Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1899-02-22
IRRIGATION IN NEW mExico.

tlOn, cOmpOseu OF hOn. AntOnlO JOdtp0,
president; Hon. j. n. Saint, secretary:
Hon. Frank Springer, ". A. Hawkins,
ESQ, and Capt. George Curry, and OF the
civil engineer, 2. *. Hsrroun, who made
the necessary surveys and measurements.
TO Governor Otero. on irrigation condi-
tions In New Mexico. IL one OF the most
important and valuable reports made to
the governor for the two years ending
last December, says the New Mexican.
The report made by the commissioners
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 81, 1898. granting
certain lands TO The territory, which sets
aside 10000 acres for the establishment
OF permanent water reservoirs for irrigs-
ton purposes, aud for the improvement
Of the Rio Grande in New Mexico and the
increasing OF the surface dow OF the
water in the bed OF that river, 100000
acres. In referring 10 the lands thus
appropriated the report says: ut will
be apparent to everyone acquainted with
the conditions existing in New Mexico,
that the location and selection OF
these lands Is going 10 be a matter OF
enormou Importance, and that II will
depend solely upon an Intelligent selec-
ton whether they shall become saleable
or productive OF revenue by way OF rental
30 as to accomplish the purpose for
which the law Is designed" The matter
OF the constantly increasing appropris-
tion Of water from the Rio Grande by
persons living north OF the territory
is also touched upon and the subject Of
irrigation. as affected by that diversion OF
water before 1t reaches the agricultural
districts OF New Mexico Is discussed at
some length, and the intimation IL made
that In the near future the diyerting 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 COM
missi0ner's report reads as follows:
after the fullest consideration which
the commission has been able TO make OF
the laws Of our territory, and those OF the
various western states and territories, II
il our deliberate and unanimous c0nclu-
sion, that the principles governing the
law OF water and the rights connected
Herewith in this territory are sufficiently
lust, progressive and simple, and that the
courts have sufficient jurisdiction ana
authority at presen: to fully determine
and enforce the same with justice to all,
and that no change OF any Of the priDci'
ples so enforced would be advisable; aud
IL therefore recommends that no legisla
ton with reference TO any OF such prin
ciples Ia at present advisable
Engineer Hsrroun's report of hi
measurements OF the dow OF the Rio
Grande TO the irrigation commission. II
most exhaustive, and contains data
which are entirely new on the subject
hydroststics In New Mexico. Mr.. Har
roun made a thorough investigation o.
the subject, not only NO far al this ter
ritory il concerned, but carried his In
vestigations 10 the h~eadwaters OF tn
river In Colorado, and the facts aud
figures he presents have an impOrtan
bearing upon the question Of waite.
rights In the entire southwest country
Perhaps the most striking portion OF tn
report il that In which occurs the fol
lowing:
Irrigation in New Mexico ia who'll,
confined to the valley Of the Rio Grande
the lower PecOs, the headwaters OF tn
Canadian, and the upper portions OF IN
valleys OF the streams furnishing a per
ennisl water supply, leaving the vas
bodies OF arabic land between the sOurc'
Of supply and the trunk streams Unim
proved. This IL due 20 tn
fact that throughout the territOT!
there are very few streams whose dis
charge II sufficient 10 overcome the gTea
losses due 10 seepage In the wide sand,
bottoms which are characteristic OF tina
portion OF their course lying between TN
trunk streams and their source OF sup
ply. and also TO the fact that In their up
per reaches their channels are generally
we'll confined and Of such a character "a
10 admit Of diversion by individual o
community Effort
Mention u made OF the few scientific
efforts made To develop tina water course
for irrigation purposes 10 the territory
viz: on the lower PecOs and in the NJ
per Canadian districts. which are IN
wealthiest and most prosperous section
Of New Mexico, by the reason of such d,
yelopment. Elsewhere in the teuitor
irrigation has been confined 10 such ri
forts as the individual and communit
have been able to make, and with the 81
ceptlon OF the san Juan. Taos and Chan
districts has reached the limit beyOI
which it Is impossible to go without Il
adoption OF modern methods.
For convenience In making his repoT
Engineer Harroun has divided the teri
tory into eleven districts, as follows: 81
Juan, Chama, 1aOa, Santa Ne, Jemt
Puerco, Black Rang, Colorado. Canada
Pecos aud Rio Graudr. Each district
treated separately and thorough
and the information contained In IN
part Of the report "a worthy Of vi
epresd publication. Dir, Harroun's rep.
il published in the following words.
ia January, 1898, | took measureme
of The Rio Grande at Albuquerque q
Corralea, The How being about 1000
ond feet NJ the tins and found u los
% second feet IN a distance OF M
miles or 30 second feet per mile. IL
the above measurements there was
diversion whatever Of water from
river between the points mentioned.
have bssn unable 10 find any ind
ti0n OF return waters excepting AL
the headWateTs Of some Of the mi
streams.
These seepage losses occur geneTu
Throughout New Mexico, aud indi,
that the higher up The steam the WI