La Junta tribune., 1911-02-18

V water supply by the otero
canal. Through breaks" says Geo.
A. kilgore, the Otero has wasted
four times as much water as II de-
liyered TO the land
Within the past three years the
Aeroblam OF making the canal secure
"a sainst the torrents that sweep down
the arroyos during the summer
months has engaged the attention Of
the landholdcrs, and while undertake
ing ID accomplish this purpose they
also combined their efforts to en-
large the canal 10 such an extent as
to enable them TO carry tremen-
dous supply OF water during the flood
season.
The changes now being made in
the Otero are 30 great AS TO amount
to revolution. From Fowler TO
Temps creek. distance by the
canal of about thirty-seven miles, two
dredges have been working for six
months and each is now about to
conclude its labors. having made the
ditch twenty feet wide on the bot.
tom and the Tanks eight feet high.
designed TO carry water to depth OF
at least six feet and in case OF
emergency even deeper. This sec
ton Of the canal will easily carry
hup ,nhir feet per SpcDud
From Temps creek east the wid-
ening has been done by teams. Scores
OF contractors have been working
hundreds OF teams all fall and win
ter at this work. which is now al
most completed.
There have been three arroyo cross
inss that have been exposed TO the
devastation Of summer floods. For
years floods have swept down Crook
ed arroyo. Anderson arroyo. or King
! arroyo and cut the canal In pieces
Just when water was needed and Just
wnen water was available. Often BY
the time repairs were made the flood
In the river have been gone and the
episode was like unto the locking Of
ye barn door after ye horse had been
stolen.
The renovation Of the OterO was
entrusted TO George Anderson. OF Den
yer. In charge OF the work as resi-.
dent engineer is ii. z. Mexican. The
pro lens ha been thought out by
these two an the work now nearly
completed will long be monument
10 their ability. Henceforth the
Otero canal will not only deliver all
the water taken into its headgate.
but also much OF the flood water
which formerly rioted through It's
banks.
Al Crooked arroyo. where the Otero
crosses II. has been constructed one
OF the most massive concrete struc-
lures In the county. \ spilldam 200
feet across. extending down 70 bed
rock. The water can fall over this
dam In u depth Of four feet with =
discharge OF At least 5000 cubic feet
per second. assuming that water fall
Ing sheer off dam falls only ten
feet per second. Just below this dam
set In u rock cut Is now being con
structed a check gate OF concrete and
steel which will take care OF an ad.
D ditlonal 5000 feet.
This work Is designed TO take care
OF tho floods that come down Crook.
ed arroyo every summer and also to
catch and carry of In the canal as
much water as II L. safe To take In.
by this means there will be many an
irrigation for the land lelow even
Whom there In no water for the canal
Ia the Arkansas river. such lrriga.
tons lasting sometimes AZ long as
forty.cight hours.
Just beyond Crooked arroyo TO the
cast lies Anderson arroyo which has
been almost N troublesome and with
fioods almost ~ great as those Of
Crooked arroyo. This stream In now
crossed by means Of = syphon eight
fest In diameter. $50 feet long and
the rains arc collected into the
canal proper BY means Of . ditch that
70 run up the arroyo 20 that the flood
waters VI this water shed will not
b. lost entirely BY the syphon but ~
much - tho canal can carry will b.
taken In and used on the lands lying
bsiow.
The grade Of the Otero canal y
slShtssa inchcs 70 the mile. In order
% draw the water away from the ~.
pAoa Installed at Anderson arroyA II
-. ~~.~ss~ A. rsse ss~ss~. 81. AtsS