The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-09-15

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de Bremond, W. E. Bowen and w.
C. Reid for the legislative committee.
This report was accepted, and the
meeting adjourned.
First Annual Report of the Secretary
of the Water Users Protective AS
sociation of Roswell, N. M.
| AS Secretary of the Water Users
Protective Association of Roswell,
beg leave to submit this, the first
annual report. We now have about
40 members, who are nearly all
farmers. Our association is striving
to help the Valley in every way it
of water.
In organizing a year ago it was
realized that we needed to look out
| for our greatest resource-water.
And we realized that if there were
ways of protecting it we should know
them so that we might take the nee
essary steps before it was too late.
AS Secretary since the last of Oc-
tober, 1907, l have made over 4,20O
inspections of wells, bitches and riv-
ers, keeping as close watch of water
conditions as possible. These inspec-
tions, with the exception of those
made within the limits of the city
of Roswell, are all entered on the
Association records and are found
under the owners names. These rec
ords are open for the inspection and
benefit of any who wish to see them.
Prior to March 1 saw nearly all the
wells outside of Roswell at least
twice each month in townships 10,
IL and IL South. Then in March at
our semi-annual meeting the district
of the Association was extended to
take in all Chaves county, and since
then l have tried to see them all at
least once a month to learn what
the water conditions were and how
the water was being used. 1 nave en-
deavored to secure cooperation in
perpetuating the water supply.
The people have realized as never
before the need of making the very
best use of the water, and most peo-
pie have done well with what they
have had. 1t is hard for those who
nave a super-abundance of water not
to use more than is necessary.
In many artesian districts, where
the water shows signs of failing, it
keeps diminishing until the supply
is exhausted. We have in this valley
a different artesian district, because
we always have water coming into
our artesian basin. This was proved
by the pressures last winter, which
after being lower in the summer than
ever before, came up to the maximum
after the wells were closed at the
end of the irrigating season. This has
been proved this summer in seeing
the pressures rise when we have had
local showers.
Our preSsures are stronger this
month than they have been since last
March, and by December 1 think the
wells will again reach their maximum
pressure.
We, who were watching conditions
carefully, saw the pressure of the
artesian wells decrease from the
time they began to be used in Feb
ruary until the first of July, when
we had rain and the wells were shut
of.
What caused the decrease, and why
was it more in some places than in
others? First, this gradual decrease
of pressure seemed to be due to the
fact of the water being drawn of
faster than it came into the strata
of the vicinity.
Second. In districts where the
wells are large and the number of
them allows of much water being ta-
ken from the wells, the pressures
and flows decrease the most.
Our artesian water is supplied by
a sheet of water passing through
lhoney-combed rock. In some places
the water is struck in close forma-
ton of rock, that is, rock having
small pores, thereby causing small
| flow. The strata Of this rock may be
thick or thin, the thick strata OF
course affording more water than a
thin one, and the pressure may be
much or little. In other places the
pores are very open, and when a
wen taps one of these the flow is
large and the water comes gushing
out at the surface If there is any
pressure at all; but increased press
ure increases the flow. II this we'll
a big one-is on the edge of the ar
Iltesian we'll helt and there are mauy