El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-25

~ gest in the world is now build
- ing I25 miles north Of FL Paso,
to reclaim 10000 and possibly 225. 900
acres Of land around Fl Paso- The
dam, when completed. viii impound a
lake OF water 40 miles long, that will
completely obliterate five former towns
in the valley above it and will hold
the total annual flow Of the Rio Grande
for three years. The cost Of the dam
when completed viii be 100000 or
more.
The United States reclamation ser
vice is constructing the dam and work
has been in progress for three years
past All the preliminary and five per
cent Of the permanent work had been
completed at the beginning OF the
Not only viii the dam supply water
for irrigation to New Mexico and west
Texas. but it will deliver to the Next
can government a sufficient amount
of water annually to irrigate all land
that was in cultivation in that coun-
try opposite Il Paso prior to the stop
page Of the flow Of che Rio Grande
by timbering operations in New Mexico
and Colorado.
are now in use and a large area OF
land above and below Ell PasO is an
nually irrigated during the flood sea
son in the spring and summer In 1912
over so, 600 acres were irrigated and
Reclamation Service Report.
The annual report of the engineers
in charge Of this work for the rec
1amatiOn service goes into detail re-
garding the project. the production OF
croDs in the different valleys and the
distribution Of water. This report
shows more than 20O0 acres more land
in cultivation this year than a year
ago.
Some difficulty was experienced
during the year with farmers falling
to use the water correctly, the report
says; there was also some damage
from floods, especially where bitches
take the water from the river direct
These flood conditions will be ObVi- I
ated when the dam is completed and [
the farmers are being given expert ]
advice on the proper use of the water I
The report Of the reclamation off, /
cials follows:
The estimated acreage of the irri- |
gable area under the Elephant Butte |
storage reservoir Is determined by be
ginning at a place located about SIX I
miles below the Elephant Butte dam, |
in New Mexico, and ending at Fabens, /
Texas, a station on the Southern Pa /
cifIc railroad about 80 miles below /
FL PaSO or total distance OF about /
$50 miles This area is easily segre- /
gated into five distinct irrigable val |
leys and at present a portion of each /
OF the valleys, excepting the Palomas I
valley, is irrigated from the natural I
flow of the Rio Grande, by each irri- /
gated district owning and controlling /
their respective community bitches I
leading from the river. Beginning at /
the north end Of the Rio Grande pro-
jet, directly under the Elephant Butte !
dam, the valleys are located as fol- (
lows. ID PalOmas, % RlncOn, 10 Ne }
sula- "a FL Paso, and 90 JuareZs Mex. /
and contain a total irrigable area OF 1
about z22,llZ acres, of which 1t IS pro !
posed that about 10000 acres will
receive storage waters under the COM
pleted Rio Grande project
OF this irrigable area. 6S,515 acres
were irrigated during the season of
1908; IS, 62S acres during the season Of
1910, and 1880 during the season of /
1911; while SO,490 acres were irrigated
during the season Of 1912.
Irrigation Supply for 1912.
AT present, throughout the entire
irrigated districts only the natural /
flow of the Rio Grande is available /
for irrigation; therefore, each season !
carries with it the uncertainty Of water I
supply, while during the season Of 1912 /
there has been only two periods OF /
short duration when sufficient water (
was not available and these did not I
affect the districts served by the !
Leasburg diversion dam OF those above /
The irrigated districts under the
Ieasburg diversion dam (the complet-
ed unit Of the Rio Grande project) !
were served with ample water during !
the season Of 1912, having been sup (
piled with approximately 6-07 acre-feet
per acre
The quality Of water was excellent /
CARRYING q very sinai percentage OF /
silt or sediment as compared with Z
other years.
-Four small pumping plants were
added to the number already existing. 1
but none were used to any great ex- l
tent except in the e PasO valley.
The Rio Grande reached a maximum !
fIoW Of 1900 second feet at FL Paso
on June 3, 1917, or 1901 second Geet \
more than were recorded as the maxi !
mum of 1911, with a minimum Of about /
80 second feet at Selden, n. NJ, on
Hr=a-n
season was practically over, this short |
age was not felt
General Conditions and Results.
About 60 per cent Of the irrigated 1
lands are planted in alfalfa, 90 per /
cent in corn. per cent to small grain \
and Il per cent to orchards, vineyards, I
gardens and MISCELLANEOUS crops Al
falfa is generally the most successful I
crop grown and gives the best net re- I
turn. The yield for 1872 has been 4
slightly below normal, producing an I
average Of about three tons per acre I
THE corn crop varied from poor to ]
excellent in. localities where it suf- I
fered no orouth.
The season was very favorable for 1
small grain, but there was a very /
small acreage planted the yield was j
good and quality excellent, except in {
FL Paso valley where It was badly 4
damaged by hail
The Fruit Industry.
With the present uncertainty Of 4
ciaI orchards or vineyards under the ]
Pfo Grande7 project which are bear /
- a. present. a great deal of atten- 1
zion is being paid to the fruit indus |
frv and a considerable area is being l
planted TO fruit each year. especially 4
1ears which do remarkably we'll
T,afe frosts damaged the peach, plum 1
and crane crop about so per cent; also /
the apple and pear crop in the Rincon 1
TeI1ev while in other localities apples I
- hears gave a fair yield and in I
many Instances where they were /
gnrayed bore to the full capacity Of /
The trees. The fruit growers seem to |
Of projecting trees against late frOsts
and insects. As very few spray It in
creases the burden on those who do.
Uerv little commercial or barnyard !
fsrtf1izer is being used; as a cOnse-
6ne1ce some of the land which has
been m cultivation for good many
years is beginning to show the, ef-