The Parker post., 1911-12-16
COLORADO RIVER
RESEMBLES NILE
A region of Vat Economic and Inter
national mportance-Area Is About
100000 Square MIes-Dischsree
:: 100000 Acre Feet.

in the world than the Colorado. In
dIstrially, scenically, and geologically
it presents more diverse conditions
than any other stream in the United
States. From the crest of the Rocky
Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming
it sweeps across the intervening coun
try, traversing parts of Utah, New
Mexico, Arizona and Nevada, to the
head of the Gulf of California, the
area drained being about 100000
square miles. In the Rocky Mountain
region it flows through region cov-
cred by eternal SHOWS and waters
some of the most fertile and valuable
agricultural lands in the world in
western Colorado, northwestern New
Mexico, and eastern Utah. 1t ira
verses the famous Grand Canyon of
the Colorado in the northern part of
Arizona, and finally passes over the
broad, flat plains above the head of
Gulf Of California In this lower
most por ion the river strongly re-
sembles the Nile, having floods
which distribute silt over the adjoin-
ing lands and render them as fertile as
those in the historic valley of north
Africa. The Colorado and it's tribu-
taries have other values than that of
irrigation, for, descending In steep
channels, they present abundant op-
portunities for the development of
water power. Power has been de-
veloped at few points, but the re-
sources of the Colorado basin are in
this respect yet practically untouched.
To Prevent Disa strous Inundation.
In basin so literally provided with
natural resources it Is fundamental
necessity, in planning for the utihza-
lion Of the river, to ascertain the
amount Of water available in the tnaifl
soream and it's principal tributaries,
so that future developments, as we'll
as those now under construction, can
DE suitably designed i'm type and ca
oacity. For long period of years the
United States Geological survey has
been making observations and meas
lrements of many impor ant points in
the Colorado basin, and the late,yt
published information on the subject
is contained in Water-Supply-Pape
2o9 of 5he Survey, which is a prog
reas report of river-flow measurement
in this basin for the year 1909. In thi5
report are recorded observations at
l79 sta ions, covering Grand River and
tributaries in Colorado; Green River
and tributaries in Utah, Colorado and
Wyoming; the San Juan basin I'm
northwestern New Mexico; the Little
Colorado River basin in Colorado; ;the
Gila River basin in Arizona; and fl
nally the discharge near the mouth Of
the main stream at Yuma ,Ariz. These
records are not only of local value
for guiding economic development, but
they have an international Significance
in connection with the difficulties that
have been encountered in the control
Of the Colorado near its mouth in
Mexican territory. The escape Of the
river from its regular channel AMI
it's diversion into the Salton Sea
matters of recent history, and tt
consequences of diversion of this
kind, which promise to inundate some
of the most f-rtile country in southern
California, have been discussed i'm the
public press.
Importance of Controlling River.
The control of the Colorado for the
prevention of further outbreaks must
involve thorough knowledge of the
tributary flow, even in the high
regions Of it's headwaters, in Colorado,
and the ultimate steps taken to pre-
vent disastrous inundation will in all
probability involve the control Of
these upland tributaries.
The size of Colorado river Is indi-
Gated by its total discharge in the
year 1909, which was $4,000, 900 acre
feet,or enough water to cover that
number of acres to depth Of l foot
Such an amount of water, if poured
upon Manhattan Borough Of the city
of New York and confined by retain
ing walls, would bury the city 1857
feet deep, or it would make a lake 66
feet deep over the state of Delaware
A copy of ater-Supply-Paper 269
may be obtained on application to the
Director of the Geological Survey, a.
Wa Sh inort0n n n