The herald., 1893-06-17
A SEA COMING ON THE DESERT
The SaltOn Basin Again Filling
Up With Water.
Two Streams From the Colorado
Passing into the Sandy Wastes.
E. w. Lang, of Indian Wells, Arrives in
the City and Outlines the Present
Condition of Things on the
Colorado Desert.

Two years ago tne bclentluc WOrlu ana
the world OF investors also, was startled
by the information that the Colorado
river had overhowed it's banks below
Yuma and running west about 80 miles
had formed an inland lake in the Salton
basin. The news was first given by the
HERALD, which at the time thoroughly
described the action OF the inland wa
ters. The basin into which the two ex-
temporaneous streams emptied was
known as Salton lake. The water re-
mained in this depression for months
but after the main body OF the Colorado
river subsidized the influx stopped and
the water in the Salton lake gradually
became absorbed leaving dry basin as
before.
During the succeeding year the over
flow on the Colorado river was not 30
heavy as the preceding one 80 the rise
in Salton did not equal the first one.
The Southern Pacitic's Sunset route
passes about 80 miles from Salton lake.
The land in the neighborhood and
around the lake Ia generally called a
desert. but like the border sections in
b10 bAbT0mO BOubuWCHJ VI buO ~ nlIbU
States this apparent unfertility is due to
a lack OF water. But few people live in
ia the section owing to the heat and the
lack OF water.
Yesterday Mr.. E. W. Lang, who is
arrived in this city. He is we'll known
here, having conducted a large cattle
business, and is one of the old-timers
. NJ ho hoa oh 1000 -
cattle down at Indian Wells, which is
about rs miles from the Salton basin.
Mr.. Lang was interviewed at the
Nstick house yesterday morning by a
HERALD reporter in regard to The
chances OF the Salton lake being filled
again this year.
"No," said Mr.. Lang, 81 do not think
that the Salton basin will be filled this
year with volume of water like that OF
two years ago. The water, however,
in comparison to the previous flow. 1t
may prove, however, that the flow from
the Colorado river will continue for
some time and larger volume OF water
than | anticipate may enter the basin.
The present overflow is caused by the
melting of the SHOWS in Montana, Ida
1O1 " WALL aHO bAlObc ObuCE 6bdb65a
Estate something of the formation OF
the country about Salton."
"There is no doubt but that the over
How two years ago was not the first OF
the kind. There were dry river beds
all the way from the Colorado river to
the basin. And the rocks at the side OF
the basin plainly showed that the water
had been at a greater height than that
of hrx tfa
of the settlers stated that it was the
first overflow to Sslton for 20 years or
more past. When the flow of two years
ago took place the water followed the
same identical channels that had be-
come almost obliterated, and 80 went
on to the Salton BASIN"
How dnaa tha- wa tar get ta sselton o,l
1t runs in two branches. the first,
which is called Carter river, leaves the
Colorado about Is miles below Yuma.
The other is New river and starts As
miles lower down. just below where
the Carter river leaves the Colorado the
water overflows and runs in q slough
parslleled with the main stream for a
number OF miles. The slough finally
empties into large lagoon that is fully
10 miles square. From this sheet OF
water starts New river. When
the Colorado is very high
this lagoon is filled. 1t has
two outlets. New river towards Salton,
and Hsrdee's river which runs south,
paralleled with the Colorado, and final
ly unites with the mother stream. For
this lagoon to overflow there must be a
big volume of water in the Colorado.
just before the lagoon starts to overflow
it must in some manner back up the
waters from the branch that supplies it
from the main stream. This acts with
the main body also, which, as conse-
quence, overhows above the slough and
escapes by Carter river. This latter
and New river generally start to flow
about the same time, and as the decli
nation is over 200 feet to Salton the
water flows freely. New river, however,
has the larger volume of the two. There
are large number OF }agoons along its
course which 1t always filed. The water
OF the two rivers is perfect God send TO
the people in that section, as they can
irrigate and raise various staples"
Had the waters advanced any when
syou left Indian Wells ?"
eyes. The Colorado had begun TO
overflow several weeks ago, and the sur
plus water was seeking the outlets
through New and Garter rivers. They
had advanced over 35 miles, and will