El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-12-12

. For the reinsurance Of WhOmever may
have entertained doubts as to the fu-
ture of the Rio Grande project the
commission announces that the pro-
greSs of the work upon the impOund-
inG dam of the Rio Grande project
has progressed to such a state that it
is necessary at this time to consider
the construction of the distributing
system, and it appears from the re-
ports Of the engineer In charge that
at the present rate Of progress some
waters can be stored during the irr1-
cation season OF 1915.
A review of the canal and irrigation
situation follows this statement Of
. principles. The statement says that,
with the exception Of about six miles
OF canal under the Selden diversion
dam in New Mexico the government
has made no provision for distributing
the water. The west side of the Me-
siila valley, It says, has done large
amount of development work in anticl-
patton Of the completion Of the pro-
ject: that the present means OF 1rr1-
eating by the five community dltcheS
is inadequate; that it is feasible to
construct a canal as is part of the
general system, to begin at the head
of the San Miguel ditch and run south
IS miles to serve the lands on the west
side Of the river, including some OF the
lands in the upper valley OF Texas- Re
ports and estimates of the cost of this
work have been submitted by the en-
gineers, the statement says, and IL
appears both feasible and necessary,
according 10 the COUlLl4SS4Oll 4lAoLA w
lions have been given that work shall
begin when prescribed requirements
have been met TO begin this work.
Survey High Line Canal.
A high line canal has been surveyed
and is now being considered. This
canal is to commence at Selden and
run southwark along the east slope OF
the bench lands to a point about the
station of MOntoya, Texas, where the
water viii return TO the ped OF tne
Rio Grande If it is determined that
the high line canal is feasible from an
engineering and financial standpoint
the Elephant Butte and Ell PasO Water
Users associations to determine
whether a high or low line canal shall
be constructed. If the associations de-
eide upon the high line canal, work
viii start at once if the funds are
available. The advisers Of the COM
mission believe that this high line
canal will serve all Of the land on the
east side below the Selden diversion
dam.
Power Development Feasible.
HydrO-eIeetric power is considered in
q paragraph Of the open letter in which
the commission says that, after full
consideration of the facts, it considers
that the development of power at the
drops in addition to the development
of power at the dam, is feasible and
that it finds a large demand for such
power, it will recommend the high line
canal If it is approved by the water
users. The generating of power IN
this way is suggested especially for
the reclamation Of arid lands in the
neighbOrhOOd and by pumping the IN
derflOw and for draining lands having
The review of the valleys exclusive
Of the MeSilla and FL PaSO valleys
shows that the RincOn valley IS IN need
of canal construction and recommends
the construction Of a diversion dam in
this valley even before water is stored
in the dam The PalOmas valley is
without facilities for irrigation, is held
in large ownership and IS uncultIVaJed,
the statement says If it is to be re-
claimed it will be necessary for the
land owners to comply with the re-
mined and the land owners comply
with the necessary conditions. The
PicachO section Of the MeSilla valley |
is in need Of canal system at an
early date, as it is desirable TO make /
provision for its irrigation at an early /
date.
Announcement is made in this state /
ment that the diversion of funds now 4
allotted to the dam to the cOnsJruc- !
ton of q canal system viii be made, !
if tlis is considered advisable at this /
time
on recommendation Of the commits |
sion, secretary Lane has authorized the /
of definite policy with 1
respect to water rights on private /
lands, the statement says. Ihose Ianos
whose owners have entered into con-
tracts with the government viii be !
given water rights for 160 acres.
Lands not now under contract put
whose owners are applying for such
contracts or those having tentative
contracts and which have not received {
the approval Of the secretary Of the IN
terror water rights will be granted TO /
one owner for so acres only
Landowners Have Done Their Part.
The commission closes its statement
with a bOquet for the landowners I'M
der the project, who have, the state
ment says, proceeded further in the
preparation Of the lands for irrigation
than is justified by the present means
Of irrigation. 1T appears therefore
that the predispOsitiOn Of owners Of
land to prepare to utilize the water as I
soon as it is available" the final para
graph reads, "and to carry out the
spirit of the contracts and that specu-
atiVe tendencies, so detrimental to the
success of many irrigation projects !
have not been dominant upon the Rio
Grande project in New Mexico up to
the present time
The statement closes with the para
graph that the allouments OF all neces-
sary funds will be made for this canal
system as soon as these funds are
available in order that the waters may
be utilized at the earliest possible mo-
nent
Copies Of letters from the -reclama- II
ton commission to project engineer l..
" Lawson. accompanied the statement
These letters urge the dispensing with
he proposed siphOn and temporary
lam work for the west size irrigation
scheme in order to prevent the raising
IF the ground water on the low levels
md also to avoid the expenditure Of
money for temporary construction. The
argent need for the west side canal is
shown and it is shown that the prin-
,ipal obstacles in the way Of its i'm
Mediate construction are the acQuisi-
ion of the necessary rights of way,
he large areas of land not yet sub
;cribe5 to the Water Users associa-
ion, the requiring of certain temper
Try works and the farm unit of 40
.cres Permission for the Water Users |
.ssociation TO have a consulting engi-
leer is given and the project engineer
8 instructed to give him access to all
-ata of his office. The services Of one
# the surveyors of the reclamation
ervice TO be used in cooperation with
he associations representative IN the
of abstracts.
8URRO IS BECOMING
SCARCE IN NEW MEXICO