El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-14

lITASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. IA
w Splendid crops are being raised
in the Rio Grande and salt river val
leys and. in general, on all lands en-
braced in the governments reclama-
ton projects II was revealed in the
annual report OF the secretary Of the
interior, made public here. OF $1,000
irrigable acres in the Elephant Butte
project last year, 63.625 acres were
under crop. the report states, and the
value OF crops raised was S3,5sS. 42i.
m average OF $3.50 per acre. In the
salt river project OF which Phoenix
IS the center, the irrigable area was
1880 acres, Of which ISS,500 were
in crop The value Of the crops raised
vas S13.ss2.OoO and the average value
ference Of $3.50 per acre in favor OF
The salt river project as compared
with the Elephant Butte project.
Carlsbad and Yuma Crops.
The Carlsbad project had 24775 r.
rigable acres OF which 1928 were
under crop Value OF the crop was
Ss23.Sls. or SSs-66 per acre
The Yuma project, with an arriga-
bic acreage OF 5000, had S5,57S acres
under crop The crops produced were
worth $3.50, 669, or S1O.47 per acre.
These figures do not include
livestock raised and sold from
farms, the report states Total
values OF crops raised on govern
ment projects reached nearly &c.,
OOO.O 600 without taking into account
meat. dairy products, wool, etc,
which secretary lane believes
would raise the total to about
s7O,OOO.0OC.
The report deals little with future
plans It states that during the past
year the reclamation service has de-
voted Itself principally to the opera
ton OF the various projects and that
next in importance have been con-
1inuation and extension Of drainage
work where required TO prevent in
jury to reclaimed land The report
adds
Avoid Taking Up New Work.
The general policy has been not 70
undertake any new projects or any
large extensions Of existing projects
unless il would be possible 10 bring
about increased production OF food
and forage in the immediate future"
The new work vas cut off because
o. labor shortage and necessity Of
conserving materials for the future
The only new project undertaken re-
Gently is the King Hill project in
southern Idaho where private capital
had constructed an irrigation system
but was unable TO complete #. Re
pairs have been made and reconstruc- !
zion is under way
Concerning the Elephant Butte
project OF, as secretary Lane calls it. 8
the Rio Grande project the report
says:
asThe Rio Grande project, in
New Mexico and Texas, f. one of
the localities Of largest operations
under the reclamation service
Water Is being delivered to nearly
one fifth Of the lands from the
storage reservoir at Elephant
Butte. Work Is being pushed on
construction OF the canal system
and On the general drainage sys-
tenn OF the valley. Much of the
land for which water is available
is Hater logged and a rising water
table threatens other areas. The
most urgent work on this project
Is the completion of the drainage
system and reconstruction Of the
lateral system by which water can
be used more efficiently and
economically and the rise of the
ground water arrested
Of the Carlsbad project the report
isys:
The Carlsbad project IN New Mex
CO is generally increasing its cult
-ated area as the progress Of drainage
works continues and waterlogged con-
litons improve. Serious damage was
lone TO the storage reservoir by
-reat storm in March, 1913. This, /
'owever, has been repaired and a new
pillway constructed. Two subsequent |
ears. 1917 and 1913, have been alb
iornlslly dry and the project has been
ieTilOusly near water shortage ]
throughout those seasons No serious
eduction Of crop yields has occurred