Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-02-21
IRRIGATION In New Mexico.


The report of the commission of irri
CATION, composed of Hon. Antonio
Joseph, president; Hon. j.. Z. Saint
secretary: Hon. Frank Springer, w. A
Hawkins, ESQ, and Captain George
Curry, and of the civil engineer, p. e
Harroun, who made the necessary sur
veys and measurements. to Governor
Otero, on irrigation conditions in New
Mexico, is int of the most importan
and valuable reports made to the COVER
nor for the two years ending last De
cember.
The report made by the commissioner
details briefly the work of gathering the
necessary information for the commits,
| sion's use, and refers to the act of con
gress, approved June 21, 1898, granting
certain lands to the territory, which
| sets aside 500. 900 acres for the establish
1 ment of permanent water reservoirs for
irrigation purposes, and for the improve
ment of the Rio Grande in New Mexico
and the increasing of the surface flow
of the water in the bed of that river,
100, 900 acres. In referring to the lands
thus appropriated the report says: lit
will be apparent to every one acquainted
with the conditions existing in New
Mexico, that the location and selection
of these lands is going to be a matter of
enormous Importance, and that it will
depend solely upon an intelli-
gent selection whether they
shall become saleable or productive
of revenue by way of rental so as to ac-
complish the purpose for which the law
is designed" The matter of the con-
stantly increasing appropriation of
water from the Rio Grande by persons
living north of the territory is also
touched upon and the subject of irri-
cation, as affected by that diversion
of water before it reaches the agricul-
tural districts of New Mexico is dis
cussed at some length, and the intima-
ton is made that in the zeal future the
diverting of the waters of the one great
stream which flows north and south
through the land will become one of
interstate Importance. The concluding
paragraph of the commissioners report
reads as follows:
"After the fullest consideration which
the commission has been able to make
of the laws of u territory, and those
of the various western states and terri
tories, it is our deliberate and unani-
nous conclusion, that the principles
governing the law of water and the
rights connected Herewith in force in
this territory are sufficiently just, pro-
gressive and simple, and that the courts
have sufficient jurisdiction and authority
at present to fully determine and en-
force the same with justice to all, and
that no change of any of the principles
so enforced would be advisable; and it
therefore recommends that no legis-
lation with reference to any of such
principles is at present advisable"
Engineer Harroun's report of his
measurements of the flow of the Rio
Grande to the irrigation commission, is
most exhaustive, and contains data
which are entirely new on the subject
hydrostatics in New Mexico. Mr..
Harroun made Il through investigation
of the subject, not only so far as this
territory is concerned, but carried his
Investigations to the headwaters of the
river in Colorado, and the facts and
figures he presents have an important
bearing upon the question of water
rights in the entire southwest country.
Perhaps the most striking portion of the
report is that in which occurs the fol-
lowing:
Irrigation in New Mexico is Who'll
ly confined to the valley of the Rio
Grande, the lower Pecos, the head.
waters of the Canadian, and the upper
portions of the valleys Of the streams
furnishing a perennial water supply,
leaving the vast bodies of arabic land
between the source Of supply and the
trunk streams unimproved. This is due
to the fact that throughout the territory
there are very few streams whose dis
charge is sufficient to overcome the
great losses due to seepage In the wide
sandy bottoms which are characteristic
of that portion of their course lying be-
tween the trunk streams and their
of supply, aud also to the fact
that in their upper reaches their chan
nels are generally well confined and of
such a character as to admit of diver
sion by individual or community effort"
Mention is made of the few scientific
efforts made to develope the water
for irrigation purposes in the
territory, viz: On the lower Pecos and
in the upper Canadian districts, which
are the wealthiest and most prosperous /
sections of New Mexico, by the reason
of such development. Elsewhere in the
territory irrigation has been confined to
such efforts as the individual and com
have been able to make, and |
with the exception of the San Juan, |
Taos and Chama districts has reached
,he limit beyond which it is impossible