The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1909-11-06

~ u CldN duQ GdR6Dl6 III GOlHUlGuEIy III
~structing n surface waters even in
times of the heaviest rainfall. This
valley vas evidently excavated by a
stream. k the other valleys which
cross the Great Plains; through 1t
passes a channel obviously made AID
at n time occupied by a stream; in
il are found terraces with perfectly
developed potholes and other eatures
produced by running water. Today
no stream flows through this valley
nor has any flowed through II since
the formation of the natural dams.
The erosive processes now going on
could never produce the existing ply
geographic features. The tributaries
of me Pecos are at present actively
e~ncroaching on the Portales Valley
and 1t seems probable that rroya
wnicn once discharged through the
valley have been diverted by some
agency so that they now drain into
the Pecos. This may account. at least
in part. for the disappearance of v e
an intermittent stream in the Portal
es Valley. Since the stream has van-
ished the salt basins have been exca-
waited TO the ground-water level and
the clay dams rave beer thrown up
chiefly through the action OF the wind
which is prevailingly from the west.
Possibility of Obtaining Water.
Certain conditions existing in this
valley are peculiarly favorable to the
recovery of the underground water.
Porous materials lie neal the surface
and are underlain by inpervious
clays. In the lowest portion OF the
valley these porous materials are sat
urated with water nearly to the top.
and this water is freely given UP to
shallow inexpensive wells and can be
lifted to the surface at relatively
s:nal cost. Moreover, the drainage
in the past and the underfiow at pres
ent hav largely prevented the ccu
mutation of alkalies in the sofia diff
ficulty commonly encountered in the
shallow-water districts of arid reg
ions. Although there is an excess of
alkalies in he immediate vicinity of
the salt basins. o of the soil In the
s~hallow-water belt is of excellent
quality. A further advantage lies in
the regular topography which makes
il easy to lead the water over the
land.
A consideration of all the factors
involved points to the conclusion nat
under favorable conditions water can
.be profitably pumped for irrigation,
nut that where the water is at consid-
erabie depth. where the power is eX-
p~ensive or is w~astefully applied. o.
where any other conditions are unfav-
orable the expense of pumping may
DE greater than the value of the crops
that can he grown with h water.
In a test mad at POrtaleS a wei 90
feet deep was pumped at the rate of
$50 gallons a minut by means of a
centrifugal pump operated by a gaso-
line engine. The water here normal
ly a 16l@ feet below the surface
hut pumping lowered IT to 2S feet. In
his test a quantity of gasoline cost
ing approximately $3.50 was consu-n-
ed i'm bringing to the surface one
acre foot of water-that is enough VII
ter to cover an acre to a depth of a
foot. This was a fair test for al or
binary small pumping plant but with
the most economical machinery and
fuel the cost could perhaps be mater
ALLY reduced.
Valleys Water Supply Limited.
A popular opinion prevails tiat the
supply of underground water is mex
haus5 ible. hut this belief is erroneous.
The quantity of water now stored in
the ground is sufficient 10 irrigate
thoroughly the entire valley for only
a few years. Moreover. the removal
of any considerable portion of this un-
derground store will lower the water
level to such an extent that the cost
of pumping will become a formidable
TO the utilization of the re-
naming portion.
A wise and f~ar-sigated policy will
look. not to the rapid exploitation of
the water now stored in the eartl. but
rather to the ~ecover and use each
year of the annual Increment to his
store without seriously depicting the
present supply or greatly lowering the
present water level. The crucial
questions. therefore. are. Wat are
the Ultimate sources of the unsier-
ground water?" and How much wa
ter is contributed Zach year to the I'M
derground reservoir"
The source of the water of the Por-
tales Valley is the precipitation that
falls in the valley and upon the ada
cent high plains. which drain into the
valley through the surface channels
or Subterranean passages. n preci-
pitaiion of light showers may all eva
porate but an important. though in
determi1ate portion of the moisture
of the heavier rains collects and per
colates through the porous soil of the
ground water. level. No water reach
es the Portales Valley from the noun
tains nor from any of the high area
west of Pecos. There is no run-off
from the valley blu a certain amount
of loss results from underfiow and
from evaporation in the salt basins.
The factors involved in the problems
are so complicated that the net
amount of water annually available
can be estimated only in the most
general manner; but IL Is safe to ex-
pect that this amount 1t at least TO-,
900 acre feet. More probably 1t will
be found to be several ter Of thou
sands of acre-feet, which advantage
ously used. should add a good many
hundred thousand dollars annually to
the value of the products of the soil.
This resource should be developed.