Los Angeles herald., 1891-06-28
Its Development in Southern
California.
An Expert Engineers Views on
the Subject.
The Past, the Present and the Future
of Water Works.
work which Is Now Being Done-Thret
Methods of Obtaining Water--Great
Enterprises Now Under Way.
Valuable article.

domestic and irrigation purposes are
attracting the attention of investors and
agriculturists generally in Southern
California. The following paper will be
found timely. Its author is an engineer
of note, who has had great experience,
and whose opinions are widely sought
for.]
iBY GERyAIsE PURCELL, B. A. AND A. M. l. c. E. !
The large strides that the water ques-
ton has taken in this country and the
great future that seems to be opening
before it, has suggested to the writer
that slight sketch of the mode OF use
and methods of obtaining water for
domestic and irrigation purposes pur-
may not be uninterestlng to the
public. A residence and professional
experience of this country extending
over period of eleven years (1S80-1S9l)
has enabled the author to examine into
the modus operandi of the various colo
nies planted, and, while learning many
new things of value, to note the extreme
crudeness of the methods and ideas
generally prevailing.
The Typographical features of South
ern California are peculiar to itself and
gives it climate similar in many re-
spect to the Italian, under Italian
climates, best aspects.
To achieve the best result irrigation
throughout the summer months is in
dispensible, ,gand to obtain the necessary
water supply three methods are adopt
ed First, by natural springs; second,
by development and bringing to the
surface Of the subterranean waters;
third, by storage of the winter floods.
Facing the wet trade winds OF the
winter, blowing from the Pacific ocean,
this vast range of mountains becomes
saturated on the coast side with water,
and when the saturation point is
reached the balance flows off in floods
of greater or less extent. Close to the
sea the average rainfall is 17.47 inches:
whereas in the mountains it ranges
from 40 inches to 70 inches. The water
accumulated during the rainy season is
the source from which in the summer
months the water is derived and con-
Quoted on the lands desiring its use.
Experience has demonstrated that
1-5O of cubic foot per second, continu-
ous flow, will irrigate fully ten acres
near the coast or five acres further in
land. This is applied only at stated in
tervals of from three to four irrigations
during the season of no rain.
To return to the three methods of OBJ
tanning this water and to give short
description of each:
First. From some upheaval of the
impervious strata, either OF rock, ce-
mented gravel or hard pan, the subter-
ranean flow to the ocean is arrested and
breaks out in springs. These springs
were the earliest sources from which
irrigation water was obtained; and near
one OF these springs was invariably the
epot chosen by the San Franciscan
padres to ioGnd their missions. Many
remains OF their acequias and such like
works still exist, indicative Of the
knowledge and industry 10 character
istic OF those early pioneer missionaries.
By concentrating the flows OF many
springs into one channel they were en-
abled to produce large and profitable
crops and employ the converted Indians
in civilizing occupations.
Second. For many years the peren-
NAL springs were looked on as the only
available means of obtaining water for
any purpose during the summer months; /;
and, for this reason, vast territory OF
most fertile land was condemned as
desert. But as the enterprising Ameri-
can came in, he Immediately proceeded
to experiment, digging hole here and
there in the butt of the hills, and by
this means drawing forth new and
previously unsuspected stores of water
Next in order came the we'll borer who,
with similar tools to those used in the
oil fields of Pennsylvania, proved that
newer and more copious streams were
available. At first the tools used were
very crude, but during recent years
these have been much improved.
OF the localities most favorable to the
development of artesian water are some
small portions OF the plains lying south
west of Los Angeles city, where water is
struck at depth varying from five hun
dred to ten hundred feet. The most re-
markable site, however, in this vicinity
is found in the San Gabriel valley, ly-
ing northeast of Los Angeles city. This
formation consists of low ridge some
twenty miles in length running parable!
to the main range, and distant from
eight to ten miles from it. The inter
vening table land has gentle slope and
coming to this ridge makes a sudden
drop of from twenty to fifty feet; wells
bored Immediately above this drop at a
maximum depth of 320 feet, produce a
surface flow. Some wells have been
sunk deeper, but without striking any
good strong flows below the main flow.
This water cannot be struck anywhere
but only in the surface depressions,
seeming to indicate that the subterran-
can water does not lie in wide sheet,
but in series of underground channels
conforming somewhat to the surface
depressions. This view is strongly
strengthened by an Investigation the
writer was called on to make of twenty
one wells situated in lire from west to
east; the flow of the westerly wells is
strong and good, and going easterly
toward the center they gradually be-
come less and less and then commence
to increase gradually until the most
easterly is reached, where good strong
flow exists. Unfortunately no record
was kept during the work, but the
writer was informed that they were sup
posed to be of equal depth throughout.
From this point to San Bernardino this
characteristic remains the same, and
many spots are found yielding good flow
ing wells. Below San Jacinto south
easterly, fifty miles from San Bernar-
dino, we find the most profuse discharge
from strata at depth of twenty to
twenty-five feet, enabling the farmers to
raise immense meadows during the sum-
mer months.
In the cations of the Coast range large
bodies of water have been developed by