The Imperial press., 1904-07-16
Some Very Peculiar Conditions
 Existing.
Heavy sit Deposits Choke Canals Must Provide for Getting Water Roth on and of Land - Pumps Needed at Certain Points.

vcv to direct the construction work ai Yuma which comes under ilr National Irrigation Act, Judge Joseph II kibbcy of Arizona. who is hrrr iu thc interest of the Yuma Water Users Association. said in an interview regarding the work io be undertaken:
 "Onc l.ccnliar fact in connection with irrigation along the Colorado river is that during June and July. when water is musi ncydci. the riNcr carries its heaviest volume ot wafer. However, at this time ui the year the river is heavily charged with sili and il is almusi i'm possible to carry the water out la ihc land. After II is taken out the velocity oi the moving water Iu the canal is less than that in tic river and the silt is readily deposited anal tills up the canals, forming hars al entrances and turns. IL has, therefore, been found impossible by any or,iinary means to carry the water la the land in the summer months.
 "Preparaiions are now Icing made to begin work On what Is known as the Yuma project, which has been approved hy the government and comes under what is known as the National lrrlga- ton Act \ dam is to he constructed about eight or ten miles above Yuma. The crest oi this dam will bc about ten feet above low water and is intended to he an overflow dam IL will be con- sirncisi ni rock. steel and concrete. and will be i,7oo feet long. This location ot the dam makes it possible io construct settling basins into which the water will be admitted before teing discharged into the canals and will deposit iis silt. When the settling basins have filled up they can bc easily flushed by opening gates al their lower end, discharging the accumulated sediment back into the river below the dam and permitting practically clear water io go down into the canal.
 NOVEL CONDITIONS EXIST
 This seems io h-. the only practical means oi taking ih. water out of the Colorado, and there seems i0 be no wlace below the site oi this dam where such a project could be carried out. Berause oi the low elevation, the land about Yuma is subject io annual over flow This will make necessary sys- tenn of leYees on both sides Oi the river. This makes the rather unique situation of having io construct leyees to keep the water off the land and having to build canals to gei the water onto the land. The situation is more noteworthy by reason of the fact that canals will have 10 be constructed to convey the water up tO the land aud additional canals will have to b- constructed io drain IL oH. Further, the lay oi the land is such at certain points that the water will have to be pumped up to the land and in other places plants will have 10 be provided to pump the water out in order io drain the land. The power tO operate these pumps is 10 be provided al the dam. The project involves at present about 5000 acres of land and is estimated io cost e .OOO.0D0.
 TROUBLESOME SILT PROBLEM
 Immediately connected with the Yuma project a. now planned Is the Imperial project. The Imperial people are confronted with the same silt pro- blem, and, as noted, there are no lOca- iions below Yuma where settling basins could be constructed, making irrigation there under existing conditions prae- iically prohibitiye. The Imperial lands are in Southern California, and the water for them is taken out of the Colo rAdo river, without any developing work al all, from the banks of the river at point only a few wards above the Mexican line The canal almost im- ....4s.s.I.. .ftar l.aVfug ffe river oo.-.