Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-08-05
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ARIZONA WATER sroAAoG


Plans Perfected Or Turning Aria IaaAs
Into Fertile Farms
Arizona hss no lack Of arabic land.
Hundreds of thousands Of fertile acres
lie uncultivsted and unproductive al
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 sum
I ciency. 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 pur. osss IN many parts
Of the territory. The Walnut Grove
dam. owing to faulty construction, was
! a lamentable failure, but before ii gave
way showed by the fine body OF water
inpounded the entire practicability OF
the scheme. The Florence Canal com
many has inst finished an extensive res
ervoir in Pinal county 10 assist in the
irrigation of the lands adjacent to the
Cas-, 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. Ii 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 10 be nearly half a
mile in length, SEQ feet in thickness on
the bedrock. 30 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
" duarried. Estimates from civil engin-
eers of repute fix the cost of the work al
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 d
preCaution levels have been run TO lud
son creek. Castle creek and the Aqua
Fria. and il has been demonstrated that
il is practicable to divert at low cost til,
waters of those streams into the resCr
voir.
The Aqua Fria, at the point tapped
flows the year round. All danger d
overflow can be avoided, as II natura
spillway exists at the proper height tw,
miles back from the dam, conducting III,
water over a low bridge into the vale,
of the Aqua Fria.
The land sought to he irrigated is real
ly continuation of this valley, aud eIn
braces over -. 900 acres of excellent soil
Many claims have already been filed II
expectation of the benefits of the dam.
About eight miles farther to the Yves
of this dam site and over ridge is TIN
location of similar enterprise of full,
equal magnitude. 1t is the property %
the Aqua Fria Water and Land com
pany, composed of l.. IL. Orine, j. =
Orme, j. ID. Monihon, n. O. Murphy ant
: William Hancock, all of Phoenix. Th'
dam is TO be situated at the narrow gorgt
of the Aqua Fria, 800 yards above TN
Frog Tanks hotel The walls of the can
Won ut this point are but 300 feet apar
to the height of scventy-tive feet, All,
above this gradually retreat from tn
stream. The proposed dam is to be Il,
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 he obtained RICH
at hand.
A dam of the dimensions stated vii
back the water up stream IA distance q
ten miles with II depth at the mouth O
Castle creek Of l25 feet At point tw
miles above the dam the reservoir vii
be three and one-half miles in width
besides extending for some distance ~
Castle and IIumbuy creeks. The ca
pncitv Of the reservoir is estimated Il
80. 600 600 600 cubic feet of water. Thi
amount viii supply for twelve months
canal carrying 10000 miners inches o
water and allow for an evaporation q
p per cent. The natural flow of tn
Agua FRA will more than supply thi
amount every year,
The Iaain canal will he taken from til
river on tho east side about one and one
half miles below the Frog Tanks station
. 1t will run along the slope Of the rive
bottom for distance, emerging on til