El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-22
MEDINA DAM
IS GREAT
PROJECT
Will Reclaim 1000 Acres and
Is to Be Completed by
September. -
WEST TEXAS HAS
MANY POSSIBILITIES
Great Elephant Butte Pro
ject Stirs Interest in Irri-
cation Works.

when the Medina cam across the Me-
dina river in Preside county, Texas, is
completed in September, more than
1000 acres Of land heretofore consid-.
cred unfit for cultivation viii become
valuable for farming purposes and may
be placed under the ploW-
A force Of 400 men is now engaged IN
clearing this land and grubbing 1t Tor
cultivation under irrigation and more
than 5000 acres already have been
cleared, ready for cultivation
The Medina dam is perhaps the
largest irrigation project in the south
west with the exception OF the Ele-
plant Butte project The dam is be-
ing erected by the Medina Valley Irri-
cation company at a total cost OF So
100000, and is to be completed by next
September.
The main canal is now about SO per-
cent completed; 1O7,742 cubic yards
were excavated during the month OF
May, making total to date OF 1,1S6,151
cubic yards
The Elephant Butte irrigation pro-
ject is the largest undertaking of its
kind in the world This dam, while 10
Gated just across the border in New
Mexico, is of interest to this state as
1t Will 1rrigate a section OF the Rio
Grande valley more than $50 miles long,
of which FL PasO is the central point.
The cost Of the dam, including diver
sion dams, is approximately 100000 00-
More than 100000 of this amount
has already been expended The dam
viii be 1855 feet on top, 265 feet high.
maximum thickness nearly 200 feet and
the reservoir will be 200 feet deep st
viii cover an area of 1880 acres with
a storage capacity OF 100000 acre feet
Fort Stockton Project Planned.
Plans have been made for an irriga-
ton project at Fort Stockton, which
viii cost 100000, and by means OF
which A, 600 acres OF land viii be put
under cultivation
Irrigation Possibilities in Texas.
That the possibilities Of Texas along
irrigation lines were equal TO thuse Of
California, was the statement of ". L
Rockwell, state engineering expert. be-
lore the Texas welfare commission in
its session at San Antonio. Mr.. Rock
well told Of the arid lends OF CalifOr-
MA few years ago, which were prac-
t1calIy worthless, and which by means
OF irrigation, had advanced to thou
sands Of dollars per acre, and gave as
his opinion, that the sOcalled arid lands
OF Texas were as susceptible to cult
walton as those OF California, and that
properly irrigated, there was no reason
why such land in west Texas, now con-
sidered practically valueIess, should
not yield as much, and be worth the
Of the Golden State Irrigation Gre
ates values in arid districts continued
Mr. Rockwell. and even in rainfall dis
tricts it insures increased values. Water
resource, but it is not conserved.
Water Now Wasted.
More than 100000 acre feet OF wa
ter IS now being wasted annually into
the Gulf, of Mexico from the Trinity
river, 1000 900 feet from the BraZos.
100000 feet from the Colorado and
100000 feet from the Rio Grande. One
half of this amount of water, II con-
served, would serve as 4 supplement
tary supply for at least 3,0OO,0O0 acres
OF land Mr. Rockwell urged the CO.
operation Of the state with the federal
government and the placing Of the con-
troll OF irrigation matters in the hands
OF state engineer, pointing out that
the states which have done the most
in irrisatiOnal development had availed
themselves Of the opportunity OF CO.
operating with the federal department.
The United States department OF agri-
culture is anxious to match dollars
with Texas" Mr.. Rockwell said, in
further stu0y ana scientific investi-
cation of the subject OF irrigation
Aid To Be Asked of Congress.
As result OF the investigation made
into the subject by the commission, il
is probable that congress will be asked
to provide for the construction of irri-
sauOnal works under the reclamation
plan Nnlle Uncle sam owns no land
In Texas. it is known that he looks
with favor on Texas irrigation and
reclamation projects, and has been gem
erous in spending money for the i'm
proYementS Of our rivers and harbOrs.
History OF Early Irrigation in Texas.
Irrigation in Texas antedates any
record so far uncovered. and IL is very
probable that the practice is older in
his state, than in any other part OF the
United States. During the early part
II the 18th century, Coronado. on his
westward journey, found old estab-
ished settlements of irrigation in the
vicinity of FL PasO, utilizing water OF
he Rio Grande.
Pueblo Indians Pioneers.
The Pueblo indians of Ysleta, also
lain that actual Irrigation systems
we're built by their tribes, in the vi
Unity of what is now the PecOs cOun-
~, many centuries ago, and that the
projects had to be abandoned on ac-
cunt of the raids by the COmanche and
Apache indians
Near San solomon springs. at the
ead of TOyah creek, evidence has been
Ound indicating that the waters of the
,Oyah creek were used for irrigation
purposes long before the first white
nan settled in that section.
The United States government es-
abl1Shed a military post at Fort Da-
Is, IN the early sos, and it is stated that
urlnS the life of the post, irrigation
rejects were maintained under fed
raj supervision, and that the supply
Z Sraln. vegetables. etc. used by the
roops, was produced by means of irrf-
alton.
FnetOr In States DEVELOPMENT.
The conditions for the productiOn of
ropS IN Texas. are as favorable as in
alifornia, it is claimed by those IA
mar win conditions IN both states.
.eNas has as many acres Of irrigabIe
inds as california. and in addition. is
carer the leading markets OF the
'orid giving her an advantage over
ne banner Pacific state. BY the in
elllSent application OF moisture to the
ltherto parched sections of Texas. dur
lg the past few years. many thou
ands OF acres Of land have been re-
and barren acres have been
laQe TO blossom with the fruit of vine
M Tree A notable example is the
(COntfnued on De7-t -7ao-o0