Imperial Valley press., 1916-08-17
IMPERIAL VALLEY AUGUST
CALCULATIONS OF A TRIO.

y LA
- The Ell Centre Progress Brawley News and CaleXi-
co Chronicle are resortng most heroic means to de-
fend the management of the irrigation district and OF
sudden the trio have rushed forward to defend the new
west side canal from its critics
To the Brawley News the completion of this canal ap
pears to completely the west side from the wicked
despoers the other mutual companies.
To the Progress the canal brings revival Of the
old proposition of settling basin in which to catch silt
to prevent the encroachments OF the river.
The Chronicle is nqusitive rather than informative
There is a natural temptation to have some fun with
the two unenable propositions of the News and Progress
out the Press has promised itself and It's readers TO ds
this vastly important question with the seriousness
and frankness it deserves
It is OF the utmost Importance that the people realize
the situation at Volcano Lake for the fate of the people
Of the whole valley for years may rest the outcome OIL
what the Press has called the greatest engineering CRIME
of the southwest.
AS protection against the river there has been built
the Volcano Lake evee the west end of which rests
against the Black Butte. This levee follows approx
ately the ridge in the silt deposit that has cut the val
ey off from the Gulf of California.
For ages the Colorado river has flowed alternately
orthward from this ridge to Saton sink and southwest
TO the gulf.
At present the river swings far to the westward be-
hind the evee from which vantage it flows to the gull
but ready at any time flow the sink The only I'M
pedment the northward is the Volcano Lake evee
The grade of the river lessons at Volcano Lake, which
occasions it to build up silt deposit IN that section very
rapidly.
The government and local engineers who have worked
on the protective system have formulated welldeflned
strategy for the defense of the valley That defensive
strategy implies taking Volcano Lake evee the fixed
northern limit of the defensive works and gradually,
through silt deposit and evee construction building up
the country to the southwark thus gradually working the
river channel off to the south and east
Engineer lockwood later formulated plan, cen
Gelnned by able engineers to take canal from
Cudahy check along the north side of the evee and by
means of suction dredges pump such silt as would ac-
in thpc al OntO he
This plan was criticised by other engineers the
two-fod ground that any brought in canal should
be taken the south gu side of the evee where the
utmost effort should be made to build up the country and
secondly because water standing against the levee on
Goth sides would destroy its strength
Nothing had been heard Of this silt-depostng pro-
poSal of Mr. lockwood for time until 1t again
sprung yesterday for the proposed canal to
Cudahy check and for the west side canal from Vol
cano Lake.
But the trouble is that these two explanations
with each other The salvation OF the west side,
cording to the Brawey News has been worked cut by
bringing water from Volcano Lake and the Calexico
Chronicle says the lake is the river and the river is the
lake while the Progress brings up the silt pumping prop
oson to destroy the Volcano Lake supply system which
the News says is saving the west side lands.
The irrigation district has built g gate in Volcano
Lake evee, tapping the lake and at this period Of ab
normally high water there is considerable discharge
into the canal
But drawing water from the river into Volcano Lake
and thence through the eyee is tending TO turn the chan
mel of the liver toward only defensive works.
That reckless procedure of inviting the river against
the evee and toward the valley is what the Press insists
is the greatest Of engineering crimes.