Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-09-03
der a very high degree of develop
ment."
Some Points Not Considered About
Water Supply.

Some Points Not Considered About
Water Supply.
This is well as far as it goes es
pecially the promise that eventually
each acre under irrigation will sup
port one person. Professor Newell
who allows for the entire water sup
ply of Arizona, does not take into
consideration the surplus water supply
Of New Mexico. A number of impor
tant projects are even now under con
sideration by private enterprises and
have gone beyond the initial stage
The Tularosa project for instance is
to reclaim 10000 acres; the Mimbres
project Is to reclaim 10000 acres;
bitches to be taken out of the San
Juan River, which has ample water
supply, are to reclaim an additional
10000 acres. According to the report
of the Commission Of Irrigation and
Water Rights, appointed under author.
ty of the New Mexico legislature and
of which p. e. Harroun, of Santa Fe.
was the engineer the water supply of
the lower Pecos Is sufficient to irrigate
| 100000 acres although according to
Professor Newell the three govern.
ment projects under construction in
that section will irrigate only $4,000
acres, nor does this take into consid-
Grafton the large area that can be IT.
rigated from artesian wells. Then
there is the White Rock Canon pro.
| ject which can furnish water for 100,-
900 acres. Nor is the Canadian water
shed with the Vermejo, the Cimarron,
| the Mora, the Ocate, and other streams
considered by Professor Newell. To
reproduce figures from the above
mentioned report of the Territorial
Commission of Irrigation, the follow
ing unused water supplies are avail.
able:
San Juan River systems $4,000
acres, without increasing present
ditch systems. However, there is
sufficient water in the San Juan and
tributaries to irrigate 100000 acres,
the normal flow being 1000 second
feet. although at food times this has
been known to be ten times as large.
The Chama and its tributaries has
an average flow of 1900 second feet,
enormously increased during food sea.
sons. The total irrigable area in this
district can be increased by $4,000
acres, according to the above report.
At present reservoir project is under
consideration in this district on the Ell
Rito.
In the Taos district there flows to
waste annually sufficient water to IT.
rigate $4,000 acres and if the food
waters could be stored, this area could
be increased another $4,000 acres.
In the Santa Fe district 10000 acres
could be brought under cultivation by
water storage on the Santa Cruz,
Tesuque, Santa Fe Galisteo, Tiieras
and other streams,
Heavy Floods in Jemez Reserve
Great Aid.
In the Jemez district, the floods are
unusually heavy and by water storage,
$1,000 acres could be reclaimed. In
the Puerco district, the Puerco at
times discharges $4,000 second feet
and on the Bluewater, in this district,
a reservoir is being constructed that
will reclaim $4,000 acres. The total
land tnat might be reclaimed by stor-
age, is 10000 acres. In the Black
Range district, the Mimbres project
promises to reclaim 10000 acres and
there are other streams along which
storage on small scale is feasible. In
this district $4,000 acres can be re-
claimed. In the Colorado district, fully
$4,000 acres can be reclaimed by stor.
age on the Gila. the San Francisco,
the Pescado, the Zuni, and other
streams. In this district, the govern
ment is building large reservoir for
the Zuni Indians at Black Rock, which
Mr.. Newell does not take into account
in eaumerating the government irri-
cation undertakings in New Mexico.
In the Canadian di trict, the discharge
of the Cimarron alone at times
amounts to 100000 second feet and
according to the report of the terri.
torial commission, fully 100000 acres
can be brought under irrigation by
storage on this stream, especially by
utilizing the splendid reservoir site In
the Mereno Valley on the Maxwell
Land Grant. On the Vermejo, 10000
acres more can be reached by irriga-
tion for which the water supply is
available. On the Mora River alone,
there are three fine reservoir sites
with a capacity of 10000 acre feet.
There are a number of other streams
with reservoir sites and ample water
supply at times Of food, to reclaim
thousands of additional acres. In the
Pecos region fully 100000 acres can be
reclaimed by storing the waters of this
river as we'll as of its tributaries. This
may not always be feasible, but GER
tainly eventually 100000, instead of
55, 900 acres as at present, will be
under irrigation canals in this sec.
tion. The Las Vegas, Urton, Hondo
and Carlsbad reclamation enterprises
are in this district
Then there are rivers like the Bo-
nko, the Ruidoso, the La Luz, the
Fl snal, the Nogal in Lincoln and
Ia no Counties, the artesian areas,
a large areas upon which pumping
Il Neasible for irrigation purposes, so
| II t altogether, at least one million
mi IRE acres must be added to the SIS.
0q) acres given by Professor Newell
aS available for irrigation by the
storage of food waters, artesian wells
amid Dumping With one nersOn per