El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-09
Some Facts and Figures Concerning
Deming and the Mimbres Valley
BY R. BEDICHEK, DBMING, N. N.

SHORT time ago the mayor Of
~ Deming, John Corbett, received q
L n request from L. NJ. Allen, passen-
ger traffic manager for the Rock Island
lines. for accurate information regard
ing irrigation possibilities in the MINI
bres valley. 1t seems that prominent
firm Of engineers Of New York had ap-
piled TO Mr.. Alien Tor the information
Mr. Corbett called in r. H. Case, an
engineer with wide acquaintance &Iu
experience in irrigation, and asked MN
to canvass the situation thoroughly ana
prepare a statement for Mr.. Allen me
statement which Mr.. Case prepared IS
valuable as giving the unbiased Juos-
ment Of a capable engineer OF the SIT
uation in this valley, and also as CIV
ing many detailed facts not heretofore
published. The statement is as fOloWs-
The Mimbres valley is a bolson plain
or pocket plain, a geologic type when
is found frequently in the soutnW est
1t has no drainage outlet, All the wa
ter that falls upon its water shed IS re-
tanned in the subterranean strata OF the
valley. The Mimbres river proper mas a
watershed of about 1900 square miles II
is a perennial stream TO Where II 4edNSs
its narrow mountain valley, and enters
the open level stretch of country known
as the Lower Mimbres valley the area
Of which is some 100000 acres
Mimbres Water.
On leaving its mountain valley some
y
ter sinks, finding its way into the IN
foreground water system OF the AlluNlaI
and colluvial deposit winch MS the
valley proper o..
August the dry channel carries the
flood waters escaping the sink. ana
also the flood waters draining into II
&c 1nOQB 10 90uBlsIp E Tuls sQ+ MOtSq
miles southeast from its point OF exit
distributing these flood waters alsO
into the underground strata
No lake exists at the end OF ms ms
dry water bed and what WateE Is ~. III
lost by evaporation and aDsoIplloH
along its banks finds its way also INTO
the Underground system. s
The river at its sink has been gageu
through a period Of years ana so ~
100000 acre feet of water pour INTO tne
sink at this point annually. IN a sId
ton to this it is estimated tnat z0U,
600 acre feet are added from that part
Of the catchment area known as INC
BurrO mountains watershed
The Valley Soil.
The valley fill consists OF, 1lrst son
from five to so feet deep, then allsInatS
layers of clay and gravel me lo9s $3.50 ~
100 wells from $50 to 200 feet IN oeptn
showing gravel strata varying IN
thickness from five to so feet and rom rom
two to 10 stratas occurring Wlthlh tAa1
depth 80. 49,
surface, varies from 10 to LOO reeI lheIe
being an area of probably IZ9fUVU acIes
on which the pumping lit Tor WelIs Oh
from 500 to 1900 gallons capaclly per
minute will range from 80 to 80 IeeI-
OF this $4,000 acres, probably not
more than 1000 acres are under c9llI'a-
ton now That area will probably De
doubled next year, and II is not unlike
ly that 5000 acres will have been re-
claimed by the close Of 1872.
The agricultural history OF this val
ley began in 1908, when the first irrl-
eating we'll and pumping plant was IN
stalled Prior to that year IT was
strictly a cattle country and us thOu-
sands of acres of grass ana mesquite
land afforded range for numerous cat
tie. Deming at one time being one OF
the principal shipping points FOR cattle
in the southwest.
Farmers Advent.
The advent of the farmer was hardly
appreciated. Considerable doubt eX-
listed as to the success Of agriculture
but land was being rapidly taken up
In 1909 a Californian who for several
years had been manager Of the Cudany
ranch in South Los Angeles, visited this
valley, saw the one pumping plant, then
in opera ton. delivering 1000 gallons per
minute, and Immediately realized the
possibilities.
This man. who had had some 10
years experience in pumping water
for irrigation in California, lnStaaea
plant of 1850 gallons and the com
mercial possibility Of agriculture was
definitely determined.
Following his example, others tried
the socalled experiment and made good,
the result being that today probably
100000 acres Of the available land here
has been filed on, and there are in OPP
Grafton some $50 pumping plants frri-
eating approximately 1000 acres OF
what was considered three years ago
land fit for grazing only.
Land Values Increase.
The agricultural value of this valley