The evening herald., 1918-03-28
ENGINEER R. A. HART
WRITES CAPT. CARR
INTERESTING LETTER
Gives Specific Information About
Organizing Drainage Districts,
Bonding Same and Developing
Projects; Several Units Needed.


'rr from senior Drainage Engineer u.
s. Hart.
Denver col, March 26. lp1S.
'rupt. CLARK NJ Carr
" Albuquerque, Ncw Mexico
&" My dear ,ir.
81 dc-rfr to expires. my sincere up.
prcriutiou ut Your courtesy to me while
n Albuquerque end vicinity and tu cN.
press the hope that ! m"y sometime re-.
pay the obligation ~ the way of ser.
vice 20 the people of the locality in the
way uf Drainage reclamation
There ARE so many factors tn con.
slider with relation 20 the proposed
drainage work boo the Rio Gtnudc valley
that feel We failed Co get very deeply
into the muttcr in uur conversations
aud ! am taking the liberty ct writing
you at some longth with respect 90 tho
various aspects of the problem.
Drainage Needed
90 The need for drainage h. perfectly
I apparent md is, no doubt generally
ocknuW lodged aud | anticipate that the
oNly question which viii arise iu this
. regard will bc as 10 the scope 81 The
lRud needing drainage There are Ger.
tain ridges and kuulls which rise slight.
~ above the flood plain en- which the
need for drainage b. not So evident from
% casual examination. and as the foot.
hills ARE uuUruurhcj uu either side uf
the valley. there is belt ot land Iu
which the ,rri for drainage cannot tr
u,ccriuiuc3 from uu examination either
ol the ground surface itself or of ,Er
crops now growing.
"l.ands iu vital need uf drainage arc
MOI always wet ON the surface and -
is the general experience that the best
crops are produced hv lands iust before
they are rendered uproductiVc by Wa
tcrlogging u h. necessary % look into
TIC future nur consider the possible
spread of injury. Prevention Of injury
and los. ut crop. H. uf 70, great. " not
greater, Importance than the rcdcmI
tion at muis that have been rendered
uuprodurti,c.
Ground Water Tables.
The best measure ui 'hr need for
drainage Dr. the proximity uf the ground
water tahir 20 the ground ,urfurr T.
viii be- ,9ir rule tu ASSUME that uuv
hind. iu 'by ,u-, of which the ground
water table rises iu Within six feet ~
the surface. viii hc benefited D., drniu.
ugr. The observation wells which II
is proposed 10 INSTALL boo the several
ui,a- together with .od horiug,, will
Indicate very closely what lands -huull
hc included.
Some Benefits.
" The benefits that Mil accrue from
drainage nrc many The fundamental
purpose ut drainage +. 60 effect the rc.
moval Hf excess water. The other ben.
\ chriul results follow n- % matter uf con.
sequence rut some D, them are uf MS
great ynlur us the removal ot tho cv.
| cess water. Removal ut 'hc excess va.
| ter Will result iu the lowering ot the
| grouud water table 20 safe depth and
| in the subsequent control nf the table
90 ~ the water table is lowered. mir j.
| drawn into the soil pores. resulting IN
| improved ncrutiuu and the proper bal.
| nurc between mir and moisture. II r. n
/ well known fact that air is uf ~ great
importance IN piuut development u- is
| water \ deeper roofing zone H. afford
ed and more plant food aud soil mois
| tutc made available. Thriftirr plnut,
viii thus bee developed oud the duugri
Il uf dr,uth viii hc reduced Less irrigu
j 'iou water will be required than now
= aud much greater crop returns viii %,
realized These win bee reflected II
greater mDacy returns aud un increased
market value OF the lands.
Seepage Prevented
( "Thc lands will hc protected from In
turc INJURY due to sccpnge from m,
river srpagc from tine bitches and per
collation. from the irrigation of the ,ui
itself. Hll of which contribute tu th,
present condition.
IA ANY arcumulu,ious ct salts may h,
y removed hy % lcn,hing process, employ
ing irrigation water The salt, will
thus boz washed down through the sol
81 and subsequent accumulation, bee avoid
sd. The salt problem ... fortunately
% NOT very serious in the Albuquerque .er
b. 'Iun nt che valley. and the rrclumutiu.
II of thr salty Uuds may ho Effected %,
Pc one uI 'uu treatments after drainage.
" Community Effort
- 'Ih, reclamation OF lands lu th. Ru
NInulr valley hN drainage, calls ful
community effort. .rur, .udiN N,dum pu
irrts nr, ugt ot 'hr pur,ti,h t. Nil
- uc u,rrs,1ty 90 puiui ont o." you IN,
advantage ot operating ou large -rnI
b, cooperative effort. such o.. lrtiu.
4 large contracts 20 large well cquiIrc,
contractors; purchasing mutrriuI. b.
large quuuitfi,., having 'hr exclamation
work under competent udmtu,trat.ui
aud having the NuTn ir~i igurI und CON
sifurtpi under the supervision OF COM
~ uDirut engineers. convenient uVthul, CO.
tmm.IHy perpetual succession ut uu
N tuur'y -' 'ba' Ururrr maintenance. MAJ
'I hr afforded. uuH .fUw- iuu numerous -
m,HfIun
Districts Units
30 Tho dUuHgv district organization
' d. tur mu-' sutI-turtur, d,vIrr i.r s.,
curing comparative action uu % rommw