Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-23
DOWN THE COLORADO.
Chief photographer Newell's
Long Trip in a Rowboat.
HAS JUST RETURNED
WENT TO INVESTIGATE POSI-
BILITIEs OF IRRIGATION.
Country Arid and Desolate-Numerous
Dams Are Considered Necessary
Somewhat Similar to the Nile.


Frederick Haynes Newell. chief hydrog-
rapher of the United States government.
has Just returned to Washington from
four weeks trip in California and Arizona.
in the course of which he foated 400 miles
down the Colorado river in a small row.
boat. The purpose of his trip was to in
vestigate the possibilities of that section of
the southwestern desert country in the
line of irrigation and to get a preliminary
idea of the feasibility OF conserving the
sons of the year pass down the Colorado
river to the Gulf of California.
In some respects this projected enter
prise resembles the grea; reclamation works
which have been constructed by the English
government in Egypt, whereby the flood
waters of the Nile are impounded and dis
tributed over millions of acres of fertile
delta land To carry out to its full posi-
bilties this great project on the Colorado
river would require an expenditure OF from
fifteen to twenty million dollars, winch
would give in return an irrigated area OF
over one million acres of extremely fer
tile land.
Mr.. Newell's Trip.
When asked in regard to his trip Mr..
Newell said:
81 first went to the Needles in California
and there secured a wagon outfit and drove
up the Colorado river as far as possible to
what is known as Bowles Head, one OF
the highest sites for proposed reservoir
on the river. We then came back through
the agricultural lands near Camp MohaVe,
where the Indian school Is situated ana
where large areas can be brought under If
riga ton by a high line canal from the Colo
RADIO river. Then we went back to the
Needles, and. in company with j. Is. LIP
pincott. consulting engineer; Arthur r.
Davis. principal engineer; E. I. Perkins,
district engineer. and E. G. Barnard, to-
rographer, 1 started on my trip down the
river.
I'VE were five days in an open boat.
amping along the banks of the stream
at night We then struck little river
steamer. the St. Ballier which was on the
point of starting from Ehrenberg to Yuma.
All navigation on the river Is suspended
n dark. and in fact. is also often sus-
pended in the day time. while the crew Is
engaged in getting the boat off the sand
bars. There is decided current which
runs about three miles an hour and carries
the boat from one side to the other Of the
channel. the water spreading out in many
places over a very wide area. 1t Is easy
travelling along these channels until one
reaches place where the river widens out,
then the water becomes so shallow that
the boats frequently get stuck. The lit
tie stern-wheel steamers which OCCASION
ally this river, when they get stuck
on sand bar turn around and the revolu-
ton of the wheel moves enough of the
sand so that the boat can drift on down.
The Country Arid and Desolate.
We went down the river about 400 miles
in all. The country back from the river is
arid and desolate, and has very scanty
vegetation except for an occasional thorn
bush. 1t is generally considered to be a
highly mineIalized country, and there are
an almost infinite number of prospect holes
and a few mines. but very little if any ore
is now being shipped. This is probably
largely due to the difficulties of transporta-
ton.
I'VE very few people along the river.
An occasional Indian was met, polling his
boat against the stream, carrying goods to
;he mining camps to the Indian school.
These are the Mohave Indians. They all
use punts f1at-bottom boats. There
seemed TO be no white settlers along the
river except a few prospectors. We found
no mosquitoes at this time of year, and the
nights We're frosty. The country is semi
tropical. having very hot days and cold
nights, especially on the lower levels.
Somewhat Similar to the Mile.
THE Colorado river is the largest river
of the arid region. 1t can be compared in
size to the Nile of Egypt. and is similar in
many characteristics 1t differs in the flow,
for this IS not as regular or as we'll sus-
tanned because of the fact that there are
no lakes at the head of the river to insure
Permanency of such flow. 1t is navigable
with difficulty, however, for light boats on
the lower Fart of the river. A large part
OF its course is through canyons where the
water cannot be diverted upon the sur
rounding land The lower river passes
through an open country varied by a few
narrow valleys. The fall of rain there Is
very slight. and canals taken out fill quickly
with silt. Silt is the great obstacle to the
development of the irrigation feature, and
bitches will have to be given heavy grade.
RESERVOIRS are necessary to store and
control the silt. Small works are impossi-
bic, and large ones Will be very costly The
land to be reclaimed is probably as good as
any in the United States. The problem of
getting water upon it is not easy of solu-
ton. for there are many alternative plans.
The land will produce large crops in fire.
quent succession. one following the other
as fast as 1t can be planted. grown and
harvested"
When asked as to the character of coun-
try through which he passed on his jour-
neY down the river Mr.. Newell said:
For the first one hundred miles below
the Needles the river is mostly in CANYONS
or narrow valleys and ranges from 200 to
500 feet in width. 1t is generally very shall
low. The valleys upon Ii grow wider as
you go down and there are bordering bench
lands covered with gravel. but having a
fairly good soil. and that will be ex-
celleut when treated with the muddy waters
OF the river.
Numerous Dams Necessary.
ITO place water upon these bench lands
will require numerous dams from so to loo
feet in height and from 800 to LOCO feet
In length. AS Yuma is approached the val
leys widen out into the deserts Of Arizona
and southern California but along this part
of the river there are possibly millions OF
acres which may In time be brought under
irrigation. Above and in the vicinity OF
Yuma dams have been made to divert the
water by small bitches. Sut owing to the
large amount of sediment carried by the
water these bitches have been quickly filled
and rendered useless.
Ore of the chief difficulties In utilizing
the Colorado is on account OF the great
amount OF fine earth carried in SUSPENSION
by the water. When the course of the water
Is checked this material is dropped. fill.
fng the reservoirs and canals. 1t is neces-
sary, therefore to give the canals a slope
so great that the water will run RAPIDLY out