Arizona republican., 1918-03-22

Verde reservoir project upon which stockholders in the Salt River Valley Water Users association will vote on Tuesday, II days from today. The summary showed that if the stock holders vote to build this improvement the cost to land under the project will be increased by only 94 cents to the acre. The acreage then to be irri- gated will be increased from 1s5 ,ooO to 215,000 acres and the whole section cannot fail but receive benefit from the 90,o0o acres addition which may be cultivated.
 The importance of the matter is so great that Judge Kibbey's thoughtful address is published in full, as follows: Judge kibbey Outlines Plan Ladies and Gentlemen:
 want first to thank you for the in- vitation to be present and address you tonight.
 On Tuesday, F days from today, the regular annual election bv-the mem bers of the Salt River Valley Water Users. Is to be held. At that election, m addition to the choice of president, vice president, and members of the council and board of governors, there will De submitted to the shareholders TOT thelr approval or rejection, prop ositlon to construct what is commonly called the Verde reservoir dam. | MT. Hartranft in asking me to ad- dress you said that you wanted to have %o pressed it, pro and con-" In other words then. am not advocating either favorable or an adverse vote upon ] the proposition.
 think l may safely asume however, that we are all in favor of the largest development possible of our water sup ply, and the greatest extension prac- tlcable of our irrigated lands.
 For the greater the number of acres that can be successfully irrigated in this valley, the greater will be our prosperity; the growth and develop ment of our population, and the &C., qulsltion and extension of all those in- stitutions of civilization, happiness and progress. The greater the number of people, the greater will be our produc- tion, which will result in improved transportation facilities. a lessening of the actual cost of production, greater economy of production, a greater use of our products, comparative lessen- Ing or waste, and a greater stimulus to education and refinement.
 All Agree Upon This l l do not think that this will be dis puted, or that it needs either argument or any elaboration of statement. think it may be confidently assumed that we all agree upon this. The question that we are called upon to solve is, How may this best be ac- complished?
 In attempting to solve the question taken into account.
 First we should consider whether a substantial increase of the water avail able for the irrigation of the lands in the valley can be effected, and how.
 Our source of supply are of two kinds:
 First-The water naturally flowing in the Salt river (including, of course that in the Verde).
 Second-Subterrane sources.
 We have already made available by storage the water of the Salt (exclud ing the Verde). We have appropriated land acquired the right to divert all the water of the Salt and of the Verde uI to the capacity of our canals to car. ry it.
 We have made available practical, lall the water of the Salt above it. lconfluence with the Verde except il times of unusual floods in that river.
 More Than Normal Flow \ We have been favored for the pas two or three years with more than tn normal flow of the Salt We have hat sufficient flow in that river to caus the overflow of the Roosevelt dam tw, or three times since it's completion.
 It will be unsafe to assume that thi river has so far changed its habit that we may expect this every year.
 We know that it will not occur ever lyear, nor even in most of the years It will be the exception that the dar will overflow, rather than the rule, we can rely on the history of the rivel and we would be rash to ignore tha history.
 can conceive of no greater disaste that can overtake this valley than serious drought. And as our develop ment goes on and cultivation become move intensive, and our lands are de voted to the growth of products ( higher value, the consequence ( drought become more serious.
 It is much better that occasionall excessive flood waters should run waste than that, as a rule, or even fire quently. there should be serious def ciency of water.
 We are now using the greater part ( the flood waters of the Verde. I not mean that that is so today-but the course of the year it is so,
 Demand Measured by Capacity
 Our demand for water is measure by the combined capacity of our cana to carry it. That may be stated round numbers to be 150,000 miner inches, or 3750 cubic feet of water D. second of time. Whenever, therefor the flow in the Verde is less than 150 900 inches, we take all of it, if the then be need for it, and take nol from the Roosevelt dam, but perm whatever may be flowing in the Sa above the dam to be stored in u 140,000 we need but take 10000 fro flowing in the Verde me must tai the reservoir; and if but 100000
 50,000 from the reservoir. This mea, of course to supply the maximum mand.
 In other words, we need take fro the reservoir only the difference b tween 15O,0O0 inches and the actu amount flowing in the Verde. if the be demand for as much as 150,0
 inches.
 The regime of the Verde and Of |
 Salt are not identical. The Verde
 subject to more frequent floods tn the Salt.
 The water shed of the Verde is
 greater elevation than of the Salt, al
 has a greater rain fall Not only h
 it greater annual rainfall, but it
 not identical in the seasons with tho lin the Salt, in which the rainfall 0
 CUTS. The Verde is subject to summ
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