Semi-weekly herald., 1909-07-12

water annually, or water sufficient tol
cover 2,00O,0V0 acres of land foot
deep with water each year very
small portion of this water is now
being diverted for irrigation. The San
Juan is the combined flow OF eigh-
Teen perennial streams and is fed dur
ing freshets by innumerable dry ar
royas"
The Animas river is the combined
flow of fourteen perennial streams,
drains an area of more than ioop
square miles at and above an altitude
of 5000 feet and its annual delivery
of water at its junction with the San
Juan is about 100000 acre feet.
The La Plata river drains the La
Plata mountain region in southwest
ern Colorado, the mountains rising TO
an altitude of 1900 feet. Its drainage
basin is Approximately 300 square
miles and its annual delivery OF water
irto the San Juan averages 100000
acre feet.
San Juan CouHty.
During the rainy season the dram
age basin of the Pump, Gobernador
Largo Gallegos and Chusca canyons
and arroyas furnish enormous quaint
lies of water.
The total delivery of water of the
San Juan river at the point where 1t
flows out of San Juan county is about
| 5,725,0oO acre feet in 1906 says the
T. S. G. S. report, or as has been said'
sufficient TO inundate the entire coun'
ty a foot and a half deep each year.
With such water supply 1t is
easily\s seen that the farming districts
OF San Juan county are more favor
ed than perhaps any other irrigated
districts in the United States.
\ San Juan county has as much wa
ter as all the balance of New Mexico
combined according TO records in the
territorial engineers Office
Irrigation and lrrisabIe Lands.
/ II is a well established fact that
the richest and most productive lands
! in the world are those which are ar
tiflcially watered, or irrigated. This
is being proven true in the United
States, where an acre of. irrigated
land is being made to produce, by IN
tense cultivation, more toward the
wealth and food supply of the nation
than ten acres farmed by the natural
method. The first cost is. greater
but the reward is certain and abun
dant crop: an utter independence OF
weather conditions, the source of sc
much worry TO the average farmer in
the middle states, and an ineXhausti
bic soil. since the soil is being con
stantly enriched by the deposits of Silt
suspended in the water which is pour
ed over the land. Irrigation, however
means small farm and intense cul
acre farms in San Juan county and
some even larger, the most success
full farmers and fruit growers are
those who contine their attention tc
the thorough cultivation of a smaller
tract Forty acres of land. we'll cared
for will yield a net return Of from $5l
to 5000 an acre each year. A ten
acre tract of bearing orchard well
cared for, will keep one man busy
and yield him an Independent income
If he chooses to make himself an ex
| rri m ht,c
ness he will become moderately rich
Irrigation in its larger phases, pre-
sents its problems in San Juan coun
ty as it has done and Is doing ir
every irrigated district in the world
These problems are now engaging the
attention of experts. Some of then
have been solved and others will be
before many months have passed. Be
cause of Typographical conditions the
waters of the San Juan river cannot
be easily or cheaply diverted upon ad
iacent lands, above an elevation OF
500 feet. On the other hand the
Pine, the La Plata and particularly
the Animas river can each he diverted
in Colorado above the 6,OOO foot ele
walton. carrying sufficient water to
successfully irrigate the higher lands
of the county. 1t will be readily seen
by reference to the United States top
ographical charts, that about half the
area OF the county lies below the
grade lines of the high line canals
surveys of which have been made
and which have been pronounced prac.
ticable.' OF this area. fully million
and half acres are irrigable and sub.
ieet to cultivation, the remainder he.
ing waste lands.
NEW FOREST ASSIST