The copper era., 1909-07-08
SaIton Sea to be Gone in fl Years.

That the Salton sea probably vii
 have disappeared by 1925 is the pre-
 diction made by the United State!
 geological survey in report on the
 ground water of the Idaho region
 just published of which copies have
 been received.
 1 This, of course, is predicted on the
 supposition that the Colorado riveri is
 controlled and not allowed to flow
 unrestrained into the Imperial valley
 again.
 The chief effect of the Salton sea, it
 is stated. is to act as dam to prevent
 the escape of the waters stored under
 the Coachella valley. This may ap-
 pear peculiar, but it is explained at length in the report, which fills a
 pamphlet of more than 50 pages.
 About 400 wells have been obtained in that region, it is stated, some .qf them in an artesian area, while others have to be pumped.
 "The only source of the under ground waters of this region," says the report, lis the rainfall on the desert aud the surrounding noun 'alns. It has frequently been sug- gested that distant and less obvious sources might supply the waters that seem to irrig ltors within the Goa cheIla valley too abundant to be due entirely to run of from the desert ranges about them.
 "A similar opinion is commonly held in artestian areas, because pro- per value is not given to the inn portlnce of the time element in the accumulation of underground waters. The waters that are being developed in the C0achelll valley have slowly accumulated there throughout long period. The amount annually added to them IS but a smlll percentage of the total supply"
 Formerly, it is stated, these under ground waters percolated toward the Salton sink, which is 273 feet below sea leyel, and there came out on the surface and evaporated. Now the water which fills Salton sea tends to hold back this evaporation of the un- derground waters.
 The need of conservatism of these waters is emphasized, as the wells already show that the water level has been lowered. Many more wells may be developed, however, says the re- port, before the greatest untility is obtained, because much of the supply still must seep away into the sink. It says:
 'It is believed that while slow de- cline of artesian pressure will neces- sarily take place in the Indio basin. this decline need not be especially | harmful to the agricultural interests | of the valley for many years to come, even though twice the amount ot ! water now developed is procured.
 Ut is also believed that by proper of the waters now de- veloped in the future, several times the acreage at present under cultiva- ,ion in the valley may become produc- i've without too great drafts on the supply.
 Pumped waters will become in- important and will be relied upon more and more as the time passes. Abundant water for may be obtained at depths of 100 to POO or 300 feet, while much leeper wells must be bored to obtain m artesian supply. Furthermore, waters are used more care fully than artesian waters. Human nature cannot be trusted to value or to manage well that which costs little. Therefore, artesian waters will be wasted and pumped waters will be used with care in the same lrea. The cheapness of gasoline and crude oil and the efficiency of engines that utilize these fuels will make 5heir application to development continue"