Arizona republican., 1908-04-01
BENEFITS OF WATER STORAGE.

In order to fully appreciate the bene- fits of water storage, especially as it applies to the Salt River valley in the project now being worked out by the United States Reclamation service. 1t may be well first to consider condi- tfons as they existed for many years in outline of local history of irrigation before government supervision was exercised.
 First came a few farmers, banding together for their own convenience and economy of work and digging a com rnunity'' ditch. as it might be called, to supply their respective farms. With only a few concerned 1t was compara- lively easy to regulate and divide the flow of water and administer to the needs of a small acreage. Came oth- CT settlers and the ditch was extended to this quarter section and 10 that. and mile after mile added until It at- tained almost the dignity of a canal, as 1t was gradually widened and deepened to meet the increased needs of its patrons. Came other settlers and now a new ditch is cut into the river further upstream and running parallel but at considerable distance from the first. in order to supply a strip of land between the two further away from the river. Again and yet again Is this repeated. Meanwhile the original ditch constructors have organ ized themselves into company of which the shares are made to repre- sent the right to a certain amount Of Water--luite different to the more modern method of diluting the stock with water Finally comes canal company. opening its ditch. of river capacity. far upstream and extending 1t for miles along the confines Of the valley in order to supply thousands of acres for which it win sell water rights.
 So long as there is enough water in the river 10 supply all the canals, there is little trouble; but time of shortage arrives Then, as the river falls. dams must be thrown across to check Its flow a16 turn the water into the nu- merouS. canals. In most cases these dams are but temporary affairs of brush and rock and are liable to be carried away by the first high water following heavy rains in the moun- tains or the melting of snow on the water shed. Multiplication of head ings to supply the canals and the in crease in the number of water users bring disputes and later litigation. The more recent claimants of share in the rivers flow for the purpose of irrigation. have their canal headings furthest upstream and are in conse- quence in a position to first take out the water, although it may be claimed for the land supplied by canal many miles below. Some advantage is taken of the power possibilities by putting in electric generators. although or comparative small capacity. at the slight falls ;n the canals. So much for the past. What of the present and future.
 Although second to be started. the C~arite Reef dam will be the first to reach completion of the main struc- lures in the Salt River Projects for the storage and distribution of water for irrigation. From 1t the farmers who have pledged their lands to re- pay the cost of the irrigation scheme will receive their first direct benefit This is not taking into account the dam at the intake of the power canal. twenty miles above Roosevelt. which was completed many months ago and has been in operation since to furnish power for construction work. The Granite Reef dam is a diversion dam pure and simple. While it will back up" a considerable body of water in the river, probably quarter of mile wide. mile long and about six feet deap. 1t will not store any but simply turn what is flowing in the river into the main canals on either side of the stream for distribution through their various branches.
 The benefits of this dam, which will commence to be received in few months. are first its permanency Built of solid concrete and founded on bed rock, it may be depended upon to withstand the assaults of walls of flood waters such as have in the past damaged or carried away every other dam set in the river whether of brush. rock. or timber. Then. too. instead of checking only the surface flow. 1t will stop all the water in the river bed. allowing none to filter away through the deep sands of the channel as has been the case with the open-work dams of the past Another feature of benefit is the enduring character Of the head-gates and wasteways con nected with this dam. Water only up to the carrying capacity of the canals win be turned through the gates. the remaindn~ running down stream instead Of crowding~ tie banks of the canals to overflowlng, with consequent damage and possible loss of the whole flow by serious breaks in the banks. Settling basins will be provided so that the water which enters the canals will be in q measure strained and much less silt and rubbish will be deposited along laterals and ditches to be subsequently,