The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1904-09-16
LAPLATASTRICTLYIT
Reclamation Problem to Be
Worked Out.
BIG IRRiGATION PROJECT
Twenty F. pert Engineers to Take
the Fiell Canal 100 miles in
Length With Reservoirs,
Located, San Juan county, n, NJ.


To irrigate - Plata valley.
Water to b diverted to La Plata from
Animas,
system iuNudes 1OO.mile canals
around Basin fountains,
Acreage to J., watered $1,000,
Maximum cost of project, 81 800, ,OC0.
Maximum g; per acre. $50
Acres temp rarily withdrawn from
public domain 100000.
In charge OF Hydrographlc Engineer
NJ, G. Hinderli Ter of the United States
geological survey, twenty expert federal
engineers, equiHned with camping equip
age for several ,nonths work will leave
Denver this morning for Sau Juan
sounty, New Ne Sico, where they will be
engaged until ihs snow flies in making
original survey for ths proposed La
Plata goverum mt irrigation project.
This new system COR the reclamation Of
80, 600 formerly itrtile acres Of the rich,
esl agricultural and in the west, con-
templates the version OF 100 miles OF
canal from the Aaimas river around the
base of the B6s,n mountains OF the
great divide int the DOW dry bed of La
Plata river.
After several rt5lIminary trips to de-
termine the phyl,cal features of the
country, Engine. Hnderider found
how the La Plata might be repleuished,
1t is estimated tht about $4,000 acres
in the valley will ONE under the pro-
iect, when completed, To make certain
that the land wanted for the canals,
reservoir sites and related purposes will
be available whel wanted the govern
meut has set aside 10000 acres OF pub.
lie domain. Three hundred and ten
thousand acres this land is in New
MeSico. II t.cries 9oooc 4oroa
i',s IN Colorado, auR some Of this will be
used for such reservoir sites as may be
necessary.
The problem to be solved by the pre-
limirary surveys, which will commence
Immediately Upon She arrival Of the en-
gineering party IN New Mexico, is tC
determine the approximate cost OF the
project as outlined, 70 be acceptable
it must not exceed s2j to $50 an acre, OF
81, 100000 for the 30 700 acres TO be bene
fitted, The factors which will determine
the cost are principally the physica
difficulties encouutetad.
The necessity for the reclamation of
the valley of the La Plata was called to
attention OF District Engineer A, L, Eel
lows through representations made a
Washington by Delegate Rodey of New
Mexico who presented to congress an(
to Chief Engineer T. H. Newell Of thr
reclamation service lengthy petition
from residents of northern New Mexico
and southern Colorado in the vicinity
of durango
The district which the proposed pro
iect will materially benefit, if founC
feasabe, is but forty miles south o
Durango. As it is shut OIL from tn
rest Of New Mexico by high mountains
Durango is the natural outlet for tn
valley, These include all kinds of deli
cious fruit, grain, alfalfa, vegetables an,
all varieties Of agricultural products
During recent years however, La Plat
valley in Colorado has become settle
and the water has been used up long
before it ieached New Mexico. AS tn
water was usel across the state line i
Colorado, the inhabitants along it
banks in New Mexi co had no recours
in the courts.-Deuver News,