The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-07-24
Irrigation System Planned For Yuma
District, Arizona.
PROBLEM VERY DIFFICULT
BUT THE DESERT MAY BE MADE
TO RAISE CROPS.
CsneciaI to Nc Herald.D

| Yuma, but there is no place where the
average temperature is SO high or where
the hot spell is so long as right here in
| the southwest corner of Arizona. Yuma
/ is hot and there is no getting away
from it, though the natives won't admit
] it.
But there are other things at Yuma
| besides the heat-there are things here
which i'm way compensate for the in
| tensely hot climate, otherwise there
\ would be no Yuma.
Yuma and the surrounding country
| possesses rare agricultural possibilities
of a kind peculiarly its own. Today
Yuma lies in the center of vast, burn
ing desert; ten years from today 1t is
probable that Yuma will be the center
! of a great and thriving agricultural re-
gion.
Soil is Fertile.
The soil in and about Yuma is ex-
tremely fertile; the Colorado river, flow
ing by Yuma, and which today runs al
most entirely to waste, is to be con-
trolled and turned onto the Yuma des-
ert. The combination of the productive
soil and the fertiliZing waters of the
Colorado will convert this desert into
garden spot in an increditably short
time. But aside from its fine soil and
its abundance of water, Yuma can
boast of a longer growing season than
any other part of the United States; its
farmers are today cutting seven and
ern farmer is getting two and three,
and when irrigation is fully developed,
and all the arabic lands of this region
are under cultivation, Yuma, with its
long. hot season. beginning before the
frost is out of the ground in other re-
gions, will be able to put its first crops
on the market ahead of every other part
of the United States
Irrigation Plans.
These are some of the reasons why
the United States government, in spite
of the intense heat, has determined to
eXpend SO, 900 900 in building irriga-
tion system which will reclaim nearly
1901 coo acres of land in the immediate
vicinity of Yuma.
According to the present estimate,
settlers under the Yuma project must
pay about S35 an acre for water. While
this is a high price, more than is
charged I'm other sections, the figure is
a reasonable one when it is considered
that the Yuma lands yield two crops
annually of most vegetables, and eight
crops of alfalfa each season.
Problem Is Intricate.
On its face the Yuma project is a sim
pie one, involving only the principles
of a simple diversion dam and system
of distributing canals. but as it is eX-
amined more closely it is found to in
NOiVe many intricate problems. There
is no storage feature connected with
the project, ii is true, because it has
been found impossible 10 get suitable
foundation for any large storage dam,
but there will be large and an eX-
pensive diversion dam strung across
the Colorado river some distance above
Yuma, which will cost in the neigh
boThOod of 81 600, 900. Though simple
in design, the Laguna dam is being
built for all time. the best materials
are being used in its construction,
hence the great cost Moreover, the
dam, though only nineteen feet above
the bed of the Colorado river. will
measure 1900 feet from one end to the
other, and at its base will be 226 feet
through. Rock, concrete and steel are
the materials used in its construction.
Silt Problem.
On the Yuma project. more than any
where else. the engineers of the recla-
nation service are obliged to contend
with the silt problem. This river is a
second Missouri; in appearance it is a
flowing pool of mud; it carries an in
credible amount of silt, but Fortunate
ly the silt itself is a valuable fertilizer
and will in the end prove of great BEN
efit to the farmers, as il will constantly
enrich their soil and render artificial
fertilization unnecessary. But silt has
its drawbacks. 1t fills up reservoirs,
it clogs canals and bitches, and makes
endless work for farmers. To prevent
a filing. in behind the Laguna dam.
sySte moi sideways is being provided,
by means of which the bottom of the
river can be flushed out periodically.
Will Create Great Lake.
The immense diversion dam will Gre
ate great lake in Colorado river.
where the water coming down stream,
will have an opportunity to settle The
capals which viii carry the water onto
the lands on either side of the river,
viii take only the surface water. from
which the greater portion of the silt
has beer allowed to precipitate. leav-
ing the bulk of the deposit to fall to
the river bed, to be carried off by
sluicing. Not all of the silt however,
can be removed. but what remains and
is carried onto the land. viii be COM
paratively small in quantity, but suf-
ficient TO improve the soil on which it
is deposited. BY this means of allowing
the water to settle, danger of cIogging
OF bitches and canals is reduced 70 a
minimum.
As nearly as can be estimated. the
waters taken from the Colorado at the
Laguna dam viii irrigate Sc. 700 acres
in all, of which 1900 acres lie in Ari-
IONA: the balance I'm California. Some [
of these lands lie below the level of
the Colorado river when it is at Hood. |
and to prevent overlooking il will be
necessary to construct immense levees
along either bank of the river to an |
elevation five feet above the highest !
known level of the stream These /
leVees. fashioned after the levees along
the Mississippi river. while adding to
the cost of the Yuma project. are alb |
sOlutely necessary to protect property ]
and viii effectively hold back the flood |
waters each spring and early summer |
Land Flat and Low.
The lands under the Yuma project !
are exceptionally flat and low. The |
level Of the water in the ground is very /
near the surface. giving rise to danger |
of excessive sub-irrigation. But this OBJ |
stacle viii be overcome. As a part of |
the government project, the reclama- |
tion engineers will run a system of \
drainage canals across the irrigable |
lands, and into these main canals farm /
ers will be enabled to run their small 1
Ter drainage bitches. BY this means all /
the alkali in the soil can be washed I
out. and all danger from Sub-irriga ton /
avoided. 1t is true when the Colorado
is at flood there will be seepage |
the bikes, but precautions have /
been taken to ward off danger from /
this source. This seepage water, like |
the sub-surface flow, VIII ali be car
ried off in the drainage bitches, and |
when the water will no longer flow |
from these bitches into the river, ii
will be carried off by immense pumps
which are to he SiInDlied nv No