Arizona republican., 1903-09-11
PROFESSOR FORBES INTERVIEWED
Irrigation and Agriculture in the
 Valley of the Colorado.

Professor R. H. Forbes, director of the Arizona agricultural experiment station at Tucson, was in the city yesterday having made the side trip up here on the way home from Yuma. He returned to Tucson on last nights train. Sometime ago Prof. Forbes, ac- companied by w. w. Skinner, also an employe of the experiment station. passed through Phoenix for the north. They went to Fort Mohave and then down the Colorado river in a boat to Yuma, MT. Skinner going on to Tucson yesterday.
 :. The trip was taken for the purpose of studying the Colorado and its ad- jacent. lands from the standpoint of an agriculturalist. that natural resources and future possibilities might be noted and the department be better informed as to what may be accomplished 1n that section by properly directed work He desired particularly to learn what the natives are accomplishing in an agricultural way by the use of over flow water from the Colorado and what the white settlers are doing with steam pumps and other mechanical appliances directed to the raising of crops. Frequent stops were made and many features of interest were in- quired into.
 They found that the Chemehuevis Indians in the Chemehuevis valley mid way between Needles and Yuma are now the most prosperous farmers They raise beans, squashes. corn and melons with the overflow water when it is high enough to irrigate their lands. Frequently, however, the water T., I,4,,. 1-r, f1c and then there is a very short crop. The Colorado deals with the Indians very much as the Nile does with the Egyptians
 Contrary to a popular belief the Colorado has but a gradual fall aver aging, about one foot to the mile, while the grade of the lands along the banks averages about eighteen inches to the mile. It can readily be seen how diff cult it is to get the necessary grade for irrigation ditcheS over these lands. especially when the muddy nature of the Colorado water is considered. The irrigation of the Colorado lands, says Prof. Forbes, will always require diff ferent methods from those used in this valley as many points of contrast are being contsantly presented. Unlike the Salt river the Colorado is higher than much of the adjacent land owing to the building up of it's banks by sedi- mentary deposits. In time of flood the river is likely to break through it's banks and flow in some lower channel. Consequently without some adequate protection the farmers would be sub jected to much damage from the treach- erous and changeable character of the river. "
 So far as at present appears the Colorado river is one, which to be made source Of supply for irrigation water requires the institution of great and costly public works before it's waters and adjoining lands can be utilized by settlers to the best advantage. The geological survey is this year continu- ing actively the operations begun last year in ascertaining the levels, the irrigable areas. dam sites, etc. Agri- culturally speaking. he said, the bottom lands of the Mohave, Colorado, Cheme- huevis and Yuma valleys will some day constitute some of the richest areas in the country. but not until great public works have brought the river under control. including without doubt reser- voirs or barrage works for the storage of water and levees for the maintain ence of the river in a fixed channel.