El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-08-29

united states reclamation SeEN-
ice for the reason Of its interstate, IN.
ternationaI and engineering features.
It contemplates bringing under irriga-
ton 10000 acres Of land of the Rio
Grande valley in the states Of New
Mexico and Texas in the United States
and the state of Chihuahua in the re-
public of Mexico
The limited and unreliable water
supply has put a stop to further land
cultivation above and below FL Paso
and farming can be carried on with
little success The solution Of the in
ternational question Of water supply,
as wei as the future settlement of
the entire project, lies in the construc-
ton of the Elephant Butte dam, the
diversion dams ard canals, to insure
a sufficient and regular water supply
at all times for the 10000 acres in
the project
PrOductiFeness Wen Demonstrated.
The past years and centuries have
demonstrated the productivity of the
fertile valley lands. and it can be ex-
pected that with the control and reg
ulation OF the water supply, as will be
accomplished by the government
works. the entire area will be in cul-
tivauOn and will provide homes and
means of livelihood for many hun
dreds additional farmers
Irrigation Plan.
The irrigation plan Of the Rio
Grande project provides for the stor-
age OF the flood waters Of the Rio
Grande in the Elephant Butte reservoir,
and the diversion Of water from the
river by means of diversion dams to
the lands determined 10 be a part OF
the project Of the works required
and later 10 be decided upon those OF
the Palomas ana the Rlncon valleys
VIII be new; those for the Mesilla and
the FL PasO valleys viii be extensions
OF the present systems and the con-
stIuction Of an additional diversion
dam in the Mesilla valley
Below the storage dam the irrigabIe
land Of the project lies in a narrow
body $50 miles long and naturally
divided into four valleys.
The first of these, called the Pa
Tomas valley, begins six miles below
Elephant Butte dam and contains an
irrigable area of 5000 acres, prac-
tically none Of which is now in cul-
rivatiou- Connected to this district is
10000 acres, approximately 5000 acres
Of which are now being irrigated by
private canals The Mesilla valley,
which is the largest of the four, con-
tains approximately $1,000 acres Of ir-
rigable land, almost so per cent Of
which IS now in cultivation By a
special act Of congress the benefits
OF the reclamation act have been eX-
tended TO the FL PasO valley in the
state OF Texas There are in this val
ley $4,000 acres of irrlgable land, and
at the present time 80 per cent OF
this area is in crop
Construction Work Accomplished.
The first actual construction work
of the service on this project was the
Leasburg diversion dam and six miles
OF main canal. which were built at the
head Of the 8Iesilla valley to divert
water for service on approximately
1900 acres Of land under three COM
munity bitches
In the FL Paso valley, the Franklin
canal was purchased by the reclama-
ton service in 1912. and during the
past winter was reconstructed to in
crease its capacity and provide for
the FL PasO valley. In the short time
allowed for its reconstruction, from
January 1 to March 3, approximately
300, 900 yards Of excavation and 333 600
suare feet Of concrete lining were com
pleted- In addition, 26 bridges and a
large number OF miscellaneous struc-
lures were constructed Employment
was given to 1900 men and $50 head
Of stock. approximately $500. 600 was
expended in the improvements. from
the intake 70 the canal above FL Paso
TO the town Of Ysleta, charging the
capacity Of the canal from $50 cuhfr
feet per second TO $50 cubic feet per
second and providing the necessary
concrete lining through the city of Fl
Paso and water structures.
Surveys.
The topographic maps Of the valleys
in the project are now completed on
these mans are shown every two foot
change Of ground surface, with canals.
bitches, roads and river locations
Enough details are mapped TO enable
canals and laterals to be planned and
estimated and aNen la
maps desirable to property owners in
leTeiing and preparing the land for ir-
riEation.
Detailed surveys have also been in
progress, and will be completed short
", Of the present community canals
IN the Mesilla valley alone there are
100 miles Of community canals all or
portions Of which may become a part
o. the final system. The great amount
OF detailed field and office work in
the making Of the topographic maps
and surveys Of community bitches and
property lines is seldom appreciated
necessary as any Of the more obvious
features.
River Control.
The Rio Grande is a little big river;
It's drainage area is as large as the
state Of Texas; the rainfall on this
area ranges from 8 to Is inches q
year More complete records of dis
charge have been kept on the Rio
Grande than Of any western stream.
and for the reason that it is the boun-
dairy between the United States and
OLD Mexico from FL Paso to the gulf,
f. has received attention Of other de-
rarcments Of the government
The fertility Of the valley. subject
lE the past to annual overflow, is the
result Of the silt bearing waters and
its meandering from mesa to mesa and
has left soil Of great depth and
richness lnder present conditions the
river at Fl Paso is often COMPLETELY
dry for several months in the year.
when water for irrigation is most
needed. At other times high floods
menace the cultivated area and i'm
proved districts It cannot be assumed
that the control and storage Of the
Rio Grande at Fl Paso viii solve the
problem Of protection against all
floods in the valleys Large quanti-
ties Of rain water from arrOyOs flow
down the mesas below the dam to the
irrigable lands Records show that at
periods of a full river. 1000 cubic feet
per second comes from these washes
this side of the dam Adding to this
amount the waste water when the