The Imperial press., 1905-08-19
ALAMO RIVER MADE SAFE
D. L. RussePs Success Tn Scanning
 It's Swollen Tide

~NAON'0"0 to reach large proportions, there has been d battle going on at point about two miles east of Mesquite lake, between b L. Russell and band of laborers on one side and the Alamo river on the other. Previous tc that time the Alamo river had flowed into Mesquite lake, whence after filling it and covering about 15 GOO acres of very fine land, the water would drain off in wide shallow stream for several miles till 1t would finally reach the channel short dis tance southeast from the present rail- road bridge north of Brawley.
 Various plans had been advanced for draining Mesquite lake, none of which had been successful; and the owners of the lands in and near 1t were about giv- ing up in despair, when the California Development Company constructed new ditch to act as cutoff, carrying the water of the Alamo river straight north, and east of Mesquite lake and French lake to point where it would join the old Alamo channel at the place above described.
 This new ditch was made of capacity sufficient to carry 300 cubic feet of water per second, as this was believed to be all that it would be required to carry. So when the big flood come and it was necessary to cut the dam out of the Alamo at the old heading of Imperial Water Company Mo- an immense vol tune of water was sent down this chan nel, enough to have quickly overfOwed the ditch as it had been constructed, break into Mesquite lake and resuming its old course, overflow and destroy number of fine farms.
 It was against these odds and under these circumstances that Mir. Russell has worked. He had to keep 5 5000 cubic feet of water per second from overflow ing channel that was only big enough to carry 800 bic feet. And he has done it too, till now the big flow of water has dredged out the channel wide enough and deep enough to carry itself below the ground surface so it no longer presses on the levees.
 Ills most dangerous point was place where the river turned and cut away it's banks, the erosion carrying away his levees. At this place Mir. Russell built six different levees, one behind the other, so that as fast as the encroaching water cut away the ground on which one levee stood he would build another to take its place and hold back the flood. finally the bend at this point got SO great as to cause the river to almost double on itself for 300 feet, the two channels being only l50 feet apart and the bend ,500 around.
 Atthis point Mir. Russell then made ditch and turned tie river through it. getting a fall of 20 inches in l5O feet. This soon cut out an immense channel and is now carrying all the water and dredging out at a wonderful rate. Asa result of his success French lake is now dry land and can not be overfowed again. Mesquite lake can be very easily and cheaply drained by simply deepen ing the little ditch that has been dug from it to the channel of the Alamo. When this ditch was dug, the Alamo channel was so small and shallow the water would not flow, as the bottom of Mesquite lake was lowest.
 Now, however, with the success of Mir. Russell's work the great flood has dredged channel III the Alamo at least 20 feet deep. This will give such an outfaIl to the drainage ditch from Mes quite lake as to make it certain success.
 This will add about 15,OOO acres of first class land to the arable area of Im- perial Water Co. No. l. Land that ;s of the richest and will produce the big gest of crops. Great praise is due Mir. Russell for the ability with which he has handled the matter, and we suggest that the land owners benefited as A result of his vigilance tender him a champagne supper, and don't forget the Indians that done the work either.
 Peculiar DiSanDearaura