 400 1,577 96,966 0.133 0.115 

November------ 7,500 300 1,103 65,633 0. ()ID 0.080 

December _______ 1,150 518 751 4:1,627 0.056 0.04:9 

------ -~-- ---------

1896. 

January-------- 560 250 396 24:,34:9 0.032 0.028 

February------- 340 175 209 12,022 0.016 0.015 

March----------- 356 153 24:2 14,880 0.021 0.018 

April ____________ 340 68 180 10,710 0. 014: 0.013 

May------------- 68 12 32 1,968 0.002 0.002 

June------------ 32 lll 5 298 0.0003 0.003 

July _____ ---- ____ 11,708 1,4:4:1 88,604: 0.121 0.105 

August--------- 3,150 810 49,805 0.068 0.059 

September ______ 2,850 45a 980 58,314 0.079 0.071 

October _________ 7,243 1,030 4,145 254,867 0. 34:7 0.301 

November------ 2,275 696 1,037 61,706 0.083 0.075 

DeOOmber _______ ~~ 576 """I "'·6'1ll 

0.053 0. 04:6 

Total, 1896. _ _ 11, 708 1 84:2 616,201 0.839 0.062 

In the above table the discharge for the period from August 1 to 

December 10, 1895, is estimated from observations of mean depth and 

width $ade by :Mr~ W. Richins, and can be considered only as a rough 

a pp~6:ifmation. · · . 
\.), S. GEOU)GICAL SURVEY WATI'R-SUPPLY PAP~R NO. 2 PL. VII 

IRRIGATION BY FURROW METHOD. 
PAVIS.] 

7;000 

6,000 

5,000 

4,000 

.3,000 

2,000 

·JAN. 

10 20 

GILA BASIN. 

MAY 

10 20 

JUNE JU·L,Y 

10 20 1020 

AUG· .. SEPT. 

10 20 10.20 

OC1'. 

1020 

41 

NOV. DEC. 10 20 10 20' 

o.ooo:!l\ ~ 1 r-,__ Lr-t--~-"- -~ A - -·h -~ ~ !!.. --1--.... v- -f., 

FIG. 6.-Daily discharge of Gila River at The Buttes, 1889-1890. 

1806. I 807. 

_.~Ao~~ ~t;l~ IM :~~ ~Hi A ~~t ~~~ !0 ~ ~·~~ J'~~·~ ~u' ~..; ~ ~~~- ~c~a ~o·o ge:~.- i~A ~· 

11,000 

·~ooo 

9,000· 

8,000 

s.ooo 

4.000 

3,000 

..__ 

l 1-HH 1.000 

..... :... - -- FIG. 7.-Daily discharge of Gila River at The Buttes, 1896. 
42 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. 

Estimated monthly discharge of Queen Creek, WhitlOWif, Arizona. 

[Drainage area, 143 square miles.] 

Discharge. 

Total Run~ Month. for 

Maxi- Mini- Per 

Mean. month. mum. Depth. square mum. mile. ---------------

1896. Second- Second- Second- Acre- Secondfeet. feet. feet. feet. Inches. feet. 

January-------- 2 2.~ 2.0 WI 0.016 0.014 

February------- 2 2.0 2.0 115 0.015 0.014 

March ---------- 2 2.0 2.0 1.28 0.016 0.014 

ApriL ...•• ------ 2 1.0 1.5 87 0.011 0.010 

May------------- 1 1.0 1.0 61 0.008 0.007 

June------------ 1 1.0 1.0 60 0.008 0.007 

July------------- 9,000 0.0 121.6 7,480 0.980 0.850 

August -----· ___ 1,433 0.6 13.1 805 0.106 0.002 

September ______ 3,428 0.5 17.1 1,016 0.1& 0.120 

October.-------- 1,188 0.5 13.3 820 0.108 0.093 

November------ 80 0.6 1.3 80 0,010 0.009 

December ------ 207 0.6 2.0 120 0.016 0.014 ------------------

Total, year._ 9.000 0.0 15.0 10,890 1.428 0.104 

DUTY OF WATER. 

[No.2. 

The actual attained duty of water in Salt River Valley was approximately determined in t.he year 1895. According to figures furnished 

by the Arizona Improvement Company, about 60.000 acres were irri1886. 1897. 

tr/'2"o· ro~::o 1"\~'! H A 

D I ~,~ M'~~ I·~~~~ ~;;~ i~u~ ~:rc; :~:o "oo~vo .~~'i; tA"o 

7,000 

6,000 

6,000 

4,000 

3.000 

2,000 

1,000 

l! l a l I 

FIG. 8.-Daily discharge of Queen Creek. 

gated on the north side of Salt River in that year. Of this, about 

34,000 acres, or more than one-half, was in alfalfa; over one-fourth 

was in grain, and the remaining portion, or about one-sixth, was 

chiefly in fruit and garden or was occupied by streets and lots of 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY ~APER NO. 2 PL. VIII 

FIELD PREPARED FOR IRRIGATION BY CHECKS. 
DAVIS.] GILA BASIN. 43 

the city of Phrenix. The total amount of water furnished for this 

area is stated to have been sufficient to cover the tract an average of 

4.6 feet in depth. Mr. Samuel Davidson, who has given this matter 

careful' study, states that the average amount of water used upon an 

acre of alfalfa is over 5 acre-feet; the amount for grain, which is of 

short season, is 1 t feet in depth, while fruits require somewhat more 

than grain but less than alfalfa, probably an average of 3 feet in 

depth. .As much as 11 acre-feet of water has been applied in the 

growing of alfalfa in this valley. 

The duty of water, as indicated by past experience and present 

usage, can be greatly increased. During the winter and early spring, 

owing to melting of snow in the mountains, the river furnishes a 

much larger volume of water than through the rest of the year. The 

abundance of water at this time, together with the iknowledge that it 

will be scarce later in the season, induces the irrigators t{) apply it 

very lavishly while they have it, and in this manner a great excess 

reaches the land, standing in pools and furrows for a time, and large 

quantities evaporating. Other quantities seep away to reappear in 

the bed of the river, where, after the deduction of another large proportion by evaporation, they are rediverted for irrigation by the 

lower canals. The amount of this seepage was measured by Mr. 

Cyrus C. Babb in June, 1896, and the results showed in one case an 

increase of over 80 second-feet in a distance of 7 miles . 

.Another pl'lolific source of waste of water is the large number of long 

laterals required to reach the scattered tracts of irrigated land. Less 

than half the irrigable land below the .Arizona Canal is actually cultivated, and the utilization of some of the farms requires the construction of long laterals carrying small quantities of water, from which 

the loss by seepage and evaporation is great. Judge Kibbey, in the 

opinion hereafter quoted, states that the loss of water which is carried 

in small ditches for the purpose of watering stock is alone sufficient 

for the reclamation of 10,000 acres of la~d, if properly applied to 

irrigation. 

If all the irrigable lands under the canals were brought under cultivation and water supplied to them in the most economical manner 

practicable, iiTigation carried on both night and day, and each irrigator allowed the use of a measured quantity.of water for a certain 

number of h(J)urs,. unquestionably the duty of water could be greatly 

increased. J:trobably it would ultimately be found that 2 acre-feet 

per year woutd on the average be sufficient for an acre. The great 

aridity of thi climate will always necessitate the use of larger quantities of wate. than would be necessary for the same results in a more 

humid climate . 

.As shown bn page 46, the Florence Canal takes from Gila Rive!"' 

nearly 10 ac~-feet of water for each acre irrigated, but this can not 

be considered in any sense indicative of the duty of water, as the 

major portio:q. is lost by seepage and evaporation. 
44 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

SILT AND ALKALI. 

As indicated by its name, Salt River carries a notable quantity of 

mineral matter in solution. It becomes an interesting question, therefore, whether its use in irrigation will eventually lead to deterioration of the soil through the deposit of alkaline salts. Over most of 

the valley no such injurious effects are noticeable. This may be due 

partly to the excess of water applied, which, escaping to the subsoil, 

carries the salts in solution and bears them awaythrough the gravels 

to the river bed; and accordingly it is found that where the fields are 

underlain at a reasonable depth by beds of gravel no accumulation 

of salts is noticeable, while in the vicinity of Tempe, where the subsoil is practically impervious, and where the ground water is near the 

surface, considerable tracts of land are to be seen impregnated with 

alkali, some of it to such an extent as to be of little use in its present 

condition except for grazing. Inquiry among the inhabitants leads 

to the conclusion that, although such alkaline indications were noticeable before irrigation became extensive in this valley, these areas 

have been greatly increased since that time, either fr~m the rise of 

alkali from the subsoil or from its deposit upon the land by the irrigating waters, for which adequate drainage was not provided. Some 

tracts of land have even been abandoned from this cause. 

It has been stated that a great excess of water is applied in this 

valley for irrigation and that the progress of methods of e~onomy and 

the storage of surplus waters in the mountains will undoubtedly lead 

to a much more sparing application. The question naturally arises, 

therefore, whether, when the abundant leaching which is provided by 

the seepage downward of the excess waters is discontinued, the fields 

in the vicinity of Phrenix and Mesa will not become impregnated with 

salts to an . injurious extent~ Any such fear seems to be entirely 

unfounded. The whole valley, with the exception of the area in the 

vicinity of Tempe above mentioned, seems to be so thoroughly underlaid with coarse gravel that it will be entirely practicable at any time 

to leach out the salts by the application of a large quantity of irrigating water for that purpose. At intervals of several years, also, there 

occur heavy rainfalls in these valleys, which, from their sudden nature 

and long intervals, can not be depended upon for assistance in agriculture, but which will always be of value for leaching the soil in the 

manner above referred to. 

MIDDLE GILA VALLEY. 

There are several ditches built to divert water from the Gila River 

i.n Pinal County, but they have all been practically abandoned 

except the Florence Canal, on the south side, and the McClellan and 

Arthur ditches. on the north side of the river. This is due to the 

shortage of water in recent years, caused probably by increased 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER -SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. IX 

GILA BEND DAM, LOOKING EAST. 
DAVIS.) MIDDLE GILA VALLEY. 45 

diversions !n the upper part of the Gila Basin. The upper or Arthur 

is a private ditch heading just below The Buttes, without div~rsion 

works, and carries about 4 second-feet of water for a distoo.ce of 

about 6 miles, the loss in the sandy river bottom being great. 

The McClellan ditch heads about 6 miles below the Arthur, and is a 

private ditch with a capacityof14 second-feet. Water is diverted by 

means of a " burro" dam, which consists of a forked stick driven 

into the river bed, inclined slightly up stream, supporting in its forks 

another stick with its end driven diagonally into the sand 6 or 8 feet 

above. A series of these so-called '' burros" are constructed across 

the stream and support a mass of sticks and brush, which is finally 

weighted down with rocks and sand. This character of dam is quite 

common for small ditches in the West, and of course usually requires 

renewal after the season of high water. 

FLORENCE CANAL. 

The Florence Canal heads about 3 miles below The Buttes, on the 

south side of the river. The water is diverted by means of an artificial shoal of rock placed diagonally across the stream. The headgate of the canal is founded upon bed rock and is constructed of 

wood. The grade of this canal is about 2 feet per mile. Near the 

head it is 45 ·feet in width, and was originally constructed to carry 

about 4 feet of water, but a shortage of water and· financial difficulties have led to the neglect of the banks constructed, so that at present it is not practicable to run much more than 2 feet of water in the 

canal. Observations of the flow of this canal have been carried on 

during the year 1896, and are given in the table. 

About 20 miles below the head of the canal a reservoir is constructed 

on the McClellan wash, as indicated on the map (Pl. XXX). r.rhis 

reservoir is formed by an earthen embankment or dike more than 2 

mlles in length, with a maximum height of about 20 feet. The area 

of the reservoir is in the neighborhood of 1,800 acres, and the average 

depth probably 6 or 7 feet. This reservoir has proved to be of great 

value in conserving the winter waters carried by the Florence Canal 

when there is an abundance in the Gila River, and also the night discharge of the canal throughout the season, to be used on the lower 

extension of the canal, which flows westward from the reservoir. 

In the absence of any other method of conserving the winter waters 

such a reservoir is· valuable, but as a permanent method of storing 

the waters of this great stream it is inefficient and wasteful. It can 

not receive any considerable portion of the great flood waves, as it 

can receive only the capacity of the Florence Canal, which feeds it. 

But the chief objection to this method of storage is the great area in 

proportion to depth which is exposed to the enormous evaporation of 

this climate. At least three-fourths of the capacity of this reservoir 
46 IRRIG4TION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

lies within 8 feet of its surface. The annual evaporation in this climate is about 8 feet, so that at all times the loss from this source is a· 

very large proportion of the water impounded. As a method of holding water from year to year it would be practically a failure. 

The map (Pl. XXIX) shows the alignment of the Florence Canal, the 

location of the reservoir, and the location and extent of the irrigated 

lands. It will be seen that the irrigated lands are scattered, some 

tracts of not more than 100 acres being situated at a distance of sev· 

eral miles from the canal, with no other irrigated lands in the vicinity. 

The laterals used to convey water from the canal to these lands are 

wasteful of water in proportion to the amount utilized, as the amount 

lost through seepage and evaporation from such small, long ditches is 

enormous. The loss from this cause and from ·evaporation in the reservoir accounts abundantly for the low duty of water in this valley. 

As will be seen by the following table, the total discharge of the Florence Canal through the irrigating season of 1896 was about 64,444 

acre-feet: 

Discharge of Florence Canal, 1896. 

Month. 

March (15 days)---··---------

ApriL __________ ---------------

May---------------------------

June---·----------------------

July---------------------------

August ....................................................... 

September ........ -........... ---................ 

October ____ ... ----------------

November ••••. --··-----------

December --·------------... -....... 

Total ----------.. -----........... 

Discharge in second-feet. Total for 1----,--------,----1 monthin 

Maximum. Minimum. Mean. acre-feet. 

160 

160 

42 

12 

160 

254 

262 

217 

272 

252 

277 

75 

10 

4 

1 

0 

21 

ll'i 

0 

no I 

83 

23 

3 

41 

137 

1~ 

115 

3,~2 

4,939 

1,414 

179 

2,521 

8,_424 

9,640 

10,761 

168 

160 

0 ---1-----~-:-1- '':.: 1 

112 444 

The area irrigated above the reservoir was 4,457 acres, and below 

the reservoir 2,015 acres, making a total of 6,472 acres from which 

crops were matured in 1896, and these were largely of the grains. It 

will be seen, therefore, that nearly 10 acre-feet of water flows through 

the Florence Canal for each acre irrigated, being sufficient, if actually upon the land, to cover it to a depth of nearly 10 feet. The 

statement of areas irrigated was furnished by Mr .. A. T. Colton, who 

was employed to measure them by the.Florence Canal Company. 

LOWER GILA VALLEY. 

Under the term "Lower Gila Valley" may be included that portion 

of lowlands along Gila River beginning at .the mouth of Salt River and 

extending to Yuma, a distance by the river, omitting minor bends, of 

about 170 miles. In altitude it is the lowest part of .Arizona, the height 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. X 

GILA BEND DAM, SPILLWAY AND HEADWORKS. 
DAVIS.] LOWER GILA VALLEY. 47 

of the Southern Pacific Railroad at the town of Gila Bend being given 

as 737 feet, and of Yuma, at the mouth of Gila River, 40 feet. Both 

of these towns are considerably above the level of the bottom lands. 

In consequence of its low elevation the temperature is extremely high, 

and were it not for the aridity of the climate the summer heat would 

be almost unbearable. The lands along the river are of great fertility, 

and where watered produce abundant crops. The Southern Pacific 

"Railroad extends in a general way parallel to the river and from 2 to 

io miles away, except above Gila Bend, where the river describes a 

great loop. The irrigating systems are, on the north side, the Buckeye and Monarch canals, and on the south side of the river Rumberg's 

ditch, Gila Bend Canal, and Upper Gila or Palmer Canal. Farther 

down, below Gila Bend, are a number of other systems, lying beyond 

the limits of the area described in this paper. 

BUCKEYE CANAL. 

The Buckeye Canal was begun in 1885, and water was first used in 

1888. It heads on the north side of Gila River, about 4 miles below 

the junction of Salt River, and just below the mouth of the Agua Fria. 

, The ownership is divided into shares, each of these representing 80 

miner's inches. It is about 25 miles in length, and is built on a grade 

of 2 feet to the mile. At the head it is 19 feet wide, and has a depth 

of about 3 feet, and a capacity of about 75 cubic feet per second. It 

has 22 small laterals, and the main canal of course decreases in size 

as the laterals are taken out. 

GILA BEND CANAL. 

The dam of the Gila Bend Reservoir and Irrigation Company (Pl.IX) 

is located about 40 miles southwesterly from Phrenix and 25 miles 

north of the Gila Bend Station, on the Southern Pacific Railroad. It 

is nearly 2,400 feet long, and as originally planned was to be an overflow weir built of timbered cribs loaded with rock and anchored to 

piles driven in the bed of the river. After the completion of about 600 

feet of t~e east end the expense involved induced the company to alter 

the plans and to build the remaining portion of loose rock, the part 

already constructed being intended as a waste weir, and the rock portion was built about 6 feet higher (Pl. X). The top width of the rock 

portion was about 18 feet, and the side slopes 1 t to 1. From the first, 

serious doubts of the stability of the dam were entertained by those competent to judge. It was generally conceded that the first water which 

overtopped the loose rock portion of the dam would wash it out. In 

view of this fact, and the published records of the discharge of the 

river showing floods approximating 300,000 cu~ic feet per second, it 

is a matter of surprise that the capacity of the waste weir was left at 

only about 30,000 cubic feet per second. 

The first indication of a failure was in January, 1893, when a slight 

rise in the river caused the loose rock portion of the dam to settle 
48 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

several feet. This portion was raised to its original height, and the 

dam was declared completed, at a cost of nearly $200,000. In March 

of the same year a heavy flood washed out 500 feet of the dam near 

the center. This breach was repaired, and in October of the same 

year,. when the river rose again, 400 feet at the west end of the dam 

went out. It was now decided to make the dam a waste weir extending entirely across the river, and plans were drawn up and operations 

begun accordingly. The original wooden portion of the dam was 

thoroughly overhauled and all warped or defective timbers were taken 

out and replaced by new ones, and the crest of the weir was raised 2t 

feet. In the portion built originally of loose .rock several rows of 

piling were driven from 13 to 18 feet into the bed of the river. They 

were cut off and framed over with heavy 10-inch by 12-inch timbers. 

The crest of the new portion stood 2f feet above the raised crest of the 

old weir. The new design also called for sheet piling above and below 

the dam for its entire length and a row of detached cribs below the 

aprons on the lower side. In January, 1895, before the new work was 

completed, another freshet ran a bon t 8 feet deep over the entire length 

of the dam, discharging nearly 180,000 cubic feet per second, and 

washing out the uncompleted portion of the dam for about 400 feet 

from the west end, which has not been replaced. The property of 

this company is in litigation, and further repairs and development 

must await settlement of legal questions. 

The canal was begun in May, 1892, and completed the following 

year. Its total length is 38 miles, with varying bottom widths, gradients, and depths, as shown in the following table: 

\' 

Dimensions of the Gila Bend Canal. 

I ~ngtb Gradients per mile. 

Miles. Feet. 

i 0.5 

5i 0.5 

6 0.5 

6 0.5 

6 0.5 

7 0.6 

~ 0.7 

0.8 

Bottom 

width. 

Feet. 

30 

25 

24 

23 

22 

20 

15 

10 

~ 10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

_£J 

The side slopes were 1:1 in cut and It: 1 in fill. The level section 

of the canal was a cut of 4t feet, with embankments of 5t feet on 

either side, with berms of 2t feet. Nine flumes, aggregating 424 feAt 

in length, were substantially ·built of wood. 1,wenty-one single and 

2 double culverts, consisting of 24-inch cement pipe and aggregating 

2, 705 feet, were inserted. .About 75 miles of laterals have been con-
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XI 

GILA BEND CANAL HEADGATES. 
DAVIS.] SAL'.l' BIVER V ALI&Y• 49 

structe.d. The head~gates are large iron structures be.twoon massive 

masonry abutme-nts and wing walls. (See Pl. XI.) The.head-gate 

and canal may b& taken as one of the best and most substa.ntW works 

of the kind yet constructed. The entire project is reported to have 

cost about $1,000,000 . 

.About 10 miles below the Gila Bend Reservoir and Irrigation Company's dam the lower Gila Bend Canal heads, on the same side of 

the river, and covers a narrow strip of land about 15 miles in· length. 

It is 11 feet wide, and is said to have cost about $25,000. It WM·fi:Mt 

used in 1885. Water is diverted by means of a temporary dttm of 

brush and stone, which is renewed when required. It is a coopem,. 

tive concern, owned by the irrigators in the form of 36 shares; each 

entitling the holder to a proportionate part of the water. 

SALT RIVER VALLEY • 

.As previowlly ;defined, Salt River Valley is taken as including the 

lands adjacent t@ Salt River extending from the mouth of its principal 

tributary, the VePde, down to the point where Salt River empties into 

Gila River, a distance in a direct' line of about 40 miles. The faJlof 

the river between these points is so great that water can be readily 

diverted at almost any part of the river?s course and carried diB®G, 

nally away from .the· stream., covering in the -course of a few miles. a 

considerable extent of country. .As shown by the map (Pl. XXX), 

canals have be~uconstructed heading at short intervals from near the 

upper end of the valley down.along its whole course. The principal 

of these ca~ala are shown in the following list, which gives al$0 the 

approximate l£fng1ih and the year when first used. These canals have 

an aggregate of nearly 600 miles of lateral ditches. 

Principal canals of Salt River Valley. 

Name. 

NORTH SIDE. Ariz~na. ________________ . ____________ · 

Grand _____________ . _ -_ . - _- - _ --- - - --. 

1\faricopa .• __________________________ _ 

Salt River Valley ___________________ _ 

Far.me-rs' ____________________________ _ 

St. Johns.- ________________________ . _ 

SOUTH SIDE. 

Length. 

Miles. 

47 

27 

26 

19 

5 

12 

When first 

used. 

1885 

18i8 

1868, 

1868 

Highland _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 22 1889 

Consolidated ________________ .. _______ . 40 1894 , 

Old Mesa. ___________________________ . 10 1878 

-

_U_t_ah Tempe ______ _ . -_-_-_-

___ . _____ 

-_-_--_-_-.. _-

__ -_-_- . _____________ -_-_-_--_-_--_-_--_-_-.. _-_ -..:.__2_0 _ 30 _ _;__ 1877~ I 

San Francisco._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6 

IRR ~--4 
50 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

The following description gives the principal facts obtainable concerning these canals, the descriptions being arranged in geographic 

order, first those on the north side and then those on the south~ 

ARIZONA AND OTHER NORTH-SIDE CANALS. 

The Arizona Canal, constructed in the years 1883 and 1884, heads 

highest on the river and has the only permanent dam. This dam, or 

weir, is located about 1 mile below the mouth of the Verde, and 

extends diagonally across the river in a north~sterly direction from 

a rock projecting into the stream from the right bank to a rock on 

the left bank. At the time of its construction the river channel was 

~gainst the right bank, and on the left side a gravel bar sloping from 

the channel to the bank extended to a depth of 8 or 10 feet. This bar 

was excavated to the surface of low water for a width of 60 feet, and 

the dam was begun with mudsills 8 inches by 10 inches by 48 feet, 

laid parallel with the. stream at intervals of 10 feet. Upon the 

upstream haJf of these sills is built a continuous crib with cross-ties 

every 10 feet, into which the rails are gained, a space of 4 inches 

being left between the rails, ~hich ·are fastened with 12-inch drift 

bolts three-fourths inch in diameter. The front and back sides of 

the crib have a batter of one-fourth to one, and are cover~d with 

2-inch plank with 6-inch sheet piling drifting at its back. The rail 

is laid lengthwise on mudsills in the center of the crib, and constitutes 

the only floor of the crib, which is filled with bowlders. 

The crest of the dam for a distance of 416 feet on the left bank is 

10 feet above low water and is covered with 3-inch plank, spiked to 

the rails and braced and propped from cross-ties below, and having a 

slope of 3 feet upstream. Rails are laid upon the mudsills projecting 24 feet downstream, 4 feet apart, and covered with 3-inch plank 

for apron, and sheet piling 3 inches thick and 18 feet in length driven 

at lower edge of apron. Below the apron the gravel was excavated 

and cribs put in 4 feet deep and 12 feet wide, of various lengths from 

10 to 24 feet, with double rods to bind corners. These cribs were 

filled with rock and coverf3d with 3-inch plank. The portion of the 

dam just described is still standing. The part built across the channel 

was constructed similarly, and went out in the great flood of 1891 and 

WB$ replaced by a more substantial structure, having the overfall 

.. broken into a series of steps, and the 5-foot sections of dam bound 

together with 1:1-inch iron rods from top to bottom. Sheet piling was 

driven at both the heel and toe of the renewed portion. The current 

strikes the crest of the dam at an angle of about 12°. Between the 

southwest end of the dam and the canal head-gates a wasteway was 

blasted out of the rock 36 feet in length, and prepared to receive 

slash boards, which can be easily removed when necessary to draw off 

the water from the back of the dam during low water for repairs. 

The total distance at high water over the dam. wasteway and rock on 

level with dam is 1,000 feet. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SUHVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPI':R NO. 2 PL. XII 

VIEW OF ORIGINAL ARIZONA DAM. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER -SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 Pl. XIII 

GRE AT FLOOD OF 1890 ON SALT RIVER. 
DAVIS.] SALT RIVER VALLEY. 51 

'rhe head works of the canal are in solid rock, with masonry abutments and wing walls and wooden gates. The bottom width of the 

canal is 36 feet at the head, and becomes narrower toward the lower 

end. The estimated capacity is 1,000 cubic feet per second. For the 

first 3 or 4 miles there is considerable heavy construction, the country 

being somewhat rough, and the material to be moved consisting 

largely of gravel, with some solid rock. 'rhe canal was first used in 

1885. It is 47 miles long, and cost $600,000. 

Grand Canal, heading about 2-! miles above the consolidated head of 

the Salt River Valley and Maricopa canals, was constructed in 1878. 

The capacity of this canal is 215 second-feet. It has been absorbed 

by the Arizona Canal Company, its head works have been abandoned, 

and it receives water from the Arizona Canal through what is called 

the Crosscut Canal. This latter was constructed in 1889, partly for 

the purpose of economizing the water to .which the Grand Canal is 

entitled by carrying it through the Arizona Canal instead of through 

the sandy bed of the river, and partly to utilize for power purposes 

the fall between the Arizona and Grand canals. Its capacity is about 

375 second-feet, and it supplies water for the Grand Canal, and at 1 times during low water for the Salt River Valley and Maricopa canals. 

The oldest diversion from Salt River for irrigation purposes is the 

Salt River Valley Canal, constructed in 1867by Jack Swilling and his 

associates, and called originally the Swilling Ditch. It is on the north 

side of the river, about 5 miles east of Pha:mix. Some time after its 

construction another canal or branch was taken from it, at a point 

about 3 miles below its head, which became known as the Maricopa 

Canal. These two canals with a common head are sometimes called 

the Consolidated Canals. The diversion is by means of an artificial 

shoal formed of rocks and brush through wooden head-gates, with 

solid masonry abutments and wing walls. The capacity of Salt River 

Valley and Maricopa canals jointly is about 275 second-feet. Both 

canals are now controlled by the Arizona Canal Company. 

SOUTH-SIDE CANALS. 

The Highland Canal was built early in 1889. It takes water on the 

south side of the river, about 2 miles below the head of the Arizona 

Canal, and has a capacity of about 100 cubic feet per second. 

The Mesa City Canal was begun in 1879 by the Mesa Canal Company, a corporation composed of the owners of the land to be watered 

by the canal. It emerges from the river on the south side, about 2-! 

miles above the head of the Utah Canal, being above the head of all 

the canals and ditches previously constructed. It supplies water to 

Mesa City and adjoining country, and has a capacity of about .175 

second-feet. Its alignment for a considerable distance is said to have 

followed the line of one of the prehistoric canals of this valley. One 

:share of stock in this canal represents a maximum of 17-! miner's 
52 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

inches, or a little over two-fifths of a cubic foot per second. The 

water represented by a share supplies about 40 acres of land and is 

valued at present at about $250. The annual charg.e per share. is $14. 

Considerable expense and annoyance was experienced for many years 

from the insecure head works of this canal, the farmers frequently 

being obliged to quit work in the busy season to restore their supply 

of irrigating water. Finally, in 1~93, the Consolidated Canal Company was formed, which entered into a contract to build new head 

works and to deliver a specific quantity of water for a consid-eration at a designated point on the Mesa Canal for the use of the 

owners of that canal. This company built a shoal of large bowlders 

across the river, which withstands the floods of the~ river, but it 

gradually settled, at first into the sand and gravel of the river 

bed. As settlement proceedoo it has been built up and co-nstitutes 

a very fair means. of diversion. At the south end of this. shoal are 

built massive granite masonry abutments and wing walls, between 

which the canal flows through wooden gates directly into the. mesa 

of bowlders and hardpan, through which it is constructed in a 

deep cut for a distance of over 2 miles, the maximum cut being 

• about 26 feet. This heavy construction was performed by a huge 

dredge with a dipper capacity of 2 cubic yards of earth and having a lift of 26 feet. At the end of these 2 miles the Consolidated 

Canal follows for some distance the alignment of the Mesa Canal 

until it reaches a point about 3 miles northeast of Mesa City, which 

is designated as the point of delivery of the specific quantity of 

water for the irrigators under the Mesa Canal. At this point the 

water for the Mesa Canal Company is discharged into their old canal, 

and two branches are constructed by the Consolidated Canal Company, one starting southeast for irrigating purposes, and one running 

due west for about 2 miles until it.reaches the edge of the mesa, just 

above the Tempe Canal, where a large power plant is constructed for 

electric ligh~ing and power. purposes, using the irrigating water to 

which the Tempe Canal is entitled and discharging it from the wheels 

into the Tempe Canal about It miles below its head. For some time 

the right to u~~ the irrigating waters of the T·empe Canal was questioned, but this matter is now said to be adjusted. The eastern 

branch of th~ Consolidated Canal above mentioned is constructed. on 

a light-grade line, in a general southerly direction, to the boundary of 

the Gila .River Indian Reservatjon. Byearrying the water of the 

Tempe Canal through th~. Consolidated Canal instead of throu,gh the 

sandy river be,d" a con,sid.erable loss by evaporation is prevented, and 

the water ava~able for irrigation is thereby increased. In this manner the Consolidated Canal obtains a right to some irrigation waters. 

The Utah Canal was constructed in 1877 on the south side of the 

river, heading about 5 miles above the head of the Tempe Canal. It 

was constructed and is operated by the owners and occupants of the. 
lJ. $. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER -SUP?LY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XIV 

ARIZONA CANAL HEADGATES. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVE'I WATER·SUPPLV PAPER NO. 2 PL. XV 

VIEW OF PRESENT ARIZONA DAM. 
:DAVIS.] SALT RIVER VALLEY. 53 

lands which are irrigated by its waters, and the ·association is unincorporated, the water rights being represented by certificates which 

are transferable. Its capacity is about 175 second-feet. 

In 1870 a ditch was constructed on the south side of the river, 

. known as the Tempe Irrigating Canal. It heads about 7 miles above 

the Salt River Valley Canal, and was carrying in J nne, 1896, about 

114 cubic feet of water per second. This is a community ditch, the 

property of the owners of the land irrigated from it, the shareholders 

being unincorporated. The canal has a carrying capacity of 337 

cubic feet of water per second. 

The San Francisco Canal, known also as the Wormser Canal, was 

constructed on the .south side of the river in.1875. It heads a short 

distance below the town of Tempe, and has a capacity of about 52 

second-feet. 

Mr. C. T. Hayden, a shareholder of the Tempe Canal Company, in 

the year 1874 erected a flouring mill at Tempe, and by an arrangement with the other shareholders obtained a supply of 27i cubic feet 

of water per second to run his mill. 

AREA IRRIGATED. 

It is extremely difficult to obtain reliable figures concerning the 

area irrigated in any locality. This is true in the Salt River Valley 

as elsewhere, and is due not only to the fact that farmers as a rule do 

not keep records of the results of their labors, but also because of the 

many influences tending toward exaggeration of statements. It is 

usually to the interest of the farmer as well as the canal owner to 

claim that a large area is irrigated, so that in case of subsequent controversies over water rights his title to the use of water may be supported. The matter of definition also, as to what may be considered 

as irrigated, introduces complications. In order to secure title under 

the desert act, claims are made and proofs submitted that hundreds 

of acres are irrigated, although as a matter of fact this irrigation is 

of the most nominal character, and to the eye the land has received 

no apparent benefit. 

A systematic attempt was made by the Eleventh Census to obtain 

an exact statement as to the amount of land actually irrigated and 

cropped in the census year 1889. A farm-to-farm enumeration was 

made for· the purpose of obtaining the area of land in each farm, the 

amount improved, cultivated, and irrigated, the area and quantity of 

crops, and many other details. It was found during this census that 

claims were frequently made that 160 acres were irrigated, when the 

crops aggregated only about 30 or 40 acres. Examination revealed 

that as a rule the amount claimed as irrigated represented the amount 

of land under ditch and to which water might perhaps be taken, 

while actll.ally, either from deficiency of water or other cause, successful irrigation was conducted only upon the smaller area. 
54 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. / [N0.2. 

The total area irrigated in Arizona and from which crops were 

obtained during the season of 1889, according to the Eleventh Census, 

was only 65,821 acres, the greater part of this being in barley, alfalfa, 

and other forage crops. Of this amount, the area irrigated in Maricopa County was found to be 35,212 acres. A large portion of this 

was on the south side of Salt River. For comparison, and to illustrate 

the difference obtained by estimates based upon the claims of canal 

owners and farmers, it is stated that on the north-side of Salt River, 

in 1\'Iaricopa County, there were irrigated in 1889, under the Arizona 

Canal, 56,000 acres. This amount, or 350 quarter sections, is the 

quantity given in the decision noted later on page 61. rrhe area 

given as irrigated from the Arizona Canal syst~m in 1895 was about 

60,000 acres. The discrepancy between the census figures and the 

amount adjudicated may be due to a number of causes, but is probably accounted for largely by the fact that many of the tracts to which 

water rights were adjudicated were cultivated only in part, and did 

not yield crops of sufficient size to be reported by the owners or enumerators. Many of the tracts formerly claimed as irrigated have since 

the acquisition of title been left uncultivated. It is suggestive to note 

in this connection that the adjudicated rights of some of the older 

canals aggregate more than their entire capacity. 

The first irrigation under the Arizona Canal occurred in 1885. The 

decision handed down by Judge Kibbey (page 61) adjudicated right;s 

for the year 1884 aggregating 82,600 acres. On the basis of the duty 

of water assumed by the court-100 acres per second-fuot--it would 

require for the satisfaction of these rights a flow of 826 cubic feet per 

second. By reference to the table of discharges of Salt River at 

Arizona dam, on page 37, it is seen that the mean flow for the month 

of July in 1889 was 495 second-feet, and for the same month in 1890 it 

was 524 second-feet. The fl·ow for the month of June, which it would 

be safe to assume as available for irrigation, would be not more than 

500 cubic feet per second, whereas in the year 1884, as just shown, 

before the Arizona Canal was brought into use, 826 second-feet were 

required to satisfy the legal rights existing in the valley. But crops 

of grain can be matured in this valley by the growth in the winter and 

spring, and large areas are undoubtedly matured every year before 

the 1st of June. The minimum flow for the month of May, however, 

is given as 622 second-feet in 1889, and as 630 second-feet in 1890, 

while the mean for the entire month in 1890 is 914 second-feet. 

The two minima given would seem to indicate that a shortage was 

imminent even in the month of 1\'Iay in 1884, if the rights as adjudicated were all claimed. If this was the case in 1884, what can be said 

of 1889, whe11 instead of 82,600 acres claiming water there have been 

adjudicated rights amounting to 151,360 acres? The areas that have 

been irrigated since 1889 under the Arizona Canal system have prob-

~bly been increased, so that the total area using or claiming water 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XVI 

FALLS ON ARIZONA CANAL. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XVI I 

VIEW ON CROSSCUT CANAL 
DAVIS.] ADJUDICATION OF WATER RIGHTS. 55 

from Salt River is double what it was in 1884, and consequently more 

than double the capacity of the river to supply in ordinary years, and 

still more beyond its capacity in dry years. But the condition of 

irrigation in Salt River Valley is not as bad as these figures would 

seem to imply. As above indicated, the adjudfu&ted·:ri,gbiis;are probabJy ;greater .than t-he areas actually irrigated in the years given, .and 

cultivation has been discontinued on some of the tracts formerly 

irrigated. There is considerable competition for water among irrigators during the dry months, and this has been one cause of the 

abandonment of areas formerly cultivated. 

ADJUDICATION OF WATER RIGHTS. 

It will readily be seen by the foregoing that the various canals and 

ditches taking water from Salt River have an aggregate capacity 

much larger than the low-water flow of the river, which is in the 

neighborhood of 300 cubic feet per second, and the irrigable land 

under these canals is proportionately in excess of the water supply 

in the dry season. 

These facts led to the institution of a suit before Judge Joseph H. 

Kibbey to determine the rights of the various proprietors, the trial 

of which was begun in March, 1890, and concluded in August of that 

year. The amount of evidence taken in the case·is very voluminous, 

consisting of 6,000 pages of typewritten matter. The argument of 

the case was heard in February, 1891, and occupied fifteen days. 

Many interesting principles of the law relating to water rights were 

enunciated in this decision, relating to the method of acquiring water 

rights and the rights of the community concerning the reasonable use 

as opposed to the waste of water. This decision was published, but 

the pamphlet is now ·out of print, and a portion of the decision is here 

reprinted on account of its value and interest in connection with this 

subject. 

JUDGE KIBBEY'S DECISION. 

In 1848, and from that time until 1863, that part of the Territory of Arizona 

within which is the Salt River Valley was a part of the Territory of New Mexico, 

and there were expressly enacted by that Territory laws governing the appropriation and use of water for irrigation. In 1863 part of the then Territory of New 

Mexico was erected into a temporary government by the name of the Territory of 

Arizona, and the laws of New Mexico were, by the acts of Congress establishing 

the Territory of Arizona, made applicable to that Territory. 

In 1864 the First legislative assembly of the Territory convened and enacted the 

code of laws commonly known and cited as the Howell Code. By article 22 of an 

act of that legislature, known and designated as the " Bill of Rights," it was provided that "all streams, lakes, and ponds of water capable of being used for the 

purposes of navigation or irrigation are hereby declared to be public property, 

and no individual or corporation shall have the right to appropriate them exclusively to their own private use, except under such equitable regulations and 

restrictions as the legislature shall provide for that purpose." This act went into 

force on the 1st day of January, 1865. This provision has been incorporated in 
IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

the successive revisions of our code, and is still a part of our statutory law. At 

the same session of the legislature, and by a law taking effect at the same time, an 

act governiag-acequfa.s.and irrigating canals was adopted. 

Section 1 of that act provides that ''all rivers, creeks, and streams of running 

water in the Territory of Arizona are hereby declared to be public and applicable 

to purposes of irrigation and mining," as afterwards provided. 

Section 2 saves all vested rights. 

Section 3 provides that "all the inhabitants of this Territory who own or possess arable or irrigable lands shall have the right to construct public or private 

acequias and obtain the necessary water for the same from any convenient river, 

creek, or stream of running water." . 

Section 4 provides for the assessment of damages resulting from the construction 

of ditches across priv&t& property of in.dividuals. 

Section 5 provides that no inhabitant of this Territory shall have the right to 

erect any dam, or build a mill, or place any machinery, or open any sluice, or 

make any dike, except such as are used for mining purposes or the l'eduction of 

metals, as provided for in sections 6 and 7 in the act, that may impede or obstruct 

the irrigation of any lands or fields, as the right to irrigate the fields and arable 

lands shall be preferable to all others, and the. justices of the peace of their respective precincts shall hear and determine the question relative to all snch obstructions in a summary manner and cause the removal of the same by order directed 

to a constable of the precinct or sheriff of the county, who shall proceed to execute 

the same without delay. 

Section 7 directs that when any ditch or acequia shall be taken out for agricultural purposes the person or persons so taking out such ditch or acequia shall 

have the ·exclusive right to the water' or 80 much thereof as shall be necessary for 

the sa.idl}1.11'pO$eS, and if at any time the water so required shall be'taken for mining operations the person or persons owning said wa.ter shall be entitled to damages, to be. assessed in the manner provided in section 6. 

Section 8 prohibits the construction or maintenanee of bypaths and footpaths 

across cultivated fields. 

Section 9 provides that all owners and proprietors of arable an.d irrigable lands 

bordering on, or irrigable by, any public aceqnia shall labor on such public acequia, whether such owners or proprietors cultivate the land or not. 

Section 10 provides that persona interested in a public aeequia, whether owners 

or lessees of land, shall labor thereon in proportion to the amount of land owned 

or held by them which may be irrigated by the ditch. 

Section 11 provides that animals shall be herded to prevent trespass upon cultivated fields. 

Section 12 provides that in case· a comm\Ulity·desire to construct an acequia and 

the persons desiring to construct the same are the owners or proprietors of the 

land upon which they design to construct the acequia., no one shall be bound to 

pay damages for-the land taken. 

SectionlS provides for the election of overseers of public acequias. 

Section 14 prescribes the manner of the election of overseers. 

Section 15 pxovides for payment for services of the overseers. 

Section 16 prescribes the duty of the overseers, of which, among others, is enumerated the duty to distribute and apportion the water in proportion to the quantity 

to which each one is entitled according to the land cultivated by him, and that 

in making such apportionment he shall take into consideration the nature of the 

seed sown or planted and the crops and the plants cultivated. 

Section 17 provides that "during years when a scarcity of water shall exist 

owners of fields sba.U haYe precedence of the water for b.Tigation according to the 

dates of tbeil' respective titles or their occupation of their lands either by themselves or their grantors. The oldest title~:J shall have precedence always." 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XVIII, 

MAMMOTH DREDGE EXCAVATING MESA CONSOLIDATED CANAL. 
DAVIS.] ADJUDICATION OF WATER RIGHTS. 57 

Section 18 provides for the contribution of labors by irrigators to the maintenance of the acequia. 

Section 19 prescribes penalties for malfeasance or nonfeasance of the overseer in 

discharging his duties, and provides for his removal in certain events. 

Section 20 provides for the filling of the vacancy occasioned by the removal of . 

the overseer. 

Section 21 imposes a penalty upon the owner or proprietor of land irdgated by 

an acequia for neglect or refusal to furnish the number of laborers required by 

the overseer for the maintenance and repair of the acequia. 

Section 22 prescribes the penalties against any person who shall in any manner 

interfere with, impede, or obstruct any such acequia or use the water from it 

without the consent of the overseer. 

Section 23 provides that the fines and forfeitures recover~d under the provisions 

of the act shall be applied by the overseers to the improvement, excavation, and 

repair of the acequia, and for the construction of bridges at points where they 

may be crossed by public streets or roads. · 

Section 24 provides foP the appeal from judgment of conviction under any of 

the provisions of the act. 

Section 25, "The regulation of acequias which have been worked according to 

the laws and customs of Sonora ap.d the usages of the people of Arizona shall 

remain as they were made and used up to this day, and the provisions of this 

chapter shall be enforced and observed from the day of its publication." 

Section 26 provides that plants and trees growing on the banks of any acequias 

shall belong to the owners of the land through which the acequia runs. 

Section 27 provides th~t any person owning lands which may include a spring or 

stream of running water, or owning lands upon a river where there is not population sufficient to form a public acequia, may construct a private acequia for his 

own uses, subject to his own regulations, provided he does not interfere with the 

rights of others. 

In the year 1866 the N a tiona! Congress enacted a law for the disposal of its lands 

containing valuable minerals, and among the provisions of that act, with some 

subsequent slight verbal (}hanges not ·affecting the substance or meaning, is the 

following (sec. 2339, Revised Statutes of the United States): 

''Whenever by priority of possession rights to the use of water for mjneral, for 

mining, agricultural, manufacturing, or other purposes, have vested and accrued, 

and the same are recognized and acknowledged by the local cmtoms, laws, and 

decisions of courts, too possessors and owners of such vested rights shall be maintained and protected in the same, and the right of way for the construction of 

ditches and canals for the.purposes herein specified is acknowledged and confirmed; 

but whenever any person, in the construction of a ditch or canal, injures or dam-

, ages the possession of any settler upon the public land, the party eotn.mitting such 

injury or damage shall be liable to the·party injured for such injnry or d,&mage." 

Section 2340 provides ''that all patents granted, or preemption or homestead 

allowed, shall be subject to any vested or accrued water rights, or rights to ditches 

or reservoir used in connection with such water rights, as may have been acquired 

under or recognized by the preceding section." 

This provision of the act of Congress has been held by the Supreme Court of 

the United States, and of some of the States, not only to confirm rights that 

have been initiated or had vested prior to the passage of the act, but that it was 

continuous in its operation and was the license of the Government to persons to 

hereafter appropriate water on the public domain for agricultural, mining, manufacturing, or other purposes. (98 U.S., 453; 13 Oregon, 596.) 

On the 3d of March, 1877, there went into effect an act of Congress providing 

that any citizen of the United States, or any who had declared his intention to 
58 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

become such, upon the payment of 25 cents per acre, may file a declaration, with 

the register and receiver of the land district in which any desert land is situated, 

of his intent to reclaim a tract of ·land not exceeding one section, by conducting 

water thereon within the period of three years thereafter. It provides that the 

right to the use of the water by the ·person so conducting the same on or to any 

tract of desert land of 640 acres "shall depend upon bona fide prior appropriation, 

and such rights shall not exceed the amount of water actually appropriated and 

necessarily used for the purposes of irrigation and roolB.JJUttiifB'l,;uuLWl~ 

·water ov...er.;and~~JmOh:~~ri&timl..~li!I:E;Jmw M 1 ~.Ae-Malter 

of.· all.lakes; rlmrs,imm·:~-BJm!oos·;af:-:ws,tersupply"'l'tpmJ..1lhe public lands and 

not navigable, shall remain and be held free for the appropriation and use of the 

public for irrigation, mining, and manufacturing purposes. subject to existing 

rights." 

By an act of the legislative assembly of the Territory of Arizona approved 

February 19, 1877, all the laws of the Territory then in force were directed to be 

recompiled, which was done; and the compilation is known and cited as thf:} 

"Compiled laws of 1877," among which are the Bill of Rights and the various 

provisions governing the construction of private and public acequias and the 

appropriation and use of water for irrigation that we have above quoted from 

the Howell Code. The same laws have been carried forward into the revision of 

1887. In 1887 the acequia law was not reenacted, but not having been repealed, it 

is still in force, and the editors of the revision of 1887 have incorporated it in that 

revision. (Sects. 3199-3226, R. S., 1887, Arizona.) 

In 1887 the legislative assembly enacted a law providing that the common-law 

doctrine of riparian rights shall not obtain or be of any force or effect in this Territory. (Sec. 3198, R. S., 1887. Arizona.) 

* * * * * * * 

REASONABLE USE OF WATER. 

Incident to the right of the inhabitants of this Territory to appropriate water for 

irrigation or other uses is the restriction that the means of diversion shall be 

reasonably adapted to the purpose, to the end that the water that is made free to 

the public shall not be diminished beyond the quantity sufficient to. supply the 

actual needs of the appropriator; that the means of application of the water to 

the purposes for which it is appropriated shall be of a character to insure as small 

a consumption of water as is reasonably consistent to the accomplishment of that 

purpose. No man has a right to waste a drop of water. Any excess of water that 

he diverts and wastes by carelessness, negligence, or ignorance of economic meth· 

ods of cultivation or irrigation, or failure to adopt them, he unlawfully diverts. 

It appears from the evidence in this case that large quantities of water are 

allowed to flow in the various canals and ditches to supply stock with water. 

This necessarily involves a great waste of water. At a small estimate, I should 

think the evidence discloses an amount of water wasted thus sufficient, if properly 

applied to irrigation, to make productive 10,000 acres of land. The amount of 

water actually consumed by the stock is insignificant. The loss is that due to 

evaporation and seepage in its long passage through the various canals and the 

miles of subsidiary ditches. This seems to me to be an unreasonable use of water. 

I do not mean to deny the right to the use of water for stock, for it has always 

been a recognized use, like that for domestic purposes. But it can not, I think, 

be diverted from its original course for that purpose. It has always been the law 

that stock and the public could drink from a water course, but not to impede its 

flow or diminish its quantity for that purpose. Instead, I consider the law to be, of 

bringing the water. diverted from a natural water course a long distance by means 

necessarily involving an enormous proportionate waste to water stock, the stock 

must be taken to the natural water course to drink, or otherwise provided for. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XIX 

/ DIVISION BOX ON TEMPE CANAL. 
b.A'VJS.] AD.JUDICATION OF WATER RIGHTS. 59 

,Jf ,tbe water be in the ditches on a man's ranch in the course of a.pplication 

~--~~tion, it might be permitted to allow stock to drink of it; but it 

is an urltillJnt~of it to permit water to be in the ditches for that purpose 

alone. 

Another matter 'lor ·o.ur ~tatmu in this connection is the right of the 

appropriator of water to the excl~~o:a,~ma.inienance, operation, and the 

use of the conduit, as he has prepared it, fortbe~l:'ll1~1tihe'Wai:m:,:whether 

or not, having constructed such a conduit, he thereby'bas ~-:e;.~:l.!!aw1Be 

water flow in the river to that conduit and thence to the point wherehe'·~ 

to use it, or whether his right is limited to the actual delivery of water to his 

lands, with or without increased expense to himself, whether it be by means therefor provided by himself or by means provided by some one else. To illustrate: If 

those who operate the Highland Canal should divert from the river the water to 

which the consumers under the Tempe, the Mesa, the Utah, and the San Fraucisco are entitled, a~d yet should that company deliver the water so diverted 

through its own canal to and upon the lands of those under the other canals named~ 

in the quantities to which they are entitled, would those who constructed and 

since have operated and maintained .the Tempe Canal, the Utah Canal, the Mesa 

Canal, and the San Francisco Canal have any just cause for complaint, or have 

the owners of those mentioned canals a vested right not only to the use of the 

water for the purpose of irrigation, but also to have it conveyed by means of its 

own conduit? 

Following out to their sequence the propositions I have advanced as to the ownership of water and the right of appropriation, I am of the opinion that the entire 

right of the appropriator for irrigation is limited to the delivery of water sufficient 

for the purpose upon his land at a point where he can use it for irrigation, and 

that so long as such water is so delivered he may be indifferent to any acts of 

diversion or obstruction of the flow of water in the natural water course, and has 

no just cause for complaint therefor. He might be compelled to adopt a more 

expensive means of delivery of the water to his lands if the means that he has 

already adopted are such as would result in the loss of water; for, as we have 

repeatedly affirmed, the water is public property; it is a common stock to which 

all may go, and no man has any right by faulty construction of his conduits, or 

by their deficient construction, or by a desire to appropriate more than his share 

of the water, to diminish that common stock of the water to any greater extent 

than his necessities require. 

This brings us to the question whether or not it is the duty of the prior appropriator to make use of such new means as may result in the more economical conveyance of water than those which he had heretofore provided for himself. 

Whether or not it would be his duty, if, for instance, he was an irrigator under 

the Tempe Canal, to construct a new conduit from the Highland Canal to his 

lands, and thereby conduct his water at a considerable saving of the common 

stock of water, assuming, of course, that the Highland Canal is capable of carrying, in addition to that which it is already under obligation to carry, the quantity 

sufficient for his use. 

The variety of means adopted for the diversion of water vary under different 

conditions. The person who first appropriates usually finds in the natural water 

course a volume of water in excess of that which he himself needs, and to divert 

the comparatively small proportion of the whole volume which he may need 

would be inexpensive and easy of accomplishment. It is usually unnecessary for 

the first appropriator to construct a dam, or that he should excavate a ditch to the 

bottom of the water course whence he divert his water; because of the superabundance in the natural water course enough for his purpose may be diverted by less 

expensive means. As, however, others seek, subsequently, to appropriate a 
IRRIGATION NEAR PHffiNIX, ARIZONA. (N0.2. 

portion of the same stream above the point of diversion by the first, a diminution of 

the quantity of the water going down to the first appropriator results in such a 

reduction of the volume of water that the means adopted by the :first appropriator 

will not enable him to continue his diversion, and he must, in· order to get the 

water, either construct a dam so as to divert the water or exea-v&te his ditch 

deeper, so as to reach and divert the water from the diminished quantity flowing 

in the natural water course. This would, of course, entail an .additional expense 

upon the :first appropriator. 

To illustrate the question, let us suppose that upon a water oourse there is an 

average flow of water of 4 feet in depth; that the construction by the first appropriator of a ditch, the bottom of which is 2 feet below the surface of the water, 

enables him thereby to divert all the water he needs. Suppose that thereafter 

another appropriator constructs above the point of diversion by the ·:first a ditch 

which appropriates 2 feet in depth of the water, and diminishes it so in volume 

that instead of flowing by the point of diversion by the first, 4 feet in depth, it 

now flows only 2 feet in depth. Still the quantity there flowing is sufficient to 

supply the needs of the first appropriator. It will be seen that the first appropriator can not, by the means then had, divert his amount of water, and there is 

necessarily entailed upon him an expense of either further excavation of the ditch 

or the erection of a dam in order to raise the surface of the water to a point at 

which it can be diverted into his ditch; and this additional expense is entailed by· 

the act of the subsequent appropriator. It is not a question, as I have put it, of a 

deficiency in the supply of water, but it is merely a question of the right of a subsequent appropriator to diminish the volume of water flowing to such an extent 

that it can not be diverted by a -prior appropriator by the means he then had. We 

think that it certainly Ct\n not be sa~d that ·the first appropriator has the right to 

have the water floWing such:a way that by his :first means of diversion he can still 

continue his appropriation of the water. The whole policy of the law is, that all 

of the waters in the stteams in this Territory should be used for mining, agricultural, and milling, and that there shail be no appropriation by anyone in a manner that shall prohibit subsequent apPropriation by others, unless that subsequent 

appropriation leaves an insufficient quantity of water. 

The court held that the title to irrigating water inheres in the land 

irrigated and not in the company diverting the water, and that priority of time at which the water was applied to beneficial ttse constitutes 

priority of right to use of said water, and·that this priority was determined, not by the date of diversion from the river, but by the date 

of such actual beneficial use. Evidence was therefore taken to establish the date of· actual irrigation of each tract of land under each 

canal, the date of such irrigation determining the beginning of the 

right to the quantity of water requisite for such irrigation. Each 

canal, therefore, was entitled in anygi:ven year only to such quantity 

of water as was necessary to irrigate the lands actually under cultivation, subject to similar rights of other lands previously acquired. 

"l,he unit of area for this purpose was taken as 160 acres, or a quarter 

section, although fractions of such tracts were considered in rendering the decision, the lowest subdivision considered being 40 acres, or 

one-fourth of a quarter section. The duty of water was assumed as 

64 miner's inches for a quarter section of land. A miner's inch was 

defined to be one-fortieth of a cubic foot per second, which made the 

duty of 1 cubic foot per second 100 acres. On this basis a decision 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XX 

IRRIGATION SCENE. 
~~ 

DAVIS.] ADJUDICATION OF WATER RIGHTS. 61 

was made, from which the following table was constructed, under the 

orders of the court: 

Table showing for each year the number of quarter sections under each canal enti-

~led to water from Salt River as per decree of couTt. 

Year. 

Total I 

Salt Fs;;,~. Number 

River Mari- Temseciscoor Utah Mesa Grand ~~~ ~~;t::t 6:}1:{ c~~- Ca.na. W~::n· Canal. Canal. Canal. Canal. tionsfor 

each Canal. year. 

1-----1------------------------·---

1868 ••..•. ---- 12t 1 -------- -------- -------- ........................ ..................... -------- 131-

1869 __________ 22 6 -------- -------- ----............ ...................... .................... ----.......... 28 

1870 __________ 31t 14t -------- -------- -------- -------- ----.......... ................... 46 

1871. .......•. 48 24t 5 8 -------- ..................... ........... ........ .._ -------- 85t 

1872 __________ 78t 28t 49 8 -------- -- -~---- ......... ---- ..................... 167 

1873 •••••.•••• 90;- 29 57 12 -------- -------- ................... -------- 188t 

1874 ..•. ·-··-- 90t 31 57 12 -------- ---- .......... ...................... -------- loot 

1875 ..•• ------ 90t 32 57 12 -------- ..................... -------- -------- 19lt 

1876 __________ 92t 36 57 12 -------- ................. -----··-- ........ ----- 197t 

1877 __________ 95;- 41 57 ~ 7 -------- ................ ................... 222t 

1878 .. -------- 102 53 67 22 24 23 2 293 

1879 __________ 104 65t 70 22 24 30 15 ----........... 330t 1880 __________ 109 84t 70 24 24 35 17t ---· ---- 364 

1881. _________ 116t 102 72 24 24 43 1St -------- 400 

1882 ______ ·--- 117t 117t 90 27 26 50 23t ----........ 4Mt 

1883 •• -------- 118! lut 90 28 38 59 43t ................... 501t 

1884 •• -------- 119t 128t 95 28 38 62 45t -------- 516t 

1885 __________ 120! 133 98 28 38 73 46t 43t 580t 

1886 __________ 121t 130 105 29 38 75 47t 105t 656t §---- 122t 134 113 31 40 82 47t 192£ 765t 

............. 123t 139 117 31 55 82 48t 333t 929t 

------ 123t I 139 117 31 55 82 48t 350 946 

The figures in the columns headed Salt River Valley Canal, Maricopa Canal, etc., indicate the number of quarter sections irrigated in 

the year designated in the column on the extreme left. Bearing in 

mind that priority in time denotes priority in right, it will be seen 

that although the oldest water rights are in the Salt River Valley and 

Maricopa canals, such priority extends only to the quantity of water 

necessary for those tracts which were irrigated previous to lands irrigated under other canals. Thus in 1873 the area irrigated under the 

Salt River Valley Canal was increased by 12 quarter sections over that of 

1872, but the additioua,l water necessary for this increase was secondary in _right to all lands irrigated in 1872, whether under the Tempe, 

the Wormser, or the Maricopa Canal. It will be seen that 516! quarter sections, or 82,640 acres, were irrigated in 1884, requiring under 

the adjudicated duty of ~ater 826 second-feet. In addition to this, 

Hayden's mill was entitled to 1,100 inches, but this amount need not 

be deducted from the irrigating supply of the river, because the water 

from Hayden's mill returned to the river above the head of the o~est 

canals and could be rediverted by them for irrigation. 
62 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

Considerable effort has been made by the later-constructed canals, 

particularly the Arizona and Mesa Consolidated, to establish claim to 

what is called the surplus waters or flood discharge of Salt River. 

'These rights are of somewhat doubtful value for any purpose to 

which these canals can put them, for the high waters embraced by 

such claims are of short duration and can not be utilized to mature 

any crop. They are used for "soaking up" the ground during the 

period of high water in the hope that a portio11. of the moisture will be 

retained by the soil to mitigate the drought through the low-water 

season, when such waters can not be applied. It is obvious that such 

a use of waters is not a use at all, but a waste. It is not especially 

objectionable at present, except that in some instances farmers are 

thus encouraged to plant crops which can be matured only by the use 

of water obtained either illegally or through the generosity of some 

of the older proprietors. What standing such claims to the surplus 

waters can obtain in the courts remains to be seen. If they are sustained, the result will be disastrous to the future development of irrigation, for it is these surplus waters upon which any project for 

storage on the upper waters of the Verde and Salt rivers must largely 

depend. Such storage works will hold the surplus waters for use 

during the dry season, when they are most needed, but if title is held 

in the manner claimeq, they will probably continue to be wasted as 

at present. 

IRRIGATION WORKS PROJECTED. 

llaving noted the principal irrigating systems _taking water from 

the Salt and Gila rivers, and reviewed in a general way the demands 

for water and the claims made upon the flow of these streams, it is 

pertinent to discuss at some length the attempts now being made to 

increase the available water by means of reservoirs and other works 

designed to save in part the waste water occurring in floods. The 

principal projects which have been surveyed by individuals and corporations or examined by the Government are known as the Rio 

Verde, Tonto Basin, Walnut Grove, Agua Fria, Cave Creek, Buttes, 

Lower Gila, and Queen Creek. 

RIO VERDE. 

This enterprise contemplates the storage of waters at the site on the 

Rio Verde known as the Horseshoe Reservoir, in T. 8 N., R. 6 E., Gila 

and Salt River meridian. The drainage area tributary to this reservoir is nearly 6,000 square miles. The proposed height of the dam 

at this point is 150 feet above the present surface of the river, and it 

will extend to a maximum depth of 25 feet to bed rock. It will be 

386 feet long at the low-water line of the river, and 1,250 feet along 

the top. It is proposed to build this dam of a rock-filled type having 

side slopes of 2:3, made impervious on the water side by a sheet of 

asphaltpavementextendingto bedrock. The spillway is situ~ted over 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. >:XI 

PLAN OF PROPOSED DAM ON SALT RIVER, SHOWING SPILLWAYS. 
DAVIS.] IRRIGATION WORKS PROJECTED. 63 

2,000 feet west of the dam and is separated from it by a mass of rock 

rising over 75 feet above the spillway. It will be about 1,000 feet 

long. This reservoir will have a length of about 6 miles, a surface 

area of 3,402 acres, and a capacity of 204,935 acre-feet, as shown by 

the following table, which gives the area and capacity for each 10 

feet elevation of the surface: 

Area and capacity of Horseshoe Reservoir. 

Area, in Acre-feet be- Total capacity Contours. tween acres. contours. in acre-feet. 

10 39 270 270 

20 99 690 960 

30 268 1,835 2,795 

40 442 3,550 6,345 

50 720 5,810 12,155 

60 974 8,470 20,625 

70 1,178 10,760 31,385 

80 1,398 12,880 44,265 

90 1,665 15,315 59,580 

100 1,916 17,905 77,185 

110 2,109 20,125 97,610 

120 2,349 22,290 119,900 

130 2,646 24,975 144,875 

I 

140 2,982 28,140 173,015 

150 3,402 31,920 204,935 

Work upon the dam itself has not yet been begun, but the outlet 

tunnel is completed. It is intended to divert the river through this 

tunnel when necessary to complete the foundations. The tunnel is 

715 feet long, 12 feet in diameter, with open-cut approaches. 

About 18 miles below the Horseshoe Reservoir t,he water is to be 

diverted from the river by a dam 90 feet high and 475 feet long, of the 

rock-filled type. Here the canal is to head with a bottom width of 25 

feet, depth of water 8 feet, side slopes 1 : 1, and a fall of 0. 0003. The 

estimated mean velocity is to be 3 feet per second and the capacity 800 

·cubic feet per second. This section is continued for a distance of 54 

miles, a considerable part of the distance being through rough country, 

with very heavy construction. At the end of the 54 miles the bottom 

width is reduced to 20 feet, and this width is maintained 15 miles farther to the crossing of New River. At New River it is proposed to 

construct another reservoir, partly to impound the storm waters of this 

stream, which is ordinarily dry, and partly to receive the waste waters 

from the canal. The proposed dam for this reservoir will be 100 feet 

high, with a top length of 1,800 feet, which it is said will impound over 
64 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

100,000 acre-feet of water. It is not intended to construct this reservoir at present, but it is contemplated as a future possibility after 

the development of the upper portion of the project. It is proposed 

to continue the canal from this reservoir on a grade line across the 

Agua Fria River, round the base of the White Tank Mountains, and 

across the Hassayampa, and to utilize another reservoir west of the 

Hassayampa, just above the Buckeye Canal, near the Four Buttes, 

which it is proposed to fill by a lateral feeder from the main canal. 

The land under this canal between Agua Fria and the Hassayampa 

rivers, as shown on the map, it is also proposed to irrigate from the 

Agua Fria Land and Water Company's works. The conflict of interests here, however, is more imaginary than real, as there is abundant 

good land to utilize all the water that can be furnished by both these 

projects and any others that may be constructed. 

The estimated cost of the dam for the Horseshoe Reservoir is $600,-

000; the diversion dam is estimated to cost $200,000, and the canal to 

the Hassayampa is estimated to cost about $1,200,000, making $2,000,-

000 in all, exclusive of the two reservoir sites in the plains. It is 

esttmated that from the head-gates to the Agua Fria River the canal 

covers an area of 125,000 acres of irrigable lands, including a very 

desirable tract of nearly 50,000 acres in Paradise Valley. West of 

the Agua Fria the land to be irrigated is an almost unbroken plain of 

sandy loam, and comprises more than 125,000 acres above the Buckeye Canal and east of the Hassayampa. As above stated, this project 

is under construction, the greater part of the work already done being 

upon.the canal. The magnitude of the undertaking, the natural difficulties to be overcome, and the prevailing business depression combine to render its prosecution a matter of peculiar difficulty. 

The company claims to have sold water rights for about 100,000 

acres at prices varying from $10 to $18 per acre, paid .for at the rate 

of $1 down and $1 per year thereafter. The payment of this $1 per 

acre each year is considered to be a sufficient compliance with the 

law requiring a person entering-desert land to expend a certain amount 

in the use, irrigation, reclamation, and cultivation of the land. After 

the works are constructed the owners of the water right are to pay a 

certain amount per quantity of water used, the unit of measurement 

being the cubic foot. The rate charged is to be a gradually increasing one from $1.21 up to $2.42 per ~e-foot after ten years. The 

maximum amount of water which can be demanded in anyone year 

is at the rate of 2 acre-feet for each acre irrigated. 

THE TONTO BASIN PROJECT. 

Just below the junction of Tonto Creek with Salt River, near the 

line between Gila and Maricopa counties, Salt River passes through 

a deep, narrow gorge of solid rock. Above this point both streams 

flow through wide, level valleys, which are settled and cultivated to 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXII 

VIEW IN CANYON OF SALT RIVER BELOW MOUTH OF TONTO CREEK. 
DAVIS.] IRRIGATION WORKS PROJECTED. 65 

a considerable extent. The Hudson Reservoir and Canal Company 

has made surveys and estimates, contemplating the construction of a 

dam at this point (fig. 9) about 215 feet high from bed rock and 610 

feet long on top, which it is claimed will give a reservoir capacity of 

over 800,000 acre-feet. A spillway is to be cut around each end of 

FIG. 9.-Elevation of proposed dam on Salt River. 

__ ...... · ...... ·· 

this dam, as shown in Pl. XXI. It is proposed, first, to build a dam 

on an ogee section (fig. 10, a.) about 140 feet in height, heavy enough 

to form the base of the dam of the full height, and to allow the flood 

water to pass over its crest after the reservoir fills. After the waters 

impounded by this reservoir have been disposed of the dam will be 

completed (fig. 10, b) and the additional waters will be sold. 

Several lines have been surveyed for the location of a canal to con· 

a b 

FIG. 10.-Pr oftle of proposed dam on Salt River. a, first construction; b, completed. 

duct these waters to irrigable lands on the south side of the river, and 

it has been shown that by diverting the waters well up in the canyon 

of Salt River they can be delivered high enough to water a large tract of 

laud at present not under canal and to irrigate the greater portion 

of the valley lands on the Pima Indian Reservation. This involves a 

IRR 2--5 
66 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

large amount of costly construction in the canyon, and it is not probable that such a line will be found advisable. Large tracts of uncultivated land are already under existing canals, particularly the Arizona, 

the Mesa Consolidated, and the Highland canals. Many of the older 

canals·have also under them considerable tracts of uncultivated lands 

for which they hold no water right, and whatever waters are left after 

supplying all these demands can be distributed from the line somewhat higher and parallel to the Highland Canal without involving 

much heavy construction. 

It would probably be impossible to find anywhere in the arid region 

a storage project in which all conditions are as favorable as for this 

one. The capacity of the reservoir, in proportion to the dimensions 

of the dam, is enormous. The lands to be watered are of remarkable 

fertility, in a climate which may be classed as almost semitropic, and 

are vastly greater in area than the water can supply. To a considerable extent they are already settled upon, and the water is in lively 

demand. The character of rock at the dam site is said to be excellent for the construction and foundation of the dam. There is tributary to this reservoir about 5, 756 square miles of mountainous country, 

ranging in altitude from 2,000 to 12,000 feet, and ineluding some of 

the best drainage area in Arizona. Many of the tributaries of Salt. 

River find their source at the foot of the bold escarpment of the 

Mogollon mesa. Tonto Creek, for instance, heads at the foot of this 

mesa with the volume of a very considerable rivulet within a few hundred yards of the divide. Such streams evidently obtain considerable 

water supply from the precipitation which falls north of the divide, 

as pointed out on page 16. 

These facts indicate t.hat the watershed tributary to this reservoir 

is not only large but favorable to a high percentage of run-off. It is 

doubtful, however, whether the immense reservoir capacity above 

referred to could be filled in the driest years, and what proportion of 

its capacity should be held as a reserve for years of minimum run-off 

can not be determined exactly without a long series of measurements 

of the discharge of Salt River between the mouth of the Verde River 

and the mouth of Tonto Creek. Such measurements have been 

roughly carried on for over a year by the Hudson Reservoir and Canal 

Company, and the results, so far as observed, are given on page 39; 

but the series is too short to justify a positive expression on this. 

point. There can be no doubt, however, that in this reservoir site· 

lies one of the most important possibilities for the future of the agriculture of southern Arizona. 

Pl. XXIII shows the outlines of this reservoir site as surveyed .. 

The shaded portions represent cross sections on the lines indicated. 
\l. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXIII 

IZ 

17 IG 15 14 13 

21 zz 23 24 

27 26 Z5 

Horizontal Scale 31-!ILI:S 

Vertical Scale of Cross Sec.tion5 31 ~z 34 35 

TONTO RESERVOIR SITE, SHOW ING ELEVATIONS OF TEN CROSS-SECTIONS OF THE RE SERVIOR. 
DAVIS.] IRRIGATION WORKS PROJECTED. 67 

Area and capacity of Tonto Reservoir. 

Height Capacity, in Surface, in Elevation 

above low above water. acr e-feet. acres. sea level. 

25 4, 400 330 1,950 

30 6,100 420 ------ # - .. ---

35 9,000 570 --- ---------

40 11,900 730 ------------ 45 16,200 890 --- -- ----- --

50 20, 000 1,030 1,975 

55 26,900 1,280 ---------- -- 60 33,300 1,510 --- -- -------

65 42,000 1,740 ---------- --

70 50,700 1,980 --- --------- 75 62,100 2,300 2,000 

80 73,500 2,610 ---- -- ------ 85 88,500 3,010 ---------- -- 90 103,600 3,430 ------------ 95 122,700 3,820 ------------ 100 141,800 4,210 2,025 

105 164,700 4,610 -- ----------

110 187,700 4,990 ---------··-- 115 214,700 5,430 ----------- - • 120 241,800 5,860 -- ---------- 125 272,800 6,210 2,050 

130 303,900 6,570 2,055 

135 338,600 6,950 --- ---------

140 373,400 7,350 ------ ------

145 413, 000 7,930 ------- ··- ---

150 453, 000 8,530 2, 075 

155 498, 000 9,110 --- --- -- ----

160 544,000 9,680 ---- ----- --- 165 594,000 10,170 ---- -- ------

170 645, 000 10,680 -- ---------- 175 701,000 11,240 2, 100 

180 757,000 11,750 2,105 

185 820, 000 12,300 --------- --- 190 880,000 13, 000 ----- -- ----- 195 950,000 13,600 ------------ 200 1,020,000 14,200 2,125 
68 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [N0. 2. 

WALNUT GROVE RESERVOIR. 

A storage reservoir was built on the I-Iassayampa River just below 

the settlement of \Valnut Grove in 1888. 'l'he dam (fig. 11) was 420 

feet long on top, 138 feet wide at bottom, 15 feet in width on top, and 

110 feet high. As shown in Pl. XXIV, it was of the rock-filled 01; 

placer-mining type, consisting of a front and back wall of dry rock 

carefully laid with loose rock filling between. A wooden sheath covered the water slope to make it water-tight. This covering was fasFIG. 11.-View of Walnu t Grove dtlm. 

tened to vertical stringers about 8 by 10 inches, which in turn were 

bolted to the prqjecting ends of heavy logs built into the upper face, 

the stringers being about 4 feet apart (fig. 12). The sheathing eonsisted of two thicknesses of 3-inch planking, with tarred paper laid 

between the two. 'l'he outer face was calked and covered with 

paraffin paint. Owing partly to the insufficiency of the spillway and 

partly to its becoming obstructed with driftwood, the great flood of 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXIV 

WALNUT GROVE DAM. 
DAVIS.] IRRIGATION WORKS PROJECTED. 69 

February, 1890, overtopped this O.am, causing it to fail. The capacity 

of this reservoir bas been variously estimated at from 7,000 to 14,000 

acre-feet. Its destruction caused the loss of twenty-six lives and a 

considerable quantity of property in the valley below. A new reservoir could doubtless be constructed on the same site which would 

redeem at least 5,000 acres of the land. 

AGUA FRIA PROJECT. 

The Agua Fria Water and Land Company'_s project contemplates 

the construction of two reservoir dams and one diversion dam on 

FIG. 12.-Cross section and elevation of Walnut Grove dam. 

Agua Fria River. The diversion dam, a view of which is given in Pl. 

XXV, is already nearly completed. It is built of rubble masonry, laid 

in mortar made with a natural cement burned 25 miles southwest of 

the dam site, at the foot of the White Tank Mountains. The masonry 

cost about $4 per cubic yard, the stone. being ·placed by cable conveyor, as shown in the plate. The total length when completed will 
70 IRRIGATION ~EAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

be 650 feet, the greatest height above the creek bed 40 feet, in addition to which the deepest excavation to bed rock was 40 fe t. The 

greatest width on bed rock is 53 feet. A spillway is to be provided 

around the west end. The upstream or back of the dam is vertical. 

The lower batter is 12! in 20.. Two sluices are left at the surface of 

the stream bed, each 4 feet wide by 6 feet high, to dispose of the flowing waters. The top width when completed will be about 8 feet. In 

October, 1895, a great :flood came down the river, which the sluiceways 

were unable to discharge and which poured over the dam for several 

hours to a depth of more than 8 feet, finally carrying out a portion of 

the recently completed masonry, about 12 by 100 feet, near the west 

end of the dam. The portion remaining below that carried away exhibits a smoothly plastered surface with no evidence of fracture or 

indication of having been bonded in any way to the destroyed section. 

The rubble masonry contains numerous horizontal joints finished 

and plastered as smootl;t ;as though intended for a floor, apparently 

diminishing the bond with the next course above. This seems to 

be in direct contravention of good engineering practice, and to account in a measure. for the' failure of the portion of the dam above 

mentioned. 

The canal heads at the east end of the dam in a cut 16 feet deep in 

solid rock, and is constructed for a distance of about 4 miles. At this 

point it is intended to carry the canal across the river in a flume 700 

feet long, and to extend it in a southwesterly direction around the 

foothills of the White Tank Mountains toward the Hassayampa River. 

The constructed portion of the canal is 18 feet wide on bottom, and is 

intended to carry 8! feet of water. The grade is 0.0004 or 2.11 feet 

per mile, and the capacity is intended to be 400 cubic feet of water 

per second. A large lateral is to be taken from the east side of the 

main canal about 2! miles from the head, to extend southward for 

the service of the lands on the east side of the river. 

The first reservoir dam is to be located It miles above the diversion 

dam, at an old stage station known as Frog Tanks. A fairly good dam 

site occurs here, with rock abutments, and the bed rock is said to be 

near the surface. It is proposed to build this dam to a height of 100 

feet, and it is ciaimed that this will impound about 50,000 acre-feet 

of water. No considerable amount of' work has been done upon this 

dam other than excavating pits on the slopes and making soundings 

to ascertain the depth to bed rock in the bed of the river. Quarries 

have been opened and a large amount of rock has been quarried and 

prepared for the work. The construction of this dam is to follow 

immediately after the completion of the diversion dam. 

Eight miles above this place another dam site is located, in a gorge · 

through solid rock, 262 feet wide at the bed of the river, and but 500 

feet wide at a height of 200 feet. It is said that this basin will 

impound, with a dam 150 feet high, over 150,000 acre-feet of water. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXV 

DIVERTING DAM ON THE AGUA FRIA. 
DAVIS.] IRRIGATION WORKS PROJECTED. 71 

The plans of this irrigation project appear to be open to criticism, 

for by continuing the canal 1i miles farther up the canyon it would 

have reached the lower reservoir dam site, which is the next structure contemplated in the plans, and which would have served as a 

diversion dam, and the cost of the dam already constructed might 

thus have been saved. The construction of the canal through this 

distance would be expensive, as the country is rough, but it certainly 

would not approach in cost that of the diversion dam. Moreover, 

when in use the diversion dam will require to be filled to a height of 

nearly 40 feet above the bed of the creek to reach the intended height 

in the canal. This will form a pond of probably 40 or 50 acres constantly exposed to evaporation in this warm and arid climate. This 

loss is worth considering, for the water supply is the limiting feature 

of this enterprise, the capacities of the reservoirs and the land to be 

irrigated being relatively much greater than the water supply to be 

depended upon. 

CAVE CREEK PROJECT. 

The Pennsylvania Irrigation Company proposes to build a dam 100 

feet high in the canyon of Cave Creek, which it is said will form a reservoir of more than 100,000 acre-feet capacity. The water is to be 

diverted about 7 miles below and used in the irrigation of the lands in 

_ 'aradise Valley above the line of the Rio Verde Canal. As this draina J area is estimated to be only about 200 square miles, it seems improb-

, ,e that this area will furnish sufficient water to justify the construetic 11 of a reservoir of this capacity; but a reservoir can doubtless be 

bt: :u at this point which will impound all the waters that can be 

depended upon from its drainage, and the land to be watered is abunda' t and excellent. 

THE BUTTES RESERVOIR. 

At a point about 14 miles east of Florence the Gila River passes 

between two buttes locally known as "The Buttes." For many years 

it has been proposed to build a dam at this point to store the flood 

waters of the Gila River for the reclamation of the arid plains below. 

This project was investigated by the writer in 1896 in connection with 

the water supply for the irrigation of the Pima Indian Reservation. 1 

A detailed survey was made of the gorge through which the river 

passes, for the purpose of determining the best point for a dam and 

its dimensions and cubical contents. The scale adopted was 50 feet 

to an inch and the contour interval 2 feet, except where the slopes 

were too precipitous for this interval, when only 10-foot contours were 

drawn. After the completion of this survey the reservoir site to an 

elevation 200 feet above the bed of the river in the gorge was mapped 

1 Fifty-fourth Congress, second session, Senate Doc. No. 27. 
72 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZ ON A.. [No.2. 

on a scale of 5 inches to a mile in 10-foot contours. The reservoir 

capacities obtained by this survey are as follows: 

Area and capacity of The Buttes Reservoir. 

Contour Area, in Capacity Total capacflowline. acres. of section, in ity, in 

acre-feet. acre-feet. 

10 20 100 100 

20 71 450 550 

30 229 1,500 2,050 

40 397 3,130 5,180 

50 533 4,650 9,830 

60 741 6,370 16,200 

70 928 8,345 24,545 

80 1,105 10,165 34,710 

90 1,329 12,170 46,880 

100 1,566 14,475 61,355 

110 1,769 16,675 78,030 

120 2,029 18,990 97,020 

130 2,367 21,980 119,000 

140 2,746 25,565 144,565 

15Q 3,149 29,475 174,040 

160 3,602 33,755 207,795 

170 4,118 38,600 246,395 

180 4,609 43,635 290,030 

LE 5,133 48,710 338,740 

0 5,651 53,920 392,660 

Eleven soundings for bed rock were made at the dam site by driving iron rods into the gravel. What was supposed to be bed rock 

was reached at a maximum depth, near the center of t.he river, of 65 

feet. The site proposed for this dam is where the river enters the 

gorge (Pl. XXVI), between the end of a projecting ridge on the east 

and a solid igneous dike on the west. It is proposed to build the 

dam to a, height of 170 feet above the bed of the river, or 235 feet from 

bed rock. The top width is to be 12 feet; the upstream or back slope 

is to be 1 in 20, the face slope 1 in 2 from the top to a point 80 feet 

below the top, and 2 in 3 from that point to bed rock, as shown in fig. 

13. A spillway capacity of over 100,000 cubic feet per second is to 

be provided, partly to the east and partly to the west of the dam. 

Both spillways will discharge their waters clear of the dam. ·This 

reservoir will have a capacity, as shown in the above table, of 205,000 

acre-feet above the outlet tunnel, which will be about 30 feet above 

the bed of the stream. The outlet tunnel will pierce the hill to the 

southwest of the dam, and will be about 1,200 feet in length. 
U. S. GeOLOGICAL SURVEY WATE:R-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXVI 

VIEW OF DAM SITE AT THE BUTTES, GILA RIVER, LOOKING NORTH. 
DAVIS.) IRRIGATION WORKS PROJECTED. 73 

Another and larger tunnel will be cut through the ridge to the east 

of the dam, on a considerably steeper grade, and discharge on a level 

with the river bed, for use as a sluiceway in clearing the reservoir of 

sediment. The discharge· of the Gila River was measured by the 

United States Irrigation Survey for the year ending August 31, 1890. 

FIG. 13.-Protile of proposed dam at The Buttes. 

The results of this measurement are given on page 40. Measurements for irrigation investigation, under the auspices of the Indian 

Bureau, were begun by the writer at the same point December 10, 

1895, and continued until July 1, 1896, and they have been continued 

since that date to the present time by the United States Geological 

Survey. Previous to this private parties endeavoring to establish 
74 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

claim to this reservoir site took readings of gauge height and occasionally measured the velocity by the use of floats. With the data 

obtained in this manner, and by comparison with measurements made 

in 1896, the discharge of the river has been approximated from July 

to December. The results for 1895-96 are given on page 40, and a 

diagram of the discharge as actually measured is given in fig. 7. The 

area of this basin is so large, its topography so varied, the rainfall so small and erratic, and the evaporation so great. that it is 

impossible to arrive at any conclusion from theoretical considerations 

as to the amount of run-off to be expected from it. This can be 

determined only by a long series of measurements. It is probable, 

however, that an area of 75,000 to 100,000 acres can be reclaimed by 

waters stored at this point. The cost of such reclamation would b~ 

something over $2,000,000. 

QUEEN CREEK RESERVOIR SITE. 

Queen Creek rises in the mountains to the eastward of Silver King 

mine, and, flowing in a general southwestern direction, leaves the 

mountains below Whitlow's ranch, and in ordinary years loses itself 

in the desert north of the Gila River Reservation. In times of 

e,xtremely high and protracted floods the waters of this creek reach 

Gila River several miles below Sacaton Agency. At Whitlow's ranch 

the creek passes between two buttes, forming a narrow rocky gorge 

advantageously conditioned for a dam site, and above this point the 

valley spreads out in a broad basin favorable for storage. This 

project was investigated in 189.6 in connection with the irrigation 

investigation 1 for the benefit of the Pima Indians on the Gila River 

Reservation, little being known of its possibilities when the field work 

began. A topographic map of the drainage basin was made on a 

scale of 1 mile to an inch, with contour intervals of 100 feet. Its area 

is 142.5 square miles, or 91,200 acres, 61 per cent of which lies above 

the elevation curve of 3,000 feet and 39 per cent below that curve. 

The reservoir site was surveyed on a scale of 5 inches to the mile, 

curves of 10 feet interval being inserted to an elevation of 140 feet 

above the bed of the creek at the dam site, which is topographically 

the limiting height of a possible dam at this site. The practical limit, 

however, is reached at an elevation considerably lower, owing to the 

meager water supply, which is limited by the small drainage area, 

the aridity of the climate, and the great evaporation to which the 

impounded waters would be exposed. The plans propo_sed provide 

for a dam 115 feet above the bed of the ·creek. It is to be built on 

the rock-filled plan, with a water slope of 1 in 1, a down-stream slope 

of 1 in 2, and a top width of 10 feet. (Fig. 14.) ·Upon the water 

slope is to be laid a sheathing of asphalt concrete, and from the upstream toe an impervious wall of cement rubble masonry is to be 

1 See report in Senate Document 27, Fifty-fourth Congress, second session. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER N·ci. 2 PL. XXVIf 

Horizontal and Vertical Scale 

ELEVATION OF PROPOSED DAM AT THE BUTTES. 
DAVIS.] IRHIGATION WORKS PROJECTED. 75 

carried down to bed rock, which, in the deepest place, is about 30 feet. 

An outer shell of carefully laid dry rock wall is to be built, which 

will be carried down to bed rock at the down-stream toe. Spillways 

will be excavated at each end of the dam, and it is from these that 

rock will be obtained for the construction of the dam. Little is known 

of the hydrographic possibilities of this basin, owing to the almost 

total absence of data on the subject. A record of rainfall ten months 

in duration was kept at Silver King, but its results appear to be of 

doubtful utility. Measurements of discharge were begun at WhitFIG. 14.-Profile of Queen (,'reek dam. 

low's ranch in July, 1896. It is very difficult to make these measuremenls with any considerable degree of accuracy, owing to the 

extremely flashy character of the stream. Almost the entire discharge 

at this point is in the form of violent floods. It is estimated that a 

supply of about 10,000 acre-feet per annum can be depended upon 

from this project, sufficient to reclaim about 5,000 acres of land at a 

cost somewhere about $200,000. A table and diagrams of discharge 

of this stream may be found on page 42. An abundance of excellent 

land lies near at hand, with perfectly smooth surfaces and a maximum slope of about 40 feet to the mile. 
76 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. 

Area arid capacity of Queen Creek Reservoir. 

r. I Conrou 

2,060 

2,070 

2,080 

2,090 

2,100 

2,110 

2,120 

2,130 

2,140 

2,150 

2,160 

2,170 

lE 

Area, in acres. 

8 

22 

52 

112 

209 

279 

356 

445 

538 

630 

757 

894 

1,019 

1,191 

Capacity in 

acre-feet. 

40 

190 

560 

1,380 

2,985 

5,425 

8,600 

12,605 

17,520 

23,360 

30,795 

39,050 

48,615 

59,665 

THE LOWER GILA STORAGE RESERVOIR. 

[N0.2. 

This project contemplates the construction of a large dam on the 

Lower Gila in the gorge below Oatman and Cottonwood flats, not far 

from the railroad station of Sentinel. So great diversity of climate 

SCJnd 

Scale 

10 0 . 10 20 FEET' 

FIG. 15.-Hection of proposed South Gila dam. 

and topography is embraced by the drainage tributary to this reservoir that it is likely that it would t·eceive a large run-off available for 

storage for irrigation and very materially increase the a-rea reclaimable 

after all reservoirs in the upper portion of the basin are utilized. 
0 

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXVIII 

-r-r-- r--I-

-

I -I-

- I 

I 

1/ 

800.000 

1 

I 

/_ 700.000 

1/ ! 

I 

I 

~~I 600.000 

;.u ItCot w 

..._ 

1~/ i 

I.&.. 

rY_ 

; ~I l w 

500.000 

[/ j lu ~ ( I..._ L'>. I 

. 'PI 

'I ~ 

1/ j_ 

400.000 

v .. 

I Lit:. 

1 I ~~ 

1 '<( 

I I 1'-' 300,000 

I L'"~ 1/ (J~L 

I A ·'"·v I ~v .c~_Z 

v l~ v lc'i 200.000 

I -'~ tr y~~ v 

1/ ~rl .Lt" 

I l\J) <Q/ 

v ~~v / 

I b..sv,v v 100.000 

J '(\\JV .... v 

/v /v II'R ~ .-'' 

/ v ••• I DU~ ~ 1.7"' 

1.--~ ~ ffL JEl; ~ ~F"'" 

50 10.0 150 200 250 

HEIGHT OF DAM ,ABOVE BED ROCK 

COMPARATIVE DIAGRAM OF RESERVOIR SITES, GIVING CAPACITY OF EACH FOR VARIOUS 

HEIGHTS OF DAM. 
DAVIS.] FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. 77 

Work on this reservoir was begun in 1892, but was discontinued, 

owing to financial difficulties, in the year 1893. It is the plan at present to construct at this point a dam 50 feet in height, a section of 

which is shown in Fig. 15. It is to be an overflow dam, protected on 

both faces with asphalt concrete. Seepage under the dam is to be 

cut off, so far as possible, by three rows of fluted sheet piliJ?.g, one row 

at the toe, one at the axis, and one at the heel of the dam. rrhis dam 

is to be utilized also as a diversion dam to 1·aise the waters into the 

proposed canal, which will be taken out about 30 feet above the natural bed of the river, leaving 20 feet storage capacity above the bottom of the canal. rrhe amount of this storage capacity is not known, 

but is undoubtedly great. 

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. 

Further development of irrigation in Arizona by the simple diversion of water from the Gila River and its tributaries is impossible. 

As already indicated, the dry-weather flow of these streams is overappropriated. The area irrigated from such streams can be increased 

by more economical use of the water now claimed, but the actual water 

supply for irrigation can be increased only by storage and in some · 

degree by the development of underground sources. 

NATURAL ADVANTAGES. 

The vast extent of land in southern Arizona of surpassing fertility, 

admirably situated for irrigation, and with a climate the aridity and 

warmth of which make it at once exceptionally healthy and marvelously productive, and depending for its development and reclamation 

solely upon the practicable water supply, renders the item of water 

supply of vital importance to the future his.tory of the Commonwealth. 

It is impossible in the present state of knowledge regarding this question to make even an approximate computation of the extent to which 

this water supply can be increased. Enough is known, however, to 

give to a summary of the known possibilities considerable interest and 

some scientific value. Unquestionably the main reliance for the 

increase in water supply is the storage of storm and winter waters and 

those of the season of melting snows, to be held and allowed to flow 

upon the land only as needed, instead of flowing to the sea, or of being 

applied for a short time in excess only to evaporate. 

STORAGE OF FLOODS. 

In some respects the topographic and climatic condit\ons in Arizona 

are peculiarly favorable for the complete utilization of its hydrographic 

possibilities. Few sections of the country are so well supplied with 

excellen_t reservoir sites favorably situated for the conservation of the 

surplus waters well above t·he areas to be irrigated. These favorable 
78 IRRIGATION NEAR FH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

conditions seem to apply not only to the location and great capacity 

of the reservoir sites, but to their engineering practicability. 

This is a point the importance of which is realized by few persons 

who have not made irrigation engineering a specialty. The impression seems to be well-nigh universal that wherever a locality is provided by nature with surplus waters that are discharged in torrents 

and wasted, such waters can be stored and entirely utilized for irrigation. As a matter of fact, the truth of this proposition is the exception 

rather than the rule. This is chiefly due to the scarcity of practicable 

topographic conditions for the construction of reservoirs at the place 

where needed. The storage of water for domestic use in cities is often 

accomplished where natural conditions are by no means favorable, 

because water for this purpose is far more valuable than it is ever 

likely to be in any part of the world for general irrigation purposes. 

While it may be practicable and economical in some cases for a city 

to pay tens or even hundreds of dollars per acre-foot for water for 

domestic use, any such price is absolutely prohibitory where the water 

is intended for irrigation on a large scale, even in those parts of the 

world where irrigation is brought to greatest perfection, where prod-

. ucts are of the most exceptional nature and highest value, and water 

commands the maximum price. But even in the case of city supplies, 

it is by no means practicable in all cases to construct storage reservoirs at the required height wit,hin practical limits of expense. 

It will thus be seen that for the storage of water for irrigation the 

existence of peculiar and favorable topographic and geologic conditions for the construction of reservoirs is of no less importance than 

the existence of waters to be stored. A basin of large capacity, capable 

of being closed by a structure of small dimensions and unquestionable 

safety, or if naturally already inclosed, capable of being pierced by a 

tunnel or cut for drawing off its waters, must exist at an elevation 

sufficiently low and in a locality convenient for the reception of the 

waters to be stored, and sufficiently elevated and convenient for its 

waters to be carried, within practicable limits of cost, upon the lands 

to be irrigated. Such reservoirs, furthermore, must be of considerable 

depth; otherwise the great bulk of the stored waters will be lost by 

evaporation before they can be utilized. This is peculiarly true E>f 

Arizona, on account of the excessive aridity and heat of its climate. 

Even with the most favorably conditioned storage sites this item of 

evaporation always curtails the efficiency of a reservoir site and places 

a limit upon its utility for the purposes intended. The less the value 

of the water impounded the more favorable must be those topographic 

conditions, but for any purposes of irrigation they must be so favorable as almost to be topographic curiosities, and such are of comparatively rare occurrence. 

Another element of error in the popular assumption above referred 

to arises from the.fact that the great floods which bear such immense 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER·SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXIX 

6 

SCALE· + SMILES 

36 

6 .3 

10 II IZ 7 8 10 II IZ 

15 14 13 18 17 15 14 13 

1!1 Z2 Z3 Z4 

30 Z8 Z7 Z6 Z5 

31 3Z 33 34 35 36 

6 !'> 

7 8 

MAP OF FLORENCE CANAL, SHOWING IRRIGATED LANDS. 

The shaded portions are the areas irrigated in 1896. 
DAVIS.] FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. 79 

quantities of water running to waste and which make such a strong 

impression on the public mind are so infrequent in occurrence and so 

enormous in volume that their storage and complete utilization are 

impossible. The observation of these great floods, such as those of 

1891, in both the Salt and the Gila rivers, produces an impression upon 

the popular mind that the possibilities of irrigation by storage are 

vastly larger than in fact they really are. Even assuming ideal conditions regarding the existence and location of feasible reservoir sites, 

we are forced by a study of the facts to the reluctant conclusion that 

such great floods bear no relation to the extension of irrigation by 

means of storage except to imperil the works. As before stated, these 

great floods occur only once or twice in a great many years, and irrigation can be extended only in approximate proportion to the supply of 

water that can be obtained in the driest years. To a certain extent 

dry years may be reenforced by the conservation of the waters from 

years of excessive run-off. Of course, the reservation of a large surplus over and above that required for irrigation in the year of great 

run-off requires the provision of extensive storage capacity and consequent increase in the cost of the works, but a limit to the utility 

of this method is quickly reached, especially in the climate of Arizona, 

by the heat and aridity there prevalent. 

The potential evaporation is equivalent to a depth of nearly 8 feet 

in this region, and a reservoir in which the reserve storage filled it 

only to a depth of 8 feet would be entirely evaporated before the next 

season. If the reserve storage extended to a depth of 16 feet, it would 

be all lost before the second year was reached. To tide over a series 

of dry years a reservoir of great depth is necessary. When we consider the fact that all storage reservoirs which it is practicable to 

construct for purposes of irrigation have their greatest areas in the 

upper contours, it will be seen that to subtract 8, 16, 32, or 40 feet 

from the upper zones of such a reservoir is to lose an enormous proportion of its stored contents. For instance, in the areas and capacities of the reservoir surveyed at The Buttes, given on page 72, we 

find that for a depth of 150 feet the area of the reservoir is 3,149 acres 

and its capacity 174,000 acre-feet. Should it be attempted to hold 

such a reservoir filled with water for a period of say four years, we 

should have an evaporation of at least 30 feet from its surface, which 

would lower it to the 120-foot contour, at which the capacity is 97,000 

acre-feet, or a little more than one-half the quantity which was held 

as a reserve. Should it be desired to hold a depth of 100 feet in the 

reservoir as a reserve for use in dry seasons, we find that in a period 

of four years, assuming the evaporation in that time to be 30 feet, the 

amount would be reduced from 61,355 acre-feet to 24,545 acre-feet, a 

loss of about 60 per cent. lf the depth of reserve storage were adopted 

as 70 feet, we should have a capacity of 24,545 acre-feet, which would 

be reduced by four years' evaporation to about 5,000 acre-feet, or 
80 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, Al:IZONA. [No.2. 

about 21 per cent, and another year would practically exhaust it. In 

the Sweetwater Reservoir, in southern CaJifornia, 90 feet in depth, 

80 per cent of the capacity of the reservoir is within the upper 30 feet 

of height and 40 per cent within the upper 10 feet. · 

It will be readily seen that the practical utility of a reserve storage 

is limited to three or four years, even with very deep reservoirs. 

With comparatively shallow reservoirs no such use is possible. Such 

great floods as occur only once or twice in ten or twenty years can not 

be held, even with unlimited storage capacity, to reenforce the years 

of minimum run-off, which of course occur at essentially similar intervals, and the meager observations at hand seem to indicate that they 

are not needed in the years in which they occur, as such years are· 

likely to yield more than the average quantity of run-off, independent 

of such floods. On the other hand, they are a constant menace and a 

positive peril to the stability and perpetuity of the reservoir, owing 

both to their great magnitude and the great difficulty of determining 

what this magnitude is. Enormous and very expensive facilities 

must be provided for carrying them out of the reservoir without 

injury to the dam. 

SILTING OF RESERVOIRS. 

One of the most difficult problems presented in the storage of these 

great torrents is the enormous quantities of rocks, gravel, sand, mud, 

and silt which they carry into the reservoir, and even though no part 

of the flood may be held, the load of solid material is deposited and 

contributes to fill it and destroy its storage capacity. These terrible 

torrents, useless and dangerous as they are, contribute the major portion of the solid matter which is caught by such reservoirs, and this 

is o_ne of the most serious and difficult problems to be solve.d by the 

irrigation engineers in southern Arizona. The amount of solid material brought down in this manner can be learned only by impounding and measuring it. Measurements of matter carried in suspension 

have been made on ·the Mississippi, on the Potomac, on the Rio Grande, 

and on streams in California, but even if these streams could be 

shown to bear any fixed relation to the torrents which it is proposed 

to control in Arizona .the problem would still be unsolved, as an un- · 

known quantity of such material is rolled along the bottom. This is 

proved by the large numbers of bowlders, small rocks, and gravel they 

carry which never could be held in suspension. Careful surveys have 

been made of new reservoirs in California with this problem in view, 

and after a lapse of several years a resurvey will doubtless furnish 

valuable information, but this is not available at the present time. 

The amount of solid material carried by the torrents of southern Arizona can be learned only by impounding it. As it is considerable, it 

is obvious that a reservoir built on such a water course will eventually 

fill with solid matter unless means are provided for its removal. No 

entirely efficient plan for this purpose has ever been put in Op&."ation. 
DAVIS.] FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. 81 

It is usually assumed, and often with truth, that the life of the reservoir is sufficiently long to justify its construction, even though it will 

eventually fill and have its usefulness destroyed. The amount of material carried by streams in southern Arizona, especially in the summer floods, is too large and the necessity of the reservoir to the life of 

the district to b~ irrigated from it is too vital to justify this convenient 

solution, or rather evasion, of the problem. 

At least one eminent engineering authority has expressed an opinion that such a reservoir, even when filled, would retain about 30 per 

cent of its available storage capacity in the voids of the material 

deposited. It would seem, however, that this opinion is entirely 

· without foundation. The fluctuating character of such streams, as 

well as the widely variant specific gravity of the material carried, 

insures such a mixture of materials in regard to their fineness that 

the proportion of voids would be much smaller than in a body of sand 

or other material of approximate uniformity of size. By filling any 

given volume with coarse materials, such as bowlders, filling the voids 

of these bowlders with coarse gravel, these voids again with finer 

gravel, and so on through the coarser grades of sand to the very finest 

silt, using of each material just enough to fill the larger voids in the 

coarser material, a mass will be produced with an extremely small 

percentage of voids. This is roughly the course pursued in the manufacture of concrete, and apparently would be approximated by 

nature in the case of a mountain reservoir. But whatever the percentage of voids, the water contained therein would not only be held 

strongly by the forces of capillary attraction and surface tension, but 

the friction in the containing material would resist its escape so powerfully that even that portion which could be drawn off would escape 

with extreme slowness. While probably such a reservoir might store 

and yield for use a considerable quantity of water, it is clear that this 

quantity could not aggregate anything like 30 per cent of the original 

capacity of the reservoir. 

It has been proposed to sluice out such material by providing large 

openings from the reservoir and occasionally allowing a large volume 

of water to rush out and carry the collected material with it. This 

method has been successfully employed in diverting dams for keeping 

open the approaches to the head gates of canals. It is also extensively employed in cleansing reservoirs in Spain. But experience has 

shown that only a comparatively small area is cleaned by this method, 

reaching on a steep grade for a moderate distance above the scouring 

sluices. For clearing a reservoir several miles long it is manifestly 

inadequate and must be supplemented by something else. 

Another method of counteracting the tendency of the reservoir to 

fill is by enlarging its capacity. '"rhis method is not always possible. 

Where possible it is always expensive, and so far from being a solution of the problem, merely postpones the date when some means 

IRR2--6 
82 IRRIGAT~ON NEAR PHillNIX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

must be adopted of clearing out the impounded silt. It may, however, in some cases be advisable, where the expense is not too great, 

as the combined effect of raising the dam higher and of its filling with 

silt is to increase the altitude of the surface of the silt above the 

scouring sluices, and, by increasing the velocity of the water which is 

used in sluicing out the silt, to increase the efficiency of that means 

of cleansing the reservoir. 

The remov-al of the accumulated debris by the ordinary methods of 

excavation is clearly out of the question. No community in the world 

can afford to pay for an acre-foot of storage c"apacity for the purposes 

of irrigation any sum approaching the cost of an acre-foot of excava-. 

tion by the ordinary methods. A method is here suggested, however, 

which it is believed might be applied in many cases, and when properly adapted to the topography and hydrography of the locality, 

would, it is believed, be effective in some cases within practicable 

limits of expense. The method proposed is as follows: 

A small water supply is to be obtained at considerable head over 

the reservoir site, either by diverting the stream at a distance above 

the reservoir or by storing waters in a small reservoir on the stream 

or some of its tributaries and carrying them in pipes or flumes above 

the upper edge of the reservoir to the vicinity of the dam. At points 

along the side of the reservoir which are topographically favorable, 

preferably upon ridges jutting out into the lake, hydraulic giants are 

to be provided, to act under the head of water furnished by the pipe 

line. Large sluiceways are to be provided near the dam, and at such 

times as the reservoir happens to be empty these sluiceways are to be 

opened to their full capacity and the deposited material hydraulicked 

out, as in hydraulic mining. The material, being mostly fine and 

freshly deposited, would wash easily and rapidly and be carried by 

the stream out of the reservoir through the sluice gates. This water 

need not be wasted, but could be diverted below for purposes of irrigation. It is not denied that such works and such methods would be 

expensive, but, on the other hand, their effectiveness is unquestionable, and it is believed to be by far the most feasible method yet 

proposed for cleaning out a large reservoir. r.rhe tendency of an economical use of this method would be to keep the reservoir open in 

its lower part, where it is deepest, and allow the shallow portions 

along the edges and at the upper end to remain filled. This would 

contract the relative area of water surface and diminish evaporation, 

which would in a measure compensate for the destruction of storage 

capacity. 

The use of the three methods, first, the employment of one or more 

large scouring sluices, after the manner of the old Spanish reservoirs; 

second, the enlargement of the reservoir to the practicable limit; and, 

third, the construction of works and the adoption of operations like 

those above described, would in many cases insure the perpetuity of 
DAVIS.] FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. 83 

storage reservoirs in this country within practicable limits of expense. 

Certain it is that some -efficient method or methods for this purpose 

must be employed or the extension of irrigation in any great degree 

in southern Arizona by means of storage is impossible. 

The problem just discussed suggests the advisability, where feasible, of constructing storage reservoirs in side canyons or other basins 

having no considerable natural drainage tributary to them, the water 

being carried through artificial conduits .. · from the streams whose 

waters it is desired to store. Where this can be done the danger of 

filling the reservoir with silt can be easily averted. Sand boxes can 

be constructed along a conduit and easily operated in such manner as 

to effectually clear the waters of their load of solid matter. 

Aside from the scarcity of natural sites of this character, their efficiency is limited by a fact more strongly emphasized in this than in 

most countries, that the surplus waters are discharged in sudden 

floods of enormous volume, and in order to impound them or any considerable percentage of them by this method, not only must strong 

diversion works be provided for diverting them, but a conduit must 

be constructed of enormous capacity. If this conduit must be of considerable length or in very rough country-and both conditions usually 

obtain-the project is defeated by that great bugbear of irrigation 

possibilities previously referred to-the cost. 

In respect to the existence of good natural reservoir sites upon 

streams carrying the bulk of its surplus waters, southern Arizona is 

particularly fortunate. The information upon this point, however, 

is far from complete, and the subject deserves careful expert investigation. 

EVAPORATION. 

As previously suggested, one of the most serious obstacles to the 

extension of irrigation in Arizona by means of storage is the high rate 

of evaporation, which often exceeds 100 inches in depth in a single 

year. 

A compilation of evaporation results acquired by the Irrigation 

Survey is given in the Eleventh Annual Report of the Geological Survey, Part II, Irrigation, page 34. 

It has been proposed to lessen· evaporation from reservoirs by the 

cultivation of aquatic plants, whose leaves are intended to cover the 

surface and partially shade the water. This plan was suggested by 

Captain Glassford in Irrigation and Water Storage in the Arid 

Regions, page 307. 1 It is hardly probable that this method can be 

very effective, from the fact that such part of the leaves as are above 

water will probably transpire more or less moisture themselves, and 

such parts as are covered with a film of water of course can not check 

1Fifty-first Congress, second session, Ex. Doc. No. 287, Irrigation and Water Storage in the 

Arid Regions, a report on the climatology of the arid regions of the United States with reference to irrigation. By Gen. A. W. Greely. 
84 IRRIGA.~ION NEAR PHffiNIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

evaporation in any degree. A test of a similar method of checking 

evaporation was made by Prof. Edward M. Boggs, irrigation engineer 

and meteorologist of the Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station, 

the result of which is given by him in Bulletin No. 20, on Arizona 

Weather, page 7: 

A second tank, an exact duplicate of the first, placed by its side, and provided 

with a similar gauge, was planted with water lilies of the genus Nymphce. Measurements were ·commenced in this tank in September, 1892, when the leaves well 

covered the surface of the water. They were continued until April, 1894, when 

the gauge was needed for another use. A comparison of the results is shown by 

parallel columns in Table IV. It will be seen that the monthly totals of the two 

tanks are in substantial agreement. The differences are usually small. The 

excess changes so often from one tank to the other as to lead to the conclusion 

that differences are due to accumulations of errors incident to observation. But 

it is not easy to apply this explanation to the difference of 0.75 inch in favor of the 

lily tank occurring in June, 1893. However, the idea that th~ leaf covering has 

diminished the evaporation to any considerable extent is dispelled by the fact that 

for the eighteen months of· the record the difference amounts to 1.52 inches only, 

a divergence of about 1 per cent. 

Another device is here proposed which may be worthy of consideration, and which it is hoped may receive tests similar to those conducted by Professor Boggs. It is proposed to cover the surface of ~he 

reservoir with a film of crude petroleum, which will form a more or 

less coherent sheet of gum upon the surface and prevent the contact 

of air with the water as long as the surface of the reservoir is still 

and placid. The tendency of oil to diminish motion of water in 

waves and riffles is well known, and this project might prove more or 

less effective at such times as the winds are not too violent or constant. This suggestion is made for what it is worth, in the hope of 

inducing experiments to test its value. It must be admitted, however, that the prospect is meager for materially reducing the ravages 

of evaporation from reservoirs in this climate, and all plans and estimates should take them into account to the fullest extent. 

MOUNTAIN RESERVOIRS. 

It is eminently advisable in such a climate as that of Arizona to 

store waters for irrigation as far as practicable near their· source, in 

order to obviate the enormous loss through evaporation when flowing 

for long distances through the sandy beds o~ streams. 

It is often erroneously assumed that the run-off of a district is 

nearly proportioned to its area. In this arid region the mean discharge of thelarge streams is, owing to evaporation, often more nearly 

in inverse proportion to their catchment areas. Thus the Gila River 

at Yuma has a smaller discharge than at the mouth of Salt River, 

where its catchment area is far less. The Santa Cruz River, at the 

point where it leaves the mountains, discharges annually large quantities of water, which become progressively less, until well out into -the 
DAVIS.] FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. 85 

desert the river is practically lost, and its discharge is zero. The 

same is true in a greater or less degree of nearly all the important 

drainage lines in the southern part of the entire arid region. Added 

to this is the fact that in the low, hot deserts the evaporation is usually 

so great as to make very serious ravages into the stored volume of 

water after the rains have ceased, thus materially reducing the supply available for irrigation. 

The waters from a reservoir situated within a broad valley or open 

country must usually be conducted in broad channels constructed on 

light grades through sand or loam where the loss from seepage and 

evaporation will approximate a maximum; while from a mountain 

reservoir it is usually possible to give delivery canals heavy grades 

and high velocities, reducing seepage and evaporation to a minimum; 

and, with plenty of grade to spare, natural drainage lines may be 

utilized to a great extent. The seepage from high-level canals 

often reappears at lower levels and is not entirely lost. Furthermore, water stored in the mountains may usually be made to furnish 

a large amount of power that will in the future be very valuable, 

without in the least affecting its availability for irrigation. It may 

be laid down as an almost general rule that where there is a choice 

it Js far better for the future of the arid region that water be stored 

in or near the mountains than on desert plains, even when the cost 

of such mountain storage is much greater than the same capacity at 

lower levels. 

The reservoir sites already described on New River, Rio Verde, 

Gila and Salt rivers, Hassayampa, Queen, and Cave creeks, which 

are contemplated in the plans of existing companies, are doubtless 

the best that can be utilized on those streams, an'd are usually 

as great and in some cases greater in capacity than required for the 

economical conservation of the waters yielded by the drainage area 

tributary to them, exclusive of the great unusual floods which, as 

previously pointed out, it is neither practicable nor desirable to 

impound. On the drainage of the Gila proper, however, it is not 

improbable that undiscovered reservoirs exist in the mountains near 

the head waters of the Santa Cruz, San Pedro, San Francisco, and Gila 

rivers; Eagle, San Carlos, and Blue creeks, and other tributaries in 

the mountainous regions, where waters can be more economically 

stored than at The Buttes. When all such reservoirs are constructed 

and fully utilized, and the ordinary spring and summer flow of the 

river enti~ely diverted for ,irrigation in the neighborhood of Solomonville and Fort Thomas, the reservoir at The Buttes may be relied 

upon to impound the balance of the run-off tributary to its drainage, 

with the exception of the unusual floods referred to. . This reservoir 

is admirably located for the purposes above outlined, being of large 

capacity and, situated at the point where the river finally leaves the 

mountainous region, intercepting nearly all the mountain drainage 
86 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

yielding the largest percentage of run-off, and yet of sufficient 

elevation to command all the irrigable land adjacent to the middle 

and lower portions of the river. 

When all such sites are utilized there will still be a large area of 

excellent unwatered lands in the valleys of Arizona and a large 

amount of surplus flood waters, which, for reasons outlined on page 

79, it is not practicable to store in the reservoirs in the mountains. 

Though these reservoirs include in their catchment the greater portion of the best drainage area of this basin, large areas of foothills, 

plains, and rocky ridges will still remain which are subject to occasional cloudbursts and yield in the aggregate a large run-off. A part 

of such waters, as well·as such part of the seepage from canals and 

irrigated fields as finds its way back into the stream, can be impounded 

by the construction of a large reservoir on the lower Gila, as described 

on page 76. Whether it would be sufficient to utilize the water available for storage after the upper sites in this basin have been brought 

into use can not, of course, be known at present. Certain it is that 

no rights to flood waters should be acquired by such a reservoir to 

the prejudice of those in the mountain regions, where the water can 

be so much more economically impounded and applied, and in the 

absence of laws controlling this matter it is not to be regretted, but 

is rather a subject for congratulation, that this project has not been 

carried to completion; and it is to be hoped, for the sake of the future 

of irrigation in Arizona, that it will not again be revived until at 

least the best of the reservoir sites hereinbefore described have been 

constructed or some legal provision has been made to secure their full 

utilization. 

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

The possibilities of irrigation by the development of percolating 

waters deserves mention. There is in Salt River Valley at present a 

large quantity of water in the gravels underlying the valley. The 

well employed to furnish the greater part of the domestic supply of 

water for the city of Phrenix is 35 feet in depth and 8 feet in diameter. 

It normally contains a depth of 18 feet of water. The walls are of 

cement, so that water can enter only at the bottom. Two Dean 

pumps, each of 840 gallons per minute capacity, are used to raise the 

water into the stand pipe. Both pumps usually run at nearly full 

capacity in July and August, and have raised 33,000,000 gallons per 

month. The discharge has sometimes exceeded 1,400 gallons per minute, which would lower the water in the well about 6 feet, but when 

the pumps are stopped the water recovers its level in a few minutes. 

A well was dug into the gravel in the vicinity of Mesa, and a centrifugal pump of about 1,200 gallons per minute capacity was used 

to keep the water down and permit the progress of the work. The 
DAVIS.) UNDERGROUND W .A.TERS. 87 

ingress of water became so great as to be beyond the capacity of the 

pump, and work was stopped for that reason. 

This large quantity of underground water is doubtless due to the 

excessive application of water, as previously described in this report, 

through the months of April and May, while the water in Salt River 

is abundant, and irrigators are attempting to "soak up" the land 

preparatory to the low-water season, when the competition for water 

rights becomes severe. If in future this excessive supply during the 

spring months is stored in great reservoirs, as is proposed by the 

projects now contemplated, the "underflow" will be greatly reduced, 

because so great an excess of water will no longer be applied to the 

fields. Some water will always escape from the fields into the subsoil, 

and canals and ditches will also lose a portion of their supply by 

seepage, which will be caught by the underflow. This source of supply, while for these reasons somewhat uncertain at present, is important in the future deve~opment of the valley. 

Measurements were made in the month of June, 1896, by Mr. Cyrus 

C. Babb, of Salt River above the head of the Arizona Canal, of the 

amount of water taken out by each canal, and the amount remaining 

in the river below its head. These measurements proved that a considerable quantity of water is returned by seepage to the river bed, 

which was taken out for irrigation lower down. In one case the 

increase was 80 second-feetin 7 miles, as previously stated. Undoubtedly the amount lost by evaporation of these return waters from the 

river bed and the adjacent soils was much greater. While it is a 

gratification to know that some part of the surplus waters applied to 

the lal]-d returns to the river and can be used again, still this fact 

affords no excuse for such use, and should not be allowed to weigh in 

favor of its continuance. 

In some other parts of the Territory are found underground waters 

in greater or less abundance, which may in some cases be profitably 

developed by pumping or otherwise for irrigation purposes. This is 

true at least in the country which receives the lost waters of the Santa 

Cruz and some other streams which have ordinarily little or no surface 

indications, but still discharge more or less water through a pervious 

subsoil. Water may be obtained in abundance a short distance 

beneath the surface along the valley of the Gila River, in the Pima 

Reservation. 1 Mr. Albert F. Colton has collected a quantity of data 

relating to wells in the CasaGrande Valley, some of which have quite 

a considerable flow and vary in depth from 20 to 100 feet. In other 

parts of the Territory wells have been sunk to depths greatly exceeding 100 feet without striking water. The I information collected by 

the Geological Survey, together with that ~athered by Mr. Colton, so 

I Irrigation Investigation for Pima. Reservation. Senate :Doc. No. 27, Fifty-fourth Congress. 

second session. 
88 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

far as relates to, Maricopa and Pinal counties, is shown in the following tables: 

Wells of Pinal County. 

Location. 

No. Post-office. Owner of well. 

T. R. S. 

Cost ofMaW ell. chinery. 

--1------1--------11--- --~ __ , _______ ---

Ft. in. Feet. Feet. 

1 Arizola ------ Geo. W.Sanders... 6 6 22 1892 

]893 

4 0 40 3 $100 $13 

2 ..... do-------- Peter H. Loss...... 6 19 4 0 44 6 35 

3 ..... do.c ...... H.J.Cleveland .... 6 7 19 0 6 ------ ------ -------- --------

4 ..... do-------- Fred Weaver...... 6 32 

5 .•... do ________ -Cooley_________ 7 5 

6 ..... do-------- M. R. Mann________ 7 6 1 

7 ..... do-------- E. Hadley__________ 6 6 34 

8 CasaGrande. R. B. Dennis_______ 6 6 20 

{} _____ do-------- Andrew Sound- 6 7 36 

burg. 

10 ..... do ________ L. S.English....... 6 5 23 

11 .•••. do ••...... F.G.Logan ..••.... 6 6 32 

12 ...•. do ........ S. P.R. R---------- 6 6 29 

13 Dudleyville .. George Scott______ 4 25 

H _____ do-------- O.H. Swingle...... 6 16 20 

15 Florence----- A. T. Colton.------ 5 9 35 

16 _____ do-------- Whitney___________ 5 9 10 

17 ..... do ________ Christopher Sal- 5 7 25 

mon. 

18 .•.. do-------- T. F. Marquand____ 5 7 13 

19 _____ do--------~ L. E. Graham...... 5 8 24 20 _____ do ________ J. M. Hur1ey_______ 5 9 32 

21 .•••. do-------- James F. Pry------ 5 8 27 

22 _____ do-------- Wm. H. Graham-- 5 8 28 

23 _____ do________ F. E. Carpenter---- 5 8 35 

1896 

1895 

1894 

1892 

1896 

1892 

1885 

1878 

1888 

1891 

1890 

1895 

1891 

1891 

1896 

1893 

4 0 52 

4 0 53 

3-!0 

4 0 

5 0 

4 -0 

4 0 

0 6 

8 0 

54. 

50 

45 

49 

56 

75 

56 

-!tO 14 

4 0 

4 0 

4 0 

3 0 

12 0 

6 0 

4 0 

3 8' 

21 

45 

30 

23 

56 

102 

39.H 

32 

2 -------- --------

3 

2 54 --------

5 -------- --------

2 -------- ------·· 

3 -------- --------

5 ----------------

30 -------- --------

2 15 

25 40 

56 

2 ----------------

2 40 100 

7t -------- --------

6 150 

31 -------- --------

1.7 10 ·r·-----

4 -------- --------

24 _____ do ________ -MorrelL------~ 5 8 26 

4 0 

4 0 

3f.O 44 4 -------- -------· 

25 ••••. do ________ Daniel Bingham___ 5' 8 26 

26 ..... do ________ Shields& Price.... 5 8 24 

27 ..... do ________ Peter R. Brady____ 4 34 1884 

2& ____ .do ....•... Abandoned-------- 3 10 35 

29 _____ do-------- 'fhos. Buchanan___ 8 1885 

30 .••.. do-------- Whitlow Bros----- 2 10 1 1883 

31 _____ do ________ R.H.Martin .••..•. 3 10 5 1883 

4 0 51 

3 0 66 

4 0 27 

10 0 100 

0 5 232 

0 6 126 

0 6 413 

32 _____ do-------- Harrington-------- 2 7 1892 0 4 160 

33 _____ do ________ "LewBaley _________ 2 10 14 1888 0 6 180 

34 _____ do ________ Mexican----------- 10 34 1882 0 4 58 

a5 _____ do ________ Barmodath________ 10 1883 0 4 158 

36 ..... do ________ Bark & CresweL.. 10 1879 0 6 18 

37 Kenilworth .. W. J. L. Baron____ 5 8 25 1892 4 0 65 

2 -------- -------· 

5 66 300 

2 00 --------

0 0 

24 ·------- --------

106 500 100 

0 1,600 -----~--

5 -------- --------

0 -------- --------

0 -------- --------

0 

9 -------- --------

5-! 65 --------

38 Maricopa ____ S. P.R. R______ ____ 4 3 17 1885 16 0 34 5 

39 Sacaton •..... Wilson_____________ 6 5 24 4 0 42 2t -------- --------~ 

'-

_40___!... 41 _____ ________ d_o_._-_--_-_--_:- do ________ _w_. U.S. _J_. Indian s_t_u_lz _____________ agent. _:__6__:___:._2_7 4 6 _____ ------- 189_5_:_1_31-00~-~-·_:___38-l "'VJr ,. ..:...-~=--~50--- -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ 
DAVIS.] UND~RGROUND WA'EERS. 

Wel~s of Maricopa County. 

Location. s 

g.g ~ 

RJ~ 0) 

No. Post-office. Owner of well. ..., ..., ;..,<:D 0) 

T. 0) 

til Po ~ 

i5 p.; ----

Ft. in. 

42 Phoenix:. _____ E. F. Kellun _______ 1 1 6 ------- 0 7 

43 ..... do ........ Frank A. Phillip __ 1 2 27 1892 14 0 

44 _____ do ________ Phcenix: Water- 1 3 5 1889 8 0 

works. l3Empe ----·- G. G. Jones-------- 1 4 13 1889 4i0 esa ____ " ____ Wm. Standage ____ 1 5 20 1895 5 0 

~ 0) ~ 

~ ~ 

..... 

0 'S~ 

~ .QO) 

..., .... Po 

0) ~ 0 A ----

Feet. Feet. 

554: ------ 26 14 

35 17 

20 12 

42 4 

89 

Co 

- st o!- I 

I 

MaWell. chinery. 

- -----

$5,000 

300 

5,000 

$2,700 

10,000 

-------80 ·-'--------' i=J 

No.1.-Dug well; depth of water does not vary; it can not be easily lowered; flow has not 

diminished; water, soft; raised by bucket and used for domestic purposes; elevation of surface, 

1,412. Strata passed through: Sandt soil, 11.5 feet; volcanic ash, 3 feet; hard whitish rock, 2 

feet; sand and small gravel, 8.5 feet; wash gravel, 3 feet; hard whitish rock, 1 foot; gravel, 2 

feet; hard rock of a water-line form:it.tion, 9.5 feet. 

No. 2.-Dug well; depth of water does not vary, nor is it easily lowered; flow remained stationary; water rose 4feet when struck; water, soft; raised by pump and used for domestic purposes; elevation of surface, 1,448 fee!t. Strata passed through: Clay soil, 6 feet; gravel, 8 feet; 

sand, 28feet; rock of a water formation, 2 feet. 

No. 3.-Bored well; elevation of surface, 1,41:'2 feet. 

No. 4.-Dug well; depth does not v~ry; is not easily lowered; quality of water, soft; raised by 

bucket and used for domestic purposes; elevation of surface, 1,458 feet. Strata passed through 

Clayish soil; last foot lime as water formation. 

No. 5.-Dug well; depth does not vary during year; quality of water, soft; water raised by 

bu~kets and used for domestic p~rposes; elevation of surface, 1,460 feet. Strata passed 

through: Same as No. 4. ' 

No. 6.-Dug well; depth does not vary during year; is not easily lowered; quality of water, 

soft; raised by bucket and used for domestic purposes; elevation of surface, 1,450 feet. Strata 

passed through: Clay, with streaks of gravel; bottom in s:tnd. 

No. 7.-Dug well; depth does not vary during year; is not easily lowered; quality of water, 

hard; water raised by buckets and "Q.sed for domestic purtloses; elevation of surface, 1,433 feet. 

No. 8.-Dug well; water easily lowered; quality of water, soft; raised by buckets and used 

for domestic purposes; elevation of surface, 1,393 feet. Strata passed through: Clay soil, 12 feet; 

cement, 14 feet; sand, 12 feet; then qlay to water. 

No. 9.-Dug well; quality, soft; raised by bucket; used for house and stock; elevation of surface, 1,454 feet. Strata passed throll!gh: Sandy soil; bottom in sound rock. 

No. 10.-Dug well; depth of water does not vary during year; is not easily lowered; flow has 

increased; quality of water, salt at first, hard now; rai<;ed by buckets and used for domestic 

purposes; elevation of surface, 1.375 feet. Strata passed through: Gravelly soil; water in gravel. 

No.ll.-Bored well; depth of water does not vary during year; is not easily lowered; water, 

alkaline; raised by windmill; elevatfon of surface, 1,405 feet. 

No.12.-Water not easily lowered;. it rose when struck; tow increased; water, hard; raised by 

pump; flow, 10,000 gallons per hour; elevation of surface, 1,395 feet. Strata at bottom: White 

sand. 

No.13.-Dugwell; depth varieswithheightof river; canlnot be easily lowered; quality, a little 

alkaline; raised by pump; used for d~mestic purposes. St:rfta passed through: Alluvial soil, with 

sand at water level · 

No. 14.-Dug well; depth does not vary during year; c~n not be easily lowered; water, hard; 

pumped and used for domestic purposes. Clay strata passed through. 

No.15.-Dug well; depth at first, 83 feet; water at 31 feet; sunk 1.5 feet each year; present 

depth, 45 feet, and 1 foot water; is ~asily lowered; flow diminished; elevation of surface, 1,488 

feet. Sandy clay soil. 

No: 16.-Dug well; depth varies during year; water, hard. 

No. 17.-Dug well; depth does not vary; is not easily lowered; rose one-half foot when struck; 

quality, soft; used for house and stock; elevation of surface, 1,398 feet. sandy soil; bottom in 

sand. , 

No.l8.-Dug well; depth does not vary during year; lowers about 3 feet and no more; raised 

by gang pump and horsepower; flciw, 6,600 gallons per hour; used for irrigation; elevation of 

surface, 1,380 feet. Sandy soil for 13 feet; 2.5 feet clay; then water in sand. 
90 IRRIGATION NEAR PHffiNIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

No.19.·-Dug well; commences to lower in November and rise in April; variation about 1 

foot; noteasilylowered; quality,soft; raisedbyhorsepower; waters120headof stock; elevation 

of surface, 1,455 feet; gravelly soil; bottom in water formation. 

No. 20.-Dug well; depth does not vary; is not easily lowered; quality, medium; raised by 

pump; used for domestic purposes; elevation of surface, 1,505 feet; usual water formation of 

rock at bottom. 

No. 21.-Dug well; quality, soft; raised by bucket; used for domestic purposes; elevation of 

surface, 1;440 feet; sandy soil on top water rock. 

No. 22.-Dugwell; waterriseslastof June,fallsinDecember; not easily lowered; quality, soft, 

but getting hard; raised by pump; waters 20 head of hogs, 70 head of stock, 120 trees; elevation 

of surface, 1,416 feet; soil, sand and clay, with strata of hardpan at bottom, blue clay; main 

stream comes in from southeast. 

No. 23.-Quality, soft; elevation of surface, 1,441 feet; same rock bottom. 

No. 24.-Dug well; quality, salt; elevation of surface, 1,439 feet; sandy soil; bottom below 

water lime. 

No. 25.-Dug well; quality, soft; elevation of surface, 1,450 feet; sand strata. 

No. 26.-Dug well; depth varies during year; not easily lowered; quality, hard; raised by 

steam pump; elevation of surface, 1,467 feet; at 3 feet struck coarse gravel, lasting 20 feet; bottom in water lime. 

No. 27.-Dug well; cased with redwood; lowers in summer; easily lowered; quality, soft and 

pure; soil, 11 feet alluvium, balance quicksand. 

' No. 29.-Dug well; size, 4 feet at top, 6 feet at bottom; level lowers some in summer; quality, 

soft; raised by steam pump, 1.000 gallons in twenty-four hours; used for stock, garden, and 

traveling public; strata, clay, sand, and small gravel, bottom in coarse gravel. 

No. 30.-Drilled well; depth does not vary; can not be lowered with horsepower pump; used 

for stock; strata, limestone. 

No. 32.-Dug well; depth lowers in summer; raised by horsepower and barrel; can be pumped 

dry in five hours; used for stock and by the public. 

No. 33.-Drilled well; dry; 3 miles southwest of Whitlow's ranch; between this well and 

Florence are three other dry wells, with depths of 150 feet each. 

No. 3<1,.-WeH sunk in Queen Creek wash, 2t miles below Whitlow's ranch; no water found. 

No. 36.-Well at Goldfield; more water in well in winter; can be easily lowered; raised by 

hand pump; used for stock. 

No. 37.-Dug well; level rises in April, falls last of July; is easily lowered; flow has increased; 

quality, soft at first, now medium; raised by buckets, and waters 100 head of stock and 30 trees; 

elevation of surface, 1,465 feet; gravelly soil with streaks of limestone. 

No. 38.-Dug well; not easily lowered; water soft; raised by steam pump; discharge, 10,000 gal-

·lons per hour; elevation of surface, 1,170 feet; gravelly soil. · 

No. 39.-Dug well; elevation of surface, 1,380 feet; bottom in gravel. 

No. 40.-Dug well; depth does not vary during year; can be lowered by two buckets; water 

soft, raised by buckets, and used for domestic purposes; elevation of surface, 1,(50 feet; sandy 

soil; water in a soft sandstone. 

No. 41.-Dug well; capacity tested by 6-inch centrifugal pump giving one-tenth of a cubic foot 

per second, or 8,640 cubic feet per day; percolating area, 242 square feet, indicating a yield of 36 

cubic feet per day for each square foot of surface. This surface is in a very hard clay, which 

has stood eight years without walling and still shows marks of the pick used in digging; water 

used for mill and domestic purposes; raised by steam pump. 

No. 42.-Bored and drilled well; 18 feet to surface water; slight flow at 382 feet; not easily 

lowered; used.for irrigation; alluvial soil15 feet, hardpan 10 feet, alternate gravel beds 150 feet, 

sand, cement, etc. 

No. 43.-Dug well; depth fluctuates about 30 inches during year; can not be easily lowered; 

quality, soft; raised by steam pump; discharge, 2 second-feet, and irrigates 320 acres. 

No. «.-Dug well; level not easily lowered; quality, hard; water raised by pumping; discharge, 

2,500,000 gallons per day; supplies water to city of Phoonix; level steadily risen during past ten 

years; first 16 feet alluvial soil, balance bowlders and coarse gravel. 

No. 45.-Dug well; cased for 6 feet; level varies 4 feet during year; can be easily lowered; 

quality, soft; raised with bucket, and used for domestic puruoses; strata, soil for about 14 

feet, hardpan of cement and rocks, gravel. 

No. 46.-Dug well; walled with brick; depth varies during year; not easily lowered; quality, 

soft. 

A scientific investigation of further possibilities is very important, 

both to develop resources along this line and to obviate further 

loss from unsuccessful attempts of this character. The irrigation 

possibilities from underground development are undoubtedly important, but it is not intended here to emphasize this fact, for the popu-
UNDE~GROUND WATERS. 91 

lar mind is already filled with very exaggerated ideas of such possibilities. Extravagant estimates of the quantity of "underflow" are 

rife on all hands, and it is recognized as an important though thankless duty to disabuse the public mind of such erroneous ideas so far 

as possible: One phase of this general impression is the opinion that 

the dry streams which abound in the valleys of Arizona must have a 

large underflow because the same streams carry considerable water 

farther up in the mountains. It seems to be forgotten that the potential evaporation in the valleys of Arizona ranges, according to locality 

and season, from 5 to 10 feet in depth on the entire area exposed to 

such evaporation. 

It is the common assumption that evaporation is much higher from 

a water surface than from a saturated soil. The actual data on this 

point are very meager, but so far as observations have been taken 

they seem to indicate that evaporation is greater from saturated sands 

than from the surface of a deep body of water, even though such 

sands may appear dry on the surface. The reason for this may be 

found in the fact that the temperature of such sands rises much 

higher under the action of the sun than that of a large body of water; 

also, that for a considerable distance below the surface the particles 

of sand or of soil are kept moist by the action of surface tension and 

capillarity for a considerable distance above the point where all the 

voids in the sand are filled with water. By this means a far greater 

area of moist· surface is exposed to the action of the dry air than is 

the case with a smooth sheet of water. 

But whatever the reason, and whatever the exact ratio the evaporation from a sand bed bears to that of a body of water, we do know 

that it is very great, and that if the precipitation of the entire Territory of Arizona were so distributed as to give the potential evaporation of the climate full play, the evaporation would, even in t.he very 

wettest years, absorb the entire rainfall, and the run-off would at all 

times be absolutely zero. That the streams do yield a considerable 

quantity of run-off in the aggregate is due to the fact that precipitation is largely in excess of evaporation at certain times and in certain 

places, while at other times and in other places no moisture at all is 

exposed to the evaporating influence. 

The above-recited facts are abundantly sufficient to account for the 

phenomena of many strealllls having a considerable discharge near 

their source in mountain regions and being ordinarily dry in valley 

regions, by the evaporation of the water from their sandy beds, without introducing the hypothesis of a large underflow. The Agua Fria 

is a typical stream in point. There are parts of its upper course in 

which it is ordinarily a very considerable stream and is never dry; 

near its mouth it is ordinarily entirely dry and carries water only 

in seasons of excessive rainfall. The idea seems to have been at 

one time prevalent that this stream carried a large amount of the 
92 IRRIGATION NEAR PH<ENIX, ARIZONA. [N0.2. 

so-called "underflow," but the construction of the dam of the Agua 

Fria Water and Land Company, a short distance below Frog Tanks, 

which was carried down 40 feet through the sands to bed rock, made 

little or no perceptible increase in the permanent volume of ·water 

flowing at that point. A measurement was made of the water flowing through the sluiceway of the dam in April, 1896, and this showed 

a discharge of only 3. 75 cubic feet per second, which is said to have 

been about the ordinary flow previous to the construction of the dam. 

Another measurement made the same day about a mile above this 

point showed a discharge of about 3 cubic feet per second. The 

difference between these measurements may perhaps indicate t,he 

increase in the stream due to the development of the underflow, though 

even this is by no means certain. Even if the entire discharge of the 

stream were considered as developed from the underflow, its volume is 

nowhere near col!lmensurate with the cost of development. While 

the experience in this case is of course not conclusive with respect to 

all other streams, it is an emphatic refutation of the popular theory 

that such water as falls in rain must be found either flowing in the 

surface streams or underground. Attempts at extensive underground 

development should in all cases be preceded either by careful and 

judicious experiments or thorough scientific investigation. 

The development of underground waters by means of pumps is 

greatly hampered by the scarcity and cost of suitable power. In 

some parts of the Territory firewood is at present abundant and 

cheap, but it is of slow growth, and if extensively employed in irrigation would in time become exhausted. The price of coal is prohibitory for any such purpose on a large scale in any part of the 

Territory, as is also that of petroleum, gasoline, or any other importable fuel. The time may come when some of the many available 

water powers in the foothills will be harnessed for the generation of 

electricity, to be transmitted to proper points and used for pumping 

water f.or irrigation, but these schemes can hardly be considered at 

present within the realm of practical consideration. A few attempts 

have been made to harness the winds to this work, but this motive 

power, always fickle and unreliable, seems to be especially so in these 

valleys; long periods of calm are said to occur during the months 

when water is most needed, and it is usually considered necessary to 

reenforce such plants with steam or other motive power. Some 

development, however, may be expected from nearly all the methods 

above mentioned, but for a long time ,to come they must necessarily 

be on a small scale and usually for individual purposes. , 

SUMMARY. 

It may be in order here to point out some of the difficulties under 

which irrigation has heretofore labored, and to suggest means for 

obviating them in future. A glance at the map of Salt River Valley 
u. S. GEOLOGICAl. SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXX 

DETAIL MAP OF SALT RIVER VALLEY, SHOWING THE VARIOUS CANALS CONSTRUCTED AND PROPOSED. 
D.A.VIS.] SUMMARY. 93 

(Pl. XXX) will show at once that there has been an enormous waste 

of energy in the construction of numerous and parallel canals with 

conflicting claims and interests. On the north side of the river are 

the Farmers', Salt River, Maricopa, Grand, and Arizona canals, to be 

paralleled by the partly constructed Rio Verde Canal. All of the land 

under the Arizona Canal could be watered much more cheaply and 

with far greater economy of water from the Arizona Canal and its laterals. Most of the labor and capital expended in the construction of 

the others has been worse than wasted. So long as they are used in 

competition with a larger canal, acrimonious contests over water rights 

are the jnevitable result, and when all concentrate under one management the competition for water rights is transferred from companies 

to individuals, and as long as the smaller canals remain in use they 

are a fruitful source of waste of valuable water. On the south side 

of the river the condition is, if possible, still worse. The Broadway 

and San Francisco ditches, and Tempe, Utah, Mesa, and Highland 

canals will be paralleled by a higher canal proposed by the Hudson 

Reservoir and Canal Company. They might be advantageously superseded by a single large, high-line canal, which would be far more 

economical of water, and all the labor and expense of the smaller 

canals would thereby be obviated. The greatest evil of the system, 

or rather lack of system, heretofore followed in the development of 

irrigation along Salt River, however, is the growth of conflicting claims 

to water. This has always been productive of vindictive and expensive litigation. Large areas of land have been brought under cultivation having no adequate water right, and crops have been dried up 

and labor wasted, and some areas abandoned, for lack of water for 

irrigation. This evil in this particular valley, so far as present conditions are concerned, may perhaps be largely remedied by the construction of storage works upon the Verde and Salt rivers; but unless 

means are employed to prevent it the same condition will again arise 

when the limit of irrigation is reached under the storage systems 

proposed. 

Whatever claims are made to the contrary, it is a fact that the area 

of land to be irrigated in this portion of the Territory is much larger 

than can be served by any possible water supply that can be made 

available for such irrigation. Neither Arizona nor Salt River Valley 

is any exception in this regard to the rest of the arid region, but in 

Arizona and New Mexico the land and water are both still under the 

jurisdiction of the United States Government, and steps should at 

once be taken to determine where and to what extent the water 

resources can be most economically developed, and no irrigable land 

should pass out of the hands of the Government for irrigation purposes except such areas as it may be possible to irrigate. Persons 

should not be allowed to obtain possession of the lands to be irrigated 

except upon terms involving actual irrigation and cultivation. The 
94 IRRIGATION NEAR PHCENIX, ARIZONA. [No.2. 

absurdity and wastefulness of the contrary policy are strikingly illustrated by a study of the map of the irrigated areas under the Florence 

Canal. More than a hundred ijhousand acres of irrigable land might 

be conveniently served by this canal if it had a sufficient quantity of 

water. There are, in fact, about 6,500 acres watered from it, very 

little of which lies near the canal, and most of which is in small isolated tracts. To water such tracts in such a manner requires not only 

a large amount of construction upon laterals, which under any rational 

system would be unnecessary, but it also involves an enormous loss 

of water through evaporation and seepage from the long laterals 

required to conduct the water to the small scattered patches of cultivated ground. The water flowing through the Florence Canal during 

the year 1896 was more than treble that which would be required to 

mature the crops grown in that year had it been economically distributed and applied. 

The following summary of the various conditions and possibilities 

regarding the irrigated areas of the Gila River and Salt River valleys 

must be taken with a large allowance for error both regarding existing conditions and future possibilities. It is, however, of some value 

and interest as representing in round numbers the results of the best 

data at present available to the public. 

Summary of irrigation in Gila River and Salt River valleys. 

Irrigated area in Cochise County ____________ . _________ ... _______________ _ 

Irrigated area in Gila County _______________ . ________ . ______________ • __ _ 

Irrigated area in Graham County . _____________________________________ _ 

Irrigated area in Maricopa County _____________________________________ _ 

Irrigated area in Pima County _________________________________________ _ 

Irrigated area in Pinal County ________________ . ________________________ _ 

Irrigated area in Yuma CountY-----------------------------------------

.Acres. 

3,000 

1,000 

10,000 

80,000 

4,000 

7,000 

1,000 

Total irrigated area. __ . ___________________________________________ 106, 000 

Additions may be made to the above area as follows: 

.Acres. 

Rio Verde Canal p.roject, including New River Reservoir ____ .. ___________ 150,000 

Tonto Basin project _. ______________ . _______________________ • ___________ 300, 000 

Agua Fria project, both reservoirs ___________________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 80, 000 

Cave Creek project.---------------------------------------------------- 10,000 Queen Creek project_ .. _ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5, 000 

VValnutGrove project--------------------·----------------------------- 5,000 The Buttes Reservoir ______ . _____________________________________ .. ______ 100, 000 

Oatman Flat Reservoir ________________________________ . ______________ . . 50, 000 

Various small reservoirs on tributaries of the Gila._____________________ 50, 000 

TJndergrotUlddevelopments __________________ ·-------------------------- 20,000 

Total . -. ____ • __ -__ . ____ . ________ . ___ ~ ___ . ____ . _____ . ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 770, 000 

Already irrigated _______ ------------_--------_-------------------- ______ 106,000 

Grand total·----------------------------------------------------- 876,000 
DAVIS.] SUMMARY. 95 

It is believed that these estimates are generous and that it will be 

very many years before the above figures are approached in actual 

practice. Of course other possibilities exist in Arizona from the use 

of the waters of the Colorado and its tributaries other than the Gila 

system. This estimate includes only the Gila system, and though the 

above figures are only rough estimates, they are suggestive of the 

importance to the future of Arizona of some comprehensive system 

of irrigation administration based upon principles of broad economy, 

and especially of the necessity of an exhaustive investigation of the 

water resources and of the most efficient means of utilizing them. 

.. 

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

MAP OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA. 

WATER~SUPPL Y PAPER NO. 2 PL. XXXI 

MAP OF GILA. AND SALT RIVER VALLEYS 

SHOWING EXISTINCiANO PROPOS!:.D1Aft1GATJONY«Hm5 
INDEX. 

Page. 

Agua Fria irrigation project, description 

of _________ ----- _______________ -----------· 69-71 

area irrigable under------------------ 94: 

Alfalfa, cultivation of ______ -----.-----____ 33 

amount' of water required for irrigating ______________ .. ------ ____ ------ 43 

Alkali, effects of ___________ ------------____ 44 

Area irrigated in Arizona.------ ____ ------ 53--55 

Arizona, topographic features and hydrographic resources of-------------------- 15-16 

map of.--------------~----------------- 20 

area. irrigated in--------~------------- 53--55 

Arizona Canal, description of _________ 49,50-51 

irrigation under·---------------------- 54: 

water rights of------·----------- .. ____ 61 

Arizona dam, Salt River, discharge meas- urements made at _______________________ 35-37 

Arizona Improvement Company, statistics furnished bY------------------------ 42 

Babb, C. C., seepage measurements by___ 43 

canal measurements by_----._________ 87 

Benson, record of precipitation at __ ----- 27 

Boggs, E. M., cited on effect on evaporation produced by water lilies----------- 84: 

Euckeye Canal, description of____________ 47 

Buttes{The), record of precipitation at.. 30 

· tablesshowingrivermeasurementsat 40-41 

description of reservoir project at .. _ 71-74 

area irrigable under reservoir at_____ 94: 

Canals for irrigation, descriptions of .45-46,47-53 

unnecessary multiplication of_._. ____ 92-93 

CasaGrande, record of precipitation at._ 28 

Cave Creek irrigation project, description!()! ______ ------------------------------ 71 

areairrigable under ------------------ 94: 

Colton. A. T., irrigation statistics furnished by ___________ -----.--- ____ ----____ 46 

well data collected by----------------- 87 

Crosscut Canal, description of. _____ ------ 51 

Davidson, Samuel, river discharge measurements by_-----------_.--------.-----_ 35 

irrigation statistics furnished by_____ 43 

Discharge measurements of rivers, tables 

showing.----- ___ ...... _-----.. --- ...... -- 35-42 

Evaporation, extent and proposed diminution of. ____________ -------------------- SS-84 

Flood waters, importance and difficulties 

of storage of ______ ---·-------------- 9-14,77--80 

··Flooding,irrigation by-------------------- 34 

'Florence Canal, description of_----------- 45 

reservoir of-------------- ____ --------- 45-46 

discharge of-------------------------·- l6 

.areas irrigated from_-----.----------- 46 

IRR2--7 

Page. 

Fort Apache, record of precipitation at.. 23 

Fort Bowie, record of precipitation at ... 24-25 

Fort Grant, record of precipitation at . . . 26 

Fort McDowell, record of precipitation at 23 

Fort Thomas, record of precipitation at. 26 

Fort Verde, record of precipitation at___ 22 

Fort Whipple, record of precipitation at. 21-22 

Fruits and grains of the region ___________ 32-33 

Furrow method of irrigation, description 

of ____________ .---------------------------- 34 

Gila Basin, drainage of ______ -------------- 16-17 

temperature of------------------------ 17-19 

rainfall in.-----_-----------_----------- 19-30 

winds of_---- ____ -------- .... ---------- 31-32 

products of---------------------------- 32-33 methods of applying water in ________ 33-35 

water supply of---------------··------ 35-42 

duty of water in.---------------------. 42-44 

silt and alkali in·----------------·----- 4! 

canals in _______________ ---------------- 45-53 

area irrigated in ---- _ ----------------- 53-55 

Gila Bend Canal, description of---------- 47-49 

Gila River, tables showing discharge of __ 40--41 

Glassford, Capt. W. A., rainfall observations by_----------------·----·------·---- 19 

plan to diminish evaporation suggested by ____ ------------------------ 83 

Grains and fruits of the region.---------- 32-33 

Grand Canal, description of ......... __ ... 49, 51 

water rights of----------·------------- 61 Highland Canal, description of ___________ 49,51 

Horseshoe Reservoir, Rio Verde, plan of 62-6i: 

Hudson Reservoir and Canal Company, 

river discharge measurements made by 35-36 

Irrigation, methods of-------------------- 33--35 

areal extent of_---·---------------- 53-55, 9! 

Gila River and Salt River valleys____ 94: 

Irrigation works projected _______________ 62-77 

Kibbey, Judge J. H., legal decision of ____ 55-60 

Legal difficulties concerning irrigation.- 11 

Litigation concerning water rights------ 55-62 

Lower Gila district, limits of.---·-------- 17 

Lower Gila Storage Reservoir project; 

description of ____ ----·----------- ...• ---- 76-77 

section of proposed dam of----------- 76 

Lower Gila Valley, irrigation in--------- 46-49 

Maricopa, record of precipitation at----- 29 

Maricopa Canal, description of. __________ 49,51 

water rights of-----------------·-····- 61 

McClellan ditch, description of........... 45 

Mesa. City Canal, description of--····---- 51-52 

water rights of---------·----------·--- 61 

Middle Gila district, limits of .• ----------- 17 

97 
98 INDEX. 

Page. 

Middle Gila Valley, irrigation in ..•.••... 44-46 

Miner's inch defined------------------·--· 60 

Mountain reservoirs, desirability of ..... 84-86 

Oatman Flat Reservoir, area irrigable 

under.................................... 94 

Phainix, record of precipitation at....... 24 

Pinal County, data concerning wells of .. 88-90 

Pinal ranch, record of precipitation at... 24 

Precipitation in the Gila Basin ........... 19--30 

Products of the region .................... 32-33 

Queen Creek, tables showing discharge 

of ................... ------................ 42 

Queen Creek Reservoir project, description of .................................... 74-76 

profile of dam of. .................. ____ 75 

area and capacity of reservoir of..... 76 

area irrigable under------------...... 94 

Rainfall in the Gila Basin ................. 19-30 

Rainfall stations, map showing locations 

of.----- ....... ------.----·------_ .. ___ .... 20 

Reservoirs for water storage, importan()e 

of and difficulties concerning_ .. _ .. __ ... 9-14 

descriptions of those projected ....... 62-77 

silting of ............................... 80-83 

mountain------ .................. ------ 84-86 

Richins, W., observations of river discharge by---------------------------····· 40 

Rio Verde, projected irrigation works on. 62-M 

Rio Verde Canal project, area irrigable 

under ____ --····----------------------____ 94 

River discharge measurements ...... ____ 35-42 

Salt River, tables showing daily and 

monthly discharge of---------------- 35-37,3.9 

waterrightsfrom (table)------------ 61 

profile and elevation of proposed dam 

on------------·-·····-·····-----······ 65 

Salt River Valley, limits of............... 17 

duty of water in....................... 42 

irrigation in ............ ______ .... _____ 49-55 

Salt River Valley Canal, description of .. 49,51 

water rights of. ................... ____ 61 

San Carlos, record of precipitation at... 27 

San Francisco Canal, description of_____ 53 

water.rights of. ....•................ __ 61 

Seepage water, measurement of......... 48 

Silting of reservoirs, discussion of .•...•• 80-83 

Silver King, record of precipitation at... 30 

0 

Page. 

Storage of flood waters, impor-.nce and 

difficulties of .................. : .... 9-14,77-80 

Tempe Canal, description of. ....•..... 49,52,53 

water rights of ____ .---------•....• ---- 61 

Temperature of the Gila Basilt-------·--- 17-19 

Texas Hill, record of precipitati~ at.... 29 

The Buttes, record of precipitatiotfat ... 30 

tables showing river measurefneJlts 

at ...... ------------------····-···------ 40-41 

The Buttes Reservoir project, d~crip~ 

tion of. ..... _ ...... _____ ...... ---·-·. ----- 71-74 

area and capacity of reservqir of..... 72 

profile of propo~d dam of ... ~-------- 73 

area irrigable unoer ...... .•.. ...... .. 94 

Tonto Basin, irrigation project,. description of .................. --------~--------- 64-68 

area irrigable under-----~-~: .... : •... : 94 

Tucson, record of precipitation at....... 28 

Underground waters, discussion of ....... 86-92 

Upper Gila district, limits of.------------ 17 

"[Jtah Canal, description of .... __ ..•...• 49,52-53 

water rights of .....•...... ------------ 61 

Verde River, table showing discharge of. 38 

Walnut Grove Reservoir, description of. 68-69 

view of dam of------------------------ 68 

cross section and ehwation of dam of. 69 

area irrigable under .....• ------ ...... 94 

Water, importance and difficulties of 

storage of.------ .......... ----···--- 9-14,77-80 

methods of applying------------------ 33--$ 

tables showing supply of-----·- ...... 35-42 

duty of. .... ________ ............ ---- .... 42-43 

different amounts required for irrigating different crops.-------------- 43 

measurements of seepage of....... . . . 43 

legal decision concerning use of. ..•.. 55-60 

underground ...... --------····-------- 86-92 

Water rights, adjudication of.----~ ...... 55-62 

Water supply, tables showing ..•....•.... 3."i-42 

Wells, data concerning.---'-······ ......•. 87-00 

Whitlows, record of precipitation at.---- 30 

Wilcox, record of precipitation at....... 25 

Wind, velocity and utilization of -•------ 31....82 

Wormser Canal, description of........... 53 

water rights of........................ 61 

Yuma, i<ecord of precipitation at ...... ~-~- 00 

WATER-SUPPLY AND IRRIGATION PAPERS. 

1. Pumping water for irrigation, by Herbert M. Wilson, 1896. 

2. Irrigation nea:r Phrenix, Arizona, by Arthur P. Davis, 1897. 

3. Sewage irrigation, l>y George W. Rafter, 1897. 

4. A reconnoissance in southeastern Washington, by Israel C. Russell, 1897. 

5. Irrigation practice on the Great Plains, by E. B. Cowgill, 1897. 

6. Underground waters of southwestern Kansas, by Erasmus Haworth, 1897, 

7. Seepage waters of northern Utah, by Samuel Fortier. 

8. Windmills for irrigation, by E. C. Mnrf>hy. 

9. Irrigation near Greeley, Colorado, by David Boyd. 

10. Irrigation in Mesilla Valley, New Mexico, by F. C. Barker. 

In addition to the above, there are in various stages of preparation about twenty 

other papers relating to the measurement of streams, the storage of water, the 

amount available from underground sources, the efficiency of windmills, the cost of 

pumping, and other details relating to the methods of utilizing the water resources 

of the country. Provision has been made for printing these by the following clause 

in t.he sundry civil act making appropriations for the year 1896-97: 

Provided, That hereafter the reports of the Geological Survey in relation to the 

gauging of streams and to the methods of utilizing the water resources may be 

printed in octavo form, not to exceed 100 pages in length and 5,000 copies in num- ber; 1,000 copies of which shall be for the official use of the GAological Survey, 

1,500 copies shall be delivered to the Senate, and 2,51)0 copies shall be delivered to 

the House of Representatives, for distribution. (Approved, June 11, 1896; Stat. L., 

vol. 29, p. 453.) 

Application for these papers should be made either to members of Congress or to 

THE DIRECTOR, 

UNITED 8'1'ATES GEOLOGlOAI, SURVEY, 

Washington, D. C.