El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-26
Bic RID GRANDE
PROJECT IS
MARVEL
The Great Dam at Elephant
Butte Is Largest for Irriga-
ton Purposes in World.
SITE OF DAM is
EXTINCT VOLCANO
Neuer Again VIII There Be
Scarcity OF Water For
Irigating the Valleys.
By z II. BALDWIN
Project manager of the Rio Grande
Project

-HE Rio Grande project. sometimes
| called the Elephant Butte pro-
l. ject. being constructed by the u
5. reclamation service. is unique in
this-that it is international as well as
inter state in scope. In addition 10
eventually irrigatins 10000 acres Of
rich valley land in Texas and New
Mexico. it furnishes 10000 acre feet Of
water per annum TO the republic OF
Mexico by treaty of May Il, 1906
The total area TO be irrigated VIII be
about $4,000 acres
irrigation Praetieed for Centuries
Irrigation has been practised in the
l Fl Paso valley and vicinity for cen
, turtles Before the middle Of the six
teenth century the Spanish explorers
found the Pueblo indians in this val
| ley cultivating and irrigating the soil
and raising grains and fruits The
Mexican canal at Juarez is known 10
have been in use for nearly zoe years
Some OF the present canals in the Me-
silla valley have been in use for about
50 years but there are evidences OF
older canals that have been abandoned
The Rio Grande was one of the first
streams TO be investigated by the
United States geological survey. and
no stream in the west has a more com
plete record of discharge than this
river dU0Nt II Ed1Q- dlAU4S lL0l-Nl1
have from time TO time been inveSti-
gated for the storage and utilization OF
the flood waters Of the Rio Grande.
Several dam sites have been located
and surveyed including the so called
international dam and reservoir. a
short distance above Fl Paso.
Elephant Butte an Extinct Volcano
The L. :. Reclamation service began
Investigations on the Rio Grande in ]
the spring Of 1903 in the canyon below !
Elephant Butte. Elephant Butte is an I
extinct volcano. rising from the east :
bank 20 a height OF about five hundred I
feet above the river. and derives its 7
name from the fancied resemblance 10 ]
an elephants head Behring'S were made 4
which indicated satisfactory founda- {
ton. and topographic surveys were /
made in 1908 and 1904 OF the irrigable 4
area from Fort Selden to a point 40 !
miles below FL PasO. Behring'S were
also made at the site of a proposed !
diversion dam at PenascJ rock. near
Fort Selden- As a result of these sur
veys and Investigations the site on
which the Elephant Butte dam was
constructed was selected
Diversion Dam Built First
The old canals in the Mesilla valley
had been operated for nearly so wears
without permanent readings The great
irregularity and uncertainty Of the flow
in the river. together with the habitual
shifting Of its channel made the tenn
II maintain. When the construction
of the Elephant Butte dam had been
assured. attention was turned 10 the
more immediate relief to be gained by
dam for the Mesilla valley. This dam
was called the Leasburg. from its proN-
unity to the station of that name on
the Santa Fe railroad It was built {
by contract. between the fall Of 1906 7
and spring 81 1905 In addition TO the !
dam. this contract included the con- ]
struction Of about six miles of main
canal leading from it.
While the Leasburg unit was near J
ing completion, work OF a preparatory
nature was commenced at Elephant , {
Butte Additional surveys were made
with view to planning Tor higher
lam. and further explorations We're {
made OF the geological formation AZ the J
1amSite- Location was also made Of q { J
standard gage branch railroad from 7
the damsite to connect with the Santa ]
Fe railroad at a point about midway j
between Ensle and Cutter. Wagon c
-oads were graded about the camp, near 8
he damsite. and a new road built from I
he camp TO Engle; in all. over p miles a
# road were built.
Work Halted in May 1909. 3
Grading for the railroad was begun 9
n November, 1905. by government I {
'orces and in May 1903. when the ex- r
AVIATION was about 20 per cent COM y
'leted construction work was susDend- a
d on account Of failure of negotiations a
/
or damsite. reservoir. and railroad /
light of way This difficulty was ad- $
listed. construction was resumed in I 2
august. 1910, track laying completed | i
larch I, 1911, and the first train Went ! q
nut over the road the following dav. ! r
his branch railroad is about ten and ! I
half miles long. and the wisdom OF I o
IS construction has been clearly dem | y
'nstrated tor based on the lowest bids {
'btainable for hauling by wagons. y
aVing of $4,000 has been effected. =
o say nothing Of the convenience as .
with teams. In fact. freight :
ne by teams would have been imprac- y
lcable. for during the period Of great II
ST activity 40 carloads per week were =
ot unusual ~
Construction of Flume n Task =
During the years 1911 and 191. the ! H.
rincipal work was the erecti N Of plan-
nd camp and the construction Of the ! g,
lume 10 carry the flow Of the river ! :;
-hile excavation was in procress and ! :.
he lower portion Of the dam WIS he ! :.
1S built. The construction OF the | q
Ontinued on page =, col. }, this section. 4,