Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-12-08
zUN| DAM TO Be
FINISHED SOON
Irrigation Engineer
J.B. Harper Tells
of Work.
IS TWO THIRDS COMPLETED
Will Reclaim 10000 Acres
of Rich Land.-.125 Men
Employed.

Work Is being pushed forward as
rapidly as possible in the construction
of the irrigation reservoir on the Zuni
Indian Reservation, forty-five miles
south of Gallup, in the western part
Of Mckinley County One hundred
and twenty-five men are employed and
already the big dam is about two
thirds completed. With favorable
weather during the winter months so
that there may be no serious Interrupt
tion it is expected that the impound-
ing basin will be ready for business
early next year The reservoir will
have a capacity of several billion gal
Ions of water and it is estimated that
ten thousand acres of low barren land
can be irrigated from it.
The foregoing information was
CLEANED in an interview with John B.
Harper of Durango, Colorado, the
government irrigation engineer who
has charge of the construction of
the Zuni reservoir. Mr.. Harper came
TO this city yesterday afternoon on
business mission, and was seen at
the hotel where he is stopping short
ly after arrival by reporter of the
New Mexican. He seemed pleased to
find that the weather here was mild
and springlike, but the blizzard that
swooped down over certain parts of
the southwest recently, was still fresh
in his mind.
"How are you getting along with
your work." Mr.. Harper was asked.
"All right" he replied. Everything
is satisfactory. The reservoir will be
finished some time next year but ii
positive statement as to just when is
impossible on account of the weather
conditions"
Eighty Per Cent Of Work on Big Dam
Has Been Done.
Mr.. Harper stated that about so per
cent Of the actual work has been done.
The reservoir covers an area of one
in the valley of the Zuni River. The
dam is 400 feet long and 81 feet high.
At the base 1t has width Of 800 feet
and gradually tapers until it is 20 feet
across at the top. The average depth
of the reservoir will be about As feet
and the maximum depth will be rs
feet.
The dam Is being constructed of
earth and rock filled in by hydraulic
pressure. The rear part of the mon
ster embankment is of rock, while the
front is of earth washed in hydraulic
ally and riprapped with eighteen
inches of stone to strengthen 1t
against wave action. A force of 125
men is now at work on the irrigation
project and a large number of teams
are utilized in hauling the dirt and
rock.
The Zumi Reservation at the present
time only has about one thousand
acres all told upon which crops are
being raised and this tillable land is
cut up into hundreds of small tracts.
The Indians now engaged in farming
are compelled to carry water in jugs
for several miles in some instances
with which to irrigate their little
farms and the crops raised are barely
enough. for them to eke out an exist
ence.
With the completion of the reser-
soir 10000 acres of now worthless
land will be reclaimed, and the work
of putting it under cultivation will be
commenced as soon as practicable 1t
is believed that under irrigation as
good crops can be raised on this area
as can be grown anywhere under sim
liar conditions.