Estancia news-herald. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1912-19??, 1914-01-22
SPECIAL BILL
FOR DEEP WELL
Mountainair, N. M.
January, 16, 1914.

opment Association has been try
ing for some time through its
representatives at Washington
to get the government interested
in an investigation of the water
resources of Torrance County,
including both the flood water
from the mountains and the un-
dergcound supply in the valley.
Both Senator Catron and Repre-
sentative FERGUSON have eX
pressed a willingness to as tlst in
every way possible, and to that
end have asked for all the de-
tailed information available.
At the last meeting of the AS
sociation a committee composed
of Harry j. Fincks, President of
the Association, DR.. C. j. Amble,
Rev. r. e. Farley, and John w.
Corbett, was appointed to make
the necessary survey to secure
this data, and after a very care
full examination of the physical
conditions, and also of the under
ground conditions so far as
known, they have made their re-
port and the Association hopes
through this to secure govern
ment cooperation, at least in an
effort to determine just what the
water resources are.
1t is admitted that there is no
finer soil in the world than that
on the eastern slope of the Man
zano Mountains, and with mois-
ture sufficient, there is no ques-
ton as to its pyoductiveness, es-
pecially as applied to the apple
and other fruits. What few eX
periments have been made in
horticulture in this new country
have been very satisfactory, the
apple excelling especially in fa
vor and color. The prehistoric
old apple trees at Manzano, with
their wonderful vigor and pro-
ductiveness under very adverse
conditions, seems to demonstrate
beyond peradventure the natural
adaptability of the apple to this
locality; and while progress has
been slow many young orchards
have been and are now being
planted along the foothills.
Following is a report of the
COMMITTEES to the Development
Association, which has been for
warded to Messrs. Catron and
Ferguson:
Report of Water Committee.
To the Torrance County Devel-
opment Association.
We, your committee appointed
to investigate the irrigation pos
sibilities of Torrance County, in
cluding the flood waters from
the mountains and the under
ground supply in the valley be-
low, beg leave to report as fol-
lows:
We have made d general but
comprehensive survey of the
watershed on the east slope of
the Manzano Mountains which
drain down to and upon the ara
bic land in valley below, and
we find one or more practical
dam sites in all the principal
draws leading out from the
mountains, beginning on tbs
north with the Ortiz draw and
coming south including the Buf
falo, Cieneguilla, Chinchonte
Pera, fatigue, Torreon, Cuervo
Mauzano, Arroyo Colorado, Gle
mega and Barranca. We find tina
the area drained by these draw!
covers about 400 square mile!
with an annual precipitation
Judging by the official report
available, Of about twenty-five
inches. We find innumerabl
perennial springs in the noun
tains, but on account Of the alIu
vial character Of the soil cover
ing the entire drainage area, bu
little of the spring water or tina
of melting snow reaches the va
ley land on the surface. In ad
dition to the sites located in tn
foothills we find at various plac
es lower down and also on tn
slope toward the north part Q
the county and in the broke
parts of the east portion, feast
Bile dam sites with sufficient ws
tershed to impound a great de;
of water where it could be az