The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-14
WATERING DESERT WASTES
Ruins of Irrigating Canals in West
ern America.
Proofs of Enterprises of People Not
Mentioned in the COuntry's His
tory Efforts to Develop Arid
Regions Into Productive Gardens.

| The vast possibilities for irrigation in
arid regions seems only lately recognized.
and that principally in this country. Yet
| it is a fact that, throughout a great part
of the western portion Of the United
States are found the ruins of irrigation
canals of considerable. size, built by for
gotten people. The more intelligent of the
early explorers who visited these regions
and saw the ruins were impressed with
the idea that white men might make
homes where these earlier peoples had
succeeded. 1t was not, however. until the
systematic surveys of Major J. w. Powell,
of the Geological Survey. were undertaken
that the Importance OF the subject was
fully realized. Major Powell's first report
on the subject Glands of the Arid Re-
gion') was printed in 1873, and the pub
lie then realized for the first time what
could be done by irrigation in an Inpro-
ductive country, a lesson learned from
the remains of works OF a people who
faded from the earth many thousands of
years ago.
Ten years after the publication of Ma
jor Powells report authority was granted
by Congress for systematic examination
of the arid lands of the West. Field work
was begun by the agents of the Geologi-
cal Survey, being directed toward the
mapping of the catchment basins and the
detailed surveys of reservoir sites and of
canal lines. The surveys of reservoir
sites inaugurated in 1888, the year In
which the first appropriation was made.
have been since prosecuted with signal
energy. The work has been confined prin-
cipally to the States of California, Ne
vada, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Without going into the details of these
surveys says Chief photographer Fred
erick II. Newell, of the Geological Sur
vey, 1T may be said that the results
were as a whole disappointing. particu-
larry to professional promoters, who had
in contemplation schemes involving gil
gantic enterprises, whose stocks and
bonds might be manipulated. These men
seemed to feel personal animosty to-
ward the organization conducting the
surveys. because glowing accounts of
wonderful wealth were not supplied to
stimulate the waning interest in Western
development.
1t was found besides that the con-
struction of these reservoirs not only in
volved considerable expenditures. but that
the conuiuons of ownership were such
that they could not be considered paying
propositions. There was no question as
to the benefits that would result to the
country at large from their construction,
but there seemed to be little opportunity
for private profit. of the reservoirs sur
veyed few have actually been construct
ed. Cooperative enterprise has in few
cases brought them to completion, and in
other instances corporations owning large
canals have been compelled by circum-
stances to build storage works. The great
reservoirs, for the most part located in
California. have been built by corpora
lions, mainly through some extraordinary
combination of circumstances or through
a Misrepresentation OF the actual cohui-
lions.
..The Investigations that have been
made have been carried on FOR the pur-
nose of ascertainiug the extent TO Wnlch
the arid lands could be redeemed by hri-
CATION. The object was to bring out the
broad facts concerning the papilites
of the ultimate development OF the ard
region There were, of course, many 10
caIities where it was self-evident that wa
ter could be held to advantage, as, tor
Instance in southern California, where
the climatic conditions were such that the
:, mi-tropical fruits fiourished TO periec-
ton The valleys of this part OF the state
aIati,.siv small in size are protected on
the north by mountains which rise abrupt
Iy from sea-level. and from these small
streams flow in torrential channels. inc
rapid development OF population IN these
small valleys, due to the salubr1ty OF the
climate and the great prohts derived from
the cultivation of fruits and nuts re-
suited early in all the available water sup
pIy being utilized, and in compelling the
consideration of methods of storing some
of the food waters. The utilization or
these storage sites was further promoted
nv the fact that most OF the desirable
land in this part of the country was COW
cred by the early Spanish land grants. the
title % which had been confirmed by the
United States. Thus these tracts were
not portions of the public land and did not
depend upon favorable legislation for the
Inaugural ton of private enterprise. From
these and other reasons 1t has happened
that the actual construction of storage
reservoirs in Southern California has been
far ahead of similar work within what Is
more strictly the arid region.