Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-11-28
One HUNDRED
THOUSAND ACRES
Brought Under Irrigation by
Fort Lyon Canal Co.
RANKS WITH LARGEST
IN THE UNITED STATES
One Colorado Waterway, the Ark
ansas River, I13 TILES Long.
with S07 Miles of bitches

ansas River, I13 titles Long,
with So7 Miles of bitches
Under Rocky Ford date line
the following article upon the
Fort Lyon irrigation canal-de-
clared by all who have seen the
work to be an engineering master
piece-appeared in the Rocky
Mountain News of Sunday:
"of all the irrigation systems in the
state Of Colorado the properties of the
Fort Lyon Canal company stand at the
head and, in fact, it is the largest irriga-
ton system in the country. The main
canal measures i 8 miles IN length, they
have 86z miles Of lateral bitches, and
the water from this property irrigates
100000 acres of land in otero. Bent and
Prowers counties.
Connected with the proposition are four
reseryoirs-the Horse Creek. with cap
aeity of 26, 500 aore-feet Adobe Creek.
9l.5z5 feet; Thurstone. 5000 feet, and
Queen 5.4s5 feet. The company own
200 CuUiC letI poI ocSoio VI piiSisiSS
right from the Arkansas river.
Few people in the state are aware. of
the immensity of the proposition. and but
comparatively few are aware of the great
work that this company is doing.
The reservoir canal. 45 miles in length.
was first constructed in 1907. beginning
at point in the Arkansas river some six
miles northeast of Rocky Ford. where
the water is taken from the river.
At this point dam OF substantial pro-
portions was built and the headgate OF
concrete is MASTER work of masonry.
This canal carried the water to Horse
Creek reservoir and from there on to
Adobe Creek reservoir. which were at
that time small basins used as storage
for the food waters and for time were
adequate for all requirements. but the
demands on the company became greater
and to protect the farmers who were de-
pendent upon the service Of the canal for
the irrigation of their land it seemed ad-
visable that move must be made to
store sufficient amount of water to see
them through the dryes. kind OF season.
After a survey. the first move of En-
gineer B. F. Powell was the purchase of
a $4,000 dredge. the largest in capacity
of any dredge now at work on any inland
irrigation proposition.
The first dirt OF the enlarged canal was
moved July /. 1911, and from that date
until today. with the exception Of the last
three weeks. when shortage OF coal
necessitated suspension of work. the
dredge has been constantly at work day
and night, with the remarkable record of
the removal of over 100000 yards of
dirt.
The dredge has covered twentY-four
miles and enlarged the canal from forty
feet at the top and thirty at the bottom
to approximately ninety feet at the top
and eighty at the bottom. increasing the
storage capacity three fold and giving to
the land owners neyer-failing supply of
water.
There were thirteen road bridges to
take up and replace and three times the
tracks OF tbs Arkapsas Valley Railroad
had to be removed and bridges replaced
with larger structures, and all the rail-
road work was done without the least
delay to traffic.
From the headgate the Fort Lyon canal
runs parallel to the Hobrook ditch, but
at last they cross at point north OF
Cheraw. and here is found one OF the
most substantial cement structures ever
built for this kind OF work.
The remaining nineteen miles is all
easy work, but it will take another year
to complete it.
Engineers from all over the country
have visited the work, and without excep-
ton they pronounce it one OF the greatest
irrigation projects that has ever been
worked out and monument to Powelfs
ability and perseverance,