El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-02-07
PATTERSON REPORT
On IRRIGATION
SUBMITTED
Irrigable Area Under Rio
Grande Project Covered
In Detail.

Las Cruces. n NJ, Feb 7.-Engineer
Earl Patterson. in charge at the Leas-
burg diversion dam. who was ap-
pointed by the department at Wash
ingtOn TO make thorough investiga-
ton Of conditions IN the Rio srande
valley under the Elephant Butte pro-
Ject, has just completed his report and
sent it TO Washington In general
the report states that the irrigable
area under the Rio G1hnde project
extends about $50 miles and comprises
I've distinct districts-the Palomas,
the Rincon, the Mesilla. the FL Paso
and the Juarez valley-containing
total irrigable area OF 222,772 acres, OF
which 10000 acres are 10 receive wa
ter under the completed Rio Grande
project OF this acreage sS.5I5 acres
were irrigated in 1903 and So, ess acres
In 1910, su increase for the latter year
OF 1908 acres.
The water supply for the season OF
1910 was somewhat less than in re-
cent years. the total flow being prac-
tically one-hah of the normal year.
Pumping plants helped cut In the gem
eral crop result, It being demonstrates
that throughout the entire valley good
water can be obtained Except in the
FL Paso valley. where the underground
waters carry some mineral saltsl at
q depth Of eight to II feet, and IN
quantities sufficient for operating tie
large size centrifugal pumps at 40 TO
so feet. During the past season sew
eral pumping plants were Installed
and orchards, fields Of cantaIoupes and
gardens were greatly benefited and in
some instances saved from a total
loss.
Crops of 1910.
About SIS percent OF the irrigated
lands were planted in 1910 to alfalfa,
20 percent IN corn and Mexican beans
(frijoles), 10 percent in wheat, and
percent in orchards. gardens All vine
yards. Owing to the dry year the total
crop. yield throughout the entire val
ley was approximately 25 percent less
than that of 1909. However, the vari-
Gus crops raised commanded better
market price than last season and un-
der these conditions the farmers seem
TO be well satisfied
In the upper Rincon valley results
for the past season were even better
than IN 1909. In the Mesilla valley,
under the Leasburg diversion dam, a
general feeling OF satisfaction still
prevails The greater loss will fall
upon these farmers who live on the
west side of the Rio Grande, and also
upon the residents Of the FL Paso
valley, and the Juarez valley, as only
about so percent Of a normal crop was
produced IN these localities. The loss,
however, was not entirely due to the.
shortage Of water. as a portion of the
trouble can be attributed directly TO
the mismana cement Of some Of the
community bitches.
General Conditions Affecting Results.
The proper dwelling Of the irrigated
lands before planting seemed not to
have been considered important by the
older settlers, and fields are frequently
left in such a condition that 10 irri-
gate the whole area would require a
depth of water varying from one to
u inches over the various parts. Such
conditions might have been tolerated
In the past when farming under irri-
cation was considered a gamble rather
than a science. but under a modern
irrigation system that will represent
g very large investment, modern meth
DDS N farming must be used in order
that construction, maintenance and
operation expenses can be met when
due Throughout the entire valley
only two or. three farms can be con-
sidered properly Ieveled and in good /
frstclass shape for irrigation. and in
each instance the advantage is demon /
strated thoroughly Under the same /
water supply conditions the well lev
eled land produced one ton Of alfalfa /
more TO the acre than did the land ad- /
joining, which was not properly lev /
eled.
Pending the completion Of the E1e- /
plant Butte dam and the whole Rio /
Grande project the proper leveling Of 1
the lands and the establishment Of /
auxiliary pumping plants will act as
an insurance TO young orchards. young
alfalfa and gardens. and will better
prepare the farms for the future, when
charges become due.
While the Rio Grande has always been
considered a rich and alIuviaI valley,
nevertheless. the source OF its food
waters being destitute Of vegetation.
the soils. although sufficiently supplied
with the necessary mineral salts, lack
humus. It is TO be hoped that the new
and more progressive class Of farmers
which is coming into the valley VIII
use the stable manure on their gar