Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-02-09
a Great Reservoir
and Irrigation System

Ina comparatively recent geologi-
cal period the present surface of New
Mexico formed the bottom of a salt
ocean
There were a series of u~pheavels
and submersions, the evidence of
which is seen In the rocks of the coun-
try; the last disturbance formed the
present mountain chasms and was no
doubt accompanied and followed by
volcanic eruptions.
Following the last great upheavel
was a period when large rivers coursed
along the foot of the mountain ranges,
while large inland lakes of both fresh
and salt water occupied depressions in
the mountain plateaus. These were fed
by copious rains as we'll as by noun
tain springs.
There is much evidence that during
this time and for ages following, the
country was thickly populated by a
people who had attained a remarkable
degree of civilization. They built large
pueblos, the ruins Of which are now
found many miles from water. The re.
mains of extensive i~rrigating bitches
and reservoirs prove this lost race con-
tinued living here after the birth of the
oNC1ANs was hltiilinttlN nv hOtAh
of a great people, the interruption of a
civilization which had it been allowed
to continue might have ~equalled any of
olden stimes. AS the rainfall grew less
and less the people fed to the great
waterways where they lived for thous-
ends of years.
Their ultimate fate, which is a sub
ject of much speculation, is not subject
matter for this article.
One of the most interesting of the
large number of ancient lake-beds in
New Mexico, is n at the foot of the
San Andraes mountains just west of
the PASS which separates the range
from the Oscura mountains. Here a
lake four or five miles long by a mile
in width existed for ages and until a
comparatively recent period, geolog-
ically speaking. It ultimately found an
outlet to the west, which detained it,
and now floods of water annually fol.
low the ancient channel to go to waste
upon the desert below.
Several years ago Hon. w. S. Hope.
well built a dan across the channel,
but as it was of earth and brush it
soon washed away. Other parties have
made spasmodic attempts to impound
the water all to no purpose, as there is
a large watershed to the basin and the
labors of many weary years were
swept away. often in a few hours. The
dam site is now occupied by Z. w.
Brown as a homestead.
From previous experience and obser-
walton Mr.. Brown saw the possibilities
of the location for a great reservoir
and irrigation system. A few months
Cinnn tho S1n AnHranc Irriuatinn am
pany was organized by Messrs. L. w.
Brown. c. G. Cru~ickshank, S. G.. Han
ma, Frank Johnson and a few other
progressive citizens of San Marcial,
and it is believed that before many
months have glided by active work
will be under way in the construction
of the dam.
While this is a work of considerable
magnitude, it is a small undertaking
compared with others in existence
which do not irrigate much more land
than this will when competed, as ma
ture has constructed the two ends of
this dam of everlasting mountains of
rock from which can be quarried an
abundance of material for the work in
hand. All this material can be taken
from a point above the top of the pro-
posed dam as it is being built. This
rock is a hard, fine grained, stratified
blue limestone, the different stratas
varying in thickness from one to three
feet. and at no time need the quarried
rock be more than a few feet from the
end OF the dam while it is in course of
construction.
The site chosen for the dam is below
where the work has been done, or
rather attempted, in years past. Here
the distance between hills at the top
of the foundation is but sixty-fve
yards.
To the west is a hill which is approx
inately the top of the dam. To the
east is a lower hill upon the top of
which the dam will extend, and a care
full survey and estimate shows $4,000
cubic yards will construct a dam eigh-
ty feet in height, ten feet wide on top,
with a base width of ninety feet. A