The Parker post., 1911-09-09
COLORADO DESERT
TO FEED MILLIONS
George Wharton James, Well Known
Magazine Writer, Forecasts Bright
Future For Colorado River Coun.
try.
By George Wharton James, in Twen
tieth Century Magazine.
CONTINUED from Last Week. }

The following description of the
valley is from the pen of an expert,
Professor Ralph e. Smith, the plant
patholOgist of the California Agricul
tural College.
The Chucawalla consists of large,
natural basin forty-two miles long,
with an average width of twelve
miles, slOping toward the center from
all directions, and is situated directly
west of the Palo Verde Valley and
Mesa, connecting with the latter
through the broad gap lying between
the Ironwood and Palo Verde Noun
tains. This country forms part of
the Palo Verde region and whatever
may be said of the mesa land of the
latter applies, equally as well to the
Chucawalla. Let me say at the out
set that in this whole region Of the
Palo Verde and Chucawalla, which is
practically one, we have, in mind.
what may be called a second Impe-
Importance and general nature of this
part of the state are concerned
More than this, however, the region
under discussion may fairly be said
to have all the advantages of the I'm
perial Valley together with others
which the latter does not have
The climate of this region is simi-
lar in a general way to that of Impe-
rial, Yuma and Phoenix The sum-
mer is hot, but not depressing, while
for eight months in the year the eli
mate is as near an ideal one as could
possibly be found The hot summer
stimulates the growth of all vegeta-
bles to remarkable extent, while
the winters are mild and practically
frostless, thus allowing the produc
tion of great variety Of crops.
There is very little rain, but almost
continual sunshine throughout the
year.
| We find the soil of the Chucawalla
region to be a most excellent one,
except in certain small areas where
the washes have brought down con
siderable rock and gravel The main
body of soil consists of fine, rich
sediment, intermixed with considera-
BILE sand and small pebbles. This is
an ideal combination, the silt giving
body and substance to the soil, while
the coarser material makes it porous,
we'll drained, easy of irrigation and
cultivation and free from all danger
of baking and hardening The soil
is deep and free from the slightest
indication of alkali or other injurious
substances In the main body of the
country the ground is extremely
smooth, with a gentle slope which is
ideal for irrigation.
The most important question in
considering desert region of this
sort, and one which supersedes all
other considerations, is that of the
possible supply of water for irrigating
purposes and domestic use. In the
Chucawalla region / was particularly
| impressed with the remarkable indi-
cations of ground water near the sur
| face, which are to be found in great
abundance To be sure, l had al
ready known from reading the gov
ernment report upon this section
| Omitted States Geological Survey,
Water Supply Paper No. 2244) that
there were numerous springs and
shallow wells in this region. Upon
going over the ground in person, how
ever, l was very deeply impressed by
| finding that all about the rim or up
per edge of the basin which forms
this country there are number OF
! flowing springs, some already dis
charging sufficient water for con-
siderable irrigation, and also sew
eral dug wells about thirty feet in
depth which appear to furnish large
amounts of excellent water Going
down toward the lower part of the
basin, water is found still nearer the
surface, so that near Paden lake there
| is one we'll only fourteen feet in
depth with an abundant supply of
water From all indications there
appears to be water at a depth of not
over thirty-five feet under this whole
region in amounts sufficient at
| least for domestic use. Other than
this, / believe that if deeper wells
were sunk a considerable amount of
irrigation water could be OBJ
! tanned, and my own observations
and study of the government publi-