Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-01-01
Report on Irrigation.

Report on Irrigation.
Capt. Moore, to whom the subject OF
improving our system of irrigation
was referred by the Chamber of Com
merce, has submitted the report print
ed below: tt
In order to increase the area of irri-
CATION and to improve lands now
worthless for want of water, it will re-
quire q well-considered and general
plan of Improvements, embracing the
building of dams, creation Of reser-
voirs, and the construction of zanjas
or bitches of masonry or by fluming.
To carry out this plan it will be ne
cessary for the city to borrow large
amount Of money, and the way and
manner in which it will be paid will
require careful consideration as we'll
as legislation. Not less than one
hundred thousand dollars will be re-
quired in order to commence this
work, and o much larger sum will
have to be expended before the works
are properly completed. This money
will have to be borrowed for long
term of years, and in its payment it
should be SO arranged that parties
should pay according to the benefits
received from the Improvements
made.
There is at this time about 5000
acres of land irrigated from the Los
Angeles river. If the bitches which
convey the water to the points
of distribution were properly made at
least double the area now under cult
walton could be irrigated. s....
1t costs about one dollar an acre to
buy water to irrigate ground during
the summer season, and all tho money
collected, amounting to some four or
five thousand dollars, Is used in keep
ing the bitches in order, and in paying
zanjeros. If the bitches were proper
ly made there would be no sand or
sediment in them to be removed, and
no grass nor weeds would grow in them
to impede the flow of the water.
The sand and sediment which are
now thrown out of the bitches, ma
king in places unseemly and incon-
venient banks, would be deposited
over the surface of the ground, and
would add to the fertility Of the soil.
The water from the direction Of the
Wooden Mill should irrigate all the
land to the west of Main street, and
zanja No. 8 should be done away with
to the west of Main street, and should
be given more fall to the east of that
street, where it runs along the face of
the bank, so that it would deposit no
sediment.
The construction of bitches and the
utilizing of the water which we now
have, is the first thing to be considered,
but it is of no more importance
than the storing Of water in reser-
voirs during the winter months for the
purpose Of irrigation in the dry season.
On the west side of the river an area
of 500 acres might be covered by wa
ter, with an average depth Of 40 feet,
if this amount Of storage capacity was
needed. On the east side of the river,
there are equal facilities for reservoirs,
as regards ground, and greater facili-
ties and water for filling them. The
grounds for the proposed reservoirs are
peculiarly adapted to the purpose.
The places where the dams will be
constructed being comparatively mar
row gorges through the hills, and the
reservoirs would extend back, widen
ing out into broad sheets Of water sur
rounded by steep hills. Such a large
area would not be needed for storage,
as the capacity Of the river would not
be able to fill them up in a year.
A reservoir Of one hundred acres,
with an average depth of 40 feet, would
hold ia, 100000 cubic feet Of water.
This would cover an area of s, 600 acres,
six inches deep, with water. 1t would
require q ditch sufficiently large to
discharge the entire waters OF the Los
Angeles river six months to fill re-
servoir of 100 acres with an average
depth of 40 feet. On the east side OF
the river reservoirs might be con-
structed at lower levels than upon the
western side. This would give addi-
tional water from the river, as the
ditch leading to the reservoir can be
taken out below the ditch supplying
the reservoir on the western side. The
ditch on the eastern side would have
the advantage of all the gathering
ground between it and the mountains,
including the Arroyo Seco and other
6tICd1IS llOWL hk lhVO NhO
The amount Of water stored will de-
pend upon the size of the bitches lead
ing into them. They should be made
large enough to carry large body OF
water during heavy rains, as thewaters
of the river, although constant, are
limited, and only large accumulations
can be made by taking advantage OF
the rainy season.
The distribution bitches from the
reservoirs will have to be made in a
most substantial manner, as all the
accumulated water Of eight or nine
months Of the year, must be dis
charged in the space Of three or four
months. Nothing but strong masonry
would Withstand the action of such a
body of water In the main distribu-
ting bitches.
think that 10000 acres might be
irrigated from the reservoirs, and 5000
acres more could be added by properly
constructed bitches through the or
chards and vineyards now cultivated.
This Is an important matter, partic-
ularly when we know that without
some general plan Of improvement
| the area of irrigation cannot be ex-
| tended beyond its present limits with
out running the property which now
exists.
The land which would be brought
under cultivation by these improve.
ments Is now comparatively valueless
as far as productiveness Is concerned
yet the soil Is Of the best quality, ano
would soon be worth from one to two
hundred dollars per acre If assured O
an abundant supply Of water.
In carrying out these plans, careful
| examination and survey of the country
must be had, SO that whatever is to b.
done, shall be done in the right place
and shall be part of general plan
These works can be carried on from
year to year, until water enough vii