The herald., 1894-01-01
PREHISTORIC IRRIGATION.
The watsrworks of an Unknown People
in Arizona.

The waterworks Of an Unknown People
in Arizona.
In the Anthropologist, Mr.. F. W.
Hodge gives some interesting notes on
this subject, from which we take the
following:
In none of the extensive arch@ologic
remains of Southern Arizona are the in
dustry. perseverance,, and degree of ad-
vancement of large pueblo population
more faithfully illustrated than in the
many works OF irrigation that abound
in the valleys and on the mountain
slopes of this section.
Judging from the remains Of extensive
ancient works of irrigation, many of
which may still be seen passing through
tracts cultivated today, as well as across
densely wooded stretches considerably
beyond the present non-irrigsted area,
it is cafe to say that the principal canals
constructed and used by the ancient in
habitants of the Salado valley controlled
ths irrigation of at least 250, 900 acres,
even without considering the economical
methods employed by a primitive people
in all its undertakings.
The mode of canal construction en-
other indication of their patience and
industry. Their canals are models for
the modern farmer to initiate; yet they
could have been dug in no conceivable
manner save by the laborious process of
hand excavation with stone or wooden
implements, the earth being borne away
by means of blankets, bHsKets or ruoe
litters, Notwithstanding this, the out
lines of at least $50 miles of ancient
main irrigating bitches may be- easily
tr-ouu, some OF which meander south
ward from the river q distance of Ii
miles.
Unlike ordinary irrigation bitches.
these were constructed in su, q man.
ner as to control to some extent the
depth of the current as well
as to prevent waste through
seepage. The bed of the canal
was about feet wide, but the sides
broadened in their ascent to within
about four feet OF the bank, where a
"bench" three feet in width on each
side OF the canal had been made. From
these benches the banks continued,
broadening until they reached the
Drinks, which were about 80 feet wide.
Thus a main ditch consisted, 80 to
speak, OF one watercourse within an
other, go that if at any time q small
current of water only could bo eupplied
at the headgate, owing perhaps to
drouth, the lower and marrow ditch
was doubtless always filed sufficiently
to supply the towns heyond, while dur
ing the rainy season the upper and
much broader portion Of the great canal
would readily. accommodate all the
surplus waters.
Several years ago, when the Mormons
first settled ut Mesa City and began the
irrigation and cultivation of the fertile
plain about them, they utilized this
ancient canal-bed for a considerable dis
tance, including that portion encircling
the knoll OF volcanic tufa mentioned.
The writer has been informed by one OF
the founders of this settlement and
builders of the Mesa canal, which is
nine miles in length, that the saving to
than by using the ancient canal was
from $4,000 to $25, 900.
In tracing the routes once pursued by
many of the canals, great depressions-
the sites of ancient reservoirs-are
observable. The remains of one of
these reservoirs, nearly mile long by
about half mile wide, occur on the
open plain at the terminus OF one OF the
main canals that formed the source OF
the water supply of Los. Muertos. and
about three miles southwest therefrom.
1t is possible that this great depression
was, in part, at least, natural sink.
deepened by artificial means to serve
more fully the purposes OF storage
basin OF eurplue waters from the Los
Muertos irrigating system. Every clus-
ter OF communal steucturee in Los
Muertos was supplied with reservoir
on O smaller scale than the one just
mentioned, single canal forming both
it's inlet and outlet. Sometimes lesser
communal dwelling joined with neigh
boring structure in taking the water
supply from single storage basin.