The Arizona sentinel., 1905-02-01
INTERESTING REPORT
 BY SEC'Y HITCHCOCK
Relative to tkc Waters Of the
 Colorado fer Irrigation

report of the director of the geo. logical survey to the senate and
 house of representatives, in which questions involved ill the diversion and use of the waters of the Colorado river are eX tensively discussed, as well as that of navigation and the rights of existing irrigation companies.
 The report and It's conclusions are based upon the results of an investigation provided for by joint resolution No. g, approved April 28, 1904 The investiga- ton w&s conducted by the reclamation service, the prin- cipal facts being obtained by Supervising Engineer J. B. Lip pincott and his assistants, and was congned mainly to the lower river. An important item in the report is contained in the following paragraph:
 While not presuming to discuss the legal conditions, it is neces- sary to state that the control of diversions from the Colorado river to lands in Arizona and California is obviously under the administrative supervision of the United States and, owing to the scarcity and great value of the supply, must necessarily remain so if the larger future interests of the people as a whole are to be guarded.
 The difficulties to be eneoun- tered in handling the large quan- tity of silt in the water, and the necessity for storage waters and dams, serving to make practiea- ble the maintenance of perma- Hent headworks and furnishing a continuous water supply during all stages of the stream are dwelt upon at length.
 Referring to the interests of private irrigation enterprises the inference is given that their 5nvestments have been solely made with the view of getting the largest return for the least Investment, and may or may not be consistent with the public welfare; and their rights to the ase of the waters of the river should be confined to the extent of the actual henencial use upon | land capable of producing re- munerative crops up to the end l of the irrigation season just | passed, which may be fixed, for convenience, as October 1, 1904. | Speaking of water appropria- tions, the report says they "have | been made by the simple process of posting notices and recording these, such notices serving to give information of intention to construct works and to claim various amounts of water The | waters thus filed npon are usually stated in large terms, and, in fact, the aggregate of the paper claims to water filed in California and Arizona exceeds by many times the available flow.
 ''After a full consideration of the conditions, recommendations have been made to begin this work ofreclamatiOn by construct ing a dam across Colorado river at a point short distance above [ Yuma. Plans and specifications have been completed and sub mitted to the department and au- thority granted for advertising for bids. 1t is assumed that the work of construction will be pushed at an early date, as it is not directly involved in any of she questions now under consid- eration."
 Of the physical conditions of the Colorado riveg, the report says;
 "The Colorado is the largest and most important stream of the arid regions. It has it's prin- cipal sources in Wyoming, Colo rado, New Mexico and Utah, and flows through the territory of Arizona, forming a portion of the boundary between Arizona and the states of Nevada and California. It then becomes part of the international boundary be- tween United States and Mex ico, finally crossing a portion of the latter republic, dischafging into the Gulf of Mexico.
 ''The waters of this drainage system are utilized for irrigation Of lands in the five states and two territories named and in the republic Of Mexico. Upon the