Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1900-01-08
Findings BY Judge Parker As 10 Navi-
cation Of Rio Granoe.
NOT A HAvie ABLE srRfAM.

6ndings by Judge Frank NJ. Parker In
the Injunction ease In which the district
court, by direction Of the supreme court
OF the Uaited Stotes. inquired into the
~navigability OF the lower Rio Grande,
with the intention OF restraining the
storage OF water at Elephant Butte to
the extent that such storage would In.
tertpre with navigation:
THE Rio Grande Is ~navigable only
from Its mouth TO Rio Grande City. 1853
miles, and Is navlgated only between
Brownsville and Rio Grande City, III
miles
Navigation has steadily declined
since 1888 from lack OF water. now con.
sists OF occasional trips on one small
steamer Of 100 tons capacity. and IL Of
small benefit to commerce.
1.-THE scarcity Of water is due largely
to severe drouth since 1887. with oc.
casionsl interruptions extending over an
area Of several hundred miles In width
and length along the river from Its
mouth up, and TO the drying up OF many
tributary streams, formerly large and
perennial. Tha extent Of the effect OF
this diminution OF rainfall cannot be
determined from the evidence.
"fhe Rio Grande IL a torrentlal stream
In New Mexico. Ia It's course through
Colorado and New Mexico much q its
waters are lost by causes not accurately
determined. but generally classed as
seepsge and evaporation. Between San
Msrcisl and El Paso-3O0 miles the
loss Is about one-third OF the entire vol
umo OF water. and elsewhere In New
Mexic equal losses occur.
Below III Paso the general character
OF the river bed and valley Is the same rs
above. and the losses continue.
Between Elephant Butte and Presi-
do del NoTte, where the Conchos joins
the Rio Grande from the south, no living
tributaries reinforce the BIO Grsnde.
The COnchos always carries a large vol
ume OF water, and In seasone Is a torren-
tial stream OF great magnitude.
"0nly on one occasion has the evil
dencs sho An that the waters OF the Rio
6rsnde PASSED Presidio del Norte In
large qusntity-in May 1897. and then
1t raised Its water there three feet fol
ten days. but did not affect the height oil
the water at Laredo TO any great or
tent.
"The evidence shows no obstruction I,
the iow Of the water In the river be-
!, from III Paso TO Rio Grande City, l,80I
. miles, but the character of the river be-
continues the same. and large losses o
water by evaporation and seepage occuI
between Preside del Norte and RI,
-. Grsnds City.
, ~"SounIings in the river bed at Ei Pas
show the depth Of sand and gravel to b
sixty feet aud the surface appearance
indicate the same formation along tn
other valleys and basins Of the river.
"Ths Rio Grande water shed above Ele
q plant Butte is $4,000 square miles Il
, area, and from Elephant Butte to RI
Grande City, 10000 square miles. Til
, latter area largely supplies the water 70
!. navigation, which enters the Rio Grand
from the Conchos. San Juan. Pecos an
Devils river or tOrrsntial streams.
Probably any flow less than 200
second feet at HI Paso will have no effsC
Z at the head Of navigation.
Taking the recorded measurements
|. water passing III Psso during the pas
ten years. and assuming the same rati
OF loss by seepsge and evaporation belo,
"a az above III Pas0, and assuming turtle
% that a rise OF two feet at Rio Grande Gil
g. Is necessary to substantially a'd nayigi
y tion, 1t appears that In only two or thrt
years out OF the last ten would q s~uficieI
amount OF water from the upper RI
Rio Grsnde have reached RiI GRAM
City to materially aid navigation"
4. Ju ige Parker concludes that the or,
posed impoundiDg OF the waters OF Il
y Rio Grande at Elephant Butte will n,
"a substantially diminish the nsyigatillt
ID OF that stream within the limits OF pre-
L ent nayiyability." and orders the dissoll
y tion OF the injunction.
Y Although In the hearing at Las Cruc,
g. the government based its entire theoI
y; that the decrease In the dow OF the X
y Grsnde below Rio Grands City in receI
years Ia due the diversion OF watrr
te Colorado for irrigation, Judge Parker
his decision nowhere alludes to the pr
" position.
To CUBE A COLD IN ONE DAY.