The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-22
No AIurm Mt wiIIiamsport.
CALI 0RNIA AND ITS WELLS.
Results of Scientific Treatment of
the Water Question There.

Results of Scientific Treatment of
the Water Question There.
The Wells Of Southern California Is
the title OF a monograph by Mr.. Joseph
b. LIppincott in the series Of water sup
ply and irrigation papers soon to be is
sued by the United States Geological Sur
yey- The region discussed is the San
BelnardinO Valley in southern California.
which has an area Of 500 square miles.
and lies south and west OF the Sierra
Madre and San Bernardino Mountains.
Riverside and Redlands are the centres
Of fruit production Up to elevations Of
1900 feet the relatively high lands are
free from frost, ard the relatively low
lands are subject to it. The distinctive
crop OF San Bernardino Valley is citrus
fruits Oranges predominant. followed
next by lemons. and Of late years the
grape fruit has become a popular product
Olives. almonds, prunes. apricots. peaches
pears. and wine. raisin, and table grapes.
are all grown to perfection in this dis
trict- In the eleven years prior to 1898.
Riverside shipped nearly seven miIlien
boxes Of oranges. an average annual in
come OF $1,000, 600.
Water is the lifeblood Of the land.
Without il this valley would become a
semi-desert The rain clouds from the
Pacific Ocean are condensed. AGAINST the
5000 to 1000 foot elevations OF the
Sierra Madre and San Bernardino Noun
tains. in the winter time usually in the
form Of snow. which feeds the streams
up to about May. Mr.. Lippincott CLASHES
the water supply as surface streams. IN
foreground water, and storage reservoir
water The Santa Ana and other noun
tain streams have brought down detrItus
and built up deltas in ne valley The
winter floods gradually disappear in flow
ing over these deltGs. and sinking down.
form reservoirs Of artesfsn water OF IN
known but great capacity. In addition to
the winter floods, the summer flow of all
the streams from san Antonio Creek to
Mill Creek Is diverted and used for irrf-
cation purposes, and probably 80 per cent
OF II sinks into the ground and re-enforces
the water plane. This large underground
reservoir slopes toward Santa Ana River.
the most important stream OF Southern
California west of the coast range. 1t
drains a total area above Rincon Of .657
square miles; g71 squares miles Of the
basin are mountainous. The controlling
outlet OF this great underground reservoir
IS at RincOn, where there IS a larger body
Of water flowing during the summer than
at any other place in Cali. ornia south Of
the TehachapI Mountains. except along
the Colorado. II an area Of gravel of 500
square miles should be charged TO a depth
OF 900 fect-a fair average depth TO as
sumo for this valley-its storage capacity
would be 32.00e. 900 acre-feet Of water.
These figures suggest the enormous capae-
ity OF this great underground storage
reservoir Of San Bernardino Valley. II
has been charged with waters through q
long cycle Of years by the foods de-
scribed. Hence. measurements made in
the summer of 1898 showed that there was
almost three times more water rising in
the central portion Of the valley than
there was entering the valley from the
mountain drainage basin.
Mr.. Llppincott holds, therefore. that
properly located development works near
Rincon. permitting the lowering Of this
water plane each season Il feet over an
area Of Loco acres, should yield from
1900 TO 2 GOO miners inches OF water. He
thinks the proper method Of procedure
should be TO divert, for the creation Of
pumping power. the entire flow Of the
Santa Ana River, near the Auburndale
Bridge. about the first OF May, and 10
return the water 10 its natural bed at
the close OF the irrigation season His
conclusions are That a large percent
age OF irrigation water returns TO the
channels Of the streams; that the move
ment Of the water through the soil be-
ing exceedingly slow. this return water
from irrigation viii be a permanent
source Of supply; that water Of this
character Is now making its appearance
on the lands near RincOn; that il is i'm
possible 70 determine the amount OF
water that could be gathered by collect
ing galleries on these lands. that the
stream measurements show a loss be-
tween Rincon and the head Of the Santa
Ana Canal Of about SOC miners inches.
which might be saved By q lined conduit
extending down the canyon about IA
miles. that power canal water wheels.
electric machinery. twenty pumping
plants, and the gatherings fumes neces-
sary Tor 1900 miners inches Of water
cotS De constructed at an approximate
cost o. $751; 600
Numerous tables, eleven plates. and
fourteen figures illustrate the discus
sion.
Ar. LippincOtts contribution concludes
with a brief description OF the Cali
fOrnia Portland Cement Comp tny's works
81 Cotton in this valley. the only Port
land cement plant On the Pacific Coast
with abundant crude materials Of ale
spar, clay and almost chemically pure
limestone near az hand. aad with the
Los Angeles petroleum for cheap and ex-
celie1t fuel. the company - enabled 20
produce a frst-elass cement for about
three fOurths the price Of foreign ce-
ments- This is Of great consequence for
the development Of the irrigation inter
ests o. the valley.