Semi-weekly herald., 1912-10-14
5000, 900 IRRIGATION PRO-
JECT FOR SAN JUAN BASIN

The contracts were signed in Den
yer, on Tuesday, of this week, which
practically assures the construction Of
the so-called Dolores irrigation prof.
ect.
While extensive survey work has
been carried on by E. H. Burdick Of
the firm of Burdick and Kroeger of
this city, covering period of three
years, outlining the project, and DEM
onstrating its feasibility, very little
information has found its way into
the newspapers concerning the prof.
ect, the promoters prefering to report
something accomplished, rather than
to prophesy, for publication, what re-
suits would be attained.
In outline, the project consists in
damming the Dolores river below Bea-
yer creek, at point twelve miles be-
low the town of Dolores, and creating
a storage reservoir Of approximately
100000 acre feet capacity.
This stored water, supplemented by
the normal flow of the river, over
and above what is now used by the
Montezuma system, and after allow
ance has been made for any possible
future growth by them, is carried
through short canal, and the water
turned upon the upper rim of series
of immense red land mesas, sloping
to the southwest, and forming an
agricultural land unsurpassed in the
world for diversified farming, fruit
growing and stock raising.
Quoting from report on this prof.
ect, written by one of the most promi-
servative firms of engineers in the
United States, supplemental to re-
port, made by Edward H. Burdick,
covering this subject, we find the fol-
lowing:
"A comparison between the I'm
compahgre valley, and the lands it is
| proposed to irrigate from the Dolores
river, shows that the quality Of the
soil, and topography of the lands, as
a whole, under the Dolores project, are
superior. There is a much larger
acreage of fruit land lying in exten-
sive mesas, better drainage, and the
lands for general farming, are supe-
rior to those of the Uncompahgre val
ley, where the mesa lands represent
only small percentage of the whole
and there is large percentage of
valley lands, bearing inferior drain
age.
"We would estimate that at least 80
per cent of the irrigable lands under
the Dolores project, has as good sol
and topography for fruit raising, as
the best of the land in the Uncom.
pahgre valley, or the famous Grand
Junction district of Colorado, and the
climatic conditions are equal, if moi
superior"
Under the plans already developed
and proved as feasible, $4,000 acres
Of this land, in one body, will be
brought under cultivation, and within
a few years will be producing a ton.
mage that absolutely insures the so.
luton of our transportation problem
and the pre- eminence of the San Juar
basin, as fruit growing, stock rails.
ing and diversified farming section
Some idea of the magnitude of this
project may be gained when we say
that with the development of water
already assured, double the acreage
will be brought under cultivation, thar
is now being titled in La Plata ant
Montezuma counties, Colorado, ant
San Juan county, New Mexico, to-
gether.
The bringing of this project to its
present gratifying status, was not ac
complished without the expenditure o!
large amounts Of money, and Ions
, and arduous effort, on the part o1
those having the problem in hand.
In 1909, Messrs. H. F. Morgan, T
A. Morgan, o. E. Stone and G. M
Longenbaugh of the Montezuma valley
conceived the idea that the immens,
annual run-off of the Dolores water
, shed, might be utilized in watering
, the lands, with which they were ia
, miliar, and knew to be of immense po
i, tential value.
81 They knew the land and the water
, was there, but the problem of con
e Meeting the two presented such appar
ent obstacles, that they realized tha
! careful engineering advice must b,
! sought.
At this point Mr.. Burdick was call
! ed in, and upon his reconnaissance in
vestigation, and recommendation!
made, a holding corporation was form
ed, with the above named four, ant
. himself, as principal stockholders ant
, directors.
The engineering features of the en-
} terprise were then seriously under
! taken, water filings and reports made
and the project outli1ed, sabstan,ii !
ly as it will be built.
In September. 1910, the promotion
] of the project, was put into the hand
E of Senator George E. West, ant
through his efforts, Senator Frank E
. Cove, and the engineering firm o.