Arizona sentinel., 1917-04-05
REPORT GOVERNMENT ENGINEER
 ON WATER SYSTEM

The report of the board of engineers consisting of Dr. Elwood Mead D. c. Henny and Joseph Jacobs on the rr gaton and flood problems of the valley has been received by the farm bureau the irrigation district and the board of pervors who jointly asked for the investigation by the de- partmen of the interior and the University of California The report is the result of preliminary investigation made by the above named board of engineers determine the ad visibility of government aid in the solution of the perman ent problems confronting the valley in connection with d { version flood control and additional development connection with Laguna dam is urged as the best means of diversion from the Colorado high line canal to rgae the east side urged necessary develop ment in the uture As anticipated the expense of the proposed permanent construction work would be by the government on the basis of repayment of cash including :: proportonate cost of Laguna dam.
 :. The board strongly recommends that the entire Colo ado be considered unit by the federal government and be handled in such way that the greatest shall be made of the entire flow o the river The report says part
 The water supply for the Imperial Valley comes from states In all of these irrigation necessary for successful agriculture All deeply concerned in the utilization of the available supply Unless something done to determine the be irrigated in the differ and provide for meeting the needs of these areas by interstate action costly interstate litigation o the inevitable events of the future The has for the preparation of plan for the irrigation development o this river unit and this ought include the Imperial Valley and be prepared under the direction of the federal government acting cooperation with the author- ties of the different states
 Government action necessary for the protection of million of land Imperial Valley and 18OOOO acres of land in the Yuma Project Because of mutual interference and the reflex effect o evees opposite sides of the stream the evee system should be handled single prob lem, and all work upon it's several units should be coord mated to plan. The federal government has al
 
 sides of the Colorado for protection of the Yuma Pro- ect and it the opinion of this borad that that the only agency that develop the complete system of flood pro- econ works that the Colorado river delta requires Such action would appear be in line with precedents by the United States with respect evee construction elsewhere
 The work contemplated by the district through the bond election has been strongly urged by Dr. Mead and referred to in this report as follows:
 The determination of of securing dependable water supply and facilities for silt slucng for the Imperial canal can in opnion be made advantage by the dis
 cts engineers, and should be paid for solely by the district No attempt made outline mmediate y necessary insure satisfactory water supply for the next few years No timely action could be expected from this report and moreover urgent needs a ready have been taken by the district
 he present main canal Mexican territory F- nanca considerations make this the proper and der allAmercan canal impossible In addition high line canal being considered to rgae large of land lying above the existing works. This canal would also have to Mexican territory and for this the consent of Mex ico is necessary
 will be noted that the alAmercan canal is condemn ed on the financial ground and not for engineering but there believe the engineers have better facilities for passing the financial problem than the peo pie here.
 It is understood that the report, of which only small part available contempaes acquiring rights in Mex and by inference this imply the reclamation of the 100000 of rgable land there mainly held by American corporations This problem which