Mesa free press., 1897-08-27
advertising rates made xnown on ap-
ARIZoNA's WATER SUPPLY

As tttecting irrigation In the south
vest, says the Florence Tribune, the
most elaborate and effective work ev-
er printed is the paper on Irrigation
Near Phoenix, ARIZONA" by Arthur
Powell Davis, issued by the hydro
graphic division of the Geological
Survey, under the direction of F. H.
Newell. It comprises about 100 pa
ges and embraces data that renders
the publication almost indispensable
to the public man or irrigationist in
whatever part of the United Stat g,
but especially so in Arizoua.
Mr.. Davis was detailed to this work
several years ago, Since that time he
has, with an ample corps of assistants,
been engaged in the compilation of all
data possible to SECURE relative to the
water supply of Arizona and the best
modes for the utilizatiop to the needs
Of man of the storm waters nov rur =
ming to waste in such immenes vol
umes. His information, as far as the
Stockman can Judge by the brief in
spection of the contents of his book,
has been relisble and his conclusions
throughout are marked by 60 d sense
and sound judgment. The work con-
taips in full the decision of Judge
Joseph H. Kibbey on the famous Salt
River valley water suit tried in Phoe-
nix number of years ago and by the
appended table the rights of every
canal ip the valley are clearly set
forth. This alone should make the
pamphlet very hand book of the
irrigatieDists of the southwest. Then
too, protiles and estimates are pre-
sented respecting the Tonto Creek,
Verde, Aqua Fria, Florence Buttes
and Queen Greek water storage dam.
with information respecting the mean
flow of the Gila and Salt rivers The
whole is profusely illustrated with
rural and irrigation scenes in Arizona
and, while many disagreeable facts
are plainly stated respecting the COM
try, there can be no doubt that the
general distribution of the pamphlet
will be productive of the Creates
good.
In bis preface to the work, Direc-
tor Newell, who is personally, froHl
observation, familiar with all the 10
cal conditions, says, in parti
sThe storage of food waters on q
large scale is fast coming to be q mat
ssr of prime Importance in conn -ct'on
with the development of the arid por-
ti9ns of the United States. The irri-
cation projects which involve compar-
atively small expenditure, or which
can readily handled by associated eff
fort, have slready been entered upon
but there still remain many localit' ss
where, as time goes on, the necessity
for water conversion becomes more
and more pressing This is especially
the case especially in southern Arl-
zona, in the Salt and Gila valleys
Here, under the genial semi-tropi,
conditions, large returns are obtainet
from the fertile soil, some Of the mos
of the most valuable fruits are raised
and crop follows follows crop il rap
id succession, farming operations be-
ing continued throughout the year.
The success of agriculture has beer
such that a considerable number o.
large irrigating canals have been bull
and lateral bitches extended until the
available supply during low water ba
been practically exhausted. The
streams Of this country are, however
extremely irregular in character, fluc-
tuating at times with great rapidity
Ac ods coming down without warning
and disappearing in the course Of q
few hours. At certain seasons of the
year high waters prevail and run tt
waste to the Gulf, or disappear by
evaporation and percolation into the
sandy desert. It is Obvious that by
providing suitable storage works thu
area Of land to be irrigated can b.
greatly increased, the limiting condi