The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-09-06
ARIZONA wArre STORAGE.


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 an
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 suiii-
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 roser-
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 practcability Of
the scheme. The Florence Canal com
paDy 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. Q. Collier, who have been
quietly working ON the enterprise for
years.
The dam win need to be nearly half a
mile in length, 800 feet in thickness on
the bedrock 80 feet broad ON top and 20
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 qual1ied Estimates from civil engin-
eers of repute fix the cost of the work al
less than 100000. 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 d
precaution levels have been run to Hud-
son creek, Castle creek and the Aqua
Fria, and it has been demonstrated thai
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 o.
overflow can be avoided, as natura
spillway exists at the proper height tw,
miles back from the dam, conducting tn,
water over low bridge into the vale,
OF the Aqua F'ria.
The land sought to be irrigated is real
ly u continuation of this valley, and EN-
braces over "a, 900 acres Of excellent soil
Many claims have already been filed il
expectation of the benefits of the dam
About eight miles farther to the Yves
of this dam site and over a ridge is tn,
location of a similar enterprise of full
equal magnitude. 1t is the property o
the Aqua Fria Water and Land com
pany, composed of L. IL. Orme, j. z
Orme, J. D. Monihon, N 0. Murphy ant
William Hancock, all of Phoenix. Tn
dam is to be situated at the narrow gorg
of the Aqua Fria, 800 yards above tn
Frog Tanks hotel The walls of the can
yon at this point are but 800 feet apar
to the height of seventy-five feet, an,
above this gradually retreat from tn
stream. The proposed dam is to be II
feet high, with an ample width and
length ON top of about 900 feet. 1t vii
not be difficult of construction. All rocl
and lime needed can be obtained righ
at hand.
A dam of the dimensions stated viii
back the water up stream distance o
ten miles with a depth at the mouth o
Castle creek of 1875 feet At point tw
miles above the dam the reservoir viii
be three and one-half miles in width
besides extending for some distance u
Castle and Humbug creeks. The ca
pacity of the reservoir is estimated a
40, ,O00, coo, 900 cubic feet Of water Thi
amount viii supply for twelve months
canal carrying 10000 miners inches o
water and allow for an evaporation O
20 per cent. The natural flow of th
Aqua Fria viii more than supply thi
amount every year.
The main canal win be taken from tn
river on the east side about one and one
half miles below the Frog Tanks station
1t will run along the slope Of the rive
bottom for a distance. emerging ON th
plain three miles below the Tanks. Tn
land to be irrigated comprises about 70,
600 acres. 1t is of excellent quality
especially adapted to the growth of cit
rus fruits. Phoenix Republican