Bisbee daily review., 1904-07-24
Irrigation For the
 GiIa Valley Indians
UNDERGROUND WATERS OF GILA VALLEY HAVE BEEN REGENT
 " INVESTIGATED.
Greater Part of This Valley is h. cluded in Pima Indian Reservation Where 7S10 indians Reside.
Special Correspondence.l

Washington, D. C.. July g. - The under ground waters of Gila Valley have recently been viz gggg Valley. Arizona. have been recently investigated by MT. Willis T. Lee of the United States Geological Survey. The object of the investigation was to ascertain the amount of water avail able for irrigating the lands of the Indians in this valley. The greate- part of the valley is included in the Pima Indian Reservation, on which there are about 1870 Indians. They are an intelligent, industrious people, and until 1890 they were prosperous. From time immemorial their irriga- tion canals had been supplied with watr from the Gila. but since 1890 the diversion of the Gila waters above the reservation by white settlers has caused a shortage of water The result is that the area of lands culti- vated by the Indians has decreased from 14.000 to 1000 and the Pimas and Maricopas Of this valley are now impoverished.
 To find a remedy for this shortage of surface waters Mir. Lee has care fully studied the geographic relations and geologic conditions of the Gila valley. He finds evidence that there is an amount of underground wscer in this region sufficient tc saturate the valley soil and still give an overflow of 2o00 inches. This water is prob ably due to the junction of three underflows-those of Gila Santa Cruz and Salt rivers. These are fed from at least three sources-rainfall in the valley, springs from the hillsides. and various streams that enter the valley from the hills, the most important of which is the Gila itself. The quan- tity cf waters held in the gravels at any one time within easy reach of pumps is estimated at from 1,12O,0OO to 1866, ,000 acre-feet. It is calculated that 10000 acre-feet of water a year will supply all the present needs or the Indians on the reservation. If the computations are correct, there is now accessible enough water to sup ply the Indians for at least twenty eight years. The chemical character of these waters of the underflow is fortunately favorable to their use in irrigation.
 Two means for making this water available for irrigation are in use. seepage ditches and pumping plants. Where seepage ditches have been tried the results are disappointing. The quantity of water actually obtained falls far short of expectations; the cost of constructing and maintaining a deep ditch in the loose gravels and uuicksands is large compared with the amount of water obtained, and al best only the uppermost part Of the underflow is penetrated. On the other hand, Mir. Lee believes that sufficient water can be drawn from the underflow of the Gila Valley by means of pumping to supply tAE needs of the Indians and also mate rially to extend the cultivated area without exhausting the available sup ply. He estimates that ten plants O a capacity similar to that of the one now under construction at Sacator will supply the required 40-0t0 acre feet a year and allow 36 per cent ol the time for stoppage and repairs Taking the cost of the pumping piant: in The Salt River Valley as a criterion Mir. Lee shows that money spent 1T the construction of such plants wil be safely and profitai,lv invested.
 One of the most inte 'esting chapters of Mir. Lees paper is that on the eco homie conditions of the Indians Though peaceful, honest ant indus trious, they are lacxirs in executive ability. They are, however easily managed and are prosperous wher wisely directed. When left to thei own devices, they do not properly ap preciate or utilize their advantages At the western half of the reservation