Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-09-03
DESERT TO BLOOM
LIKE GARDEN
Irrigation Possibil-
tiles in New
Mexico.
WATERS sTAATFLOWT0WASTE
Expert Says That Each Acre
Will Support One
Person.

VIII OuPPoil ShC
Person.
F. H. Newell, chief engineer Of th'
United States Reclamation Service
in recent letter to Delegate w. H
Andrews, gives resume of the irri
cation possibilities in New Mexico
and Arizona. There IS probably nj
man better posted upon the wate
supply and upon the location of feas
ible reservoir sites and the technica
knowledge of reclamation problem:
than Mr.. Newell, and New Mexico ha!
in him a staunch friend whose enthus
iasm for irrigation and irrigation en-
terprises needs no advertising. 1t i
strange therefore, that he should lin
it the future acreage under irrigation
in New Mexico to $4,000 acres, while
he indicates the maximum area tha
can be possibly irrigated in Arizona
TO 100000 acres. To so into detail
Professor Newell says.
"The Reclamation Service has un
der consideration number of pro
jects in Arizona, upon two OF whicl
actual construction Is now well ad
vanced They are the Salt River pro
ject, which will supplement and ren
der certain water supply for up
wards of 100000 acres, much of which
has already been partially irrigated
and the Yuma project, which will ir
rigate upwards of 10000 acres. In
addition general examination has
been made of projects on the Colorado
River, which may reclaim 100000
acres; on the Little Colorado, $4,000
acres; upper Gila, 10000 acres; anG
San Pedro, 10000 acres. Recent in
vestigatons indicate the possibility
of extending irrigation in the plateau
region of the north and elsewhere by
pumping to cover approximately 100,
600 acres more. These figures are, oil
course, very general and are quite
optimistic, it being assumed that
many unknown conditions will upon
further investigation be found to be
favorable. 1t is believed to be within
the range of possibilities, If not o.
probabilities, that in the next genera
ton there can be brought under irri
CATION in Arizona total of ovel
100000 acres, or three times as much
land as is now irrigated in that Ter
ritory." 1t must be observed, however
that this area is not scattered ovel
the entire territory but consists ol
several large areas massed together
1t must also be added that dry farm
ing never will and cannot be a sue
cess in Arizona on account of the
sparse rainfall and the rapid evapora
ton of moisture.
TO Double Present irrigated Acreage
in New Mexico.
Speaking of New Mexico, Profes
sor Newell says:
"In New Mexico the reclamation
projects now under construction are
the Hondo, to cover 10000 acres; the
Carlsbad, $4,000 acres, and the Rie
Grande, where 1t is hoped, by storing
the entire flow of the river to pro
vide water suffiient for 100000 acres
of which $4,000 acres will be in the
Republic of Mexico, and an equal OF
greater amount in the state of Texas
leaving, say 10000 acres to be irri
gated in New Mexico. This is believed
to be the limit of the water supply
of the river, if all of the floods are
stored. In addition, general examina
tions have been made of the Urtor
Lake project to irrigate $4,000 acres
of the La Plata project 10000 acres
and at Las Vegas 10000 acres. BY
the extension of the present systems
the development of storage, and the
construction of new works in the
north and northeastern parts of the
Territory, together with the develop
ment of underground waters by pump
ing, it is believed that another 100,
600 acres can eventually be added
This will bring the future total acre
age in New Mexico up to nearly SIS,
900 acres, or about double the pres
ent irrigated acreage"
Professor Newell further modifies
his estimates by saying:
Comparisons of present irrigated
lands with the areas to be reclaimed
under the reclamation act should BIZ
made with careful qualifications. The
areas now reported as irrigated are
in most cases dependent upon pre-
camous water supply and the lands
produce only portion of the products
which might be grown with complete
supply. Under the projects construct
ed under the terms of the Reclama
tion Act an ample water supply vii
be available, making is possible TO
a larger number of persons to obtail
a satisfactory living upon correspond
ing areas. All of the lands irrigate,
under the Reclamation Act will b
disposed of in small farm units, thu
materially increasing the number o
families. There are in the NOR
densely parts of the said states Ii
calities where the irrigated land sur
ports a person to the acre, and 1t ma
be assumed that under good cond
tions there will ultimately be in Ar
zona and New Mexico an aggregat
population residing or dependent upo