Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-10-15
4 DAMS TO CHECK
FLOODS IN RIO
is GORE PLAN
MEMBER STATE BOARD ENGINEERS
SAYS FOUR WOULD IMPOUND
VAST IRRIGATION SUPPLY.
SUGGESTS UTILIZATION OF THE
POWER DEVELOPED At DAMS
FOR ELECTRIC PURPOSES.

San Antonio. Tex. Oct. 15.-The con
structibn Of four dams in the Rio Gran
de- and its tributaries would completely
control the flood waters of the boundary
stream and. in addition, would furnish
"A vast supply of water for irrigation
and for transformation into power. ac-
cording 10 an opinion submitted by l..
H. Gore Uf the Texas Board of Water
Engineers. This opinion has been re
ceived by John W. Gaines, water com
missioner for the United States govern
ment and secretary of the International
Boundary Commission, who in now in
San Antonio pursuing his investigation
into the problem of the best method of
utilizing the flood waters of the Rio
Grande and the streams which empty
into il.
Mr. Gore recommends construction of
dams in the following places: In the
Rio Grande. above the Pecos river and
below the Conchos river: in the Pecos
river: in the Devils river: in the Rio
Salado and in the Rio San Juan. Ac-
wording To his estimates the reservoirs
behind these dams would have the fol
der: 3.500.000 acre feet. 6O0.0W acre
feet. 100000 acre feet, 100000 acre feet.
and 100000 acre feet.
The report continues
Fer 1000, 900 Acres.
This would insure ample and certain
water supply for the irrigation of two
million acres. Without any unusual or
additional CONSUMPTION. except the ma
ment of not less than $4,000 continuous
"hinery TO use it, il means the develon
horsepower. BY additional works il is
possible 10 develop 800 900 horsepower.
Ii il probable ii would be good econo
my a. develop about 10000 horsepower.
as a market for il could be developed
AS for the construction of artificial
channels To divert sufficient amount
Of the flood waters of the Rio tirandc
frtm the present overiiowS and also
makes its use possible. Forget it, Ii is
impracticable. 1t is not feasibly possible
| do not think this question needs any
further discussion than the mere state
ment that such a channel must have
capacity of 10000 cubic feet per second.
Such a channel can be provided through
the present overflow. through the Ar
roya Colorado But it will be eternally
wasted for economic purposes
The great dam proposed for construc-
tion in the Rio Grande is known as the
Santa Helena and is planned 10 ba
placed opposite Brewster county, about
- miles below the mouth of the Con
chos river. which flows in from the Mex
lean side. The estimated cost il $4,000. 900
Appropriation for this. as well as the
pther projects. must he made by the
national government. Mr. Gaines il
merely making Investigations for incor-
poration in report to Congress.
as Years to Fill.
Last August Or. G. r r. Caracristi
of Granite. Virginia. at my request.
made plans and a report to me free Of
charge of a possible dam and reservoir
IN the same section of the Rio Grande
To which Mr.. Gore alludes." said Mr.
Gaines. "Dr. CaracriSti saws il will re-
qulre - years to fill this reservoir. and
that il is large enough to protect the
people from floods that might come from
Butte on the Rio Grande in New Mexico.
and that. as | recall his figures. this
dam will produce about 10000 horse
power.
"Dr. Caracristi wrote the former
boundary commissioner for map of
that section Of the boundary. which
| finally Inherited and answered. as did
later Mr.. Corbin from the FL Paso Office
Under these circumstances and as we
can't work i'm that section nj this time
anyway and as DIR. Caracristi had made
IN l?0S. or later. a she states. an actual
dary in that locality. his work | hope
survey of the Mexican side of the boun-
will greatly aid the engineers of the
government when they start If they do.
TO work on that part of the boundary.
which is opposite Brewster county.
Citizens Have Helped.
Other public spirited citizens. at nv
request. have furnished. free of charge
their actual SURVEYS of the boundary in
different sections or in parts Of anne OF
the tributaries. for example q. NJ .Tow.
ers. who. i'm 1911 made an actual survey
and location of dam site i'm Devils
river. which III. =. Corbin. consulting
engineer of the boundary commission
has checked up and found almost. II moi
actually correct. +. Il. Gore of the
Texas Board of Water Engineers has
been of great assistance both in Wash
ington and in Texas. Yesterday he sen,
u MIR. Corbin at FL Paso his plans an.