The Grit-advocate., 1904-02-19
FARMING MATTERS.
Utilizing Flood Water.

As water problems are much ths
same in all parts of the arid region the
following extracts from a paper read py
Prof. l.. G. Carpenter. state enginee,
Of Colorado. before the Colorado State
Realty Association on the subject OF
Water Administration in the Arkan.
sas Valley" will be of general inter.
est:
Water is too valuable source OF
public wealth to permit TO waste un-
necessarily. Already. in northern Col
OradO, stored water has been bringing
as high as $l4 per cubic foot, per sec
ond. for twenty-four hours. Certainly
it can not be worth less than that In
this valley. This value may serve to
give a scale to measure the import
ance OF any step for economy.
In addition TO the questions which
are common to all streams. the Arkan-
sas has some of its own, or perhaps it
would be more correct to say, it has
some features emphasized SO much a.
to be almost peculiar to itself large
part of its irrigated area is at consid-
erable distance from the mountains
and water for it has to be carried long
distances in the bed of The stream
even 200 miles-and guided through the
gauntlet OF the Intern ediate gates and
dams 1t has no perennial streams af-
ter leaving Canon City. II has and will
have an unusual number of troublesome
questions arising from the storage OF
water in the high elevations. While
there are various others. l will pass
them by to emphasize the character OF
its watershed.
nf thn frIhu \ rjac oct ,f
Canon City are perennial. we are apt
but reaching its full growth
in the mountains. But OF The water
shed in Colorado. only thirteen per
cent. lies above Canon City and eighty
seven per cent. between there and the
state line. or, to put 1t in figures. 3,06O
square miles is above Canon City and
q, 124 is tributary below. While the
watershed below is not SO important
acre for acre-yet with hve times the
watershed it does not need to be, in
order to be in the aggregate OF greater
Importance. AS water does not run
on from these sheds except from heavy
rains. the supply east OF the noun
tains becomes question OF floods and
their utilization. Though uncertain
and difficult to manage, they are never
theless important as has been shown
by the experience Of the past few years.
and with the scarcity OF water from
the mountains, have been the reliance
Of many acres for their supply. The
same food character ,ertnins to other
tributaries Of the Arkansas in the
prOper-as Texas creek.
GrSpe creek and others.
1t is manifest that the fullest use OF
these resources requires means for
prompt. timely notice of these floods
SO that the administration can have
ample warning and notify the water
users. There might then be a much
more intelligent economy of water.
The Importance OF these tributaries
may be seen by noting the watersheds
Of some of them and remembering that
the mountain shed is 5000 square
miles.
Oil, or Four Mile creek, 423 square
miles.
Fountain creek, 1,011 square miles.
st. Charles creek, AGO square miles.
Huerafno river, 1884 square miles.
Apishapa river, 1858 square miles.
Timpas creek, 70S square miles.
Horse creek, 1929 square miles.
Adobe creek. 523 square miles.
Purgatoire river, 3,494 square miles.
Rule creek, $50 square miles.
Big candy creek, 3.15l square miles.
There are two tributaries whose
watershed exceed that of the main
Arkansas above Canon City; four
others exceeding 1000 square miles
each and a combined area of five times
the Poudre watershed, which irrigates
$780, 900 acres.
AS the question Ia one which is Of
equal importance to the whole valley
l have expanded the plan to what
would be a skeleton organization, to
give the information needed by the
water commissioners and division en-
gineers, necessary for the just distri-
button of water and to utilize it to the
best advantage.
AS a whole the system would be to
establish stations on the main river
and tributaries, so that close record
would be had Of the behavior of each
stream. In the mountains the sta
tions would be on the main river, but
as the reservoir problems multiply, ad-
ditional ones on the tribuIaries-where
reservoirs are located-would be
necessary. On the plains. where the
bitches which might be benefited by
floods, are nearer headgates, warming
stations should be far enough from
the main river to give twenty-four
hours or more warning. Reports should
be given by mail. telephone or tel,
graph to a central Office. Some rain
gauges should be distributed, and
through such means, warnings might
be still earlier. These stations should
be located on the Arkansas at Lead
Vile, Granite, Salida, Canon City. Pu-
eblo, Rocky Ferd. Fort Lyon canal,
Las Animas. Amity canal and at the
state line Stations should also be To-
Gated upon the following tributaries:
South Fork. Texas creek. Grape creek
(2), Four Mile creek, Beaver creek t2),
Fountain creek (2), St. Charles creek
(2), Huerfano river (2). Apishapa
river (2). Timpas creek %, Horse
rraak 10Y Adpho craal.