Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-10-27
IN MEXICO.
Something About the Projects Con-
templated Under the Provisions Of
the Reclamation Act

tempIated Under the Provisions Of
the Reclamation Act.
A preliminary examination has been
made by the engineers of the United
State Reclamation Service of two
important projects in New Mexico,
known OIL the Hondo and the Urton
Lake projects. A cursory examina-
ton indicates that each project is
feasible from both an engineering and
financial point of view.
The land on the Hondoy project
which could be irrigated to advantage
mounts to possibly 5000 acres, and
the first estimate of cost of putting
the water on the land is about $40 per
acre. Land which can be irrigated
most easily from the Hondoy reservoir
is nearly all in the hands of private
parties, so that the question of coloni-
cation would cause no trouble Il is
all first class irrigable and. free from
alkali. and because of the underlying
limestone formation. it will never be
troubled from that source. The Ian Is
if watered will be easily worth 500 an
acre when planted in alfalfa or corn,
and if used for fruit raising will event
ually have a higher value. The works
contemplated for this project are the
charging of the natural reservoir and
an inlet and outlet canal. which in.
volve no engineering difficulties.
The and on the Triton Lake project
is all government land with the
exception of a few claims bordering
the river. This land is underlaid by
a very porous red sandstone. which
will probably afford good subdraip-
age and prevent trouble from alkali
The reservoir site is an excellent
natural depression and will hold 190,-
goo acre-feet without any expense
except for the outlet works. which
will be in red sandstone.
The works contemplated in this
project are: a dam and head works on
the Pecos River about 10 miles above
Fort Sumner; about Sc miles of canal
to carry 1900 second-feet in times of
flood; three structures at crossings of
creeks; the necessary outlet works,
including a tunnel 1000 feet long; and
1hnut On n,i1nc nf 1ictrihrfipn coynlr
on the lands to be irrigated. A rough
estimate of the cost of this project is
$1.020,050, or ST. per acre. There is
little doubt hat this land would be
settled up rapidly, as it is within 90
miles of the Pecos Valley and North
eastern Railway, which line would
undoubtedly build a branch into this
section.
There are however some uncertain
ties in connection with the project
which will have to be considered one
being the possibility of the reservoir
not being filled some years. The data
relating to the stream measurements
are not complete, and it will be neces-
sary to continue the records of the
run-off of the Pecos River during the
time the surveys of the canal and of
the irrigable lands are being made.
and during the construction until the
works are finished. 1t appears from
best information that the reservoir
could be filled every ordinary year,
but occasionally a dry year. such as
1908, creates a doubt as to the posi-
bility Of always filling the reservoir
1t is probable that the seepage from
the irrigated lands considered under
these projects would eventually NOR
than make up for any apparent loss
below them occasioned by the pro.
posed disposal of the water from the
Pecos river.