Imperial Valley press., 1910-06-25
THE MENACE OF THE RIVER

the gulf.
 Volcano lake twenty miles the point the leaves its old bed and fifty feet lower The grade of the river is twentyfour feet twenty miles, The wntsx feet of fall causing cutgbac of the channel that manifests itself at the surface in shifting rifles marking the progress of of grade rapidly the recession work back and what depth the channel at given point cannot be guessed pausby it known only that the recession progress and is lowering the bed of the channel above the Bee river break. #
 The Reclamation Service survey of the river surface from Yuma the Mexican line and has found that in the last miles the grade enths of foot the mile than the normal showing aceeration of and indicating securing of the bed That s the first step of has worked stream to within ten miles of the intake.
 should not be- and probably not necessary to explain Imperial Valley settler the significance of the facts stated The full securing effect of this flood will be revealed when the river reaches it's lowest Last year the recession of grade remaining the stage the foot of the apron of Laguna dam This year the maximum discharge the Colorado than half that of last the overflow through Bee river kept out of the valley and the New River gorge by hastily-built evee in Mexico
 Engineers of the Reclamation Service profess be con dent that Laguna dam be defended against possible recession from Bee river this Other engineers do not share that confidence All agree however that if the Bee river break left during another flood all irrigation systems in the Colorado desert region be ruined flood like that of 1909 when the discharge exceeded 1500O second feet twothrds of that food certainly would overflow into New River not checked and destroy the canal systems of Imperial and Yuma valleys by lowering of the river bed.
 It is easily possible to avert shortage of water this by dredging from the Imperial Valley intake the sit that
  by advancing to for dredging They may get their money back Talk of calling the bluff of railroad withholding aid asked by the Receiver is strous It costs something to ca" bluffs Do the farmers throw their cotton into the show that they not to be "bued into stirring finger to help themselves for once?
 Putting the Colorado into it's old channel keeping big job upon settlers It is dis nc the business and the duty of the United States
 ent to take of river that preends is navgable stream under control of the War Department proper of large body of citizens and to make possible the millions of of the public domain
 In the Committee of Nine appointed by the mutual companies the settlers of Imperial Valley have representative body through which they the matter the govern ment and their demand for protection and that committee entitled to the hearty encouragement support every citizen until shall prove itself to be inefficient unworthy of confidence Snappng and snarng the heels of mittee before has had opportunity to show it's quality vicious folly So ar the committee has acted promptly vgo rousy with judgement with regard good and the only to make it's work effective to the loyal support and solid backing of the community 4
 Imperial Valley is confronted by condition as critical as any that has known and it's people will meet the ener with the courage and calm good that have characterized hem and they will solve the problem pre- sented to them The settlers of this valley stan eded by troube they used to and in the habit coming it.
 It is to be regretted that the settlers of valley have not joined in the work of procuring attention problem but that because they situation and cannot believe that they any danger Imperial Valley will have to work for both and her neghbor herself.
 There is possibility arousng the government to action but should efforts that direction prove fruess or but partly successful must look the Southern Pacific aid in the crisis The Southern Pacific the only other fuyequpped capable of handling the case it believed that would refuse absolutely and finally to throw its forces into the breach and sacrifice millions of it's interests work and take pay in promises that Congress not honest enough to redeem.