Imperial Valley press., 1914-06-19


Salton sea and the irrigating bitches
will be cut in two."
The irrigation bitches to the west
will first be cut in two, according to
Colonel Randolph, cutting off from
water about 100000 acres now irri-
gated. A secondary tendency and one
of greater harm will be for the river
to, lower it's level in reaching the de-
preston of the Salton Sea, so that
Yuma will be left on a bluff ninety
feet in height and the gates at Han
Ions Heading will be left dry at
twelve feet above the river.
Colonel Randolph's proposal is that
the people of the Imperial Valley and
Southern California ask congress i'm
mediately for $1,500,000 to be used
in constructing levee, thirty-fve
miles long, extending south from the
end of the present levee, fourteen
miles below Hanlons' Heading.
This levee, he says, will forever pre-
vent any possibility of the river in
vading the Volcano Lake district and
finding outlet therefrom to Salton sea
and thus imperiling the canal system
of the California Development Com
pany. AS part of this levee Colonel
Randolph suggests railroad line On
its summit to assure it's protection
and policing. He stated last night
that policing and maintenance should
not cost in excess of $4,000 a year.
The danger of the present halfway
measures is apparent. Estimated
from the present flood flow of the
Colorado river and the average
amount of silt carried, Volcano lake
is certain to rise to 67R feet above
sea level. Salton sea, 285 feet be-
low sea level, is fifty-eight miles
away. The waters will take the path
of the maximum depression, which
will carry them, as Mr.. Randolph
pointed out, as raging tornado oe
waters into Salton sea, carrying out
irrigation bitches in their path.
Then as Salton sea fills up the river
will fill that sink and in time begin
it's progress backward to the old chan
rel. But while it is progressing
backward the Imperial Valley will be
waterless Eden, for the Hanlon's
Heading gateways will be dry of wa
ter, the river running far below. Also
the water will spread itself over a
vest territory now high and dry and
fertile through the fact that Colorado
river water is carried to it through
the heading.
Three years ago Colonel Randolph
estimated that the mean flow of the
Colorado river would raise the level
of Volcano lake four feet year by
siltage. The level of the lake has
risen over ten feet in two years. He
also said at the same time that in four
years the ground level of the lake
would be built to point where the
existent east and west levee would be
no protection.
His prediction has been fulfilled in
less time, for the water at the last
flood tide broke through the levee.
Luckily the break was eight miles
from the west end of the levee and
this affordd it facility to spread grad
ually over a slightly-falling and
thirsty soil, which absorved it in part
before it reached New river. Had
the break occurred at Arroyo Lopez,
as the first announcement had it, the
danger would have been increased.
Had it occurred at the west end of
the levee, Colonel Randolph pointed
out, there would have been no way to
prevent the running 100000 second
feet of water from dropping into Sal
ton sea and "drouthing" 100000 acres
of the most fertile land in the val
ley.