Imperial Valley press., 1914-12-15

state conservation commission will
recommend to the legislature, with the
approval of Governor Johnson, that
the state undertake the work of re-
claiming q million acres of land in
San Bernardino, Riverside and Impe
rial counties under the Carey act,
which encourages states to reclaim
government land. The statement is
made that this land has already beer
surveyed.
The Press is a great admirer of the
individual members of this commits
sion-eX Governor Pardee, j. P
Baumgartner of Santa Ana and Fran
els Cutie of Riverside, each man of
high character and of marked ability
and the Press would like to be able to
commend so important project As
that which has been outlined. But
frankness compels this journal to say
that the proposal is an impossibility,
and illustrates the fact that man
may be a high authority on the af-
fairs of his own locality and yet lack
the knowledge of another locality to
enable him to pass sound judgment.
The greatest internal improvement
of the future in America must be the
of the land along the Col
Qrado river, and the total of that rec
iamation must run into the millions of
acres.
But, barring development work
which can now be easily outlined, this
stupendous development must rest or
the impounding of the water of this
interstate and international stream be-
fore the water reaches the California
state line.
In other words, the future of the
Colorado river cannot be worked out
save by the one power that has super
vision of the stream from the melting
snow on the mountains to the interna
tiopal line-the United States gov
ernment. The impounding works which
will be needed must be built in Colo
RADIO or in the Grand Canyon in Ari-
IONA, where California would lack
jurisdiction.
Moreover, the impounding of the
water must be for the benefit alike
of lands in California, Arizona and
the foreign country, Mexico, and any
plan for such reclamation must rest on
ii treaty with a recognized authority in
Mexico, and there is not now such au
thority.
Furthermore, it is essential that all
work along this river be done in ways
in which one part will harmonic with
other parts. The great project, when
it is undertaken, must be great
enough to compass all interests those
of present private holdings as we'll as
of those who will settle on the public
domain later, and the state cannot so
we'll as the national government blend
these interests.
1t has been said above that this work
cannot be undertaken without storage
reservoirs. That is because every acre
that it is safe to place under the natu /
raj minimum flow of the river now
has the possibility of getting water
without state aid
In Imperial Irrigation District there
are about 100000 acres available for
cultivation. Of this, about $4,000
acres are now titled. There will be
10000 acres outside of the district,
hut under the district canals.
Below the international line, in Mex
leo, under this irrigation system, there
are 100000 acres, making a total of
irrigable land in Imperial Valley in
both countries of 1,250,OO0 acres.
In Coachella Valley under this sys-
tenn; in the Yuma, Chuckawalla, Palo
Verde and other valleys along the Col
orado, there are partially built or com
pleted irrigation systems to cover
100000 additional acres in private
ownership, placing the present burden
of the river to meet private land now
under canals at 100000 acres.
This tremendous development has
entirely taken place in the last four
teen years. and at no time in the his
tory of the Colorado River country has
There been greater progress or greater
opportunity for the man of moderate
means than there is today.
But the fact must be recognized
that these areas referred to will take
all the available water from the river
at time of minimum flow, and it would
be foolhardy to undertake to bring
another million acres or a consider
able part of that area under irrigation
without first providing am impounding
system to hold back the flood waters.
When we have said that the proposal
cannot be carried out for lack of iur
isdiction in doing the things that are
essential and have added that the most