Imperial Valley press., 1916-01-22
Yuma Levee Breaks and City Is Under Water

The greatest flood in the history of the Colorado has
inundated the city of Yuma doing damage the extent of
which cannot be estimated today though it is known that
number of houses have been destroyed and is feared
that the loss will be great.
Reports from Hanlon Heading are that the volume
passing that point passes all records but the heading
holding WELL and it is believed the headworks of the
nal system will withstand whatever volume of water may
be brought against them.
Engineer lockwood expressed the belief last night
that the Volcano Lake evee would meet all requirements
OF the flood but this morning he had 1000 sacks sent
the river to be filled with earth and used occasion
might require What his plans could not be learned
as he left for inspection of the Alamo canal this
morning.
The official report of the Reclamation Service at Yu
this morning gave the height of the river at Yuma
"a feet but the discharge in secondeet was not then re-
ported 1t is known however, that is breaking all
ors the Press stated two days ago that it would do
A report from Parker this morning of rise in
the river of ninetenths Of foot which will be due in
Yuma tomorrow reported also that the Gila and
Salt rivers falling above Yuma and this decline may
offset the rise in the Colorado that is coming.
The worst records of the river at Yuma in the past
have been when floods the Ga and Colorado met there
and that is what is now happening
Yuma is protected by series of evees especially
against the Ga river, and these reported to have
broken in three places
At 1890 this morning telephone message to the r.
1gatlon District from Yuma stated that the business
ton of the town under six feet of water There
breaks in both the ella and Colorado river evees about
the town. and there some current running through
the town.
About the same time telephone message from Han
Ion Heading said great of brush had been placed
against the heading for its protection and could stand
another foot of water. The water had overtopped the
railroad leading south to the heading but it believed
that could be controlled.
The flood Yuma was reported to be still rising this
forenoon the subsistence of the a upstream having
yet appeared at that point
The protection Of Hanlon Heading is in charge of
Engineer Chester Allison, who is personally the job
system.
At II this morning Engineer lockwood called up Sec
retary Berry of the Irrigation District and informed him
that he had changed his program for the day and with
President Hamilton of the district about to leave for
Volcano lake. to take personal charge of the work there
Water had then begun to come against the levee
Mr. lockwood said he had fear for the evee unless
it should be at the Bowker Gate where the repair work
has just been completed and soft earth must meet the
water.
Mr. lockwood further stated that the water at Han
Ions Heading is within 3a feet of the top of the gate
and is still rising. Should it overtop the gate wash
the embankment away from the end of the gate, there
Another point of danger is at House Z on the river
evee where the river is at it's narrowest point report
which we'll authenticated says the Arizona levee be-
low Yuma has broken and that the town of Somerton is
flooded This indicates that the river will spread
considerable the Arizona side, and this may
eve the pressure on the evee this side of the stream
:, Any water that might through at Hanon Head
ing would down the Alamo channel and if the water
got started it might come in great volume
Mrs Bird Hobby this morning had telephone talk
with her brother W. Estes employed in the Southern
Pacific depot at Yuma, and he confirmed the reports of
the damage to Yuma adding that the bridges the
Colorado were in great danger.
At this afternoon Engineer Allison telephoned that
the water had been within foot and half of coming
the embankment at Hanlons and within three feet
of the top of the gate but then falling slightly and
he believed the gate SAFE 1t probable this drop
due to the break reported in the evee the Arizona side
of the river below Yuma.
At this afternoon Agent O. P. Smith of the South
Pacific Company received word that while the bus-
ness district of Yuma under to feet of water the