Imperial Valley press., 1915-02-05
direct to the "well," as shown by the

req nne, is the route recommended.
Between Holtville and the 'well"
the grades are slight, with no PROB
lens involved There are some small
mounds of shifting sand which do not
need to be considered if a permanent
pavement is built, for the reason that
such sand would blow across the
pavement and lodge in The saCebrush
on The ice side. As soon as the road
is built, there will be settlement along
the line, as all that soil nee IS is wa
ter, which may lie secured by pump
ing from present canals on the west.
Supervisor Boyd states that this mat
ter of irrigating the higher Levels is
already being planned. Passing from
the sedimentary soil across the an
cient beach lire is the only grade of
any consequence, and that is less than
6 per cent and for only short dis
Itarce.
In going from the ancient beach
lire to the "well' there are a number
OF beds of clean gravel to be en-
countercd at various points which
would serve as excellent material for
conCrete. The most serious item at
the present time is lack of water.
which, Of course, would have to be
obtained by pumping from a sedimen-
tation basin adjacent to the High Line
or. l.. 1
to be sunk.
Crossing the Mesa.
The mesa from the High Line ca
MAJ TO the well" is gently rolling and
easily traversed by a light weight
automobile, although in some places
the sand is rather soft. Most of
this mesa sand is much coarser than
the blow sand and darker in color.
About year ago Engineer Eckert
made reconnaissance and report on
q proposed road called "Boyd's road
between Holtville and Yuma" MI.
Eckert recommended a road south
easterly from Holtville, parallel to the
Holton power canal, making various
turns and at least three right angles,
thence due east to the ancient beach
line and from there diagonally to the
well (Shown by green line.) Both
the yellow and green lines have the
same objections, first, crooked align
| ment in order to secure rights of way
and to follow rancl. lines; second.
subject to overflow between Holtville
and the ancient beach line; third, too
long distance in the sedimentary
soil Mr.. Eckert chose his line across
the mesa from the ancient beach line
to the "well' and north of the coun-
ty surveyors lines so as to avoid long
sand ridges and shifting sand.
Sandhils Present Problem.
From the well" easterIy, through
the big sandhills, which vary in
helght from mounds to hills 200 or
more feet in height, is the most diff
iiculC and only serious problem on
the entire line. The westerly edge
OF these high sandhills appears to
be stable in character and much sage-
brush and sand indicate that it has
oeeh IN its present condition for
long time. In the hills the condi-
tionS are different. The sand is fine.
sort and shifting; and there is prac-
tlcaily no vegetation.
All three routes are practically at
the same location through these high
sandhi'ls, for the reason that this is
inc only known low pass; and the
middle portion is through flat val
ley about two miles long and quar-
ter Of a mile wide, which, so far as
. known, has never been covered with
gsnliting sand, while the easterly end
IS valley Of mounds Of sand with
the high sandhills TO the north and
tc the south. By having fairly
9stralght passage through that part
.AE L.