Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1906-05-09
INFLUENCE or THE sAiroN snA ON CLIMATE. f
(Fsom Sunday c I,aiiy.)

Mucn uhS Deen WTltteu IhteIy cOn' corning the effect of tho diversion of the wstcrS from the Colorado river into the salton sink upon the climate of Arizona. Several articles have appear. cd in the newspapers tending to show that the large flow of water into the Salton sink has changed the climate of the southwest to an apprcciable extent. It is even asserted that, since the Sal ton sink became moderately full, the temperature of the air was greatly mo. dihcd, and the rainfall largely increas. ed thereby.
 In order to obtain more definite ih. formation relative to the supposed changes in the climatic coaditjons, . prominent resident of Ysvapai county addressed the chief of the weather bu. reau upon the subject as follows; "I nm kecnly interested in the probable prevailing weather in this section of Arizona, Yavapai county and vicinity, The past two years have been wet, pre-. ceded by several dry years. It is n. moPed that these rains are csused by the presence of the large lake formed In ths Sslton sea region of California, through the breaking of the largo and extensive dyke located at the intake of the Imperial Canal Co.,, and by which the entire flow of the Colorado river has forced its way into the salton sink several hundred feet below the river bed. If this is true, it would mean that the future years would be wet also. Of course, you are thoroughly familiar with all of the facts In the matter, and can give me more accurate information. shall be obliged for sn expression of your views upon this sIl important question" fsr
 In the reply to this cons,Ssnisssion, the chief of the weather bureau dwclls particularly upon the fallasy of the theory that . change ip the climate of the territory has resulted from the filling of the Salton sink. The views as embodied in the letter arc clear and comprehensive, and impsrt much vslyi able Information concerning the true causes of the aridity of this section. The letter is, in part, as follows;
 "The greatest difficulty in ascfibing the heavy rains that have been expcrl. enced in Arizona during the last two winters to the formation of m artificial lake in the salton sink lies in the fact that the rains came first, n fact that should be recalled by clear thinking people of the southwest. If my in formation is correct, the canal through which the original diversion of water was made was not finished until No vcmber, 1904. The phenomenally ly heavy rains in Arizona came In Janu ary, 1905, about month after the com plction of the canal, and several months beforc there was any semblance of q lake in the salton sink.
 "It was the floods caused by the heavy rains in Arizona and contiguous territory that destroyed the temporar, hcadworks of the canal, and tbevehy opened the way to . complete diversion of the waters of the Colorado and tho formation of the present lake.
 "The effect of this artificial body of water on the climate of the south west may be considered as practical, nil. It is true that the evaporation ot water from the lake surface will De much greater than from the desert that formerly occupied its bed, but in, th, absence of factors which produce con. densation, the increased amount of wa. ter vapor thrown into the air avails nothing 70 far ss rainfall is concerned It is not possible to eondense it 70 that