Arizona republican., 1906-03-16
What the Beneficial Distribution of Floods
 Means to the AgricuIturist.

in a year reduces the irTie1t.ll sup ply to normal For many year Ehe farmers in the vicinity of Phoenix lad tC contend with an uncertain water supply for the purposes of IFrIgs tIrl- Sometimes an abundant local rainfall. coupled with winter flood watcr- il- sursd the raising of crops of graiG. fo- that product is harvested aatslr--tls- serious effects Of the summer st0-r1ee aIe felt. However. continuous riga tion and cultivation oF land to S=-a alive alfalfa fields or Jo nour-sh frtl- orclards demanded Couserv-ltil-- uf the water supply
 l Salt river pursues a JekyI and Hyde ! existence Dry. iJ Is a bed oT s1ul- ip flood. a mighty rush of tlrbid water. ] At some seasons of she year ic is "a river in name only. while iu the uuaI season it sweeps to ,he ocean yhro1sh the Gulf of California in a raging lnI often devastating torrent Even should canals be provided to withstand -h-s
 torrenual and spasmodic flow. tGe ! land could not properly absorb ta- water supplied Jo IL in such volume It was found by investigation ana l
 study Of the records of many years
 that water storage would not only control the foods so that they c1ull
 be used benvticiaIly ta iIrigaty -h-
 land but at the same cime property
 along the rivers cbdrsg would Rave
 general protection With rc=ervu-r
 conservation a regulation oI -hc u1u
 of the stream could be uaiatsiaeI.
 just eaouga beIu= let pass tor bench
 cial use at all times while iu cry seq sons the deIici-ac. could b. made rp by drawing Ipll Jl, stored suupsy-
 The people nt tle Salt River va-.--
 were in a position tu take imia-lllte
 advantage of the provisions of ln- nl- 1 rionai Irrigation law as SCOT as lt v-ls passed. For several years prelIsul--l--
 investigations Lad been carried uu Hy the United States Geological Surv-s- ] iu conjunction with tne local water storage commission appointed iu Mar copa county by authority Of am act rT
 the territorial i-gislature- Thesc la-
 vestigatipus showed the feasibility 1r ] water storage on Salt river iu rl-
 Tonto Basin and the engineers pointed out a most desirable natural dam site
 So it was that the officials uf .E-
 newly formed Reclamation S=rvics continued the work from the puiu- ts which it had been carried. the Eal-- tiOn of the secretary os the 5GteriCr
 was secured and the Salt river project was one of the first taken iu hand 50
 be built with government aid
 The conservation of the water sup ply assured, tle next step was Jo ac- QUire the distributing system. SD that the whole irrigation project might b-- operated with the least friction and the greatest economy of administrl-
 tion. There was great rejoicing ll
 tEe valley but a few days ago when the announcement came from Wash
 ington the canals are sold This news meant the end of dispute and
 litigation between farmers and canal company and the harmonious and eco nOmical distribution of water Better yet il meant the carrying out or Jl-
 promise Of the government officials as Q part of the Salt riVer project ta buliG a permanent concrete diversion dam near the ruined Arizona dam so that 1t would be able tO withstand future floods. Tn carrying out these plans.
 borings are now being made to md the most favorable location on beJ- rock for the foundations cr such -l dam. To afford temporary relief Unti the permanent diversion dam Is com
 pleted. an cNteusioa of the Ar.zon-t
 canal is being dug up-river to 30
 point where the big ditch may b=
 filled more readily
 once in the canal. the distribution of water for irrigation is complrl- lively simple. although 5t may need a little explanation for the benelJ pc
 Continued on page 10, 3rd column