The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-08-30
ARIZONA wArER sroaAes.
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 sufh-
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
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. G. Collier, who have been
quietly working on the enterprise for
years.
The dam will need to be nearly half a
mile in length, 800 feet in thickness on
the bedrock, 80 feet broad on top and 75
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 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 b
precaution levels have been run to Hud
son creek, Castle creek and the Agus
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 Fria.
The land sought to be irrigated is real
ly 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 ives
of this dam site and over ridge is tn
3 location of a similar enterprise of full
equal magnitude. 1t is the property Q
r the Aqua Fria Water and Land CON
pany, composed of L. H. Orme, j. T
/; Orne, ]. D. Monihon, N. o. Murphy an
3 William Hancock, all of Phoenix. Th
dam is to be situated at the narrow gorg
I. of the Aqua Fria, 800 yards above th
q Frog Tanks hotel. The walls of the car
: yon at this point are but 800 feet apal
= to the height of seventy-hve feet, an
{. above this gradually retreat from tn
o stream. The proposed dam is to be II
o feet high, with an ample width and
: length ON top of about 900 feet 1t wi
g not be difficult of construction. All roc
y and lime needed can be obtained rigl
u at hand.
r A dam of the dimensions stated wi
= back the water up stream distance {
y ten miles with depth at the mouth {
+ Castle creek of 125 feet At a point tw
9 miles above the dam the reservoir wi
3 be three and one-half miles in widtl
besides extending for some distance u
+ Castle and Humbug creeks. The Ct
:, pacity of the reservoir is estimated {
r AZ, 900 900 O00 cubic feet Of water. TIL
}. amount will supply for twelve months
canal carrying 10000 miners inches
water and allow for an evaporation
( 20 per cent The natural flow of tt
f Aqua Fria will more than supply tn
Q amount every year.
L The main canal VIII be taken from IL
+ river on the east side about one and ON
b half miles below the Frog Tanks station
Q 1t will run along the slope of the riv,
a bottom for distance, emerging on IL
Y plain three miles below the Tanks. TT
v land to be irrigated comprises about "a
d 900 acres. 1t is of excellent qualit
% especially adapted to the growth of ci
rus fruits. s.-Phoenix Republican