Arizona republican., 1918-03-31
Build the Verde Dam


 The Republican. week ago printed an address by Judge Kibbey the subject of impounding the waters of the Verde and making that part of the Salt River project This subject naturally divides itself into two parts-the advantages of such addition the present reclamation project and the cost of such addition. The cost of any under taking is always and properly the first consideration
 It is shown by Judge Kibbey though for lack of space will not follow his calculations in de- tail that the cost of the project it stands on a basis of 1s5,OO0 acres against which assess ments are levied to meet the cost of the project S1o,166, ,O21.97, is S54.95
 The estimated cost of dam the Verde river ranges according the type of dam to be structed follows: For the cheapest, rock-fled dam with concrete face, $965, ,172.60; reinforced multiple arch dam, s1,5 ,S7SSO; gravity section masonry dam, s2,5oS.S77.6O.
 It is further estimated that the impoundng of the waters of the Verde would add 3O,OOO to the project making the total acreage on which assessments would be levied, 215,OOO On this basis the the completed project if the highest type of dam were used would be $55.S9 94 cents than the present assessment against each of the 1S5 900 under the Salt River project. If the second type of dam used the assessment would would be s54SS 57 cents less for the pro- ject it stands
  into account in the foregoing calculation One is the matter interest and the other is an item of $iOO0OO which will returned to the owners of 30000 acres of land originally included in the pro- ject, the owners having subscribed the stock of the association, but whose lands excluded when the acreage reduced to 1S5OOO
 Now. to the advantages or needs for an en- larged project It is unnecessary to dwell upon the advantages of an enlarged farming and the cheaper cost per of the maintenance and man. asement of larger project. But more than all, there is the greater the absolute security against inadequate water supply. It is true that since the Roosevelt dam filled four years ago there has been adequate supply but those who have lived in the valley for many years remember that there have been long periods consecutive years in which the dam would not have been filled in any year. Therefore it may be easily apprehended that such consecutive years, cycles. may call them, will come again and there will be need of supplemental water.
 The geography of the country drained by the Verde is quite different from the watershed of the Salt. Rains in the former region fre- quent and consequently have frequent floods in the Verde coming often at times of. the year when there floods in the Salt. It is true that the volume of water in the Verde in the average year by equals the volume of the Salt.
 Thus. we have in favor of the enlarged project with one type of dam actual reduction 57 acre, and with the other and the highest type an increase of only 94 cents acre over the present assessment. On the side of advantages we have permanent guaranty against shortage.
 The proposed building of a dam on the Verde is to our mind, necessary to the completion of the Salt River project, to the supplying to the "dry lands within the project assured water supply at all times to the qualification of the great agtcu- tural region the project designed to serve And all this the members of the Water Users at the election next Tuesday, may bring about.
 Every consideration is in favor of the enlargement of the project; there is none against it. There was a one-sided proposition.