El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-25
Science

ley at depths varying from 10 to 100
Ieet was demonstrated. The first Of
fetal statement concerning the water
supply OF the Aimbres valley is found
In senate document No. Al, SD congress,
first session, page 224
After Teciting the fact that the MIN
bres river heads in the Black range in
the northeastern part of Grant county,
that during the flood season its waters
flow to a point some 10 or y miles
southeasterIy OF Deming, but that dur
ing the drier portions Of the year the
water disappears into an underground
channel at point about 40 miles from
its source the report proceeds, as fol-
lows:
According to L. Clapp, jr.. the
civil engineer IN charge, the flow Of the
stream at Kings ranch (about so miles
north OF Deming) was found to be
go cubic feet Per second, by measure
meDt taken March il, 1891; about five
weeks later II was found to be the
same; on another visit in May it was
estimated 20 be One-half, and 1 believe
that fair estimate Of the average dis
charge OF the river at this point would
be 80 cubic feet per second, exclusive
Of flood waters. This would give an
annual discharge Of nearly 5000, 900, 600
cubic feet per year"
Continuing its observations, the re-
port states that the river bottom proper
at the point above designated is about
goo feet wide, and that this bottom IS
age each year.
Assuming that this holds good for
20 days, there viii be q discharge Of
over 5,O00,OOO,0O0 cubic feet TO be added
to the normal total given, making q lit
tie In excess Of 5000. 600, 600 ~ubfc feet
as a total annual discharge Of the sur
face flow"
The report is further. as follows:
The indications for a large under
flow are exceptionally good The lower
Mimbres is believed 10 be an under
ground river; in that case the surface
water IS only the surplus appearing
after the underground channel IS sur
charged"
The report then goes on to calculate
the amount Of water which passes
Kings ranch underground and adds
this to the amount of the flood water
and the normal discharge Of the stream,
s, 00O,OOO,00O cubic feet, OF to be exact
or ZZ4,l10 acre feet An acre foot is
the amount OF water which an acre res
ervOir one foot deep would hold In
other words, the annual discharge Of
the Almbres river at a point bout 80
miles north of geming is computed by
this report to cover pa, 40 acres one
foot deep. This is q part Of the source
Of the underflow at Deming and OF the
lower Mimbres valley. The water sinks
into sand and gravel strata each year
ana feeds into Cur ulderflOW. reDlen-
ishtng 1t from year to year. And when
the a-LcA Gl-LlE5 inc river DeQ Dg
Demlng for any considerable length OF
time, It IS an indication that the IN
foreground channel or reservoir Is sur
charged.
Raising the Water.
Demonstrating that a tremendous
water supply existed beneath the sur
face Of the valley, however, was not
tantamOunt TO demonstrating its avail
ability for irrigation. People who took
the trouble 10 inform themselves knew
Of Its existence, but how was this water
to be raised economically enough to
making farming profitable Wiseacres
wagged their heads and declared that
It could not be done; stOckmen, general
~, poohpoOhed the idea, and many who
had faith did not have the money to
Try the matter out, and so things drift
ed on from year to year.
Cinnamon Start the Work.
It IS true that some Cinnamon in
stalled e little pumping plant in the
vicinity Of Deming eight or nine years
ago, and netted from $4,000 to $4,000 per
year OF less than 20 acres, but the