The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1912-05-24
RECORD-BREAkING
HIGH WATER is HERE
DAMAGE THOUGHT NOT GREAT.
Rivers Are Overlooking all Low
Lands Along Their Course
and Still Rising.

As predicted, both the Gunnison
and Uncompahgre rivers have be-
come flooded with the fl st approach
OF hot weather.
The late spring seems to have
dropped suddenly into summer a
little more than a week ago, and
by last Sunday the Gunnison was in
places crowding its banks ald has
been rising steadily ever since.
| During this week there has been
a rise of from six to ten inches
every night, the stream falling one
halt to two-thirds the amount be-
tween the downcoming rushes OF
snow.
| All week there have been heavy
| flows of water on both sides of
| the bridge between Delta and North
Delta, but teams crossed regularly
until yesterday, when the consid-
cradle wash of currents rendered it
more dangerous. The bridge is
standing the strain nicely and 50
far no damage has been done to the
city water main Just how much
ligher the river is likely to go can
hardly be told. II will depend upon
the weather. If we have no cool
~ weather or if rains should set
in, much greater volume of water
must be expected, as but slight in
road has 50 far been made on the
great bodies of snow in the mou'-
tains
At Delta, however, the Gunnison
is more likely TO be measured by in
ches rather than feet. 1t is claim
ed that the river is the largest now
that any white man has ever seer
it.
NJ cloudy OF cooler DAYS come, it
win relieve the situation greatly.
as the immense volume of water
now flowing down, could it be held
to near its average of the week.
would in few days, carry off niue /
OF the water from the slushing
snow banks
During the week there have
been heavy south and southwest
winds and the mercury has reached
as high as so.
RIVER NOTES.
The Gunnison river at Delta.
during its high period this spring,
is flowing as much water as does
the normal Mississippi at ST. Louis.
Its waste waters, if they could be
stored in reservoirs, would be suf
ficient to irrigate all the land be-
tween Delta and the Pacific coast
While the uncompahgre has been
high the past week and IN some
places over its banks. its compare
tive volume has not been up to that
OF the Gunnison.
After the flood waters have sub
sided it will be found that the dam
age to field crops has been confined
mainly to small fields of beets and
potatoes located in cutoff sections
bends. While this acreage in the
aggregate is not large, it is very
serious loss to the farmers sustain
ing it.
At the north end of the bridge
crossing the Gunnisol into North
Delta Tuesday monring, a flood of
water was pouring over the curved
dixie into the main channel of the
stream. which was boiling along but
few inches below the top of the
line of piles which marks where the
dixie was put in to confine the river
channel. This water had cut out
above and come surging down to
pour into the river over the very
obstruction which had been erected
to keep il out
One of the most flooded points of
the valley was the Williams ranch,
where the Uncompahgre enters the
was cut off by water of swimming
depth for cattle and horses, and be-
fore moving out provisions and
feed had to be taken in by boat.
Their field crops were entirely un-
der water and presumably lost.
In addition to the damage to
bridges at Hotchkiss, part of the fair
grounds were swept away. including
the race track nearly to the pole.
The spring races had to be post
poned on account of the high water
and partial destruction of the track.
Orders were issued by the board
OF county commissioners. and mo-
uces posted forbidding travel on the