The Grit-advocate., 1904-05-20
FOR IRRIGATION
HOW FUND IS TO cE DIVIDED
Colorado. Wyoming and New Mexico
Each Gets siiee.-Twenty-sev-
en- Millions Apportioned.

en- Millions Apportioned.
Washington. May 1s.-An apportion-
nent Of $27 .OO0. 900 of the reclamation
fund for the construction of fourteen.
| irrigation projects In the arid West has.
been decided upon by the secretary or
| the Interior who has approved III.
plans of the engineers for works in the
following states:
Arizona. California. Colorado, Idaho
Montana Nebraska, Nevada. New Mex
leo, North Dakota. Oregon. South Da-
.kota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming,
Actual construction has already BE-.
gun on the Salt river project in Ar
coma, and on the Truckee project in
Nevada. Each Of these projects involve
a constructive cost of 100000.
There is $2,5OO.O00 reserved for the
completion Of the Uncompahgre pro
ject. This project is located in Mont
rose and Delta counties in western
Colorado. on the west side of the main
range Of the Rocky mountains. The
source of water supply is the Gunn-
Son river, from which it is expected
that water will be taken by means of a
tunnel about six miles in length, be-
ginning in the Grand canon OF the Gun
Iison and serving water in Uncompah-
gre valley few miles northeast OF the
town Of Montrose.
The Uncompahgre river flows through
broad, fertile valley, but its flow is
quite inadequate for the irrigible lands
The Gunnison river, flowing through
enc OF the most remarkable canons In
this country. carries comparatively
large volume of water, but little OF
which can be utilized in its drainage
basin. 1t is proposed to divert a por-
ton of this streams flow in tunne!
cut through the mountains upon about
100 900 acres of land, considerable
portion of which is in private owner
ship in small tracts. When complete,
this will be one of the most remark
able engineering feats In the world.
The Cody, Wyoming. project contem-
plates the reclamation of land on the
north side of Shoshone river in the
town of Cody, in Big Horn county. The
'irrigible land extends along the river
for distance of about forty miles and
comprises approximately $4,000 acres,
most of 1t being high-grade agricul-
tural land In addition to this land
about 5000 acres on the south side OF
the river may be reclaimed and several
thousand acres more in the drainage
area of Clark Fork. All Of the land
lies at an elevation of from Also to
$3.50 feeI above sea level. Shoshone
river discharges a relatively large
amount OF water and It's summer fow
has not been entirely appropriated. Six
miles above the Town Of Cody the river
.enters a canon cut through solid gran
lite for distance of one and a half
miles. At the upper end of this canon
it is proposed to construct dam of
.uncoursed masonry. The dimensions
of the dam will be: Height. ITO feet,
length on bottom, 65 feet, and length
on top, $50 feet This dam will form a
reservoir in the basin above the canon
with a capacity of $500 acre feet.
The stored water will be used to rein
force the summer flow. The estimated
cost of this project is $2,250,00O.
The Hondo project in New Mexico is
located on Hondo river. tributary
of Pecos river, in southeastern New
Mexico, about twelve miles southwest
from the town of Roswell, in the coun-
ty Of Chaves. The river is torrential in
character and the ordinary summer
supply is already appropriated.
1t Is proposed to construct reser-
voir In depression near the river, di-
vert the storm or flood waters, and un-
appropriated water flow into the reser-
voir and hold 1t for use during the irri-
cation season, to irrigate lands lying
east of the reservoir and south and
southwest from Roswell. These lands
are adjacent to productive fields near
Roswell, and with an assured water
supply could be put into cultivation at
once.
The area to be irrigated under this
project embraces about 10000 acres
and the cost will probably be about