Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-10-11
CREATEsNEWLAKE
Diverted Waters Of the Colorado
River Still Flow Into the
SaIton Sea.
MAY CAUSE COMPLICATIONS
International Friction May Occur
When United States and Mexico
Seek to Fix Responsibility for
Flooding of Great Valley.

Washington, Oct. 10.--Who Is respon-
sible for the creation Of the Salton Sea
in Southern California, which already
covers an area of 400 square miles and
threatens to spread over 1000 square
miles II some means Of diverting the
Colorado river cannot be devised.
This question is perplexing Mexican
and American diplomatists, but for
the time being diplomatic representa-
lions have been suspended and both
the United States and Mexico are
bending every effort to check the river
which has been accidentlly turned
from its course through the efforts Of
the California Development company
to irrigate lands in Northern Mexico
and Southern California.
Interesting complications Of an In
ternational nature are threatened
when the two governments attempt to
settle their differences and make
good the damage which has been
wrought by diverting the Colorado
from its old channel. The California
Development company originally
tapped the river below Yuma, Ariz.,
and carried water from Arizona
through a canal into Northern Mexico
and back into a great valley in
Southern California. In 1904, 1t was
found that this canal was inadequate
cation project and Mexican corpora
to supply water required for the irri-
ton, controlled by the California
Development company was authorized
by Mexico to take water from the
Colorado in Mexico, a short distance
south Of Yuma. The irrigation canal
was only one-fourth Of mile from
the river at the point In Mexico where
a ditch was cut through the sandy
bank Of the river connecting with the
great irrigation canal. No gates were
provided and with the high water Of
1905 the Colorado river was diverted
from its channel, cut away Its bank,
and went raging into the lowlands in
California far below sea level. Re-
peated attempts have been made to
turn the river back into its old
channel, but without success.
Again and again, the Southern Pa
cific railroad has been compelled to
move Its tracks which ran through |
the Salton Sink and have been forced
onto the foothills surrounding the
great basin which is being converted
into sea. Several small towns are
now beneath the waters which the
Colorado has poured into the basin
and in many places only the tops Of |
the railway telegraph poles indicate
where the roadbed formerly was. In
the lowest part of the sink the water
is now 10 feet deep. For time the
water from the Colorado raised the
sea at the rate of six inches q day
and 1t has been estimated that grant,
Ing the failure Of engineers to check
the river in 40 years, all the basin
located beneath the main course of
the Colorado will be covered with
water. A part Of this basin is in
Mexico and the failure to control the
river would give this country and
Mexico lake comparable to the Great
Lakes separating the United States
md Canada. At present the lake is
greater than any body Of water wholly
within the United States except Salt
Lake and Lake Michigan.