Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-01-16
REEDS REPORT
ON THE H0ND0
Probable That the Government
Will Build First New Mexi-
CO Reservoir Here
MODUS OPERAN Dl
Serious Objection 10 the Selcc-
ton in Quantity 0fSit
In stream
WASHINGTON. D. &. Jan. l6

@%s 49,
The report Of Mr.. ". M. Reed, resi-
dent engineer of the reclamation SER
vice, Is of particular interest by rea
son of the fact that II Is probable the
government will begin at an early
date the construction OF m irrigation
work al one OF the sites recommended
by him. Apparently the most feas
ible project discovered by Mr.. Reed
Is on the Hondo at q point nearly on
the dividing line of the watersheds Of
Honao river and the Black water ar.
royo. The reservoir site lies In a
large natural depression commonly
called d dry lake, and has an area Of
lore acres, and with no embankment
would hold 1,fS0 acre feet. The bot
tom Of the lake ia a heavy alluyial de-
post and borings were satisfactory MS
to its water-holding properties. The
perimeter Is nearly all limestone, and
has the appearance OF being as solid
and free from cavities as any lime.
stone formation, except AT the places
where fills are required. The sides
are much higher than the proposed
water line and have rock on OF neal
the surface.
Mr.. Reeds plan for diyerting the
water Is to make two canals OF suf.
| ficient size to carry all the flow of the
river and 10 provide a spillway on the
canal at a rock point 1000 feet from
the river. The river at the point OF
diversion Is In earth, and to provide
for a spillway here would be expensive
and would be always a source OF an
noyance IL not danger. Two spillways
or flushing gates are placed on the
canal at that point. These spillways
are provided with gates, not automat.
ic, for these gates are to be used only
when the reservoir Is fun. or when Il
Is desired TO flush. the sitting basins
The top Of the gates will be below the
embankmeni grade, and will act #
safety spillways in the case OF nuex
pected and unusual floods.
The canal will have a seventy-foo
road bed and an embankment will BIZ
placed ut the lower side. The cana
will enter the reservoir from d rocl
cut, thus preventing any erosion. Tn,
outlet canal VIII connect the loves
point In the reservoir site with II,
original bed Of the river. The eleva
tion at these points being the sam,
the canal Is level.
The bed Or the Hondo will be use,
for carrying the irrigating water for
q distance of about one mile. AZ thii
point II will be turned by a small con
crete diversion dam into distributing
canals on one side OF the river. Thil
point Or diversion IL not the mos
suitable from an engineering stand
point, but UP to the present time on
of the owners Of the food water right
having a ditch just below IL has refus
ed 70 make any satisfactory PROPOSE
ton toward u settlement with the gov
eminent in case the reservoir shouli
be constructed and IL was deemed bes
TO locate the canals from the abov'
point To determine what lands woul,
come under irrigation. and 10 ascertain
the cost of the works. Diversion iron
a point lower down the river woul,
lessen the cost and would bring tn
same lands under cultivation.
During floods the Hondo carries
large amount OF SILT. Engineer Rec
proposes the following plan to proven
danger OF the reservoir filling fron
this source The velocity OF the cana
Is to be governed to such an exten
that the heavier silt will be deposite,
In basins which are provided by max
Ing the alignment Of the canal I,
cross three arroyos near their moutl
where the surface fiattens out. Tw,
! ~ these arroyos have a length Of nv
. or six miles and drain considerably
territory. Al the end OF the basins a
the down stream side a spillway viii
| be placed In the bank Of the canal wifi
! q bottom grade below that Of the ca
nal AT times Of heavy rainfall whel
water PUSHES dowA the srroyos. th'