Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 73 Series J, Water Storage, 7 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR 

WATER STORAGE 

ON 

SALT RIVER, ARIZ ON A 

BY 

ARTHUR POWELL DAVIS 

WASHINGTON· 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1903 

CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Letter of transmittaL _______________________ .. _______________ c.____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 7 

Introduction ____________ ,. ____________________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9 

Water storag~ on Verde River _ ~ _____ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12 

Character of drainage basin ___ .. _____________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12 

Water supply_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 13 

McDowell reservoir _________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 16 

Borings _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 16 

Capacity _______ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 18 

Plans for the dam _________________ . __________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 18 

Spillway provisions _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 20 

Cost_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 21 

Water storage on Salt River _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 22 

Character of drainage basin ____ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 22 

Water supply _________________________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 23 

Salt River reservoir____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ 32 

Borings _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 32 

Capacity of the reservoir_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 34 

Plans for the dam _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 35 

Specifications for construction of dam _____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 39 

Diversion of river_. _________ --~ ______________ .________________ 39 

Foundation ______________________________________ .: _________ .. 39 

Masonry_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _________ . _ _ 39 

Mortar and concrete _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 40 

Sediment ______ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 41 

Spillway provision ___________________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 42 

Outlet works _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____ . _______________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 44 

Power plant _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 45 

Cement manufacture ___________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 48 

Roads and bridges _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 51 

Damages ______ .. ____________________________________ . ___ . ___ -_ _ _ _ _ 51 

Cost_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 52 

Acknowledgments ________________________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 52 

Index _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . ____________ - _ _ _ _ _ _ 53 

3 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Pl!,ge. 

PLATE I. Drainage lines of Salt River Basin _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9 

II. Map of Salt River Basin, showing reservoir sites _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 10 

III. A, Drill party on Verde River," Pierce rig;" B, Drill party on 

Verde River, diamond drilL__________________________________ 10 

IV. Outline of McDowell reservoir site ________________ . _____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12 

V. A and B, Conglomerate cliff, McDowell reservoir site, showing 

wind erosion ____________ , _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12 

VI. A, West abutment of McDowell dam site, showing gage rod; B, 

East abutment of McDowell dam site_________________________ 14 

VII. Plan of McDowell dam_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 16 

VIII. Cross section of McDowell dam_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 18 

IX. A, View in McDowell reservoir basin; B, Cape Horn, Salt River 

Canyon, sho-wing upstream dip of strata______________________ 20 

X. Outline of Salt River reservoir site _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 22 

XI. A, Gorge of Salt River, looking downstream; B, Salt River reser- voir site, looking upstream _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 24 

XII. A. Drilling party on Salt River, line A of borings; B, Salt River 

dam site, looking downstream _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 26 

XIII. A, Salt River dam site, looking upstream; B, South abutment of 

Salt River dam, looking downstream _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 28 

XIV. A, Maricopa Countywater-storage commissioners inspecting planetable work; B, Clay hills, north edge of reservoir site ___ . _ _ _ _ _ 30 

XV. Plan of dam, power plant, and cement factory _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 32 

XVI. Plan of Salt River dam __________________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 34 

XVII. Maximum section Salt River dam, showing force lines _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 36 

XVIII. Elevation of Salt River dam____________________________________ 38 

XIX. Section of dam and elevation of spillway and power house _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 40 

XX. Elevation of bridge, spillway, and gate tower _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 42 

XXI. Elevation of tower, gates, and gate lifts ___________________ ------ 44 

XXII. Elevation and section of outlet gates _____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 46 

XXIII. Details of flume construction _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 48 

XXIV. A, Gaging station on Salt River, head of canyon, below mouth of 

Tonto Creek; B, View up Tonto Creek from the gorge _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 50 

XXV. Map of Salt River Valley, showing canals and irrigated lands____ 52 

FIG. 1. Plan of borings at McDowell dam site _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 17 

2. Fluctuation of Salt River reservoir, operated in connection with 

Verde River, under a duty of 660,000 acre-feet per annum_______ 25 

3. Profile of borings at Hudson Reservoir Company's dam site________ 32 

4. Profile of borings at Salt River dam _________ . ____________ -_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 33 

5 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, 

DIVISION OF HYDROGRAPHY, 

Washington, D. C., June 12, 1902. 

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a manuscript by Mr. 

Arthur P. Davis, giving the results of surveys and investigations for 

water storage on Salt and Verde rivers, Arizona, and request that it 

be published in th~ series of Water-Supply and Irrigation Papers. 

The results described in this report were obtained by Mr. Davis 

mainly during the year 1901. Assistance was rendered by the local 

authorities, committees, and citizens of Maricopa County, Ariz., and 

through the cooperation thus had it was possible to go into details 

which under other circumstances could not have been discussed. The 

work is of great value, not only to the Salt River Valley, but to other 

por.tions of the arid region where water storage will in t,he future be 

undertaken, as the careful work of Mr. ·Davis has demonstrated the 

feasibility of utilizing natural resources, particularly in the making 

of cement and turning to advantage previously unsuspected means 

for conserving water. Throughout Arizona and the entire Southwest 

the development of agriculture, and to a less extent of mining and 

·other industries, rests upon water conservation, since in these va,st 

areas the streams are for the most part of small volume and are subject to occasional destructive floods. The impounding of these is one 

of the most important fundamental steps to be taken toward the utilization of the vast area of vacant public land. 

Very respectfully, F. H. NEWELL, 

Hydrographer in Charge. 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, 

Director United States Geological Survey. 

7 

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

I 

112° 

DRAI NAG:: Ll N ::s 0:-'" SALT RIVER BASIN. 

WATER-SUPPLY PAPER I>JO. 73 PL. I 

109° 
WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. 

By ARTHUR P. DAVIS. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Salt River Valley lies south of the center of the Territory of Arizona, 

and contains by far the largest irrigated area in that rrerritory. Its 

water supply is obtained from Salt River, forming below the confluence of Verde River the largest stream in Arizona. 

Verde River drains the central portion of Arizona, and Upper Salt 

River the east central portion. Both streams are more or less torrential in character, the combined flow dwindling at times to about 100 

cubic feet per second, and at other times reaching a volume more 

than one hundred times as great. 

The development of Salt River Valley has been carried on by 

diverting the natural flow of the river, which is not sufficient for the 

adjacent lands. Settlement and cultivation, encouraged by years of 

large or normal water supply, have reached a point where dryer 

years do not, furnish sufficient water for the proper irrigation of lands 

already in cultivation, and unless the water supply can. in some way 

be increased not only must agricultural development entirely cease, 

but some of the land already in cultivation must be abandoned. 

The unprecedented drought of the last three years has brought the 

people of this region to a most, vivid realization of this condition, and 

to a strong determination to by some means secure the construction 

of reservoirs for the storage of the waters which now go to waste 

during the melting of the snows in the spring, and during the torrential rains of the late summer. The agitation for storage led to the 

formation of the citizens' committee in Phoenix for promoting investigations and for developing some project for the storage of water. 

The action taken is set forth in the following communication received 

in November, 1900, by the Secretary of the Interior, from Mr. B. A. 

Fowler, president of the Salt River Valley water-storage committee: 

The citizens of the Salt River Valley of Arizona have, as a result of a protracted 

drought, become thoroughly aroused to the vital importance of forest protection, 

and especially of water conservation through the construction of reservoirs. 

Mass meetings have been held and an organization formed representing all of the 

diverse interegts of the valley. As president of this organization, I have been 

instructed and empowered to take active steps toward bringing a.bout better 

conditions. 

9 
10 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [N0.78 

A careful study of the situation has shown that, as preliminary to the construction of systems of water storage, we must have a full knowledge of all of the 

physical conditions of topography, water flow, depth of bed rock, amount of sediment carried by the water, and othm· facts. With these fundamental facts, and 

with estimates of the capacity and cost of constn1ction, it will be possible to discuss alternative projects~ and to lay before the people the data by which they car. 

be guided in future action, and by which Congress may consider the advisabilit~· 

of public works for the regulation of the streams and for the reclamation of arid 

lands. 

We understand that one of the bureaus of the Department of the Interior, viz, 

the United States Geological Survey, has been authorized by Congress to ascertain these facts relating to the reclamation of the arid region, the storage of water, 

and related subjects. Also. that the demand for work of this kind far exceeds the 

funds available for carrying it on, and that as a consequence work is being concentrated in localities where the greatest public interests are to be_ served, anc:1 

particularly where cooperation is offered by the people or their legislatures. 

In view of these conditions, I am authorized to bring before you the great 

importance of this work to the people of Arizona, and as an evidence of our earnestness in the matter to offer to cooperate to the extent of furnishing $1,500, to b(' 

disbursed upon the usual approved vouchers, an equal amount to be allottedfrorr 

the funds of the United States Geological Survey, to be expended by the latter ir 

making these investigations. My conference with the officials of the Geological 

Survey has shown that this proposition is acceptable to them, being similar to the 

cooperation now in force with the Water and Forest Association of California. 

and also with officials in various States. 

I trust that this matter will meet your hearty approval and this greatly needed 

investigation can be begun at once. 

This letter was referred to the Director of the Geological Survey, 

who replied to the Secretary of the Interior on January 14, 1901, aE· 

follows: 

I have the honor to acknowledge, by reference from the Department of December 31, for early report and return of the papers, a letter dated November 20, from 

Mr. B. A. Fowler, president of the Salt River Valley storage committee. 

In this Mr. Fowler offers to cooperate to the extent of furnishing $1,500 in the 

investigation of the water resources of the portion of country above the Salt River 

Valley. This offer of cooperation should, in my opinion, be met with hearty 

approval and investigations pushed forward energetically in those regions where 

the people testify to the need of this work by furnishing financial aid. 

·The offer of the Arizona people is comparable to that of the California Water 

and Forestry Association, which has paid one-half of the field expenses of similar 

investigations in California during the past year. 

Mr. Fowler, after presenting his letter of November 20 to you, and having a 

personal conversation, filed in this office a copy of the letter. In view of the 

necessity of beginning work immediately, while the climatic conditions are favorable, I authorized the beginning of this Arizona work, and will have it pushed 

forward to completion if it continues to meet your approbation, as I understand 

informally that it does. 

The work now in hand consists of a thorough examination of the drainage basin 

of Verde River, the gaging of the streams, and the determining of the water supply; this latter involving the survey and examination of possible reservoir sites. 

After this is completed, it is possible that work will be continued on the Salt 

River above the Verde. 
U. s. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO, 73 PL, II 

MAP OF SALT RIVER BASIN, SHOWING RESERVOIR SITES. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. Ill 

A DRILL PARTY ON VERDE RIVER; "PIERCE RIG." 

B DRILL PARTY ON VERDE RIVER; DIAMOND DRILL. 
"'>AVIS.) W ATER·S'I'ORAGE COMMISSION. 11 

Accordingly, early in January the investigation of the McDowell 

~eservoir site, near the mouth of Verde River, was begun. Measure-

'llents of the flow of the river were also begun at once, and borings 

'Yere made in order to ascertain the nature of the foundation for the 

7roposed dam. While the borings were in progress surveys were carried on to determine the capacity of the reservoir and the cubical contents of the dam. The work at the McDowell dam site was concluded 

on April20, when the public funds available for the work were almost 

exhausted. About this time the water-storage commission was 

appointed, under the act of the Arizona legislature, as follows: 

No. 65 . 

.AN ACT to authorize any county in the Territory of Arizona having an assessed valuation of 

eight million dollars or over to prepare plans and specifications for a storage reservoir or 

reservoirs, dam or dams, to acquire the site for the same, and to provide the necessary funds 

to defray the expenses incurred. 

Be it enacted by the legislative assembly of the Territory of Arizona: 

SECTION 1. Any county in·the Territory of Arizona having an assessed valuation of eight million dollars or over may avail itself of the benefits of this act by · 

complying with the provisions as hereinafter provided. The board of supervisors, 

upon the petition of fifty qualified electors and freeholders of said county; shall 

request the district judge in which the county is located to appoint a board of 

water-storage commissioners, and the judge shall within ten days thereafter 

appoint five qualified electors, who shall be resident freeholders of said county, 

who shall be known and designated as the board of water-storage commissioners. 

Each of said commissioners shall hold office for one year and until his successor 

is appointed and qualified. Before entering upon the duties of his office he shall 

give bond in the sum of one thousand dollars, payable to the said county, for the 

faithful performance of his duty. Said bonds shall be approved by and filed with 

the board of supervisors of said county. At its first meeting the board shall 

organize by the election of one of its members as president. It shall also elect a 

secretary, who. may or may not be of its number. The compensation for the 

members of said board shall be five dollars per day for each day actually employed. 

They shall also be allowed their actual traveling expenses. The salary of the 

secretary shall be fixed by the board. The board shall establish and maintain an 

office at the county seat of the said county. It shall be the duty of said water-' 

storage commissioners to examine reservoir sites, cause to be made surveys and 

soundings, determine the capacity and estimate the cost of construction of said 

proposed reservoir or reservoir:3, dam or dams, determine the extent of the watersheds and rainfall thereon; to collect such other information as shall show the 

water available for storage use in said county for irrigating purposes; to provide 

for the accumulation of such other information as may be required therefor, and 

cause abstracts therefrom to be published in some newspaper published and of 

general circulation in said county; to employ and fix the compensation of a.competent engineer or engineers; to prepare plans, specifications, and estimates for 

said reservoirs and dams and file a copy of the same with the clerk of the board 

of supervisors of said county; to employ and fix the compensation of legal counsel 

in any matters arising under this act, or necessary to authorize the construction 

of the dams or reservoirs referred to in this act, and to select the most available 

reservoir site or sites, and to acquire the same, together with any rights of way 

necessary over public or private property, by purchase or through eminent domain, 

in the name of said county of Maricopa, and for the benefit of the people of said 
12 . WATER STORAGE ON SAL~ RIVER, ARIZONA. (NO. 73. 

cotmty; and to negotiate with and obtain agreements from canal companies in relation to the distribution of water or its delivery to the point of ultimate use, and to 

cooperate with or contribute towards the expenses of any investigations now beiu g 

made or hereafter to be made by the United States Geological Survey, ancl to 

transfer to theN ational Government any reservoir site or rights therein or thereto, 

or connected therewith, which may have been acquired hereunder, in the evert 

that the National Government should undertake the construction of the reservoir. 

SEc. 2. For the purpose of defraying the expenses of the board of water-storage 

commissioners, the board of supervisors of any county availing itself of this act 

shall at the time of levying Territorial and county taxes in the years 1901 and 19('2 

levy an additional tax of one and one-half mills on the dollar on all taxable property within the said county, to be collected as other taxes are collected; and the same 

shall be denominated and known as· a water-storage fund. The board of waterstorage commissioners shall audit and approve all bills for expenses incurre1 

under the provisions of this act, and present the same, together with the claims 

for their salaries and expenses, to the board of supervisors, who shall, if founi 

correct, pay the same out of any money in, the water-storage fund. 

SEc. 3. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with the provisions of this act are 

here by repealed. 

SEc. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. 

Approved, March 20, 1901. 

The water-storage commission consisted of J . .T. Priest, Charle:;o 

Goldman, W. D. Fulwiler, Dwight B. Heard, and J. G. Peterson. 

Arrangements were made by which the officers of the Geological Survey were to prosecute investigations at the reservoir site on Salt Rive--:-

at the mouth of ~ronto Creek, with the machinery and camp equipment of the Geological Survey, the water-storage commission to furnish subsistence and to pay the laborers and incidental camp expenses. 

Borings and surveys were carried on for about three months, resulting in a thorough knowledge of the foundation conditions for a higl 

dam, the cubical contents of the same, and the capacity of the reservoir site for each 10 feet of elevation above the river from.10 to 200 

feet. 1..,he results of all these investigations and the plans founded 

thereon are given in the following pages. 

WATER STORAGE ON VERDE RIVER. 

CHARACTER OF DRAINAGE BASIN. 

Verde River rises in the Black Forest, near the line of the Atchison, 

Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. ·Its general course is a little east of 

south, draining the Black Hills and Black Mesa. The principal tributaries from the east are Dragoon Fork, Oak Creek, Beaver Creek, Clear 

Creek, and East Verde River. All are of considerable length and come 

from mountainous country, with relatively high rainfall, and furnisl·. 

the main portion of its waters. The only tributaries of consequence 

from the west are Walnut Creek, near the head, and Granite Creek, 

which rises near Prescott and flows northward. These creeks are usually dry. The total area drained by the Verde is about 6,000 square 

miles, ranging in altitude from 1,250 feet at Camp McDowell to over 

8,000 feet. ~.rhe topography of the basin is widely varied in character. 
::;L_ 

a5 

~ 

§ 

;3 

..J 

_ _l_ ___ . 

z 

w 

0 

LJ... 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. V 

CONGLOMERATE CLIFF, McDOWELL RESERVOIR SITE, SHOWING WIND EROSION. 
DAVIS.] VERDE RIVER AT M'DOWELL. 13 

Near the headwaters are Big Chino, Williamson, Little Chino, and 

Lonesome valleys, each of which is an extensive plain yielding little 

run-off to the river. The greater portion of the basin, however, is of. 

a mountainous character, being cut with profound canyons ~nd, 

dotted by rugged mountains. Only a small proportion is wooded 

and the soil is kept nearly bare by excessive grazing. As might be 

expected, the run-off is largely torrential in character, and the floods 

carry some silt. In this respect it is uot as favorable for storage as 

the basin of the Salt. 

WATER SUPPLY. 

~rhe flow of Verde River at Mount McDowell was directly observed 

by the Hudson Reservoir Company from February 4, 1895, to July 31, 

1896; and by the Geological Survey from April 20, 1897, to November 

30, 1899, and during 1901. The balance of the record from August 1, 

1888, to January 1, 1901, is derived from the record of the discharge 

of Salt River at Arizona dam below the mouth of the Verde, according to principles set forth on page 24. As these records are necessary in connection with the study of the duty of Salt River reservoir 

they are given by months in connection therewith, on page 26. 

The monthly discharges, as far as completely known, are as follows: 

Estimated monthly discharge of Verde River at McDowell. 

[Drainage area 6,000 square miles.] 

Month. 

The year--------------------

1889.a I January ______________________ -----1 

February _____ ----- _______ --- ______ March _____________________________ 

April ______ -------------------- ____ 

fi~~i ~ ~:: ~ ~ ~ ~~::::: ~:: ~ ~: ~:~~:~::I ~¥~t~:~~-~~~~ ~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~= November 

December_=~~~~:~~~~~:~~=~~~==~~~= 

The year ____________________ : 

1890.atl~i~~~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~= ~~ ~ ~-~ ~ = =: ::: = ==: ~ tfa~~ =~== = ===~= = = ==== ~ ===== ~ = ~= ==== June _______________________________ 

i':I~si-~=~~:_- ~=~~ :_-~ ~ ~~: --~= == = = ~===, 

Discharge in second-feet. 

Maximum.! Minbnum. Mean. 

Run-off. 

Total in Secondacre-feet. feet per Depthin 

square inches. 

mile. ------1--------1------

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

10 480 1:773 

13,180 

1,112 

639 

185' 

551 

370 

562 

352 

315 12,686 

13,180 

6,615 

64,480 

6, 719 

415 

260 

202 

366 

3, 760 

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

699 

690 

1,390 

499 

118 

107 

140 

191 

187 

160 

266 

279 

107 

578 

470 1,001 274 

120 

119 

167 

546 

I 

172 

168 

166 

421 

3,349 

----------

2,498 

1,172 

3,411 

795 

197 

141 

208 

204 

250 

220 

288 2,843 

1,018 

2,092 

4,544 

2,~ 

174 

153 

220 

1,904 

10,547 

9,996 

10,178 

25,050 

205,964 

261,735 

153,611 

65 059 

209; 749 

47,302 

12,141 

8,390 

12,819 

12,556 

14,880 

13,530 

17,136 

174;845 

742,028 

128,685 

252,172 

153,967 

21,896 

10,680 

9,121 

13,535 

117,074 

0.03 

.03 

.03 

.07 

.56 

.42 

.20 

.57 

.09 

.03 

.02 

.04 

.03 

.04 

.04 

.04 

.67 

.18 

.35 

.76 

.62 

.06 

.03 

.03 

.04 

• 3'Z i 

0.03 

.03 

.03 

.078 

.645 

_________ .. 

.48 

.21 

.65 

.10 

.03 

.02 

.04 

.03 

.04 

.05 

.04 

. 77 

2.4:3 

.40 

.79 

.71 

.07 

.03 

.03 

.04 

.37 

llObtained by taking proportional part of the discharge of Salt River at Ar:b;ona dam; 
14 W .ATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, .ARIZONA. [No.73. 

Estirnated monthly discharge of Verde River at McDowell.-Continued. 

Discharge in second-feet. Run-off. 

Month. Total in SecondMaximum. Minimum. Mean. acre-feet. feet per Depth in 

I 

square inches. 

mile. ------------------------l-----------------l-------11---------1------ l 1890.a 

September------------------------ October __________________________ _ November _______ . _______ . ________ _ December _____________________ ... c 

The year--------------------

1891.a 

January_----------------·--------- February _________________________ _ March ____________________________ _ 

April------------ ___ ·-- ___________ _ May ______________________________ _ June ______________________________ _ 

July------·------------------------ August------ _____________________ _ 

November ~~¥~~:.~~-~~~~~~== ==~~ ==== ==== == == ________________________ _ December ________________________ _ 

1, 7691 3, 733 15 252 15:183 

64,480 1 

348 

377 

383 

555 

119 --------------

7,1931 

1~·TJ8i '606 

361 

539 

405 

368 

631 

310 

314 

346 

445 

371 

5% 

459 

365 

280 

252 

251 

2'~ 

231 

231 

294 

1,123 66,802 

1,384 80,116 

2,359 140,331 

.19 

.02 

.39 3,130 192,464 .52 

1,666 1,186,843 .278 

1 435 88,244 17:467 970,051 

1,928 118,535 534 31,775 458 28,190 

.22 

2.91 

.32 

.09 

.08 401 23,849 314 19,291 

.07 

.05 278 17,113. .05 395 23,478 

258 15,833 

.06 

.04 

256 15,233 .04 328 20,168 .05 

.21 

.02 

.43 

.59 

3.69 

.25 

3.03 

.37 

.10 

.09 

.08 

.06 

.06 

.07 

.04 

.04 

.06 ------------I-----1--------1-------1---.----

The year-------------------- 135,000 229 2,004 1,371, 760 .332 4.25 

1892.n 

t~~iF!~~~=~~-=~~=~~~:~=~~~~~~:~~== ==~=====~= ========~~= ======~= bn:m .05 .06 

June ~~~ _______________________________ 

:::::= ====== ==~~~= ==~::: = =:::= ==:::: 

------------·---------------·------ ::=:=: =::::: ==:::: ====: :::~~ ~g:~ b3,106 __________ ---------- July_______________________________ 215 136 152 9,374 .02 .02 

August____________________________ 276 162 198 12,172 .03 .03 September________________________ 188 157 164 9,768 .03 .C3 

October--------------------------- 875 164 223 13,712 .04 .04 

November------------------------ 435 225 257 15,263 .04 .04 December_________________________ 296 263 282 17,309 .05 .06 

------1---------1------- The year ________________________________ ------------ ---------- 129,861 

=======1======1========1======1====== Hi93.a January __________________________ _ February _________________________ _ ---March ____________________________ _ 

~~~ = == ::: =:::::: =:: ==::: ==: = =:::: June ______________________________ _ July ______________________________ _ 

t~~1>e1::~ =~~~=~ =~~~~~ ~ ::= =::: :: October __________________________ _ 

December ________________________ _ 

23i 

4,781 

144,306 

495 

380 

106 

478 1 240 

1:164 

244 

339 

325 

231 

Wl 

230 

141 

64 

44 

117 

233 

284 

276 

280 

313 

231 

672 

5,386 

290 

150 

68 

225 

802 

530 

376 

296 

315 

14,204 

37,313 

331,168 

17,244 

9,253 

4,052 

13,842 

49,321 

31,532 

23,120 

17,613 

19,338 

.04 

.11 

.90 

.0.5 

.02 

.01 

.04 

.13 

.09 

.06 

.05 

.05 

.04 

.11 

.04 

.06 

.02 

.01 

:04 

.15 

.10 

.07 

.06 

.06 

November ________________________ 

1 

'--------1--------:-------- ------------------ The year____________________ 144,306 44 ====I==== January._----~~~~--~~ ____________ ---1 February ________________________ _ March ________________________ : ___ _ 

~~~~ :::::: =~ ::~:: ::::::::::::::::: i 

June _______ ------------ ______ ------ July ______________________________ _ August ___________________________ _ 

September---------- _____________ _ October __________________________ _ 

November-----·------------------ December ________________________ _ 

264 

284 

996 

269 

89 

133 

223 

923 

715 

714 

303 

820 

231 

236 

205 

95 

60 

66 

66 

140 

139 

122 

207 

233 

The year--------------------1--------J--------1- 923 60 

778 568,000 

244 15,030 259 14,395 530 32,565 171 

68 10,187 

4,159 

79 

119 

439 

4, 713 7,334 

26,996 292 17,365 242 14,880 

230 13,656 

442. 27,147 

259 188,427 

.13 

.04 

.04 

.09 

.02 

.01 

.01 

.02 

.07 

.05 

.04 

.04 

.07 

.Q4 

1. 76 

.04 

.04 

.10 

.02 

.01 

.01 

.0'2 

.08 

.06 

.04 

.04 

.us 

.54 

a Obtained by taking proportional part of discharge of Salt River at Arizona dam. 

bApproximate, from minimum discharge recorded for same months in 1900. c Obtained by taking proportional part of discharge of Salt River nt .Arizona dam. Using Mr. 

Trott's computations. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. VI 

A. WEST ABUTMENT OF McDOWELL DAM SITE, SHOWING GAGE ROD. 

B. EAST ABUTMENT OF McDOW ELL DAM SITE. 
DAVIS.] VERDE RIVER .A'f M'DOWELL. 15 

Estimated monthly discharge of Verde River at McDowell-Continued. 

Discharge in second-feet. Run-off. 

Month. Total in SecondMaximum. Minimum. Mean. acre-feet. feet•per Depth in 

square inches. 

mile. 

1895.a 

January_------ ______ --------------

April I:re;~_r_~- _____________________________ ::: = == ===== = ===== ==== ==== _ 

May----------- ___________________ _ June ______________________________ _ 

July------- _______________________ _ August ___________________________ _ September _______________________ _ October _____________ . ____________ _ 

December November------------------------ ________________________ _ 

33,000 

5,800 

8,400 

2,800 

429 

180 

275 

1,426 

348 

3,912 

1,800 

881 

527 

583 

1,887 

280 

127 

129 

116 

185 

141 

197 

241 

345 

4,037 

1,688 

3, 720 

750 

258 

153 

145 

359 

176 

475 

4B3 

391 

248,225 

93,147 

228,734 

44,628 

15,864 

9,104 

8,916 

22,074 

10,473 

29,207 

27,550 

24,042 

.67 

.28 

.62 

.13 

.04 

.03 

.02 

.06 

.03 

.08 

.08 

.07 

. 77 

.29 

.71 

.14 

.04 

.03 

.02 

.07 

.03 

.09 

.09 

.08 I-----1------1-----1-----1·--------

Theyear -------------------- 33,000 116 1,051 762,564 .18 2.36 

as-~::::::7:::::::::::::::: -- ~ ~ ~ !~ ~~-~~:m --:~----:~ ApriL ..... ------------------------ 237 206 220 13,090 .04 .04 

May------------------------------- 206 138 172 10,576 .0.3 .03 

~~r:==================-----======== 3,~ ~ ~r J:'rJ :~ :~ Augustb·-------------=====-------- 5,323 272 849 52,-21.3 .18 .21 

~~~t:.~e~-~======================= 4,~ ~i ~~ ~;§~ :gg :&1 

Novemberb ----------------------- 747 334 49'Z 29,.306 .05 .06 Decemberb________________________ 444 326 352 21,644 .04 .05 

The yearb _______ ------ _____ _ 5,323 98 293,629 

1897. 1====1====!====1==== 

Januaryb ------------------------- 15,687 252 2,138 131,474 

April t~~~Yi~~~-~======================== b.------------ ______ ------____ 2, ~:~ ~ 1,~ ~:~ 460706 316 1,189 70,774 

May------------------------------- 170 269 16,540 June.------ ____ ------ ______ -------- 185 120 150 8, 920 

July------------------------------- 230 90 100 7,993 August ____________________________ 1,590 110 439 26,993 

September________________________ 5,000 240 992 59,028 ,----october _ ______ _ _____ __________ ____ 390 260 309 19,000 

November------------------------ 265 260 262 15,590 December_________________________ 280 260 267 16,417 

The year-------------------- 1n,687 90 710 513,705 

.06 

.36 

.15 

.25 

.20 

.045 

.025 

.022 

.073 

.165 

.051 

.044 

.04.~ 

.12 

.85 

.41 

.16 

.29 

.23 

.052 

.028 

• ()9...,5 

.084 

.184 

.059 

.049 

.052 

1.61 

1898. 1====1====1===1=====1====1=== 

January. __________________ ... ____ _ February .. _______________________ _ March ____________________________ _ April------ _______________________ _ May ______________________________ _ 

June.---- ____________ ---_----------

July------------------------------- August------ _____________________ _ 

September------------------ _____ _ October __________________________ _ 

November. ______ ------ ___________ _ December_-~--- ___________________ _ 

The year------------ _______ _ 

1,680 

800 

1,535 

710 

280 

160 

1,890 

1,700 

1,380 

180 

230 

440 

120 

290 

210 

180 

100 

100 

115 

165 

165 

160 

165 

220 

253 

496 

639 

319 

184 

139 

323 

400 

338 

169 

195 

303 

15,556 

27,546 

39,291 

18,982 

11,314 

8,271 

19,861 

24,595 

20,112 

10,391 

11,603 

18,631 

.04 

.08 

.11 

.05 

.03 

.02 

.05 

.07 

.06 

.03 

.03 

.05 

.04 

.09 

.13 

.06 

.03 

.O'Z 

.06 

.08 

.07 

.03 

.03 

.06 1-----1------·---------~---

1,890 115 313 226,153 .05 .70 1899. 1=====1=====,1==== --------~-----

January--------- _________________ _ 

April i:r~%~a~======== _____________________________ ======== ====== ==== _ 

May--------------- _______________ _ 

June_------------------------------ July _______ ------ _________________ _ August ______________________ . ____ _ 

'f>~~t~r~~- November ____ =: = ==-- , ___________________ ==: = --= =: = == === ==:: _ 

December.------------------------

The year--------------------

560 295 350 21,521 .06 

.375 295 344 19,105 . 06 

325 225 260 15, 987 . 04 

230 170 205 12,198 .03 210 118 152 9, 346 . 03 230 118 152 9,045 .03 

1, 400 118 365 22, 443 . 06 2,170 100 434 26 686 .07 

2, 500 1.35 357 21:243 . 06 

3, 770 160 549 33, 757 - . 09 250 235 203 13, 240 . 03 364 223 292 13, 343 . 05 

.07 

.06 

.05 

.03 

.03 

.03 

.07 

.08 

.07 

.10 

.03 

.06 

.68 ===3==,_1_1_o_ =---__ 1=oo= ===305=='==21=7=, 9=1=4 =''= ==·=05='==---=== 

a Obtained by taking proportional part of discharge of Salt River at Arizona dam. Using Mr. 

Trott's computatiow:;, bComputations made from Mr. Trott's figures, 
16 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZ ON A. (NO. 73. 

Estimated monthly discharge of Verde River at McDowell-Continued. 

Discharge in second-feet. Run-off. 

Month. Total in SecondMaximum. Minimum. Mean. acre-feet. feet per Depth in square inches. 

1900.a January-------------______________ 195 179 189 

February------------------------- 211 184 199 

March_------------________________ 187 144 160 

April______________________________ 125 74 88 

May------------------------------- 190 46 91 June_______________________________ 75 86 52 

July-------________________________ 105 86 52 

August---------------------------- 555 68 151 

~~~~b~rb~~-=====::::=============== ~ 1M ~~ ~~~::~:_===:====:=:========::::: 2,~~ ~ t~ 

11,621 

11,046 

9,832 

5,213 

5,608 

3,106 

3,176 

9,235 

7,198 

11,252 

25,617 

13,775 

mile. 

.03 

.03 

.03 

.01 

.02 

.01 

.01 

.0'2 

.0'2 

.03 

.07 

.04 

.03 

.03 

.03 

.01 

.02 

.01 

.01 

.02 

.02 

.03 

.08 

.04 -----1----1-------------- The year------ ______ -------- 2,469 36 161 116,679 .0'25 .33 

==:==1====1====1==== -----=====----- 190l.b 

January___________________________ 1,557 259 351 21,575 .06 .. 07 February _ _ _____ ____ ____ ____ _ _____ 6,613 394 1,859 31 . · 103,249 .00 March _____________________________ 2,863 211 895 55,018 .15 .17 

April ______________________________ 221 155 184 10,988 .03 .03 

May------------------------------- 185 125 139 8,606 .0'~ .0'2 June _______ ------__________________ 164 59 104 6,222 .02 .02 

July------------------------------- 1,400 29 210 12,916 .04 .04 August____________________________ 1,755 163 . 627 38,561 .11

1 

.13 

September ______ ------------------ 172 45 93 5,514 .01 .01 October ___________________________ 495 82 134 8,210 .02 .02 

November------------------------ 336 187 245 14,571 .04 .04 

December-------------____________ 291 247 268 16,485 . 04 .04 

The year ____________________ --6,613 --~ -426 ---oo1,915 -~:-~ 

.03 

~~b~~~r.y-====;=~~·===:============1 ~ ~~ ~~ }g:~ :~I .04 

-~----~---~--~-----~----~---

aN o observations made during 1900 by United States Geological Survey. Computations made from Mr. Trott's figures. b Computations made from observations taken by United States Geological Survey. 

'l..,wo storage reservoirs have been proposed upon Verde River. ~rhe 

Horseshoe reservoir, which is described in Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 2, page 62, is situated about 30 miles above .old Camp 

McDowell, near the mouth of Limestone Creek. An outlet tunnel 

has been cut and a portion of the canal has been built, but work has 

been suspended· for several years. The capacity of this reservoir 

would he about 200,000 acre-feet. 

McDOWELL RESERVOIR. 

This reservoir site is situated above Mount :McDowell, near the 

mouth ~f the Verde, and includes the site of old Camp J\IIcDowell. 

The dam sHe is about 2 miles above the mouth of the Verde. This 

reservoir site was suggested and partly surveyed by Mr. Frank P. 

Trott, the water commissioner of Salt River Valley. 

BORINGS. 

Early in January, 1901, field work was begun by the Geological 

Survey, and an examination of the l\'IcDowell reservoir site on Verde 

River was made. Two pipe-driving machines and a diamond drill 

were taken to the ground, and borings were begun to determine the 

position and character of bed rock at the site of the proposed dam, Mr. 

W. E. Jones, of Des :Moines, Iowa, being employed as drill foreman. 

DAVIS.] M'DOWELL RESERVOIR. 17 

Mr. C. R. Olberg was intrusted with the construction of a map of 

the reservoir site in 10-foot contours, on a scale of 1,000 feet to an 

inch, and a detailed map of the dam site was made on a scale of 100 

feet to an inch. The field work was under the general direction of 

Mr. F. P. Trott, whose duties as water commissioner, however, pre.:. 

vented his continued presence on the ground, so that the immediate 

cnarge was assigned to Mr. E. G. Hamilton. 

The borings began by attempting a straight row of holes along t,he 

axis.of the dam proposed by 1\'lr. Trott. The conditions were found 

to be very difficult. At a depth of about 30 feet a bed of very hard 

cemented gravel was encountered, into which it was impossible _to 

drive the pipe, except with the assistance of blasting, but which _was 

not sufficiently coherent to be classed as solid rock. 

The work was also hampered by the fluctuation of the river, the 

floods threatening several times to wreck or sweep away the 

!llachinery. 

FIG. 1.-Plan of borings at. McDowell dam site. 

By February 26 it had been demonstrated that it was at least more 

than 70 feet to bed rock in hole No. 6 on U1e main axis of the proposed 

dam, and the work being hampered here by fluctuating water, Mr. 

-Trott determined to try along an alternate location, shown in fig. 1, 

farther upstream, and both machines were set to work there on holes 

Nos. 21 and 25. The former was soon completed, showing a depth to 

rock of 21 feet. The machine was removed to the site of No. 28. 

Work was pushed on 25 and 28 until the former reached a depth of 

90 feet without striking rock. This was considered a prohibitory 

depth for this location and the machinery was returned to the first 

location to continue the exploration of the main line. This was completed on April 20. 

The location of the borings on both lines is shown iJS. fig. 1. The 

depths of borings are shown in the table following. 

IRR 73-02--2 
18 W.ATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. (NO. 78. 

Bm·ings at McDowell dam site. 

Hole number. D~~~~ce Depth Total 

bench to bed depth. mark. rock. 

Charaoter of bed 

rock. 

-------------------------------· 

Feet. Feet. Feet. 

1------------------------------------·-·········---- 20 22 2--------------------------------------- ------------ 40 35 4----------------------------------- ---------------- 80 90 6------------------- ---------------------------- ---- 120 80 8------------------------- -------------------------- 160 49 10--------------------------------------------------- 200 40 

12--------------------------------------------------- 240 52 

21.-------------------------------------------------- ---------- 2'4 

25--------------------------------------------------- ---------- -------- 28---------------------------------------------------1---------- --------

CAPACITY. 

Capacity of ~McDowell reservoir. 

Eleva- i 

tion 

above Capacity I -Total Area. lowest of . 

founda- section. capacity. 

tion. --- ~~-

Feet. Acres. Acre-feet. Acre-feet. 

100 14 70 70 

110 91 525 595 

120 331 2,110 2, 705 

130 717 5,240 7;945 

140 1,073 8,950 16,895 

150 1,661 13,670 30,565 

160 2,292 19,765 50,330 

170 3,134 27,130 77,460 

180 4,034 35840 113,300 

190 4,990 

jJ~~-- 158,420 200 6,020 213,470 

210 7,213 279,635 

2'40 I 

8,493 ---·--------

PLANS FOR THE DAM. 

2'4 Granite. 

38 Rotten granite. 

99 Broken granite. 92 Do. 

59 1 Granite. 46 Hard gray granite. ti5 Broken granite. 26 Granite. 

90 No bed rock reached. 

50 Do. 

'The map of the reservoir site was made on a scale of 1,000 feet to 

au inch, with a contour interval of 10 feet. A reduced outline of it is 

given in Pl. IV. The map of the dam site was made on a scale of 100 

feet to an inch, with a contour interval of 5 feet. A reduction is shown 

in Pl. VII. 

The capacity of the reservoir is very large, so far as it goes, but the 

practicable height of clam is limited by the height of the east abutment. The total excavation to bed rock is large, and much of the 

material to be excavated is hard. At a depth of 30 feet, more or less, 

the river gravel is underlain down to bed rock by a very hard cemented 

mixture of sand and gravel, which would be very expensive to excavate in case a masonry dam was constructed, but is sufficiently firm 

to serve as foundation for a rock-fill structure. The cost of a masonry 

aam would be prohibitory. The moderate height, the great length, and 

the abundance and convenience of suitable rock are all additional 

arguments in favor of the rock-fill type, and it is without doubt the 

most suitable. The most unfavorable feature of the whole project is 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. VIII 

~----------------------·-- ------------------------1 

CROSS SECTION OF McDOWELL DAM. 
DAVIS.] M'DOWELL RESERVOIR. 19 

the character of the east abutment at the dam site. The granite bed 

rock appears on the surface on the east side of the river, but seems to 

enter the hill on a nearly horizontal grade. The hill above the granite, 

which constitutes the upper 90 feet of the abut,ment, is composed of 

an indurated mixture of coarse sand and gravel of the same character 

as the foundation described above, too hard to excavate with a pick, 

but not to be classified as rock, and inclined to disintegrate upon exposure to the air. It is probable that under high head, water might percolate through this material to some extent, at least where the abutment is thinnest; and to insure against this a concrete core is to be 

carried into the hill a distance of about 300 yards, where the hill 

becomes over 1,000 feet thick. Supposing this core to be 6 feet in 

thickness, the excavation and masonry would cost about $600 per running yard, and hence would add $180,000 to the cost of the construction. The bond between the concrete core and the adjacent natural 

deposit should be made as thorough as possible by filling the joint 

with Portland cement concrete, well rammed in place, so that there 

can be no creeping of water along the wall. With proper precautions 

it is believed that a dam of the proposed height, 120 feet, could be 

safely built and maintained. · 

At the site of the dam the river bed is composed of ordinary saud 

and gravel to a depth of about 30 feet, when the compact cemented 

gravel is encountered. The depth to bed rock is about 90 feet at the 

deepest point. It is proposed to carry a concr~te wall down to bed· 

rock across the canyon, at the upstream toe of the dam. This wall 

will be 35 feet thick at the base on bed rock and diminish to 15 feet 

at the top. Downstream from this wall the river sand and gravel will 

be excavated down to the cemented material above mentioned, and 

upon this will be founded the main dam, which is to be of the rock-fill 

type, the upstream face to be on a slope of 1 in 2, and the downstream 

slope 3 in 2, with a top width of 20 feet. The rock will be obtained 

from the mountain of granite that rises abruptly from the west abutment. The rock can be transported down grade on a cable way, and 

dropped on the dam in large blocks, Jrom a considerable height, which 

will serve to ram it solidly in place, and it is bl3lieved very little settlement will occur. On the upstream face is to be a wall of rubble 

masonry resting on the concrete wall that goes down to bed rock. The 

masonry will have a thickness of 20 feet at the bottom, diminishing to 

5 feet at the top. Against its downstream side will be built the mass 

of dry rock fill; on the water face, which will have a slope of 1 in 2, 

will be placed, at intervals of 20 feet, a series of 7-inch steel I-beams, 

each extending from the bottom to the top of the dam. To these 

beams will be fastened a floor of one-fourth inch steel plates, dipped 

in asphalt and riveted together to form a water-tight skin over the 

entire water slope of the dam. The space between the steel plates 

and the masonry will be filled with concrete tightly rammed. The 
20 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [No.73. 

concrete and rubble walls will unite at the ends with the concrete 

core, which is to be carried into the east abutment, as above described. 

The outlet will be through a tunnel of concrete built through the 

dam along the bed of the river, provided with Stoney gates, similar in 

construction and mechanism to those for the Salt River reservoir, · 

illustrated in Pl. XXII. All water will be drawn from the bottom of 

the reservoir, and whenever the spillway begins to discharge, the gates 

will be opened to full capacity for the purpose of discharging the 

maximum quantity of silt and of reenforcing the spillway. 

For diverting the river during construction a temporary diversion 

dam could be placed across the river about 4,000 feet above the dam 

site, and the water diverted into a large flume and carried along the 

east side of the river over the portion of the foundation where granite 

bed rock appears on the surface. The underflow can probably be 

sufficiently checked by driving sheet piling down to the bed of indurated gravel, with which the valley is underlain at a depth of about 30 

feet. After the dam becomes too high to use this flume the discharge 

will be through the outlet tunnel. The flume should be removed 

early in t,he spring, at the beginning of the low-water season, and 

construction pushed rapidly, so as to have a large storage and discharge capacity ready for the first flood. 

SPILLWAY PROVISIONS. 

The greatest flood that ever occurred in Salt River Valley since its 

settlement occurred in February, 1891. It is described in the Twelfth 

Annual Reporta of the Geological Survey, as follows: 

On February 17 the mean discharge was 835 second-feet, increasing the next 

day to 154,000 second-feet, and on the 19th to 276,000. This first flood diminished 

rapidly, averaging on the 20th only 69,100, and on the 22d 14,890. This was followed by a second swell greater than the first, the flood increasing until, on the 

24th, a maximum of 300,000 second-feet was reached. This subsided almost as 

rapidly as it came, so that by the second day after the river was carrying less 

than 15,000 second-feet. 

'rhe drainage area from which this flood was drawn was considerably more than double that above the McDowell reservoir. A 

smaller drainage basin is, however, liable to a relatively higher flood 

discharge than a larger one, though the floods are of shorter duration. 

It i8 therefore estimated that the basin under consideration may discharge a flood having a maximum volume of 200,000 cubic feet per 

second, or two-thirds that of 1891 at Phoenix. On the above assumptions a maximum flood has been hypothecated and the behavior of the 

reservoir under the circumstances investigated. It is assumed that 

the reservoir is full up to the bottom of the spillway, and that a great 

flood discharges 100,000 cubic feet per second on an average for one 

hour, and increases its discharge 10,000 cubic feet per second during 

~ 'rwc:llftl). A:Q.n. Rept. V, S. Geol, S~rvey, P~j.J."t JI, p. 3l8. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. IX 

A VIEW IN McDOWELL RESERVOIR BASIN. 

R . CAPE HORN , SALT RIVER CANYON, SHOWING UPSTREAM DIP OF STRATA, 
DAVIS.] M'DOWELL RESERVOIR. 21 

each hour for eleven hours, at the end of which time it has reached 

its maximum wave of 200,000 cubic feet per second. The discharge 

then decreases in au arithmetical progression for twenty hours at the 

rate of 5,000 second-feet per hour, reaching a discharge of 100,000 

second-feet as a mean for the thirty-first hour. The spillway, as 

planned, has a total length of 900 feet, and its bottom is 15 feet below 

the top of the dam. Its discharge capacity is computed from ·the 

forniula Q=Hi 3150. Assuming that the gates w.ill be opened to 

their full capacity when the spillway begins to discharge, the effect 

on the reservoir of the hypothetical flood is shown in the following 

table: 

Effect of rnaximurn flood in McDowell reservoir with spillway 900 feet long. 

[Q=H! 3150.] 

Inflow. I Outflow. 

Second- Second- Netrise. ~1~~~- feet. Acre-feet.l feet. Acre-feet. 

Hour. 

---------------------1-------1-------

Feet. 

1--···--------------------···---- 100,000 8,260 6,289 518 1.29 201.29 

2 -------------------------------- 110,000 9,000 13,147 1,085 1.28 202.57 

3 -------------------------------- 120,000 9,920 2'~. 759 1,879 1.26 203.83 

4 -------------------------------- 130,000 10,740 34,176 2,822 1.21 205.04 

5-------------------------------- 140,000 11,570 46,688 3,857 1.15 206.19 

6 -------------------------------- 150,000 12,390 59,856 4,944 1.09 207.28 7 160,000 13,220 73,371 6,060 1.03 208.31 

8 ==:::: =::::: ==:::: ==::::=::::::: 170,000 14,040 86,996 7,185 .97 209.28 

9 -------------------------------- 180,000 14,870 100,552 8,297 .91 210.19 

10 -----------·-··"·--------------- 190,000 15,690 113,506' 9,375 .86 211.05 

11 -------------------------------- 200,000 16,520 127.058 10,494 .81 211.86 

12 -------------------------------- 195,000 16,110 138;676 11,455 .62 212.48 

13-------------------------------- 190,000 15,690 147,681 12,197 .46 212.94 

14 -------------------------------- 185,000 15,290 154,392 12,752 .33 213.27 

15 -------------------------------- 180,000 14,870 159,128 13,144 .22 213.47 

16 -------------------------------- 175,000 14,460 161,896 13,372 .14 213.61 

17 -------------------------------- 170,000 14,040 163,721 13,524 .07 213.68 

18 -------------------------------- 165,000 13,630 164,349 13,576 .00 213.68 

19-------------------------------- 160,000 13,220 164,000 13,546 - .04 213.64 

20 -------------------------------- 155,000 12,800 162,597 13,430 - .08 213.56 

21 -------------------------------- 150,000 12,390 161,764 13,361 - .13 213.43 

22 -------------------------------- 145,000 11,980 158,353 13,080 - .15 213.28 

23 -------------------------------- 14.0,000 11,570 155,587 12,851 - .17 213.11 

24 -------------------------------- 135,000 11,150 152,500 12,956 - .19 212.92 

25-------------------------------- 130,000 10,740 149,136 12,319 - .21 212.71 

26-------------------------------- 125,000 10,330 145,484 12,016 - .22 212.49 

27 -------------------------------- 120,000 9,920 141,640 11,699 - .24 212.25 

28 -------------------------------- 115,000 9,500 137,602 11,365 - .25 212.00 

29 -------------------------------- 110,000 9,000 133,297 11,101 - .26 211.74 

30-------------------------------- 105,000 8,680 129,105· 10,664 - .Z'I 211.47 

31 -------------------------------- 100,000 8,260 124,739 10,303 - .28 211.19 

Capacity._ ........ _________ ____ .................... ------------ 187,975 15,526 215.00 

COST. 

The following estimate is based upon the data at hand and worked 

up April 12, 1902, and is subject to modification: 

Estimate of the cost of the McDowell reservoir, on Verde River, with capacity of 

186,000 acre-feet. 

745,875 cubic yards rock fill, at 80 cents a yard ____ -------------------- $596,700 

78,155 cubic yards dry-laid rubble, at $2 a yard _________________ . _ _ _ _ 156, 310 

7,865 feet, or 117,975 pounds, I beams, at 7 cents a pound _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 8, 258 

140,680 square feet quarter-inch plates, or 1,434,936 pounds, at 7 cents a pound. _________ . _____ . _________________________ . ____________ . _ _ _ 100, 445 
22 WA.TER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. 

Excavation, 58,667 cubic yards cemented gravel, at $1 a yard ________ _ 

Excavation, 125,000 cubic yards sand, at 20 cents a yard _____________ . 

5,210 cubic yards of concrete, under steel apron, at $10 a yard ________ _ 

18,792 cubic yards of concrete in toe wall, at $10 a yard ______________ _ 

Diversion of river _______ . ______________ . ________________ .. __________ . 

Outlet, gates, tower, etc---------------------------------------------

Concrete core wall to be carried into east abutment _________________ _ 

Engineering and contingencies, 15 per cent __________________________ _ 

Right of way _______________________________________________________ _ 

Cost per acre-foot capacity, $8. 74. 

WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER. 

CHARACTER OF DRAINAGE BASIN. 

[NO. 73. 

$58,667 

25,000 

52,100 

187,920 

10,000 

20,000 

180,000 

209,331 

20,000 

1,624,731 

Salt River, though nominally a tributary of the Gila, really bringR 

far more water to their junction than does the Gila. Though it drains 

a smaller area, its basin is much higher and cooler and receives an 

average precipitation far beyond that of the Gila Basin. 

The drainage basin of Salt River and its divisions is about as 

follows: 

Area of drainage basin of Salt River. 

Square miles. 

Salt River at its mouth _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12, 700 

Salt River at Arizona dam _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12, 260 

Verde River near its n:wuth __________ . ________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6, 000 

Salt River above mouth of Verde ___________________ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 6, 260 

Salt River at dam site below Tonto Creek _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5, 756 

Salt River between mouth of Verde and Tonto dam site____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ 504 

The elevation at the mouth is about 1,000 feet, while some of the 

peaks at its headwaters exceed 10,000 feet in altitude, the highest, 

Thomas Peak, being given as 11,496 feet. 

Rather peculiar conditions exist in Salt River Basin, which favor a 

large water supply relative to its drainage area. In a previous publication the writer has described t,hese conditions, as follows: a 

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, 

a'nd the greater portion to the south and east, which forms the great Gila River 

system. The Colorado plateau is partly of igneous origin, and a great portion of 1 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 drainage lines and 

almost destitute of water. Sharply contrasted with these facts ai·e 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, such 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. 

a Irrigation near Phoenix, Ariz.: Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper, U. S. Geol. Survey, No. 

2, p.l5. 

DAVIS.) WATER SUPPLY. 23 

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 south west wind. As this wind ascends the elevations toward 

th~ Colorado Plateau its tempetature 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 Fort 

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 semitropic 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. 

r.rhe topography of the basin of Salt River proper above the mouth 

of the Verde is nearly all of a rough, mountainous character. The 

chief tributary above this point is rr'onto Creek, and about half a mile 

below this stream Salt River enters a profound canyon, with precipitous sides and narrow bottom, in which is located the proposed dam 

site. The Salt and Tonto both occupy comparatively open valleys 

above this gorge and have a moderate fall. The combined effect is 

one of the most capacious reservoir sites in the West. The dam might 

be buih to a height of 300 feet or more, if such a height were justified 

by the water supply. 

WATER SUPPLY. 

The only available rainfall observations in the basin tributary to 

the proposed reservoir are those at Payson and Camp Apache. The 

record at Payson is so short and broken that it is of no real value in 

the discussion of the water supply, so only that of Camp Apache 

remains. Fortunately this station is located near t,he center of the 

basin, and the record is reliable and complete from 1876 to date-about 

twenty-six years. This affords excellent means of obtaining monthly 

and annual maxima, minima, and means at this point, which, so far 

as known, may be assumed to represent an average of the entire 

basin as nearly as any one point that might be selected. 
24 W .A.TER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [N0.73. 

Precipitation, in inches, at Camp Apache. 

Year. Jan.) Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July.JAug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec., n~i. 

1876. ______________ 0.92 1.72 2.02 0.08 0.26 1.02 5.20 2.52 2.00 2.44 1.34 0.22 19.74 1877 _______________ .36 .94 .72 .96 1.15 .00 3.11 1.20 .99 .81 .19 2.07 12.50 

1878.-------------- .18 1.35 2.41 1. 77 .18 . 79 8. 76 9.33 . 76 .00 1.94 1.14 28.61 1879 _______________ 1.89 1.17 .03 .12 .00 .05 3.92 3.06 1.52 2.64 1.77 2.41 18.58 1880 _______________ 1.31 .95 .80 .46 .00 .46 5.83 1.44 .55 .56 .03 2.38 14.71 1881 _______________ .20 1.17 2.45 1.53 .3.lJ T. 5.63 8.31 5.41 4.68 .85 .54 31.12 1882 _______________ 2.82 2.85 1.09 .91 .94 3.27 4. 79 7.36 1.02 T. 2.34 .23 27.62 1883 _______________ .85 2.46 2.03 .22 .86 .02 5.46 4.26 .60 1.39 .02 3.48 21.65 1884 _______________ .68 3.43 4.44 1.67 1.31 2.35 .14 5.59 1.50 2.02 .82 5.52 29.47 

1885.-------------- .52 1.00 2.05 .52 1.12 .82 2.60 3.16 .44 .38 1.56 1.41 15.58 1886 _______________ 3.90 2.73 1.06 .91 .00 .19 1.90 4.75 3.16 1;66 .56 .24 21.06 1887 _______________ .59 2.16 .04 .81 .15 1. 70 3.29 3.92 2.23 .55 1.83 .57 17.84 1888 _______________ 1.42 1.83 2.92 .71 .71 T. 3.24 [1.00] .32 1.23 2.63 2.88 18.89 

1889.-------------- 2.24 .88 1.85 .47 .00 .11 2.67 2.87 1.02 .46 .55 3.98 17.10 1890 _______________ 2.26 2.40 .82 1.39 .00 .00 5.00 4.44; 2.37 2.17 2.85 3.02 26.72 

1891.-------------- 1.65 4.10 .85 T. . 36 T . 2.72 1.22 1.81 .00 .00 .65 13.36 1892 _______________ .65 2.29 2.22 1.36 .36 .15 1.33 1.30 1.23 .55 .57 .69 12.7G 1893 _______________ .28 1.10 2.45 .00 2.18 .00 2.57 3.4.'3 2.65 .04 .28 .10 15.V8 1894 _______________ 1.24 .96 1.36 .19 . 79 .00 1.27 5.01 1.32 2.47 .00 2.81 17.42 1895 _______________ 1.89 .72 . 02 T . 1.00 .01 . 74 5.44 1.68 3.02 2.39 1.::.2 18.03 1896 _______________ .16 .33 .86 .34 .00 .52 4.31 4.36 1.34 2.42 .77 .68 16.09 1897 _______________ 2.23 1.40 1. 79 .24 . .'34 .37 1.20 2.07 3.41 1.30 .00 .57 14.92 

1898 _____ ---------- 2.76 1.50 1.08 .50 2.70 2.60 4.33 3.59 .12 .00 .57 .80 20.55 1899 _______________ 1.33 1.04 .17 .45 .00 1. 90 4.55 .96 1.52 .82 .71 1.60 15.05 1900 _______________ .30 .29 1.15 1. 75 .10 .00 .82 1.31 2.79 .77 4.86 T. 14.14 

1901--------------- 2.87 2.60 1.20 .20 1.15 .00 3.38 1.45 .45 1.22 .65 1.80 16.97 

Measurements of the flow near the dam site below Tonto Creek 

were begun in February, 1901, and are still continued. Besides ti-.. ese 

there are records of flow of Salt River above the mouth of the Verde 

from April, 1897, to November 30, 1899, and of Salt River below the 

Verde for several previous years and for 1900. The measurements 

below the Verde are made' in the various irrigation canals. When 

there was a surplus of water, there was no necessity for accurate 

measurements, and at such times the results are only approximate. 

They are, however, for a considerable period the only available records, and are considered sufficiently accurate to justify their use. 

To render available the latter records in estimating the water supply to the proposed reservoir. it is necessary to determine the proportion of water received from the Verde and Salt. For this purpose 

the records are taken where these 'two streams were separately 

observed, and the ratio of each stream to their sum is computed month 

by month, with results as given below: 

Proportion of total flow of Salt and Verde rivers discharged by Salt River. 

1898. -~-J~ ~ean. ---------------------------------1------[------

Month. 1897. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATEf(- dUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XI 

A GORGE OF SAL_T RIVER LOOKING DOWNSTREAM. 

B . SALT RIVER RESERVOIR SITE, LOOKING UPSTREAM. 
DAVIS.] WATER SUPPLY. 25 

The values thuR obt,ained cover the periods from August 1, 1888, 

to December 31, 1894, and from December 1, 1899, to December 31, 

1900. ObserYations of the discharge of Salt River above the Verde 

were taken direct from February 4, 1895, to July 31, 1896. During this 

period direct observations were made by the Hudson Reservoir Company, and from April20, 1897, to November 30, 1899, by the Geolog~ · 

ical Survey. The discharge from February 27 to December 31, 1901, 

was observed at the reservoir site and requires no reduction. 

The storage of flood waters on Salt River will not only utilize such 

waters by holding them until needed, but, will greatly increase the 

utility of t.he floods of the Verde River by providing a much larger 

irrigated area to receive such floods, and at the same time holding 

back the waters of the Salt as long as the Verde is able to fill the 

requirements. An examination of the records shows that with such 

manipulation the Verde will usually supply all requirements during 

the four months of December, January, February, al}.d March, and 

that a very large proportion of the flood waters of the Verde which 

now run to waste would be thus utilized. 

The record since 1888 is taken in connection with the proposed reservoir and 660,000 acre-feet annual consumption, and from this a 

table has been constructed, showing what would t.ake place if the 

past experience should be repeated after the construction of the 

reservoir. 

0 1891 1S95 1S97 IS9B 1S99 1900 

0\ 

l\ I l 

0 :\ ;~ 

\ 1: ii i ~: ' 0 .. tl/ I 

~ \ ; \ ~APAC TY OF ~ESE R'YOIR' : 84 .ooo ACRE FEET 

0 I \ II 1-11 I 

0 \ v \ '\ I\ f v ~ lJ\ 

1,ooo,oo 

900,00 

soo,oo 

800,00 

\ 1\ \ \} 

0 \ 'J \ ""-.., 

0 h \ 0 \ \ \ 0 \ \ \ \ \, 

I~ {\ 0 

soo,oo 

&oo1oo 

400,00 

200,00 

\ 1/ \ 0 

\ !/ \ 0 

100,00 

\/ 

FIG. 2.-Fluctuations of Salt River reservoir, operated in connection with Verde River, under 

a duty of 660,000 acre-feet per annum. 

The drainage area between the reservoir and t.he mout,h of the Verde 

is nearly 10 per cent of the whole area above the Verde, and therefore to reduce the discharge of the Salt to that intercepted at the 

reservoir, the discharge at the mouth of the Verde was reduced by 

about 10 per cent, this percentage being slightly modified according 

to the season. From these data and computations the tables of dis-
26 WATER RTORAG E ON SALT RIVER, .ARIZONA. [NO. 73. 

charges for the Verde, at McDowell, and Salt River at the reservoir 

site, were obtained. In reducing the discharge of Arizona dam to the 

required amounts, the following percentages jere used: 

Estimated rnonthly discharge at McDowell and Salt River reservoir sites, in pe1'-

centage of total at Arizona dam. 

Month. 

Verde Salt at I Verde Salt at at Me- reservoir Month. at Me- reservoir 

Dowell. 1 site. I Dowell. site. 

0.42 1 0.52 August---------------------- 0.49 0.46 

.45 .50 1 September-···-···--··------ .48 .46 

:~ :¥~ 1 g~~::her~~~:::::::::::::::: :~ :~ .19 .761. December___________________ .50 .45 

.30 .63 ------ .42 .52 

1 

Mean ___________ --------~ .40 .54 

January-------------·------- February ___________________ _ March _______________________ _ April ________________________ _ May _________________________ _ June ________________________ _ July _________________________ _ 

Estimated nwnthly discharge of Salt Ri'IJer at reservoir site. 

[Drainage area, 5,756 square miles.] 

Discharge in second-feet. Run-off. 

Month. \ Total in 1 Second-~ 

mile. · 

Maximum. Minimum. Mean. acre-feet; I feet per . J?epth 

square \Inmches. 

----1-888-.-a ----l---j -·~-·- --!---~--~--

August---·------------------------________________________ 161 9,90'Z .03 .03 

September------------------------------------____________ 161 9,580 .03 .03 October____________________________ 154 132 146 8,957 .02 .02 

November·------------------------1 2,592 191 379 22,545 .06 .07 

December------___________________ 19,570 249 3,014 185,367 .52 .58 

The year--------------------~------------------------==~ 200,351~~ 1889.a I January ____________ ------------ 12,976 866 2,092 190,185 .54 .62 February __________________________ 1,970 767 1,303 72,289 .23 .24 

March ____________ -~--------------- 18,925 1,995 4,897 301,178 .85 .98 

:tfa~l-: : ~ ~: :: ~ ~: ~ ~ :::: ~:: ::::: :::::: 4,002 1, 797 2,862 170,289 .50 .56 

1,356 473 790 48,562 .14 .16 June _______________________________ 387 224 296 17,618 .05 .06 

July------------------·------------ 682 174 257 15,871 .04 .05 August ____________________________ 347 179 19"Z 11,797 .03 .03 September ________________________ 539 179 240 14,260 .04 .04 October ___________ ---·- ___________ 310 140 194 11,906 .03 .03 November _________________________ 283 239 259 15,422 .04 .04 

December ______ ------------------- 11,417 251 2,561 157,360 .44 .51 ---------------------- The year -------------------- 18,921) 174 1,420 1,026, 737 .24 3.32 ----- 1890. a 

January------- ______ -------------- 8,190 716 2,591 159,324 .45 .52 February _________________________ 71,644 528 5,049 280,192 .88 .92 March .. ___________________________ 9,648 1,437 3,596 221,139 .62 .71 

t:~~~-: ::::::::::::::::::: :::~:: :::: 1,495 986 1,325 78,826 .23 .26 

1,040 479 695 42,720 .12 .lB June _______________________________ 428 250 322 19,155 .06 .07 

July------------------------------- 458 206 272 16,758 .05 .03 August ____________________________ 3,538 512 1, 787 109,006 .31 .36 September ________________________ 1,695 334 1,076 64,018 .20 .22 October ___________________________ 3,285 B31 1,218 70, 50"Z .21 .24 

November 13,727 345 2,123 126,297 .37 .41 December_:::::~:::::::::::::::::: 13,665 500 2,817 173,218 .49 .56 --------------- The year ______ --------· _____ 71,644 206 1,906 1,362,055 .33 4.46 

1891. a January ______________ ----- ________ 8,906 5li1 1, 777 109,254 .81 .36 February __________________________ 150,000 413 19,408 1,077,834 3.37 3.47 March _____ . _______________________ 4,968 753 2;768 170,204 .48 .55 April ______________________________ 2,182 1,654 1,922 114,390 .33 .37 

May-------------------··----------- 2,243 1,461 1,834 112,761 .32 .37 

June.--------------------·--------- 1,132 587 842 50,083 .15 .17 

July------------------------------- 502 312 388 23,884 .07 I 

.08 

August ______ ---------------------- 346 236 261 16,066 .04 .05 

a Obtained by taking proportional part of the discharge of Salt River at Arizona dam. 
U. S. GEO:...QGlCAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. Xll 

A . DR ILLING PARTY ON SALT RIVER , L I NE A OF BORINGS. 

B. ~ALT RI VER DAM SITE, LO OKING DOWNSTREAM. 
DAVIS.] WATER SUPPLY. 27 

Estimated monthly dischctrge of Salt River at reservoir site-Continued. 

Discharge in second-feet. 

Month. 

Maximum. Minimum. Mean. 

189l.a 

Run-off. 

Total in Secondacre-feet. feet per Depth in square inches. 

mile. 

September ________________________ 605 220 378 22,500 .07 .08 

October___________________________ 273 203 227 13,933 .04 .05 

November ------------------------ 283 207 230 13,710 .04 .04 December------------------------- 311 264 295 14,151 .05 .06 

The year --------------------!==150=,000=:J===2=03'=I==2=,5=29=J=1=, 7=38='=77=0=!===-4=41- 5.65 

~~~~~y~,-~==~;;;~===:=~~~==~~~=== ~ ~ ~i 1 ik~~! :~ :81 Marchb__ ____ ________ ______ ____ ____ 268 206 230 14,118 . 04 .04 

Aprilb_____________________________ 450 268 315 18,765 .05 .06 

r:lebb_~~========~=====~:::::::::::: rg~ ~~ m ~:~ :~ :~ July----- ____________________ ------ 267 168 189 11,606 .03 .03 

August____________________________ 259 152 186 11,427 .03 .03 

September------------------------ 180 150 157 9,361 .03 .03 

October--------------------------- 770 ·1 144 196 12,066 .03 .03 November_________________________ 392 203 231 13,736 .04 .04 

December_________________________ 266 236 ~~- 14,578 .04 .05 

The year _ ___ ________ __ __ ____ 770 76 234 168,499 . 04 .51 

i=======l======i===========l~---1------

- ~~']:>:=:::::'7==:::====::=:::1 :J:ti ~- ,,m --JHi1 ,:n J 

April______________________________ 1,782 508 1,043 62,079 .18 .20 

May------------------------------- 1,520 257 602 37,010 .14 .16 June_______________________________ 222 93 143 8,509 .0'2 .02 

July _______________________________ 592 145 279 17,138 .05 .06 

August____________________________ 1,164 219 753 46,301 .13 .15 

September------------------------ 1,116 272 508 30,218 .09 .10 October ___________________________ 655 242 331 20,345 .05 .06 

November_________________________ 305 252 266 15,852 .04 .04 

December-----------------------·- 293 281 283 17,404 .05 .06 

The year____________________ 207,208 93 1,081 789,423 .18 2.58 

1894. !======!======== ====!=====!====!==== 

t~~~i~~~ ~ ~ ~: :::: ~ ::::: ~ ~::::::: ::: April ______________________ --------

}l:Je~ ~ :.-_-:: ~ _- _- --=~:: :::: =------=~:: ~ ::: 

July--------···-····--------------- August ________ . __________________ _ 

~~~t~rb~~:_- ::::::::::: ~ ~ :: ~ ~ _-: ::: 

November--------······-------··- December. __ .... _. _____ .. _____ .... 

The year ____ --··-· _________ _ 

327 

316 

1,430 

968 

356 

280 

276 

866 

685 

628 

~~I 1,430 

286 

263 

294 

342 

241 

139 

82 

131 

133 

107 

186 

209 

82 

303 

288 

760 

61C 

271 

166 

148 

412 

280 

213 

207 

3971 

338 

18,609 

15,995 

46,761 

36,673 

16,636 

9,897 

9,081 

25,343 

16,642 

13,094 

12,290 

24,432 

245,453 

.05 

.05 

.13 

.10 

.05 

.03 

.0'2 

.07 

.05 

.04 

.03 

.07 

.06 

.06 

.05 

.15 

.11 

.06 

.OH 

.02 

.08 

.06 

.05 

.03 

.08 

.78 

1895.1 I=====!======--====-====================== 

t~lYFI~-~~~:~~~:~::~~~~::::=:::J ~:m 1.~ tm ~:m :~ l:i Aprile _____________________________ 2,704 961 1,711 105,144 .30 .33 

1:le c·::::::::::~::::~:=:.-.-:::::::: ~~ ~ ~ t~:~ :~ :M 

Julyd ______ ------------------------ 353 120 160 9,816 .03 .OH Augustd___________________________ 1,0'22 209 440 27,168 .08 .09 

Septemberrl_______________________ 499 166 242 14,425 .04 .04 Octobercl ________ . __________________ 7,194 279 857 52,675 .15 .17 

Novemberd_______________________ 3,994 309 764 45,467 .13 .15 

Decemberd________________________ 995 430 608 87,104 .10 .12 

------1-----:1-----1---··-------- The year __ ------ ______ ------1 46,806 120 1,188 865,962 . 20 2.80 

a Obtained by taking proportional 

·=========== part ot' the -======::::::::=:=:=: 

discharge 

==========- of Salt River ============ at Arizona ~ 

dam. 

~ 

b Approximate; filled in from minimum discharge recorded in same months for 1900. cResults obtained by taking from the published discharge of Salt River at McDowell 

(Eighteenth Ann. Rept., Pt. IV, p. 298) that percentage of the whole that represents the dis- charge of the Salt between the mouth of the Verde and the reservoir site. dResults obtained by taking proportional part of the discharge of Salt River at Arizona dam. 

Mr. Trott's figures used in computation. 
28 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [N0.73. 

Estimated monthly discharge of SaU River at reservoir sUe-Continued. 

Discharge in second-feet. 

Month. 

Maximum. Minimum. _Mean. 

Run-off. 

Total in Secondacre-feet. feet per Depth in 

square inches. 

mile. --.------____ • ___ ----

l896.a , 

t~~~i~~~ = ~ ~ ~= ~ = ~ ~ ~ =~ = ~ ~ ~~ ~ = =~ ~ = === i 

s~: ~ ~:: ~ ~ ~: ~~:::::: ~:: ~ ~:~: ~::: ~ August ___________________________ _ 

September------------------------ October _____ ·------------- _______ _ 

November------------------------ December ________________________ _ 

The year ___________________ _ 

1897. 

April t~~~i~~ _____________________________ :I~=~===~=::=~~~:~~:==~=::: _ Mayb _____________________________ _ Juneb ____________________________ _ July b ____ _________________________ _ 

August b __________________________ _ 

September b ______________________ _ 

Octoberb _________________________ _ November b ______________________ _ 

December b ______________________ _ 

The year--------------------

1898 (' 

April t~~lci~-~~ :=:~=~=~~~=~ = =~~=~ :::= :::: i _____________________________ _ May ______________________________ _ June ______________________________ _ 

i~:Ust========-================:== September _______________________ _ October __________________________ _ November ________________________ _ December ________________________ _ 

The year ___________________ _ 

1899.c 

January _____________ --------------

I£::eha_I~~ April _____________________________ = == === = = = == = = == = = __ = === ==== _ May ______________________________ _ June ______________________________ _ 

August July------------------------------- ___________________________ _ September _______________________ _ October __________________________ _ November ______________ . _________ _ December d. ______________________ _ 

The year ______ ------ -------- 1 

547 I 

479 

1, 769 

1,487 

669 

292 

5,528 

4,997 

4,280 

555 

672 

400 

5,5281 

19,4221. 

2,4941 

5762 

9:7431 

1,910 

591 ' 

2851 

755 

1,269 

1,010 

290 

292 

19,422 

1,077 

743 

858 

1,036 

704 

351 

800 

1,211 

868 

180 

232 

402 

1,211 

762 

461 

617 

575 

475 

493 

1,410 

3,325 

1,228 

788 

215 

203 

3,325 

416 447 

339 393 

428 844 636 941 

352 485 

150 204 111 779 

256 797 241 534 

265 398 

300 443 

293 317 

111 548 

312 2,647 

543 970 

1,013 2,160 

1,136 4,281 

608 1,114 

180 358 

78 175 

157 410 

338 673 

228 549 

257 273 

251 270 

78 1,157 

240 338 

473 587 509 688 496 757 

261 448 

182 237 

166 408 

130 385 

106 338 

106 156 

182 202 

232 300 

106 404 

249 356 

332 386 

404 480 

437 586 

204 308 

161 204 

155 444 166 671 

165 298 

158 253 

157 203 142 195 

142 361 

i===t=====l=== 

242 222 234 

234 204 221 268 206 230 

450 268 815 

760 185 365 

27,497 

22,572 

.08 .09 

.07 .07 

51,925 .15 .17 

55,986 .16 .18 

29,861 .08 .09 

12,245 .03 .03 

47,928 

49,017 

31,752 

24,484 

26,375 

19,479 

.13 .15 

.14 .16 

.09 .10 

.07 .08 

.08 .09 

.05 .05 

399,121 .08 1.26 

162,777 

53,871 

132,808 

254,787 

68,461 

21,305 

.46 .53 

.17 .18 

.38 .44 . 74 .83 

.19 .22 

.06 .07 

10,173 

25,176 

40,049 

33,755 

16,225 

16,590 

.03 .03 

.07 .08 

.11 .12 

.09 .10 

.05 .06 

.05 .06 ------------ 835,977 .20 2.72 

20,808 

32,511 

.06 .07 

.10 .10 

42,261 

45,000 

27,513 

.12 .14 

.13 .14 

.08 .09 

14,112 

25,085 

23,658 

20,136 

9,538 

12,041 

.04 .04 

.07 .08 

.06 .07 

.06 .07 

.03 .03 

.03 .03 

18,401 .05 .06 

291,064 .07 .92 

21,906 

21,421 

.06 .07 

.06 .06 

29,499 

32,0'25 

18,926 

12,119 

27,282 

41,240 

17,675 

.08 .09 

.09 .10 

.05 .06 

.03 .03 

.08 .09 

.11 .13 

.05 .06 

15,548 .04 .05 

12,040 

12,009 

.03 .03 

.03 .03 ------------ 261,690 .06 .80 

l4,388 

12,274 

14,118 

18,765 

22,431 

.04 .05 

.04 .04 

.04 • 0.1) 

.05 .06 

.06 .07 

a Mr. Trotts's figures used in these computations. Results obtained by taking proportional 

parts of the discharge of Salt River at Arizona dam. b Results obtained by taking from the discharge registered at McDowell that percentage which 

represents the discharge of the river between McDowell and the reservoir site. c Results obtained by taking from the discharge registered at McDowell that part of percentage that represents the discharge of the river between McDowell and reservoir site. d Trott'.s figures. 

eComputations made from Mr. F. P. Trott's figures. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XI II 

A . SALT RIVER DAM SITE, LOOKING UPSTREAM. 

B . SOUTH ABUTMENT OF SALT RIVER DAM, LOOKING DOWNSTREAM. 
DAVIS.] WATER SUPPLY. 29 

Estirnated uwnthly discharge of Salt River at 1·eservoir site-Continued. 

Discharge in second-feet. 

Month. 

Maximum. Minimum. Mean. 

Run-off. 

. Total in Secondacre-feet. feet per Depth in 

square inches. 

mile. -------------------1-----1-----'1---- --~- --------

1900.a June _______________________________ 157 76 110 6,523 .02 .02 July _. _____________ ----. _____ . _____ 130 45 64 3,933 .01 .01 

August . _ ..... ______________ -------- 521 63 142 8,711 .02 .02 

September-------------------- ___ 290 88 116 6,898 .02 .02 October . __________________________ 359 95 161 I 9,902 .03 .m 

November .. _______ ----_----- ______ 2,222 146 387 

I 

23,055 .06 .07 December. __________________ ------ 245 184 202 12,396 .m .m 

The year ____________________ 2, 2"2'2 45 212 I 153,394 .035 .47 

1901. 

~~~~~~;b-~ ~~~ ~ ~ ~~~~ ~ ~ :::: ~::~ ~~~~ 1,735 201 454 27, 94.') .08 .09 

4,172 928. 2,414 134,047 .42 .44 March b _________________ • __________ 3,468 740 1423 87,472 .'25 .29 Aprilb. ____________________________ 1,562 620 1:050 62,442 .18 .20 Mayb __ ----. _______ -- ______ -------- 1,267 462 73.5 45,203 .13 .15 

~~r;:= == === = ===== = ===~~==~~==~~ ~~:=: 508 147 288 17 262 .05 .06 

3,556 71 346 21:296 .06 .07 

August b ___________________ --- _ --- -~ 2,221 207 529 32,504 .09 .10 

~~=\e:_~=:~:=== = ===== = ::::: ==== 670 123 309 17,907 .05 .06 215 117 152 9,384 .03 .OB November b _______________________ 215 188 189 10,629 .03 .03 December b ________________________ 195 188 190 11,663 .03 .00 

I 

------------- The year _____ . ______________ 4,172 71 672 477,704 .11 1.55 

January _____ .:.~~---- ____ --------1 238 170 

I 

186 11,423 /.03 

I 

.OB February __________________________ 220 184 194 10,852 I .03 .m 

a Computations made from Mr. F. P. Trott's figures. bComputations made from observations by United States Geological Survey. 

History of Salt River Reservoir, operated frorn 1889 to 1901, in connection with the 

unregulated Verde River, with annual use of 660,000 acre-feet.-

[Capacity of reservoir, 840,74.5 acre-feet. Annual use, 660,000 acre-feet.] 

~ Water I 

re- Re- quired Fur- ~~ forirri- nished quired 

Month. <ll::S gation by from <:,)~ and Verde. reser-

"' other voir. <ll 

P--1 use. ------- ---------

1889. Acre-ft. Acl·e-ft. Acl·e-ft. 

January ____ 6 39,600 153,611 0 

February ___ 7 46,200 65,059 0 March ______ 8 52,800 209,747 0 ApriL. _____ 9 59,400 47,302 12,098 May _________ 11 72,600 12,141 60,459 June ________ 11 72,600 8,390 64,210 July _________ 10 66,000 12,819 58,181 August ______ 10 66,000 12,556 53,444 

September .. 9 59,400 14,880 44,520 October _____ 7 46,200 13,530 32,670 

November .. 6 39,600 17,136 22,464 December __ 6 39,600 174,845 0 

1890. 

January ____ 6 39,600 128,685 0 February ___ 7 46,200 252,172 0 March ______ 8 52.800 158,967 0 

~~~======== 9 59,400 21,896 37,504 

11 72,600 10,680 61,920 June ________ 11 72,600 9,121 68,479 July _________ 10 66,000 18,535 52,465 August ______ 10 66,000 117,074 0 September __ 9 59,400 66,802 0 October ..... 7 46,200 80,116 0 November .. 6 39,600 140,331 0 December __ 6 39,600 192,464 0 

Area 

Depth ex- of posed 

evap- to ora- evap- tion. oration. 

-----

Feet. Acre-ft. 

0.25 6,874 

.34 8,676 

.50 10,895 .58 12,361 .88 18,398 

.92 12,950 1.00 12,408 1.08 11,821 .88 11,231 .50 10,796 .42 10,596 .33 11,433 

.25 13,233 I 

.34 13,459 .50 13,459 .58 13,459 .83 13,362 

.92 12,93.5 1.00 12,408 1.08 12,659 .83 18,404 .50 13,459 .42 13,459 .33 18,459 

Loss Total 

by evapoevap- ratiOn ora- and 

tion. use. 

------

Act·e-ft. Acre-ft. 

1, 718 I 1, 718 

2, 950 I 2, 950 

5,448 5,448 

7,169 19,267 

11, 120 75, 330 

11,914 76,124 

12, 403 65, 584 12, 767 66, 210 9, 332 53,841 

5, 398 38, (l68 

4, 450 26,914 

3, 773 B, 773 

B,BOS 3,808 

4,576 4,576 

6, 729 6, 729 

7,806 45,810 

10,190 72,110 

11,900 75,379 

12,408 64,878 

13,671 13,671 

11,125 11,125 

6, 729 6,7~ 

5,652 5,652 

4,440 4,440 

Inflow. 

Acl·e-ft. 

190,185 

72,289 

301,178 

170,289 

48,562 

17,618 

15,871 

11,797 

14,260 

11,906 

15,422 

157,360 

159,324 

280,192 

2'21, 139 

78,826 

42,720 

19,155 

16,758 

109,906 

64,018 

70,502 

126,297 

178,218 

!ai!~~: Overvoir. flow. 

Acl·e-ft. Acre-ft. 

)200,000 

t388,467 

457,806 

753,536 

840,745 63,813 

818,977 

755,471 

705,758 

651,845 

611,764 

585,602 

574,110 

727,697 

840,745 

840,745 

840,745 

840,745 

811,355 

755,181 

707,016 

808,251 

840,745 

840,745 

840,74.5 

840,745 

42,968 

275,616 

214,410 

33,516 

15,399 

6:-3,778 

120,645 

168,778 
30 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [No.73. 

History of Salt Rfver Reservoir, operatedjr01n 1889 to 1901, etc.-Continued. 

I~. Water I Area 

IBamnce re- Re- Depth ex- Loss Total quired Fur- quired of posed by evapor·· Month. forirri- nished Overalp gation by from evap- to evap- ration Inf\ow.lin '"""er· flow. o.:: and Verde. reser- ora- evap- ora- and VOlr. 

~ other voir. tion. ora- tion. use. tion. use. I 

--------------J ----- ---- ---- ---------

1891. Ac1·e-ft. ACI'e-jt. Acre-jt Feet. Acre-f't. Aa:·3£· Acre-ft. Acre-ft. Acre-ft. Acre-ft. January ____ 6 39,600 88,244 0 .25 ·13, 459 3,365 109,204 840,745 105,8.'39 February ___ 7 46,200 970,051 0 .34 13,459 4,576 4,576 1,077,834 840,745 1,073,258 March ___ . ___ 8 52,800 118,535 0 .50 13,459 6, 730 6, 730 170,204 84Q, 745 163,474 ~riL ______ 9 59,400 31,775 27,625 .58 13,459 7,806 35,431 114,390 840,745 78,9>i;J ay _________ 11 72,600 28,190 44,410 .83 13,459 11,170 55,500 112,761 840,745 57,l<.i1 June ____ ---- 11 72,600 23,849 48,751 .92 13,459 12,382 61,133 50,083 829,695 -------- July ____ -- ___ 10 66,000 19,291 46,709 1.00 13,231 13,231 59,940 23,884 793,639 -------- August ______ 10 66,000 17,113 48,887 1.08 12,814 13,839 62,726 16,066 746,977 -------- September __ 9 59,400 23,478 35,922 .83 12,438 10,323 46,24.1) 22,500 719,232 -------- October _____ 7 46,200 15,833 00,0071 .50 12,138 6,069 36,436 13,933 696,729 -------- November __ 6 39,600 15,283 24,367 .-!2 11,840 4,978 29,340 13,710 681,099 -------- December __ 6 39,600 20,168 19,432- .38 11,744 3,875 23,307 14,151 674,943 --------

1892. January ____ 6 89,600 17,458 22,142 .25 11,698 2,925 25 067 21,614 671,490 -------- February ___ , 7 46,200 11,746 I 34,454 .34 11,525 3,918 38:372 12,274 645,392 March -------- ______ 8 52,800 7,087 45,713 .50 ]],151 5,575 51,288 14,118 608 222 ApriL -------- _______ 9 59,400 4,604 54,796 .58 10,684 6,197 60,992 18,765 565:995 -------- May--------- 11 72,600 5,935 66,66.') .83 10,183 8,452 58,213 22,431 507,782 -------- June ____ ---- 11 72,600 3,588 69,012 .92 9,282 8,549 77,561 6,523 436,744 -------- July _________ 10 66,000 9,374 56 626 1.00 8,518 8,518 65,144 11,606 383,206 -------- August. _____ 10 66,000 12,172 53:828 1.08 7,792 8,415 62,243 11,427 332,210 -------- September __ 9 59,400 9, 768 49,632 .83 7,098 5,891 55,523 9,361 286,048 -------- October _____ 7 46,200 13,712 32,488 .50 6,621 3,310 35,798 12,066 262,316 ---- ~--- November __ 6 39,600 15,263 24,337 .42 6,300 2,646 26,983 13,736 249,069 -------- December __ 6 39,600 17,809 22,291 .33 6,202 2,046 24,337 14,578 239,310 --------

January lffi3. ____ I fl 39,600 14,204 2.1),396 .25 6,061 1,515 26,911 17,585 229,984 -------- February ___ 7 46,200 25,502 20,698 .34 6,133 2,085 22,783 41,4.59 248,660 -------- March ______ I 8 52,800 331,168 0 :50 9,533 4,767 4, 767 475,523 719,416 -------- ApriL______ 9 59,400 17,244 42,156 .58 12,32ti 7,150 49,306 62,079 732,189 May. -------- ________ ! 11 72,600 9,252 63,348 .83 12, 2'23 10,145 73,493 37,010 695,706 -------- June ________ 11 72,600 4,052 68,548 .92 11,589 10,662 79,210 8,509 625,005 -------- July _________ 10 66,000 13,842 52,158 1.00 10,825 10,825 62,983 17,138 579,160 -------- August ______ 10 66,000 49,321 16,679 1.08 10,297 11,120 27,800 46,301 597,661 -------- September __ 9 59,400 31,532 27,868 .83 12,168 10,099 37,967 30,218 589,912 -------- October _____ 7 46,200 2.'3, 120 23,080 .50 10 666 5,333 28,413 20,345 581,844 -------- November __ 6 39,600 17,613 21,987 .42 10:561 4,43.5 26,42'2 15,852 571,274 -------- December __ , 6 39,600 19,888 20,212 .33 10,464 3,453 23,665 17,404 565,013 --------

1894. January ____ 6 39,600 15,030 24,570 .25 10,347 2,587 27,157 18,609 556,465 -------- February ___ 7 46,200 14,395 31,805 .34 10,2::34 8,4.'l0 35,285 15,995 537,175 March -------- ______ 8 52,800 32,565 20,235 .50 10,251 5,127 25,362 46,761 558,57± ApriL -------- ______ 9 59,400 10,187 49,213 .58 10,279 6,162 55,375 36,673 539,872 --------

marie-======== 11 72,600 4,159 68,441 .83 9,860 8,184 76,625 16,686 479,88.'3 -------- 11 72,600 4,713 67,887 .92 9,0-!0 8,817 76,20-! 9, 897 413, 579 -------- July _________ 10 66,000 7,334 58,666 1.00 8,173 8,173 66,839 9,081 1 35.1),821 ~-------- August _____ 10 66,000 26,966 39,034 1.08 7,510 8,111 47,145 25, 343 . 334, 019 -------- September __ 9 59,400 17,365 42,035 .83 7,052 5,853 47,888 16, 642 302, 773 -------- Octo bar _____ 7 46,200 14,880 31,320 .50 6,855 3,427 84,747 13,094 281,120 1--------

November .. 6 39,600 13,656 25,94-i .42 6 601 2,772 28,716 12, 290 264, 694 '-------- December __ 6 39,600 27,147 12,453 .33 6:554 2,162 14,615 24,432 274,511 '1--------

1895. i 

January---· 6 39,600 248,225 0 .25 9,039 2,260 2,260 352,508 624, 75fl ! ________ 

February ___ 7 46,200 93,747 0 .84 11,579 3,987 3,937 80,2.1)1 701,073 1-------- March ______ 8 52,800 2'Z8, 734 0 .50 12,611 6,30fi 6,305 112,461 807,229 1

,-------- ApriL ______ 9 59,400 30,591 28 809 .58 13,459 7,806 36,615 110,678 840,745 i 40,547 

~~e·======== 11 72,600 15,864 56:736 . .83 13,392 11,115 67,851 43,583 816, 427 J -- --- -- - 11 72,600 9, 10-i 63,496 .92 12,987 11,948 75,444 19,389 760,422 -------- July _________ 10 fi6,000 8,916 57,084 1.00 12,417 12,417 69,501 12,543 703,464 -------- August ______ 10 66,000 22,074 4.'3, 926 1. 0..'-1 11,828 12,774 56,700 35,909 682,673 -------- September __ !:1 59,400 10,473 48,927 .83 11,617 9,642 58,569 19,577 643,681 -------- October _____ 7 46,200 20,630 25,570 .50 11,772 5,886 81,456 99,856 712,081 -------- November __ 6 39,600 27,550 12,050 .42 12,607 5,253 17,303 81,878 776,656 -------- December __ 6 39,600 24,042 15,558 .33 13,006 4,292 19,850 54,601 811,407 ---- ---~ 

1896. January ____ 6 39,600 25,382 14,218 .25 13,235 3,309 17,527 28,900 822,780 -------- February ___ I 46,200 ~2,577 23,623 .34 13,296 4,520 28,143 27,380 March 822,0171 ... ______ 8 52,800 40,798 12,002 .50 13,459 6, 780 18,782 72,863 840,745 35,353 April. _______ 9159,400 21,776 37,624 .58 13, 4.1)9 7,806 45,430 57,061 840,745 11,631 

:r:Je·======== 11 72,600 9,480 63,170 .83 18,277 11,0'20 74,190 27,424 793,979 --------

i61~·~ 7,133 65,467 . 9:~ 12,719 11,701 77,168 13,328 730,139 -------- Jul --------- y 44,241 21 759 ' 1.00 12 425 12,425 34 184 39 292 735 247 --------
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XIV 

A . MARICOPA COUNTY WATER-STORAGE COMMISSION E RS INSPECTING ANETABLE WORK. I 

B. CLAY HILLS, NORTH EDGE OF RESERVOIR SITE. 
DAVIS.] WATER SUPPLY. 31 

History of Salt River Reservoir, operated from 1889 to 1901, etc. -Continued. 

~ Water Area <:a re- Re- Depth Loss Total qui red Fur- ex-

~.; forirri· nished quired of posed by evapo- Balance Over- Month. <I> :;::I gation by from evap- to evap- ratiOn Inflow. inreser- flow. <:it=: reser- ora- evap- ora- and voir. . and Verde. voir. tion. ora- tion. use. ... other <l) tion. Ill use. I 

------__,, ___ ----~- ------- -~- ---!------------

1896. Acre-ft. Acre-ft. Acre-ft. Feet. Acre-ft. Acre-ft. Ac1·e-ft. .Acre-ft. Acre-ft. Acre-ft. 

August ...... 10 66,000 57,541 8,459 1.08 12,593 13,600 22,059 49,017 762,205 -------- September .. 9 59,400 37,273 22,127 .83 12,710 10,549 32,676 31,752 761,281 -------- October ..... 7 46,200 31,161 15,039 .50 12,700 6,350 21,389 24,484 764,376 -------- November .. 6 39,600 32 226 7,374 .42 12,780 5,367 12,741 26,375 778,010 -------- December .. 6 39,600 23:s08 15,792 .33 12,840 4,237 20,029 19,479 777,460 --------

1897. January ____ 6 39,600 150,258 0 .25 13,4591 3,365 3,365 162,777 840,745 96,127 

February _ .. 7 46,200 53,871 0 .34 13,459 4,576 4,576 53,871 840,745 49,295 

March. __ .... 8 52,800 104,350 0 .50 13,459 6,730 6, 730 132,808 840,745 126,078 

ApriL ....... 9 59,400 99,084 0 .58 13,459 7,806 7,806 254,787 840,745 246,981 May _________ 11 72 600 20,143 52,457 .83 13,459 11,170 63,627 68,461 840,745 5,034 

June ........ 11 72:600 10,524 62,076 .92 13,248 12,188 74,264 21,305 787,786 -------- July ......... 10 66,000 J·~~ 57,357 1.00 12,681 12,681 70,038 10,173 727,921 523,515 

August ...... 10 66,000 37,682 1.08 12,249 13,229 50,910 25,176 702,187 -------- September .. 9 59,400 61:584 0 .83 12,225 10,171 10,171 40,049 732,065 -------- October .. _ .. 7 46,200 21,154 25,046 .50 12,400 6,200 31,246 33,755 734,574 -------- November .. 6 39,600 16,443 23,157 .42 12,345 5,185 28,342 16,225 722,457 -------- December .. 6 39,600 17,290 22,310 .33 12,228 4,035 26,345 16,590 712,7~ --------

1898. January ____ 6 39,600 16,884 22,716 .25 12,156 3,039 25,755 20,808 707,755 -------- February ... 7 46,200 29,357 16,843 .34 12,190 4,145 20,628 32,511 719,638 -------- March ...... 8 52,800 41,547 11253 .50 12,387 6,198 17,451 42,261 744,448 -------- ApriL ______ 9 59,400 2'2,894 36:506 .58 12,524 7,364 43,870 45,000 745,578 -------- May ......... 11 72,600 12,762 59,838 .83 12,328 10,231 70,069 ' 27,513 703,022 -------- June ........ 11 72,600 9,333 63,267 . 92 11,744 10,804 74,071 14,112 643,162 -------- July ......... 10 66,000 21,462 44,538 '·.., 

1

11. 1;;3 11,153 55,688 25,085 612,560 -------- August ...... 10 66,000 25,840 40,160 1.08 10,845 11,713 51,873 23,658 584,345 -------- September .. 9 59,400 21,397 38,003 .83 10,528 8,738 46,741 26,136 557,740 -------- October _____ 7 46,200 10,999 35,201 .50 10,194 5,097 40,298 9,538 526,980 -------- November .. 6 39,600 12,236 27,364 .42 I 9,928 4,170 31,5.'34 12,041 507,487 _______ ,.. 

December .. 6 39,600 19,399 20,201 .8.'3 9. 780 3,227 23,428 18,401 50'2,460 --------

1899. January .... 6 39,600 2'.2, 919 16,681 .25 9,763 2,441 19,12'2 21,906 ,..;,ml------ February ... 7 46,200 20,232 25,968 .34 9,741 3,312 29,279 21,421 497,386 --------

March------ 8 52,800 17,539 35,261 .50 9,645 4,823 40,084 29,499 486,801 -------- ApriL. ...... 9 59,400 14,983 44,417 .58 9,341 5,418 49,835 ;32,025 468,991 -------- May ......... 11 72,600 10,342 62 258 .83 8,990 7,462 69,720 18,726 418,197 -------- June ________ 11 72,600 9,967 62:633 . 9'.2 7,873 7243 69,876 12,119 360,440 -------- July _________ 10 66,000 24,183 41,817 1.00 7,667 7:667 49,484 27,282 338 238 -------- August ...... 10 1 66,ooo 28,856 37,144 1.08 7,481 8,079 45,223 41,240 334:255 -------- September .. 9 59,400 22,371 37,0'29 .83 7,2.1')9 6,025 43,054 17,675 308,876 -------- October _____ 7 46,200 34,749 11,451 .50 7,082 3,541 14,99'2 15,548 309,432 -------- November .. 6 39,600 13,874 25,726 .42 6,973 2,929 28 755 12,040 292,817 -------- December . -~ 6 39,600 14,677 24,9'23 .33 6,602 2,178 27;101 12,009 277,765 ---·----

1900. . January ____ 6 39,600 13,281 26,319 .25 6,568 1,642 27,961 14,388 264,192 -------- February ___ 7 46,200 12,273 32, 9'.27 .34 6,3'20 2,149 36,076 12 274 240,390 -------- Maroiot ______ 8 52,800 11,09'2 41,708 .50 5,935 2 967 44,675 14:118 209,833 -------- ApriL. ...... 9 59,400 7,298 52,102 .58 5,404 3:134 55,236 18,765 173,362 -------- May _________ 11 72,600 7,083 65,517 .83 4,450 3693 69,210 22,4.'31 126,583 -------- June ________ 11 72,600 3,840 68,760 .92 3,477 3:199 71,959 6,523 61,147 -------- July_ ........ , 10 66,000 3,630 62,370 1.00 1,440 1,«& 63,818 3,93.'3 1,270 

August ...... 110 66 000 10,226 55,774 1.08 0 8, 711 ~45;793 

September .. ! 9 59:400 8,097 51,303 .83 0 0 0 6,898 --------- -4_4,405 

October_____ 7 46,200 12,602 33,598 .50 0 0 0 9,90'.2 --------- -2.3,696 

November .. 6 39 600 28,178 11,422 .42 401 168 11,590 23,055 --~~~~- =-=---7i5 December--~ 6 39:600 15,150 24,450 .33 382 126 24,576 12,396 

16, 9121 ........ 1901 .. January ____ 6 39,600 28 704 10,896 .25 549 137 11,033 27,945 

February_ .. 7 46,200 103:249 0 .34 3,112 1,058 1,058 134,047 149,901 -------- March ______ 8 52,800 63688 0 .50 5,417 2,709 2,709 87,472 234,664 --------

tt~;i~======== 9 59,400 10:938 48,462 .58 6,151 3,568 52,030 62,442 245,076 -------- 11 72,600 8,606 63,994 .83 6,065 5,034 69,028 45,203 221,251 -------- June ........ 11 72,600 6222 66,378 .92 5,465 5,027 71,405 17,262 167,108 -------- July ......... 10 66,000 12:916 53,084 1.00 4,4.36 4,436 57,520 21,296 131,884 -------- August ...... 10 66,000 38,561 27,439 1.08 4,130 4,460 31,899 32,504 132,489 -------- September __ 9 59,400 5,514 53,886 .83 3, 780 3,137 57,023 17,907 9.'3,37.3 -------- October. ____ 7 46,200 8,210 37,990 .50 3,004 1,502 39,492 9,334 63,215 -------- November __ i 6 39,600 15,238 24,362 .42 :~.290 962 25,363 10,629 48,481 --------

December··/ 6 39,600 16,~ 23,115 I .33 1,761 581 23,696 11,663 36,3461·--- ----
32 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [No.73. 

This table shows that if the proposed reservoir were operated in 

conjunction with the natural flow of the Verde River, and an annual 

supply of 660,000 acre-feet were desired, this could have been furnished every year in the record except 1900. In that year there would 

have been a shortage of about 16 per cent. It is believed t,hat such a 

shortage is permissible in a storage project if it does not occur oftener 

than once in say ten years, which is the fact in the present case. 

The duty of 660,000 acre-feet per annum is that of the combined 

Salt and Verde rivers, with a reservoir on Salt River operated in conjunction with the Verde, the waters of Salt River being held in the 

reservoir as long as the waters of the Verde are sufficient to supply 

demands. If the flood waters of t,he Verde are to be stored and used 

independent of Salt River they will not be available for this use, and 

the manipulation of Salt River reservoir will be radically different. 

Under these conditions the draft on the reservoir becomes constant 

the year around; the requirement for storage is lessened, and the irrigation duty of Salt River alone is of course much less. Our r~cords 

indicate that a duty of about 450,000 acre-feet can be depended upon 

by using the rest of our storage capacity for reserve storage. 

SALT RIVER RESERVOIR.· 

BORINGS. 

Borings were made to bed rock at 31 points in the canyon, on four 

different lines. The first trial was made near the upper end of the 

canyon near the site selected by the Hudson Reservoir Company. 

Five holes were here drilled to rock, the depth in two of them being 

44 and 64.5 feet. These results are shown in fig. 3. Another site was 

then selected about 1,600 feet downstream, and conditions were so 

much more favorable that a more thorough exploration was made, 

and the greatest depth being less than half that found above, the 

lower site ,was decided upon. Fig. 4 shows profiles of these borings. 

Following is a complete list of the borings. 

Depth of borings 

No. Bed rock Total 1 24.0 FEET 89.5'F.EET 

2 28.0 35.8 8 64.5 74.0 4 44.0 49.8 

5 23-0 25.3 6 24.0 30·0 

L--------------------------------------------------~----~ 

FIG. 3.-Profile of borings at Hudson Reservoir Company's dam site. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XV 

---

PLAN OF DAM. POWER PLANT, AND CEMENT FACTORY, 
DAVIS.) , .,.... ;.*-' BORINGS. 

Depth of borings 

No. Bed rock. Total 1 22.5 FEET 22.5 FEET 2 26.7 31.7 a 25.5 25.5 4 25.!'1 31 3 

5 2R.O 28.0 6 25.0 31.3 1 24.7 24.7. a 22.2 26.7 9 20-0 20.0 

Depth of borings 

No. Bed rock Total 

22.0 FEET 

21.0 

22.5 

22.0 

23.0 

24.0 

28.8 

22.0 

24.6 

22.0FEET 

25.9 

27.0 

22.0 

33.4 

24.0 

39.0 

22.8 

27.0 

Depth of borings 

No. Bed rock Total 

23,5FEET 28.0 FEET 

23.5 26.4 

5 25.0 6 31.0 34.5 

7 30.3 30.7 

8 21.5 24.2 

9 

10 21.5 23.0 

33 

FIG. 4.-Profiles ot borings at Salt River dam site. 

Bo1·ings at Salt RiDer dam site. 

No. 

Line A, Httdson Reservoir Company site. 

1 ....... ------ ·--·- ·------------------------- •> 

3: ~ ~ ~ ~:::: ~ =:: = =: ~::: =::::::::--.. -- ----

IRR 73-02--3 

Bed 

rock. 

Feet. 

24.0 

28.0 

64.5 I 

44.o 1 

~:81 

49.8 

25.3 

30.0 

Character of rock. 

Red sandstone. 

Sandstone. 

Coarse, soft white sand- stone. 

Broken quartzite. Do. 

Do. 
34 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. (NO. 73. 

Borings at Salt Rit,er darn site-Continued. 

No. Character of rock 

Feet. 

22.5 

26.7 

2.5. 5 

2.S. 8 28.0 

2-'l. 0 

24.7 

~:51 I 

I 

2"Z.O I 21.0 I 22.5 

2'Z.O 

~:21 2B.8 i 

22.0 1 

24,6 I 

Feet. 

22.5 

31.7 

25.5' 

31.3 

28.0 

31.3 

24.7' 

26.7. 

20.0 I. 

I 

Red sandstone. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

22. 0 ; Red sandstonf.il>. 

25.9: Do. 

27.0 Do. 

2'.!.0 Do. 

33.4 Do. 

24.0 Do. 

39.0 Do. ,. 22.8 Do. 

27.0 Do. 

CAP A CITY OF RESERVOIR. 

~rhe capacity of the reservoir was determined by a plane~ table sur· 

vey for each 10-foot contour to a height, of 200 feet above the bed of the 

river in the gorge. ~rhese capacities are given in the following table: 

Capacity of Salt Rit~er r·esert'oi1·. 

I Height· I I · i 

above I A. Capacity I Total 

I

. low . I ea. I of section. capacity. 

[_water._: __ ·. .

1 

__ 

j Feet. I Acres. \ Acre-feet. A;re-jeet. I 10 24 120 120 20 128 760 880 

30 224 1,760 1 2,640 40 401 3,125 I 5, 765 50 694 5, 475 11, 240 60 1, 085 8, 895 

1

, 20.135 70 1, 458 12, 715 32,850 80 2, 103 17' 805 50, 655 90 2, 9.'30 25, 165 1 75, 820 100 3, 682 33,060 ' 108,880 no 4,391 40,365 149,245 

120 5, 536 49, 63.5 198, 880 

130 6, 394 59,650 2.58, 530 140 7' 293 68, 4.'3.5 326,965 

150 8, 411 78, 520 405, 485 160 9, 664 90, 375 495, 860 1W ~~ 0,165 ~,025 

180 12, 158 114, 6B5 712, 660 

190 13,459 128,08.5 840, 745 

200 14,617 140,380 981,125 
U. $. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XVI 

Scale 

10 0 10 20 SO 40 50 60 1 80 90 100 FEE:r 

Co~~~:~r..interval 5 feet 

PLAN OF SALT RIVER DAM. 
DAVIS.] PLANS FOR THE DAM. 35 

It will be noticed that for a dam of a height of less than 100 feet 

the capacity of the reservoir formed is not extraordinary, but above 

this height it increases more rapidly, and at a height of 200 feet is 

nearly a million acre-feet. It would he ent,~rely practicable to construct a reservoir of several times this capacity, but this is not just.ified by the conditions; the limit to the economical height of dam is 

determined by the supply of water available for storage. 

PLANS FOR THE DAM. 

The gorge on Salt River is an especially favorable site for a masonry 

dam, and the most permanent, conservative, and secure form of high 

dam that is known to engineering science can be constructed. The 

formation is sedimentary, with the strata inclined at an angle of about 

30° to the horizonal, clipping toward the reservoir, a most favorable 

condition for retaining stored waters and for the stability of the 

dam. The foundation and abutment of hard, tough, fine-grained 

sandstone are all that could be desired. Building· stone of the same 

material is at hand, and above the site. As elsewhere set forth, good 

Portland cement can be made in the vicinity. Sand for mortar can 

be obtained from the river bed, but will have to be washed and 

screened, and it is thought that the best plan will be to manufacture 

sand by crushing quartzite, which occurs in abundance near the site. 

This will provide an ideal sand, and as power is abundant its cost 

will not be great. 

r:rhe dam must be so designed and constructed as to be safe from 

destruction by any or all of the forces acting upon it. It is possible, 

for a masonry dam to fail in any one of three ways: 1. By overturning; 2, by sliding on the base, or on any horizontal joint; 3, by crushing its foundation or masonry near the base. A factor of safety of at 

least two is secured a~ainst overturning by so designing the dam that 

under all conditions the resultant of all the forces acting will fall 

within the middle third of any horizontal joint. This also eliminates 

the possibility of any tensile strains in the masonry, a very desirable 

result. The same condition also secu'res safety against sliding, which 

is insured in a still greater degree by constructing the masonry of 

random rubble, and by the use of hydraulic mortar, bonding it 

together and to its base, _so that it becomes a true monolith-a part of 

the solid rock to which it is firmly joined. Under these conditions a 

large margin of safety is provided, as the structure can not slide without shearing the masonry. In addition to these precautions the dam 

planned is to be built in the form of a circular arch, greatly increasing its safety against both sliding and overturning. In fact, neither 

can occur without overcoming the gravity and cohesion of the masonry, 

and also crushing the masonry or abutments. The total factor of 

safety against failure by the first and second methods can not be 

exactly known, but it is unquestionably very great. The third 
36 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZ ON A. [No.73. 

method, that of the crushing of the masonry, is not affected by the 

curved plan, and there is room for considerable difference of opinion 

as to what are safe limits of pressure. The best guide, when intelligently followed, is the experience of the past. The following table 

gives pressures in some existing structures: 

Structure. 

Pressures on tnasonry in existing structures. 

Material. 

) Pressure 11 

, per 

square I 

foot. I ---------------------,-------------------1 

Ton.~. 

Authority. 

Bridge,Pont-y-Prydd, Wales --1 Limestone rubble, lime 20.7 I. 0. Baker. 

1 

mortar. Brooklyn Bridge---------------~ Granite masonry__________ 39.5 DuryP-a & Mayer. Washington Monument, in Cutmarble________________ 25.4 ~ Col.T.L.Casey. ~nd. 1 

St. Louis Bridge, before com- Cut limestone _________ .. __ 

1

, 38. 0 History St. Louis Bridge, 

pletion. p. 370. 

South Street Bridge,Philadel- _____ do ____________ ----------1 15.7 Trans. Am. Soc. C. E., Vol. 

phia. · VII,p.305. Rookery Building, Chicago---= Cut granite------__________ 30.0 I. O.Baker. 

Bear Valley dam _______________ Granite rubble____________ 40.0 J.D. Schuyler. 

All Saints' Church, Angers ____ Forneaux stone___________ 43.0 J. T.Fanmng,p.403. Chapter House, Elgin ______ ----, Redsandstone_____________ 20.0 Do. 

St. Paul's, London------ ________ , Portland limestone________ 19.7 Do. 

St. Peter's, Rome---------------: Calcareous tufa___________ 16.7 Do. 

Variousarchbridges ___________ , Cut masonry-------------- 60.0. Do. 

Quaker Bridge dam (pro- • Rubblemasonry __________ 15.0 I Rep.AqueductCom.,p.55. 

jected). · . I 1 I 

Almanza dam (300 years old) _______ do------------------. ---1 14.3 1 Edward Wegman,p.24. 

------~----~-------------------

Various experirnental tests. 

IPr;';~re• 

s~~{e Material crushed. Authority. 

------------I Tons.~-----

Concrete prisms cut from Vrynwy dam-------------------- 181 Sir Andrew Clark. 

Granite ashlar, with mortar 1:2 _________________________ ----1 583 Austrian Society E.&.A. 

Sandstone rubble, mortar 1: 2 ______ --------------------------, 2551 Do. 

Sandstone rubble, mortar 1: Bt------- __________________ ------1 184 Do. 

g~;~l ~g~~;.~t L ~~ ~ ====~~ = =~~~~== = :~ ~ ~ ~ ::== ~ ~ = =: :: ~== ~ ~ :~:: 1 

1

: Bg: I 

Two cubes of 1 cubie inch _each were cut from briquets of neat 

cement, manufactured from _materials obtained near the site. These 

were tested at the United States Navy-Yard, in \-Vashington. 

Sample No. 1 crushed at 6,690 pounds, or 482 tons- per square foot. 

Sample No. 2 crushed at 8,840 pounds, or 636 tons per square foot. 

~rwo cubes with edges of 2 inches were cut from samples of the rock 

to be used in Salt River dam, and crushed in the testing machine at 

the United States Navy-Yard, in vVashington. 

Sample No. 1 crushed at 59,650 pounds, being 14,912 pounds per 

square inch, or 1,074 tons per square foot. 

Sample No. 2 crushed at 100,000 pounds, this being 1,800 tons per 

square foot. These results are so high that the strength of the rock 

is entirely eliminated from the discussion. 

Test No. 4, in the above table, made by the Austrian Society, is 

very nearly representative of the masonry to be used in the proposed 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Scale 

I · I 

; n 1 I ·' . . /l I I .. 

i Ill 

l I i ! 

! I. II 

I . I i 

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i . if 

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WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XVII 

-------------------------------- --~J.. 

9 

210'- 0" -.L """'""""""""'.,.-..:......:..:..:.~..:......:~.:._.:..:..::_...:_ ______ ,_ 

I 

I 

::: 

0 

I -cb 

c;' 

I 

Water surface elevation 190'- a· I 

E=~~--------------.:._-------t I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

.I 

0 

" 0 

t' 

.I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I ---------------------------------+ 

l 

I 

I 

Weight of masonry 146·0 lbs. per cul ft. 

Weight of water 62·5 " "i " Wind pressure 50·0 " " sqJ " 

IV 

0 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

J 

0 

J 

0 

ro 

i 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

l 

I 

I 

I 

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l 

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I 

I 

I 

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I 

I 

I 

I 

I i i !/ Pressure on toe of dam per sq. ft. / / j /Pressure on heel of darn per sq. ft 

Reservoir full 14.50 tons I j 1

f j Reservoir full 1.40 tons 

0 contour 30.- rf above base of da:m 

Reservoir empty Q.76 " • . 1 , Reservotr empty !5.14 " 

Reservoir empty, wind up stream Q.cA t ns I '/ Reservoir empty, wind up stream 15.26 

---.IL----------------------.1-- ------------{----------- ,'7-----------------------------

1 I II I j / j Pressure on heel of dam per eq. ft. 

!5.88 tons . J i Reservoir full 1·42 tons 

Reservoir empty 0-81 j ·· / f · Reservoir empty 16.49 " 

Reservoir empty, wrnd up stream 0·66 " j f / Reservoir empty, wind up stream 16-64 " 1 

--------------------------------------------- --------- -----+64 .. ·--4::.._ _____________ -- ___________________ _} -------------------------' 

per sq. ft. 

MAXIMUM SECTION OF SALT RIVER DAM, SHOWING FORCE LINES. 
DAVIS.] PLANS FOR THE DA'M. 37 

Salt River dam. A coefficient of safety of 10 in such masonry would 

permit of pressures of over 25 tons per square foot. As will appear 

later, the maximum pressures permitted in the proposed dam will be 

far below this figure. 

The recorded failures of high masonry dams are as follows: 

At the Habra darn in Algiers poor hydraulic lime was used, and a 

red earth with a large percentage of clay was used in the mortar 

instead of sand. This combination made a poor mortar, and the rock 

was also poor, both in the masonry and the foundation, being a calcareous grit of varying quality, and all porous. It is supposed that 

the failure occurred by the crushing of the foundation under a computed stress of 13.3 tons per square foot. 

At the Bouzy dam in France the foundation was fissured and permeable and not on solid rock, allo\ving an immense upward hydrostatic pressure; the section was so light as to permit great tension in 

the masonry in the back. It was straight in plan, and when the reservoir was nearly filled the central portion of the wall was shoved forward about a foot, causing ruptures and leakage. This was afterwards 

repaired and the foundation reenforced. Six years later, when the reservoir was full, the dam suddenly overturned at a plane about 33 feet 

below the top. The above-recited defects were the undoubted cause. 

At the Puentes dam in Spain the centritl portion of the dam was 

founded upon piles driven in earth. When the rising water applied 

a heavy hydrostatic pressure, this portion of the foundation suddenly 

gave way and left the top and ends of the dam standing in the form 

of an arched ·bridge. 

The dam at Austin, Tex., was an overflow dam built of limestone 

rubble, the stone being very soft and of poor quality. The foundation was on a geological fault, and was of soft limestone, in thin, horizontal layers, which had little adhesion, and probably very little 

friction upon one anothei, and the failure, which was by sliding, is 

supposed to be due to this fact. 

In all four of the above cases the foundation was defective. In 

three the stone was poor and in two the mortar was poor. All were 

straight in plan except the Puentes, which was polygonal in plan and 

arched upstream. This dam seems to have been very well pla:p.ned 

and constructed, except for the one fatal defect of being founded on 

piles instead of solid rock. 

All of the defects in these failures can easily be avoided in the proposed dam by a reasonable application of care and skiU. 

The proposed dam is designed to be 217 feet. above low water in the 

river at the dam site and to store water at a maximum depth of 190 

feet, the total height of dam above lowest foundation being about 247 

feet. Spillways 20 feet deep will be excavate9. in the solid rock sides 

of the canyon and the rock used in the construction of the dam. The· 

location lends itself admirably to a curved form of dam, this form 
38 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, .ARIZONA. (NO. 73. 

containing but little more material than a straight one of the same 

section. The proposed structure is to be built on a circular curve, 

convex upstream, the back having a radius of 400 feet and the face a 

shorter radius from the same center. The dam is to be of uncoursed 

rubble masonry and to have a section on modern conservative ideas 

as a simple gravity structure, and the added stability due to its curved 

form will greatly increase its factor of safety. The rock of which the 

dam will be constructed will be excavated from the spillways, and is 

a tough, close-grained sandstone. A sample was taken from each side 

of the canyon and tested for specific gravity in the laboratory of the 

United States Geological Survey.. The following are the results of 

this test: 

Specific gravitie:::; of two specimens of sandstone. 

I. Determined on lumps. 

A. In ordinary distilled water as quickly as possible. 

No. 1.-Specific gravity, 2.42 at room temperature. 

No. 2.-Specific gravity, 2.47 at room temperature. 

B. After soaking in distilled water 2-1 hours. 

No. 1.-Specific gravity, 2.44 at room temperature. 

No. 2.~Specific gravity, 2.49 at room temperature. 

C. After standing in distilled water under the air pump for 24 hours. 

No. 1.-Specific gravity, 2.50 at room temperature. 

No. 2.-Specific gravity, 2.52 at room temperature. 

II. Determined on the powdered samples. 

No. 1.-Specific gravity, 2.583 at 21.5 C., compared with water of 

same temperature. 

No. 2.-Specific gravity, 2.611 at li.5 C., compared with water of 

same temperature. 

':rests for crushing were also made and are given on page 36. 

The rock is to he used in as large pieces as practicable, in order to 

make the number of joints as few and the quantity of mortar as small 

as may be. It is estimated that the rock will occupy 70 per cent of 

the structure. Fifteen per cent. will consist of eement mortar, in 

which the stones are bedded, and 15 per cent will consist of cement 

concrete rammed into the vertical joints. Taking the weight of the 

mortar as 115 pounds per cubic foot and that of the concrete as 130 

pounds, the masonry will weigh, as nearly as can be estimated, 146 

pounds to the cubic foot. On this est.imate the strains have been 

computed and the section of the dam designed. As t.he dam is to 

serve as a highway, a top width of 113 feet has been adopted, with 

parapets along the sides. The section adopted is the smallest consistent with the necessary top width, and with the requirement that the 

resultants of all _forces acting upon the dam shall be at all times 

within t.he middle third. The pressure on the toe when the reservoir 

is full will be 15.9 tons per square foot, computed on the assumption 

that the dam is a rigid monolith and nonelastic. Any elasticity it 

may have will tend to relieve this pressure. The maximum possible 

pressure, 16.64 tons, occurs at the heel when the reservoir is empty, 

with a strong wind blowing upstream. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

ELEVATION OF SALT RIVER DAM. 
DAVIS.] SPECIE'IC.ATIONS. 39 

The table on p. 36 shows fourteen instances with pressures greater, 

some of them many times greater, than those in the proposed dam. 

The following specifications are proposed for the dam: 

SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OE' THE DAM. 

Diversio-n of the river.-The diversion of the river will be accomplished by means of sheet piling driven as deeply as practicable 

direetly across the canyon, beginning at the south side and reaching 

as nearly as practicable to bed rock, the piling to be reenforced at and 

above the surface by a heavy wall of sand and gravel excavated from 

the site of the dam, the water to be diverted through the outlet tunnel, 

which will be constructed in advance. The gravel wall will be built. 

at least 1 foot higher than the top of the outlet channel for threefourths of its length, about 50 feet of the southern end of the embankment being left at an elevation 6 feet lower, to be utilized as a spillway 

for excessive floods which may occur too large for the capacity of the 

outlet tunnel. The excavation for foundation will begin at. the 

southern wall of the canyon, and as rapidly as completed to solid 

foundation will be filled with masonry. As soon as 40 or 50 feet of 

the southern end of the foundation is completed, a wooden flume will 

be,placed at the above-mentioned spillway on the embankment, re;J,ching downstream over the completed portion of the foundation, discharging into the stream bed at least 300 feet downstream from the 

toe of the dam. This flume will be about 1,000 feet long, and in that 

distance will have a fall of nearly 8 feet, which will give it a high 

velocity and enable it to discharge any floods likely to occur. The 

pumps employed in drying the foundation excavations will discharge 

into this flume. 

In case sheet piling can not be driven deep enough to cut off the 

underflow, pipes shall be driven along the line across the canyon and 

cement grout pumped in until the desired result is obtained. 

Fownclcdion.-All earth, sand, gravel, bowlders, disintegrated, 

loose, and seamed rock will be excavated: and removed from the ent,ire 

area of the base of the dam in order to secure a firm foundation on 

solid rock. Explosives shall not be used in excavating the rock 

unless absolutely necessary, and when used shall be only in small 

quantities and in shallow holes to avoid fracture of the rock forming 

the foundation of the clam. The entire foundation shall be thoroughly washed with wire brooms, first with water and then with thin 

cement grout. Throughout the length of the foundations a trenel1 6 

feet. wide and 6 feet deep, 15 feet from the heel of the dam and parallel thereto, shall be cut in the solid rock of the foundation. 

JY[asonry.-'n'lw main body of the dam shall be constructed of 

broken rar ge cyclopean rubble. The stone shall be quarried from 

the walls on each side of the canyon, shown in the drawing as proposed spillways. If a sufficient quantity of hard, fine-grained stone 

can not be obtained in these spillways it shall be quarried elsewhere. 
'40 WATER S'l'ORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [No.73. 

All stone shall be thoroughly \vasherl. and laid in Portland cement 

mortar, and each stone shall be laid on its largest bed. The stone 

for the upstream face shall be rough pointed, so as t,o lay with horizontal beds and vertical joints. No mortar joint in the face shaH 

exceed 1 inch in t,hickiless. At least one-fourth of the area in the 

face must be headers evenly distributed throughout the wall, and 

every header shall be laid over a stretcher of the underlying course. 

The stone shall be so arranged as to form a proper bond, in no case 

less than 1 foot:, with t,he stone of the underlying course. The 

stretchers must not, be less than 3 feet long, nor less than 2 feet in 

any other dimension. The headers must not be less than 6 feet in 

length nor less than 2 feet in any other dimension. 

The body of the clam shall be composed of as large stone as practicable, well shaped, and laid so as to break joints and thoroughly 

bond the work in all directions. Each stone shall be laid on it,s 

largest face in a bed of Portland cement mortar of the qualit,y hereafter specified. Vertical joints between the stones in the body of the 

clam must be nowhere less than 4 inches and must be carefully and 

thoroughly filled with Portland cement concrete, which shall be 

rammed into place by hand. To secure thorough bedding each stone 

must, be lifted and the bed examined, to the end that all space in the 

dam not occupied by stone shall be absolutely filled with mortar, so 

as to make a water-t,ight construction. The masonry shall be kept 

wet during the time of construction. The aim shall be to use the 

largest, proportion of stone and the smalle8t proportion of mortar and 

concret,e in the dam that can be_ practicably secured. To this end 

facilities shall be provided for handling stones weighing 12 tons, and 

large stones shall be used as far as practicable. To the same end the 

stones shall be split from the large masses found in the quarry by 

the "plug-and-feather" method, or any similar process that may be 

found efficient in breaking the stones along regular lines, so that 

joints to be filled with mortar may be reasonably thin and uniform . 

.11forta1· ancl concrete.--All mortar used in the lm,·er 30 feet of the 

dam shall consist of 1 part of Portland cement, 2 parts of good sharp 

sand; and all concrete used in this portion of the dam shall consist 

of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, and 3 parts of broken stone graded to 

such size as will pass through a screen with meshes 2 inches square. 

The mortar and concrete used in the upstream face of the dam for a 

thickness of 20 feet, shall be of the quality above specified. 

In all parts of the dam which are more than 20 feet from the 

upstream face and 30 feet from the base the mortar shall be 1 part 

Portland cement to 3 parts of sand, and concrete of 1 part Portland 

cement, 3 parts sand, and 4 parts broken stone of a size to pass through 

a screen with meshes 2 inches square. All mortar and concrete shall 

be thoroughly mixed as the work progresses and used so promptly that 

there will be no danger whatever of incipient setting of the cement pre-
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XIX 

-- -, -·· -----

SECTION Or DAM ANO ELEVATION OF SPILLWAY AND POWER HOUSE. 
DAVIS.) SEDIMENT. 41 

vious to the completion of the masonry in which it is placed. No 

cement shall be used until at least sixty days after its manufacture, 

and not until it shall show satisfactory tests according to the chemical 

and physic~l requirements adopted by the Atilerican Society of Civil 

Engineers. 

The reason for using a larger percentage of cement in the base of 

t,he dam is that here will be the greatest pressures, and the higher 

percentage of cement will give a greater power of resistance to crushing. Thfll high percentage of cement is maintained on the water 

face of the dam, all the way to the top, in order to render it as nearly 

impervious as possible. · 

It may be confidently predicted that a masonry dam at the proposed site, constructed on the above plans and specifications, would 

be absolutely permanent, "safe, solid, and secure for all ages to 

come," as truly as the "everlasting hills," of which it, will become 

an integral part. 

SEDIMENT. 

Most of the streams of the southwest carry a considerable quantity 

of solid matter which causes annoyance in canals, and has a tendency 

to fill any reservoir constructed on the stream. This is true of the 

Rio Grande, Colorado, Pecos, and Gila rivers. There is silt also in 

the waters of Salt River, as shown by its occurrence in the canals, 

but it is not nearly as abundant as in the streams above mentioned. 

The basin tributary to the Salt River reservoir lies in large part in high 

tim be red country, and includes the Apache Indian Reservation. These 

Indians constitute. probably the most ~t ~t ~!2.! in the country, and their reservation is almost entirely covered with forest and 

grass. The basin of Tonto Creek, and a few other tributaries, however, are closely pastured and deliver some silt during sudden floods. 

Observations of t,he amount of sediment carried give the results 

found in the following table: 

Percentage o.f sediment .found in Salt River water. 

Date. Sediment. 

Per cent. 

0.00026 

.00053 

.00012 

.000099 

.0000021 

No sediment. 

.005895 

No sediment. 

.003924 

.004128 

.0013323 

.000054 

.000058 

No sediment. 

Total vol- ume. 

Acre-feet. 

9.27 

34.42 

8.28 

R53 

.06 

.00 

28.74 

.00 

83.58 

134.16 

23.85 

5.0l 

.60 

.00 

Total for the year ________________________________ --·--- _______ ·_____ ______ ____ ______ 337.58 

i 

NOTE.-From January 1 to April 18, 1901, observations were made at McDowell station; bal- ance of the year at reservoir site. 
42 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, .ARIZONA. [No.73. 

The above table shows that during the period covered by the observations the sediment carried was very small in amount, almost negligible, but t,he discharge during the year was far below the normal, and 

it i~ believed that the proportion of sediment shown by the observations was also below the normal. If we take 1,000 acre-feet as the 

average inflow of sediment, this will be nearly three times that 

observed during 1901, and yet it would require eight hundred years to 

fill the reservoir if none were drawn off. It would probably be one 

hundred years before the loss of storage capacity would be seriously 

felt and it would become necessary tu resort to methods of clearing it 

out. 

At all times when the river is in flood the water in the reservoir 

will be more or less turbid. The lower the stage of the reservoir and 

the greater the flood in the river the greater will be the percentage of 

sediment held in suspension. '.rhe greatest amount of sediment, will 

usually be found in the lower layers of water, and it will t,herefore contribute to the maintenance of the storage capacity to draw 

all waters from the lowest possible point at all times. Two outlets 

are provided in t,he form of tunnels 10 by 13 feet, one around each 

end of the darn. It should be made an invariable rule that whenever 

water begins to run over the spillway the gates must be opened to 

full capacity, not only to draw off the maximum quantity of sediment but also t,o reinforce the spillway capacity as much as possible. 

Experience at the Sweetwater and other reservoirs shows that the 

greatest deposits of sediment are in t,he deepest part of the reservoir, 

which in this case is near the dam. The above provision would dispose of a considerable portion of this, and any further provision for 

removing silt would be unnecessary for more than a century. 

SPILLWAY PROVISION. 

The greatest flood ever known in Salt River Valley occurred in February, 1891. It is described in the '.rwelfth Annual Report of the 

United States Geological Survey, and has been referred to on page 20 

of this report. The maximum discharge of this flood was estimated 

at the almost incredible volume of 300,000 ~ubic feet per second. A 

freshet of less magnitude, but still very large, occurred in 1890. There 

is abundant evidence that there had been no flood approaching these 

in magnitude for a very long time. The drainage area from which 

t,bis flood was drawn was considerably. more than double the area tributary to the proposed Salt River reservoir, but the latter having more 

than the average precipitation, it is credited wit,h 54: per cent of the 

total discharge under f,he discussion of "vVater-supply" on page 26. 

A smaller drainage basin is, moreover, liable to a relatively higher 

flood discharge than a larger one, though the floods are of shorter 

duration. E'rom the above considerations it is estimated that the 

maximum flood wave possible at Salt River· reservoir is 220,000 cubic 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

I 

I 

---------------- -r5'o~--- ~---- -~----- ---- ---~--11~~-J.------- --------------------------no'o"---- -------------------------

SCALE 

E==:=i====i16~=: 2=4===532FE~ 

! i : I 

PLAN 

ELEVATION 

ELEVATION OF BRIDGE. SPILLWAY, AND GATE TOWER. 

WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XX 
DAVIS.] SPILLWAY PROVISION. 43 

feet per second, reaching this amount by a rapid increase in volume, 

and declining somewhat less suddenly from the maximum to the normal 

diseharge. On this assumption an examination has been made of t~he 

effect of such a flood upon the reservoir. It is assumed that the 

reservoir is full up to the bottom of the spillway, and that a great 

flood occurs, with a mean discharge for the fir~t, hour of 120,000 cubic 

feet per second, and increases its discharge 10,000 cubic feet per second during each hour for eleven hours, at the end of which time it has 

reached its maximum wave of 220,000 cubic feet per second. The discharge then decreases in an arithmet,ical progression for twenty hours, 

at the rate of 5,000 second-feet per hour, reaching a discharge of 

120,000 second feet as a mean for the thirty-first hour. 

This spillway as planned has a total length of 350 feet, and its 

bottom is 27 feet below the top of the clam. Its discharge capacity is 

computed from the formula Q=I-B 1220=3.5 LHt 

Effect of maxirnurn flood on Salt R1~ver reservoir, with spillway 350 feet long, 190 

feet above river bed. 

[Q=Hi 1220.] 

Hour. 

Outflow. I . I 

Second- 1 A•'I'e-feet. Second- I Net rise. :Elevation. 

Inflow. 

feet. I v feet. I Acre-feet. I 

---------1----,~--------1 :----

1 Feet. Feet. 

1 ________________ ------------

2---------------------------- 3 ___________________________ _ 

4 __________ ------------------ 5 ___________________________ _ 6 ___________________________ _ 

7----------------------------

8 ____ . ______ ------------------

9 ____ ------------------------ 10 __________ ------------------

11 ____ ------ -----· ------------ 12 ____ ------------------------ 13 __________ ------------------ 14 __________ ------------------ 15 __________ ------------------ 16 __________ ------------------

17---------------------------- 18 ___________________________ _ 

19 ______________________ ------

2() __________ ------------------

21 __________ ------------------ 22 ___________________________ _ 

23 ____ ------------------------ 24 ____ ------------------------ 25 __________ ------------------ 26 __________ ------------------ 27 ________________ ------------

28 __________ ------------------ 29 __________ ------------------

3() __________ ------------------

31_ ---------------------------

120,000 9, 920 12,920 1, 065 0. 82 190. 82 130, 000 10, 7 40 14, 380 1,185 . 87 191. 69 

140,000 11,570 16,560 1, 365 . 92 192.61 

150, 000 12, 390 19, 430 1, 600 . 97 193. 58 

160, 000 13, 320 22, 920 1, 890 1. 01 194. 59 

170,000 14,040 27' 190 2, 245 1. 03 195.62 

180, 000 14, 870 31, 600 2, 610 1. 06 196. 68 

190,000 15, 690 36, 730 3, 035 1. 08 197. 76 200, 000 16,520 42, 360 3, 500 1. 10 198. 86 

210,000 17' 350 48, 460 4, 000 1. 11 199. Wl 

220,000 18,170 54,980 4, 540 1. 12 201. 09 215,000 17, 760 61,590 5, 085 1. 03 202.12 

210,000 17,350 67,940 5,610 .941 203.06 

205, ooo 16,930 73, 960 6, no . 86 203. 92 

200, !XJO 16, 520 79, 620 6, 575 . 78 204. 70 

195, 000 16, 170 84,900 7' 010 . 71 205. 41 190,000 15,690 89,790 7,415 .64 206.05 

185, 000 15, 280 94, 270 7' 785 . 57 206. 62 

180, 000 14, 870 98, 340 8, 120 . 51 207.13 

175,000 14,450 102,740 8, 485 . 4.5 207.58 

170,000 14.040 105,300 8, 695 . 40 207.98 

165, 000 13, 6.'30 108, 200 8, 9.'35 . 35 208. 33 

160, 000 13, 2'20 110, 810 9, 150 . 30 208. 63 155,000 12, 830 113, 040 9, 335 . 26 208. 89 

150, 000 12, 390 114, 920 9, 490 . 21 209. 10 

145, 000 11, 980 116, 460 9, 620 . 17 209. 27 

140,00G 11,570 117,630 9,720 .13 209.40 

13.1), 000 11,150 118. 610 9, 795 . 10 209. 50 

130, ()()() 10, 7 40 119, 250 9. 850 . 06 209. 56 

125, ooo 10, 320 119 620 9, 880 . 03 I 209. 59 

120,000 9, 920 119: 760 9, 89'2 . 00 209. 59 

Capacity of spillway-~------------ ------------1 123,120 1 10.170 =~=~--210.00 

At the end of the thirty-first hour the surface of the watBr has 

reached an elevation of 209.6 feet, or 7.4 feet below the top of the 

dam, and from that point begins to decline, the spillway having 

at this elevation a discharge of 119,760 cubic feet per second. The 

above-assumed flood wave might, therefore, be considerably.exceeded 
44 WATER STO AGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [NO. 73. 

without flowing over th dam, and therefore the spillway provisions 

as planned are_ conside eel ample for all possible requirements. It 

should be noted, howev r, that the dam would not be injured nor 

endangered by a very CO lSiderable flow over the top. 

OUTLET WORKS. 

For the purpose of fac'litating the discharge of sediment from the 

reservoir, and also to furnish the maximum reenforcement to the 

spillways, it has been decided to draw ~ll water from the reservoir 

through large openings dii·ectly on the bottom. Accordingly the plan 

adopted is to have two tunnels dug through the solid rock, one on 

each side of the canyon. Each tunnel will be provided with two gates, 

each 6 feet by 10 feet 3-:! inches, with a clear opening of 5 feet 4f 

inches by 10 feet, making a total area of 215 square feet clear opening. This would have a; discharge capacity of about 1,500 cubic feet 

per second with water standing in the reservoir on a level with the 

top of the tunnels. When the reservoir stands higher than this the 

head would, of cours8, increase the possible discharge, and when 

water begins to flow through the spillways the tunnel would have a 

discharge capacity of about 12,000 cubic feet per second, and with 

the spillways running full, about 14,000 cubic feet per second. The 

head on the lower sill of the outlet tunnels would be 190 feet with 

water standing at t,he level of the bottom of the spillways. This w.Ul 

be the maximum head frequently encountered, but the possible head 

would be ~0 feet more, or 210 feet, with water flowing over the spill~ 

ways 20 feet deep, which is considered the maximum head possible, 

encountered only at long intervals, if ever. This will produce a mean 

pressure of about 12,800 pounds per square foot on the gates, or a 

total on each gate of about 390 tons. These pressures and sizes 

require gates of great strength and efficient means of controlling their · 

position. 

Each gate is built of nine parallel 9-inch I beams, two channels 

horizontally, and three longitudinal beams, the whole inclosed by a 

half-inch plate solidly riveted to the beams and channels, so as to 

make the entire gate act as a girder. It will be the aim to make this 

girder water-tight on the edges and the side exposed to the water, 

but drainage holes will be provided on the lower side to discharge 

any chance leakage. 

The pillar which will occupy the center of each tunnel is built of 

plates and angles in the form of a large I beam, and is reenforced on 

each side by a 12-inch I beam, and the whole is inclosed by a thin 

steel skin, to minimize the tendency to produce vibrations. The 

beams are so arranged as to diminish the contractions also, and thus 

increase the discharge. The sheet steel will be continued along the 

sides and bottom of the tunnel throughout its entire length. Under 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER·SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XXI 

5 6 

ELEVATION OF TOWER, GATES, AND GATE LIFTS. 
DAVIS.] POWER PLANT 45 

these arrangements the velocity of the water through the tunnel, 

running full, with the water in the reservoir at the level of the top of 

the tunnel, will be about 7 feet per second, and will increase to over 

60 feet per second with the water 20 feet deep over the spillways. 

Each gate will be worked by two hollow rods running upward through 

the shaft and tower to the tower houses at the top of the dam, whe,re 

they will be worked by screws operated by electric motors. I 

The hollow rods will consist of 3-inch, double-extra heavy steel 

drivepipe, and will work in guides, as shown in Pl. XXI. The upper 

section of rod which carries the thread for moving the gates will be 

solid. 

The bearings for the gates will be upon solid steel rollers placed to 

eliminate friction. A general view is shown on Pl. XXII. c / 

The steel is estimated at 8 cents per pound erected. 

POWER PLANT. 

In the construction of a great dam one of the most important elements is that of power. rrhis is necessary on a large scale for drilling 

purposes, for handling rock, for mixing and handling mortar, and for 

crushing rock t,o be used in concrete. In the present case, furthermore, it has been found possible and very desirable to manufacture 

on the ground the large quantity of cement required in the dam. 

This would require about 300 horsepower day and night, for grinding 

rock and clinker, and for handling materials and running machinery. 

It is usual to provide such power hy means of steam engines, but in 

the present case this is rendered very expensive by the scarcity of 

fuel. Coal, in quantities, now costs $10 per ton in Globe, and the 

wagon haul to the dam site would nearly dotlble this. A limited 

amount of wood is available, but to secure the large quantity which 

would be required if it were the sole dependence for power would 

involve a long.haul. 

The best means for providing the necessary power is by the development of wat,er power on the river. This will involve the construction of a diversion dam and canal, which can afterwards be utilized, 

if required, for sluicing accumulated silt out of the reservoir. The 

power developed can afterwards be used in the neighboring mines or 

transmitted to the valley below for pumping purposes. For either 

purpose it will be a valuable asset. 

The standard canal section adopted has a bottom width of 8 feet, 

water depth of 3.5 feet, total depth of 4.5 feet, with side slopes of 1 to 

1 in excavation and 1t to 1 in embankment. Its slope will be 0.0006. 

In the ;first 12,000 feet of the line the depth will be slightly increased 

to provide for seepage losses. Small drainage lines will be crossed by 

means of concrete culverts. Flume construction will be employed 

only where absol"litely necessary, on account of its lack of perma-
46 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, .ARIZONA. [No.73. 

nence. The adopted flume section is a rectangular box, 4 feet deep 

and 7 feet 8 inches wide inside, built of 2-inch redwood plank, supported by frame of native pine. Sawmills will be established near 

the line and logs floated clown Salt River from the mountain valleys 

al?.ove. This native timber will also be used for false works and 

other temporary structures about the works. The details of flume 

construction are shown on Pl. XXIII.· 

There are to be two tunnels on the line, one 15,000 and one 18,000 

feet in length. Both are to be in coarse gravel, and will be lined 

with concrete. 

No detailed surveys have been made of the line, and the est,imates 

which follow should be regarded as only approximate. The estimated 

cost of earth excavation is 15 cents per cubic yard, and of rock $1 per 

cubic yard. 

The proposed canal would head some distance above the reservoir, 

follmv above its water line, and finally discharge just, below t,he dam, 

with an available head of about 180 feet. It is designed to deliver 

100 cubic feet per second, and t,o develop a net energy of about 1,200 

horsepower after derluct,ing seepage, friction, and losses in water 

wheels, electric plant, etc. It is designed to use 900 horsepower at 

the clam and 300 horsepower at the cement mill. 

The power plant will consist of three units of 300 kilowatts each, 

one of which will be temporarily installed near the cement mill, to 

be used there in making cement and in drilling for the outlet tunnels, clam foundations, etc., before the permanent plant is installed, 

until it is desired to store water above the 25-foot contour of the 

reservoir, at which time the manufacture of cement, should have been 

completed, when this unit will be placed alongside the other two 

below the dam. The two units pla(led below the dam will be at first 

protected by a temporary power house, until the foundation of the 

dam at that point is brought up to the level of the ground, when the 

stone power house will be built. 

The windows of the power house will be 10 feet above the bed of 

the river, and the tailrace of the power house will be provided with a 

gate by which, if it ever becomes necessary, backwater from the discharge of the spillways can be prevented from entering the power 

house. At such times, perhaps once in twenty or thirty years, it may 

become necessary to close down the power plant for a few hours. 

The following approximate estimate of the cost of the power installation has been prepared: 

Estimated cost of potoer plant. 

Diversion works: 

Dam _________________________________________ ·_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ $10, 000 

1,000 feet of flume_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 2, 325 

75,200 feet of canal _ _ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ __ __ ______ _ _ ___ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ 58,975 

3, 300 feet of tunnel, at $6 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 19, 800 

---$91,100 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XXII 

Scale o 2 feet 

ELEVATION AND SECTION OF OUTLET GATES. 
DAVIS.) POWER PLANT. 

Water wheels, etc.: 

9 wheels, shafts, nozzles, housings, etc _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ $7, 350 

3 pairs couplings for attaching dynamos____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 555 

270 feet 52-inch pipe for penstock ___________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 1, 600 

Receiver and 9 branches _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1, 555 

Freight on 140,000 pounds, at 3 cents ____ .__________________ 4, 200 

Power house _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 10, 000 

47 

---- $25,260 

Electric plant: 

3 300-kilowatt dynamos and exciters _______________________ 24,000 

Transformers and motors _______________________________ - _- 35, 000 

Transmission lines ______________ . _. ____ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1, 000 

Freight and installation __________ ._________________________ 12,000 

72,000 

Total cost of power plant ________________________________________ 188, 360 

The power plant as planned is about what is necessary in the construct,ion of the dam and the manufacture of cement,. It contemplates 

the use of the entire flow of the Salt River at minimum stages, and 

hence is the maximum t,hat can be made available at full head for use 

at all times. After t,he construction of the reservoir this power can 

be utilized for other purposes, but if constantly required will consume 

water from the reservoir during the winter months, when usually a 

sufficient supply for irrigation purposes can be obtained from the 

unregulated flow of the Verde River. If, however, the power is used 

exclusively for pumping water for irrigation, it will not be required 

during the season of high water on the Verde. "\Vhen this supply 

becomes insufficient, it will be necessary to start the pumping plants 

and to draw water from the reservoir, which can be utilized at such 

times, both for power and irrigation; hence, if used exclusively for 

pumping, none will be wasted. 

There are other power possibilities in this reservoir site by arranging to draw all irrigation water from the reservoir under a considerable head through turbines which can be used to develop power for 

pumping purposes. Such. development, however, will be of a very 

different character from the works already planned. The water will 

be drawn under a variable head, and at times of extreme scarcity, 

when the reservoir may run nearly or quite empty, and when irrigation water is most needed, the head will be diminished and the water 

to be drawn will be insufficient or entirely lacking at times when the 

power for pumping is most needed, unless the duty of the reservoir is 

diminished to a sufficient extent to prevent this. It is probable, however, that such a utilizatiOn of the power could be profitably made. 

A decision on this point rests on the equation between the cost of 

necessary plant and the value of necessary storage capacity on the 

one side as against the value of the water pumped on the other side. 

There is, however, a Hmit to the availability of underground waters 

which can not be definitely known until an extensive trial is made by 

pumping on the large reservoir of water which seems to be stored 
48 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [NO. 73. 

underground in Salt River Valley. The problem, however, is an 

attractive one, and deserves extensive study in conn~ction with the 

utilization of Salt River reservoir. 

CEMENT MANUFACTURE. 

The natural topographic conditions of this site are very favorable 

for the construction of a masonry dam of the most conservat,ive and 

permanent design yet devised. ':rhis form of construction, however, 

is rendered very expensive by the remoteness and difficulty of access 

to the site. There is a wagon haul of over 40 miles across mountainous country from the end of the railroad, which is a branch road with 

light traffic and high rates. lt is estimated that cement would cost at 

the dam site about $9 per barrel. As over 100,000 barrels of cement 

would be required for the dam, such a price is a most serious handicap to the project, and presents a strong temptation to adopt a rockfill type of ~tructure which would be immensely cheaper. However, 

before deciding this important point, it was t,hought best to investigate 

the possibility of manufacturing cement in the vicinity, and, with this 

object, search was made in Tonto Basin for materials suitable for the 

purpqse. Eight samples of rock and clay were sent in for analysis 

to E. A. Duryee, superintendent of the cement works at Colton, Cal. 

The analyses were as follows: 

Analyses of rocks and clays from Tonto dam site. 

Constituent. I No.1.[ No.2. No.4. No.6.) No.7.[ No.8. 

Moisture--------------------------------------------~=~ 2.80 ~~ 20.10 -~3.40 = Silica------ __________________________________________________ 50.60 55.70 51.00 51.90 67.90 

Aluminaandferricoxide __________________________ 0.20 15.80 20.50 16.70 23.70 18.00 

Magnesia____________________________________________ . 60 4. 072 4.576 . 97 . 972 

Calcium carbonate--------------------------------- 95.80 16.60 11.80 6.048 10.90 .00 Insoluble residue_._________________________________ 3.30 _______________________________________ _ 

--------1---- Total __________________________________________ 99.90 89.872 99.25 98.4241100.871 86.872 

No.1. Limestone near dam site~ very abundant and convenient. 

No.2. Calcareous shale near dam site; ledge 1 foot thick; expensive to quarry. 

No.3. Shale near dam site; ledge 4 inches thick; expensive to quarry. 

No.4. Clay 1 mile from dam site; abundant. 

No.5. Shale near dam site; ledge 3 inches thick; expensive to quarry. 

No. 6. Clay from Sallie May Canyon, 8 miles from dam site. 

No.7. Clay from hills, 3 miles north of dam site; very abundant. 

No.8. Shale from canyon below dam site; ledge 2 feet thick. 

The shales, and especially samples 3 and 5, being expensive to quarry 

and grind, were intended for use only in case the clays should, upon 

analysis, prove to be unsuitable for the purpose intended. 

Everything considered, samples 1 and 7 appeared to be the most 

favorable for the purpoE~e, and accordingly a quantity of No. 7 and 

No. 1 were shipped to Colton for an experimental burn. The following is quoted from Mr. Duryee's report: 

The clay and limestone were ground separately and then mixed in the propor_ 

tions of 6.18 pounds limestone and "2.25 pounds clay, making a raw mixture that 

DAVIS.] CEMEN'r MANUF AOTUR.E. 49 

tested 43 per cent lime. As the limestone was very hard and therefore more dif:. 

ficult to make into cement than. a softer material, fluorspar to the amount of 1i 

ounces, or 1 per cent, was added. The materials were also ground quite fine, but 

no finer than is the practice in some cement works, viz: 

Per cent. 

Passed a sieve of 50 meshes to the linear inch. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 99. 9 

Passed a sieve of 100 meshes to the linear inch ____________________________ 99.75 

Passed a sieve of 200 meshes to the linear inch_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 71. 75 

The raw mixture was made into briquets, and these, after being dried, were 

burned in a gasoline furnace. They burned to a good hard clinker of a good color, 

which yielded a cement of good color. 

Analysis of the cement. 

Lime·------------------------------------------------------------------ 63.56 

Alumina and ferric oxide _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 10. 40 

Silica ___________________________________________________________________ 22.85 

ldagnesia_______________________________________________________________ .71 

Alkalies not determined. 

Tensile tests of the neat cement briquets. 

Pounds per square inch. 

7 days (1 day in air, 6 in water) ____________________________________________ 410 

14 days (1 day in air, then in water till broken) _____________________________ 690 

28 days (1 day in air, then in water till broken) ______________________________ 775 

Chemieal analyses of Nos. 1 and 7 were also made in the laboratory 

of the Geologieal Survey, to test the uniformity of the deposits. These 

samples differ slightly from the samples sent to Mr. Duryee, but still 

are eminently suitable for the purpose. The following are the results 

~ound in the Survey laboratory: 

Analysis of limestone frorn Salt River, Arizona. 

CaO ___________________________________________________________________ _ 

ldgO ______________ --- - ___ --- -- - - ------- -- - - - --- - - ---- ---- -- -- - - - - -- -- --

Fe20 3 and Al20 3 ___ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - __ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Si02 ___________________________________________________________________ _ 

C02 (cal) ____________________________________ .. _____________________ .- __ _ 

55.56 

.10 

.20 

.51 

43.77 

Total ________________ .. ___ .. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 100. 14 

Analysi8 of clay No. 7, from Salt River, Arizona. 

Chlorine _______________________________________________________________ _ 

Silica __________________________________________________________________ _ 

Fe20 3 ____________________________________________________ . _____________ _ 

Al20 3 and P 20 5 -- -- ---- ---- ---- ------ - -- - ---- ------ ---- ---- ------ -------

Ti02 ________________________________ ~ __________________________________ _ 

ldnO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .. __ ---- -- _- ------ ------ ------ --- --- -------------

CaO ____________ - __ - --- - -- ---- ------ -. --- - ---- ------ ------ ------ ------ --

]{gO-------------------------------------------------------------------

K20 ______________ .. __________________________________________________ ~ __ 

~a 0 __________________________________________________________________ _ 

Loss at red heat _______________________________________________________ _ 

.20 

50.51 

5.03 

14.63 

.66 

.03 

6.77 

3.00 

3.06 

2.18 

13.30 

Total·-----·------------------------------------------------------- 99.37 

IRR 73-02--4 
50 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. [No.73. 

Altogether these results are very gratifying, and prove beyond 

question the existence of convenient and abundant materials from 

which cement can be made. The greatest difficulty is t.he scarcity of 

fuel. There is considerable wood in t.he reservoir site, mainly cottonwood and uiesquite, which it will be desirable to clear out of the 

reservoir in any event. Wood is not suitable for burning cement 

clinker by modern methods, but if made into charcoal and then 

ground to powder would answer, or oil may be imported- for the purpose from California. A large amount of power is required for grinding the rock and the clinker, and a still larger amount will be necessary 

in the construction of the dam, for excavating to foundation, quarrying and handling the rock, mixing and handling mortar, etc. If 

steam power were used for all these purposes the small amount of 

wood at hand would soon be exhausted, and it would be necessary to 

haul wood a long distance, or to import coal, either of which would be 

very expensive. Water power can be developed by diverting water 

from Salt River above the reservoir site, carrying it in a canal above 

the proposed lake and dropping it through a penstock just below the 

dam. By such means an ample supply of power can be obtained, 

available through the construction period and afterwards also, if 

desired. The chief expense attached to this development will he the 

construction of the canal for conveying water from the diversion site 

to the dam site. But as the power will be valuable for other purposes 

its cost is not entirely chargeable to the dam, and everything considered, this is by far the cheapest manner of o htaining the large 

amount of power required. This is treated more in detail under the 

proper heading, page 45. 

The estimated cost of the cement plant, with modern machinery 

capable of producing 300 barrels per day, as furnished by Mr. E. A. 

Duryee, is as follows: 

Approximate cost of a rotary process 2-kiln Portland cement plant of a daily 

capacity of 300 barrels. Crusher _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ $2, 000 

Mill for disintegrating clay ______________ · _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 500 

Rotary clay dryer ________________________________________ . ____ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1, 500 

Elevators and conveyors for raw materials ____________________ ·___________ 1, 000 

Storage bins for raw materials _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1, 000 .. 

Mills for grinding raw materials ________________________________________ 10, 000 

Two rotary kiln-linings and stacks ______________________________________ 15, 000 

Mills for grinding cement _______________________________________________ 10, 000 

200-horsepower electric motors and step-down transformers _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9, 000 

Conveyors and elevators for cement _________________________ : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1, 500 

Cost of grading and erecting machinery _____________________________ .. ___ 10, 000 

Shafting and pulleys, belts, and setting up same _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 5, 000 

.Buildings and bins for cement _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 10, 000 

Office, laboratory, and equipment of same_______________________________ 1, 500 

Freight _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________________________________________ .: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 10, 000 

Plans, specifications. and superintendence _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3, 000 

TotaL ________________________ .. ___________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 91, 000 
U. S. GE.OLOGICAL SURVEY WATER·SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 PL. XXIV 

A. GAGING STATION ON SALT RIV E R, HEAD OF CANYON , BELOW 

MOUTH OF TONTO CREEK. 

B. VI EW UP TONTO CRE EK F ROM TH E GORGE. 
DAVIS.] DAMAGES. 51 

With such a mill, and using charcoal for burning. cement, the cost 

of manufacture would be approximately as follows, allowing for 

power only the proportion necessary for maintaining and operating 

the electric plant provided: 

Cost per barrel of making cement at Salt River dam site, Tonto Basin. 

Labor and superintendence ______________________________________________ $0. 70 

Raw materials_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 30 

Fuel for burning _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 90 

Power (maintenance and operation only)___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 05 

Repairs and sundries _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . 05 

Total _____________________________________________________________ _ 2.00 

ROADS AND BRIDGES. 

The road from Globe to Payson passes through the reservoir almost 

its entire length. In case of the construction of the dam this road 

would be submerged, and it will be necessary to provide a new one 

around the reservoir. If it were' deflected to the east it would be 

thrown into exceedingly rough mountain country, where the construction would be very expensive and the road beset by heavy 

grades. By passing to the west of the reservoir it would be necessary 

to use the dam as a viaduct and to build bridges across the spillways. 

There would not be a great _amount of road construction, and this 

plan would be far cheaper and furnish a much better road than could 

be built east of the reservoir. The road to the dam site would be 

necessary in the construction of the dam, and some sort of passageway over the spillways would be necessary in operating the gates. 

In view of the contemplated manufacture of cement near the dam 

and the high cost of steel delivered at the site, it has been decided to 

build the bridges of the Melan arch type-that is, a light steel skeleton embedded in concrete. This will be about as cheap and far more 

substantial and permanent than a steel bridge, and more in keeping 

with the massive and permanent character of the dam. Each bridge 

is designed to abut at one end on the dam and the other end on the 

solid rock of the hill, and will have one pier. The spans of each bridge 

will be 110 feet and 75 feet in the clear. The general design is shown 

in Pl. XX. They are both similar to bridges that have been in successful use for years and involve no new or untried features."· 

DAMAGES. 

The surveys show about 7 40 acres of cultivated land that will be 

submerged by the reservoir. The improvements on these lands consist 

mainly of small frame or adobe houses, fences, and irrigation ditches. 

It is thought that an average value of $50 per acre for these lands 

should be ample to include all improvements. About 4,400 acres of 

unimproved land is also in private hands, and has little or no value. 

Allowing $1.25 per acre for such lands, we have a total for damages 

of $42,500. 
52 WATER STORAGE ON SALT RIVER, ARIZONA. (NO. 73. 

The balance of the reservoir site-about 9,000 acres-is public land, 

the control of which is in litigation, and will not be included in this 

estimate. 

COST. 

·rrhe following estimates are based upon the data at hand in April, 

1H02, and are subject to modification: 

Estimated cost of Salt River sto1·age dam. 

[247 feet above foundation; 190 feet available storage. Capacity, 840,000 acr J-feet.] 

257,420 cubic yards rubble masonry, exclusive of power and cement, at 

$3. 50 a yard _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________ _ 

Cement plant_ _________________________________________________ . ____ _ 

Power plant, house, and canal ______________________________________ _ 

. Manufacture of 150,000 barrels Portland cement, at $2 a barreL ______ _ 

Excavation of foundation and river diversion ________________________ _ 

Outlet tunnels and lining ________ ~ __________________________________ _ 

Gates and machinery _______________________________________________ _ 

Outlet towers, shafts, and houses ___________________________________ _ 

Viaducts across spillways _________________________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ 

Roads _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . ____________________________________ _ 

Engineering and contingencies, 15 per cent __________________________ _ 

$900,.970 

91,000 

188,360 

300,000 

50,000 

31,450 

11,600 

9,000 

26,000 

15,000 

243,507 

Total cost of structures _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 1, 866, 887 

Damage to private lands _____________________________ . ______________ _ 42,500 

1,908,387 

Cost per acre-foot, $2.27. 

The cost of dam 20 feet lower, storing 600,000 acre-feet, would be 

practically the same for all items except the masonry and cement, 

which would be about 20 per cent less, making the total cost about 

$1,680,000, or $2.75 per acre-foot capacity. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 

Generous assistance and valuable suggestions relative to the studies 

of the problems discussed in this report have been received from 

numerous sources. 

Especial mention is due to the work of Mr. C. R. Olberg, who as 

principal assistant has performed the major portion of the voluminous 

computations and most of the detailed designing connected with the 

structures adopted for the Salt River reseryoir, and has displayed in 

this work a commendable degree of .skill and conscientious care. 

Thanks are due· to Mr. W. H. Code for the benefit of his valuable 

experience in pumping "\Yater by electric power for irrigation and for 

his advice regarding the relative quantities of water consumed in the 

various months of the year. 

Acknowledgments are also due t,o JHr. F. P. Trott for valuable infor-

. mation concerning the water supply and for SlHYeys on the McDowell 

reservoir site, the latter being made at considerable expense to him 

and freely furnished in the public interest. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER ·SUPPLY PAPER NO. 73 Pl. XXV 

MAP OF SALT RI VE R VAL LEY , SH OWING CANALS AND IRRIGATED LANDS. 
INDEX. 

Page . 

.Almanza dam, pressure on masonry in _ _ 36 

Angers, pre'lSure on masonry in church 

at.-----_________________________ 36 

Ashlar, granite, with mortar, test of____ 36 

Austin, Tex., dam at, failure of._________ 37 

Austrian Society E. & A., cited on pressures on masonry______________ 36 

Baker, I. 0., cited on pressures on masonry ____________ -------------- 36 

Bear Valley dam, pressure on masonry 

in_______________________________ 36 

Borings, plan of, at McDowell dam site.. 17 

profile of, at Hudson Reservoir Company's dam site ______ ---------- 32 

at Salt River dam _______ ---------- 33 

Bouzydam, France, failure of.___________ 37 

Bridges, construction of------------------ 51 

elevation of. _____ ------------ ___ .------ 42 

pressures on masonry in______________ 36 

Brooklyn Bridge, pressure on masonry in_ 36 

Camp Apache, precipitation at, table 

showing ___________________ ----- 24 

Cape Horn, upstream dip of strata at, 

plate showing-------__________ 20 

Casey, T. L., cited on pressures on ma- sonry __ -------__________________ 36 

Cement, analysis of. ___________ ------------ 49 

cost of making------------------------ 51 

manufacture of. _______________________ 48-51 

plant for manufacturing, cost of_____ 50 

plan of_____________________________ 32 

tests of briquets of. _________ ------ ____ 36,49 

Chapter House, Elgjn, pressure on masonry in _____ ------------_______ 36 

Chicago, pressure on masonry in Rookery 

Building at--------------------· 36 

Clark, Andrew, cited on pressuresonmasonry. ------------------- ·------ 36 

Concrete, specifications for ________ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 40-41 

test of __________ -------- ____ ------------ 36 

Clays, analyses of. ______________ -----_----- 48,49 

Code, W. H., acknowledgments to_______ 52 

Damages, amount of---------------------- 51 

Dams, masonry, failures of. _______ .______ 37 

Diamond drill, plate showing party using_ 10 

Duryea and Mayer, cited on pressures on 

masonry----------------------- 36 

Duryee, E. A., analysesby________________ 48 

estimate by, of cost of cement plant. 50 

Elgin, pressure on masonry in Chapter 

House at----------------------- 36 

Fanning, J. T., cited on pressures on ma- sonry___________________________ 36 

Fluctuation of Salt River reservoir, figure 

showing ___ -------------------- 25 

Flume construction, details of____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 48 

Fort Apache, precipitation at------------ 23 

Page. 

Foundation, specifications for------------ 39 

Fowler, B. A., letter to Secretary of Interior from-------------------- 9-10 

Fulwiler, W.D.,appointmentof,aswaterstorage commissioner_________ 12 

Gate lifts, elevation of-------------------- 44 

Gate tower, elevation of. _________________ 42-44 

Gates, outlet, elevation and section of___ 46 

features of. _____ ------------_---------- 44-45 

Globe, road to Payson from-------------- 51 

G<lldman, Charles, appointment of, as 

water-storage commissioner__ 12 

Granite ashlar, with mortar, test of______ 36 

Gravel, concrete, test of. .. ~-------------- 36 

Habra dam, Algjers, failure of----------- 37 

Hamilton, E.G., work of._________________ 17 

Heard, D. B., appointment of, as waterstorage commissioner_________ 12 

Holbrook, precipitation at __________ ------ 23 

Horseshoe reservoir, location of__________ 16 

Hudson Reservoir Company, borings at 

dam site of, profile of--------- 32 

,Jones, W. E., work of--------------------- 16 

Limestone, analysis of-------------------- 48 

McDowell, Verde River at, discharge of__ 13-16 

McDowell dam, abutments of, plate 

showing ______ ------------------ 14 

borings at site of, plan of------------- 17 table showing _______ ----- _ ____ ____ 18 

cross section of, plate showing------- 18 

plan of, plate showing------·--------- 16 

plans for ____________ ------ __ ----- ______ 18-20 

McDowell reservoir, borings at site of ... 16-18 

capacity of, table showing _____ ------ 18 

conglomerate cliff at site of, plate 

showing wind erosion of______ 12 

cost of, estimate of-------------------- 21-22 

investigation of site of_-----------____ 11 

location of site of. _____ ------------____ 16 

maximum flood in, tal:>le showing effect of__________________________ 21 

outline of site of, plate showing______ 12 

spillway provisions for ________________ 20-21 

view in basin of ------ _____ ------------ 20 

Maricopa County, water-storage commissioners of, plate showing inspection of plane-table work 

by------------------------------ 30 

Masonry, pressures on, in existing structures------------_-------------- 36 

specifications for _______ ----- __________ 39-40 

Mortar, specifications for ________ --------- 40-41 

Outlet gates, elevation and section of____ 46 

Outlet works, features of _________________ 44-4.1) 

Olberg, C. R., acknowledgments to------ 52 

maps constructed by------------------ 17 

Payson, road from Globe to-------------- 51 

53 
54 INDEX. 

Page. 

Peterson, J. G., appointment of, as waterstorage commissioner_________ 12 

Philadelphia, pressure on masonry in 

South Street Bridge at ______ :_ 36 

Pierce rig, plate showing drill party 

using---------------·----------- 10 

Pont-y-Prydd, Wales, bridge at, pressure 

on masonry in ___________ ------ 36 

Power house, elevation of------------____ 40 

Power plant, cost of _______ ---------------- 46-47 

plan of-----------------------__________ 32 

provision for. ______ ------------________ 45 

Priest, J. T., appointment of, as waterstorage commissioner _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 12 

Puentes dam, Spain, failure of____________ 37 

Quaker Bridge dam (projected), pressure 

on masonry in-------------____ 36 

Reservoirs, necessity of ___________________ 9-10 

Rookery Building, Chicago, pressure on 

masonry in-------------------- 36 

Rubble, with mortar, test of------------- 36 

St. Louis Bridge, pressure on masonry in.· 36 

St. Paul's, London, pressure on masonry 

in.-----_-----_-----_____________ 36 

St.Peter's,Rome,pressure on masonry in. 36 

Sallie May Canyon, clay from, analysis of_ 48 

Salt River, canals and irrigated lands in 

valley of, map showing------- 52 

character of. _____ ------ ______ ------____ 9 

clay and limestone from, analyses of. 49 

discharge of, at reservoir site. ________ 26-29 

diverson of, specifications for -------- 39 

drainage basin of, area and character 

of._. ____ ----_----- ______________ 22--23 

drilling party on, plate showing______ 26 

flood in valley of, description of._____ 20 

gaging station on, plate showing _ _ _ _ _ 50 

gorge of, plate showing-------~------- 24 

location and features of valley of ____ 9 

proportion of total flow of Salt and 

Verde rivers discharged by, 

table showing----------------- 24 

reservoirs in valley of, necessity of __ 9-10 

sediment in------ _____ ----- ______ ------- 41-42 

upstream dip of strata in canyon of, 

plate showing__________________ 20 

useofflowof,forpowerplant ------~ 47 

water storage on, discussion of. _ _ _ _ _ _ 22--52 

water supply in basin of ______________ 23-32 

Salt River Basin, drainage lines of, map 

showing_-----__________________ 9 

reservoir sites in, map showing ------ 10 

topography of------- ______ ------------ 23 water supply in _______________________ 23-32 

Salt River dam, abutment of, plate showing----------------------------- 28 

borings at ______ ------ __________ -------- 33-34 1 

profile of. __________________ -------- 33 

bridge of, elevation of---------------- 42 

clay hills near site of, plate showing_ 30 

cost of ______ -------- __ ------------------ 52 

elevation of ___ .----------------________ 38 

gate tower of, elevation of------------ 42,44 

gates and gate lifts of, elevation of___ 44 

maximum section of, showing force 

lines.-----_--------------------- 36 

0 

Page. 

Salt River dam, outlet gates in, elevation and section of------______ 46 features of ______________________ . ___ 44--45 

plans for_---------------------· __ ------ 35-39 

plates showing ------ ____ ---------- 32,34 

power house of, elevation of---------- 40 

power plant to be used in construction of. _____ ------------------·· 45-48 

pressures on masonry in •..•.. -------- 38 

sandstone to be used in, test of........ 38 

section of ---------- ____ ------ ____ --···· 40 

silt in, provisions for removing _______ 42,44 

site of, plates showing. ___ ·------------ 26,28 

specifications for construction of_____ 39 

spillway in, elevation of. ______________ 40,42 

provision for ____ ------------ ______ 42-44 

tests of rock to be used in_____________ 36 

Salt River reservoir, borings at site of ___ 32--33 

capacity of _____________________________ 34-35 

effect of maximum flood on, table 

showing ______ . __ . __ ----________ 43 

fluctuation of, figure showing ____ .. __ 25 

site of,plates showing.----------·- ____ 22,24 

Salt River reservoir, history of, table 

showing ________ ---------------- 29-31 

Salt Rive1· Valley water-storage committee, letter to Secretary of Interior from------------------____ 9-10 

Sandstone,specificgra vityof, test showing 38 

Sandstone rubble, with mortar, test of.__ 36 

Schuyler,J. D.,cited on pressures on ma- sonry___________________________ 36 

Sediment, percentage of, in Salt River 

water----------·--------------- 41 

Shales, analyses of _______ ------------------ 48,49 

South Street Bridge, Philadelphia, pressure on masonry in ______ ------ 36 

Specifications for construction of Salt 

River dam._.------ ______ .----- 39 

Spillway,dimensions and capacity of ____ 42-44 

elevation of. _____ ------ .... c ••• ________ 40,42 

Tests, experimental, table showing_______ 36 

Thomas Peak, elevation of __________ ------ 22 

Tonto Creek, plate showing view of._____ 50 

Tonto dam site, analysis of clay from____ 48 

Tower, elevation of. ______ ------·-- ________ 42,44 

Trott, F. P., acknowledgments to.________ 52 

field work under direction of_________ 17 

McDowell reservoir site suggested by 16 

United States Navy-Yard, Washington, 

tests at._---------______________ 36 

Verde River,character of---------------- 9-12 

discharge.of,at McDowell ____________ 13-16 

drainage basin of, area of------------- 22 

character of _____ -------------- ____ 12--13 

drill parties on, plate showing________ 10 

storage reservoirs proposed upon.... 16 

Vrynwy dam, concrete prisms cut from," 

test of __________ ------------____ 36 

Washington Monument, pressure on masonry in. ___________ ------------ 36 

Water-storage commission, appointment 

and duties of------------------ 11-12 

cooperation by------------------··-·-- 12 

Wegman,Edward,cited on pressures on 

masonry----------------------- 36