La Junta tribune., 1909-10-02
Otero Canal Must
Be Made Reliable


at most. II must be SO large that
every man may open his headgate as
soon as the water reaches it, and not
be compelled to shut down his head
gate SO that the water can reach the
lower end, and II must be SO large
that s,ery man will have an ample
head Of water. when the water is In
the river. Every man at the lower
end OF the canal must have as much
water as any man at the upper end.
II the canal is thus enlarged there
will never be any dissension between
those at the upper end Of the canal
and those at the lower end when the
water Is in the river to fill the canal
The Otero canal must be enlarged
and improved, the reservoir supply
Increased and the whole Otero irri-
acre Of land In the Otero Irrigation
district shall have an ample and re-
liable supply OF water; and II this
is done the farmers can garden and
truck as safely and as certainly as
those farmers at Rocky Ford who
are under the Catlin. Land under
the Catlin canal. near Rocky Ford. is
selling at from $500 to $500 per
acre.
Again. let us compare the Otero
canal with the Holbrook. The Hol-
brook canal was built at the same
time the Otero was built and its
priority is but one removed from
the Otero. Excepting last year.
there has been no failure under the
Holbrook canal for two reasons:
First, il is almost always in repair
for the water. and second, their water
right is~at the rate of two second
feet delivered at the lateral headgates
of the farmers. The Holt rook canal
carries 500 feet. is but thirty miles
long. comprises less than 10000 acres
and there Is An allowance OF twenty
per cent loss for evaporation and
seepage. The Otero canal carries but
$50 feet. is eighty miles long. COM
prises little less than $4,000 acres.
The Otero canal carries It's water
more than thirty-five miles-more
than the entire length of the Hol-
brook canal. before 1t delivers any
water. Now, II there is loss of
twenty per cent in the large. straight
and short Holbrook canal, what must
be the loss In the small. long. crooked
Otero canal. crossing creeks. arroyos
and draws with the leaks OF waste
gates. flood gates, shale and lime
stone beds! That there is such
waste In the Holbrook is evidenced
ty the fact that Mr.. Holbrook aud
twenty per cent In their sale to the
HolbroOk farmers. In selling them
800 feet he has thrown In i20 feet
for which the farmers do not pay one
cent.
II the Otero canal would carry 700
feet past Its waste gates, II would
not then be equal to the Holbrook
canal Notwithstanding a portion Of
the loss Of the Otero is compensated
by the seepage and waste Of the High
line. still I assert that the average
loss sustained by the Otero will be-
from thirty-five to forty per cent by
actual measurement. II you do not
think so. close the headgates and
test II. The early runs will bc much
greater and no run will be less.
The reservoir supply must be-
doubled and the draws and srroyos
must be siphoned when practicable
and all waste gates. crossings and
improvements made Of concrete and
Iron. This work should b. NO thor.
0ushly done ~ TO make the Otero
canal - reliable - any large canal
In the valley. The canal and the
entire system must bs made right
this time. We have thrown away
many thousands Of dollars In spor.
aAic repairs and improvements and
the farmers have suffered . yearly
loss Of . great many Thousands mere
until they have become impoverished
and many bankfupt. They make no
profit cannot borrow money on their
Anl aa1 eaaAoe Ell ths1e lAs4. With
two.thkds Of ths 3e.eee acres yet 70
bs pat u cultivation. unless the canal
u thus enlarged and improved and
Tie water supply doubled. ruin stares
the district In the face. Let the
cost b. what II may. the entire Otero
isrisAtioa system must b Improved
and RECONSTRUCTED 70 give absolute
assurance % Tie farmer Of IN sds-
q1ats aa1 certain suDpiy q water 70
insufe ~ growth q aay anl every
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