, 1890-09-23
ARIZONA WATER STORAGE.
Plans Perfected for Turning Arid Land
Into Fertile Farms.

Plans Perfected for Turning Arid Lands
Into Fertile Farms.
Arizona has no lack Of arabic land.
Hundreds of thousands of fertile acres
lie uncultivated and unproductive all
over the territory, needing but the touch
of water to bloom with luxuriant vege-
tation. The mind of man is turned to-
ward schemes for supplying the sufi-
cheney. The smaller streams of Arizona
are all of one class, running fullest in
the spring and almost failing in the
summer. Those that run into the plains
sink in the sands, and are lost for the
major portion Of the year. The question
naturally arises, Why not store the win
ter water in suitable catchment reser-
voirs, to be spread on the thirsty lands
at the time of the drought?
This proposition has been appreciated,
as is shown by the location of dam sites
for water storage purposes in many parts
of the territory. The Walnut Grove
dam, owing to faulty construction, was
a lamentable failure, but before it gave
way showed by the fine body of water
impounded the entire practicability of
the scheme. The Florence Canal COM
pany has just finished an extensive res
ervoir in Pinal county to assist in the
irrigation OF the lands adjacent to the
Casa Grande.
Among the projected reservoirs that
have been located for the improvement
of the lands lying below one of the most
important is that upon New river, about
thirty miles northwest of Phoenix. 1t is
situated where New river debouches on
the plain. The projectors are John
King and w. c. Collier, who have been
quietly working on the enterprise for
years.
The dam will need to be nearly half a
mile in length, SEQ feet in thickness on
the bedrock, 90 feet broad on top and 70
feet high. Hydraulic lime for the man
%ufacture of cement, limestone and other
rock for the construction of the dam are
at hand in abundance, and can be cheap
ly quarried. Estimates from civil engin-
GERS of repute fix the cost of the work at
less than $500, 900. With the height of
dam proposed the water would cover an
area of eight by four miles, there being
but little slope TO the valley above. The
supply of water from the spring freshets
of the river is deemed ample, but as l.
precaution levels have been run to Hud-
son creek, Castle creek and the Aqua
Fria, and it has been demonstrated that
it is practicable to divert at low cost the
waters of those streams into the reser-
voir.
The Aqua Fria, at the point tapped,
flows the year round. All danger of
overflow can be avoided, as a natural
spillwdy exists at the proper height two
miles back from the dam, conducting the
water over a low bridge into the valley
Of the Aqua Fria.
The land sought to be irrigated is real-
ly a continuation of this valley, and en-
braces over 10, 900 acres of excellent soil.
Many claims have already been filed in
expectation of the benefits of the dam.
About eight miles farther to the west
of this dam site and over a ridge is the
location of a similar enterprise Of fully
equal magnitude. 1t is the property of
the Aqua Fria Water and Land com
pany, composed of l.. II. Orme, j. p.
Orme, j. d. Monihon, N. o. Murphy and
William Hancock, all of Phoenix. The
dam is to be situated at the narrow gorge
of the Aqua Fria, 800 yards above the
Frog Tanks hotel The walls of the can
yon at this point are but 300 feet apart
to the height of seventy-fve feet, and
above this gradually retreat from the
stream. The proposed dam is to be 175
feet high, with an ample width and a
length On top of about / 900 feet. 1t will
not be difficult of construction. AL rock
and lime needed can be obtained right
at hand.
A dam of the dimensions stated will
back the water up stream a distance of
ten miles with a depth at the mouth of
Castle creek of 125 feet. At a point two
miles above the dam the reservoir will
be three and one-half miles in width,
besides extending for some distance up
Castle and Humbug creeks. The ca
pac:ty of the reservoir is estimated at
40, 900 600 900 cubic feet of water. This
amount will supply for twelve months a
canal carrying 0.000 miners inches of
water and allow for an evaporation of
% per cent. The natural flow of the
Aqua Fria will more than supply this
amount every year.
The main canal will be taken from the
river on the east side about one and one
half miles below the Frog Tanks station.
1t will run along the slope of the river
bottom for a distance, emerging ON the
plain three miles below the Tanks. The
land to be irrigated comprises about TO-
900 acres. 1t is of excellent quality,
especially adapted to the growth of cit