El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-25
Private Irrigation Under
takings In All Parts of
the Southwest.

DESIDES the big reclamation prof.
II ects af the United States govern
ment. IN which the Rio Grande valley
above and below FL Paso has been
reclaimed by the Elephant Butte dam
and the lands In the salt River valley
hive been reclaimed BY the Roose-
welt dam. many smaller irrigation IN
dsrtakings have been successfully put
through in this section during the
past few months, regardless OF war
conditions. and many more are yearly
adding to the producing area Of the
rt gion. In addition to this, q govern
ment project on the Pecos. north OF
Pecos. Texas, IS expected to be put
through shortly.
Many private irrigation undertake
iugs have been completed in the last
few months IN west Texas, New Mex
ico and Arizona. for instance, one at
Grand Falls, and one at Fort Stock
ton. another east OF Fort Stockton.
on the PecOs and most recently. one
In the Leon valley.
In New Mexico, a project for the
reclamation OF 10000 acres has been
completed IN Colfax county on the
Springer ranch and another Is in
progress, TO reclaim a similar area,
close by, while the Las Vegas project,
a
der way. viii bring 10000 acres under
the pillow. Work by the federal gov
eminent on an enterprise between
Albuquerque and White Rock, n II.
Is another irrigation enterprise that
viii be under way this year, It is be-
lieved
Elephant Butte dam brings IN
der q ItivatiOn 225.0OO acres, the
salt River valley project (HOOse-
Welt CAM an equal area and the
Albuquerque project will bring
in 100000 aerSs-
The Leon Project.
What irrigation Is doing for the de-
velopment OF the southwest is more
fully appreciated upon individual In
vestigation Of various projects The
Leon valley irrigation project, located
a short distance west Of Fort Stock
ton. Texas. gives an ample demon
stration. one years total income that
has been received by the farmers from
crops off Of that project has been SUI
ficient to pay the total costs OF this
construction
Vernon L Sullivan. Of e. Paso. was
the construction engineer and he
gives the following interesting IN
formation upon the development and
construction Of this project. Up 20
a short time ago the Leon Valley
Z Springs were known only to few,
and then under the name OF the Leon
water holes. Mr.. Sullivan said these
water holes were located at the head
Of a marshy area varying from one
fourth TO one half mile wide, and
some two and a half miles long. At
the lower end OF this area there was
a flow OF water varying from about
five second feet in the extreme sum
mer time to something about II sec
ond feet in the wettest winter time.
Above this area was large surface
drainage area extending west into
the foot hills OF the glass mountains.
and often times considerable torren-
tial waters passed through this valve.
Marshes Are Drained.
The first systematic development
undertaken on this project was the
construction OF a drainage ditch up
through this marshy area, draining
same, and tapping the Leon water
holes lowering the head OF them
some ten or u feet Contract for this
piece OF work was given to contractor
I. 3. Westerman, who did the work
with a drag line outfit This not only
conserved the water that was for
merly lost by evaporation from the
marshy area but also increased the
discharge Of the springs considerably.
Then later, wells were drilled
around these water holes which
flowed but little water at the sur
face. but when the head was lowered
by ditching into the drainage ditch
the discharge was increased several
times over, so that now there are a
number Of large artesian wells empty
ing into this drainage ditch, thus in
creasing the discharge = o over 20 sec
ond feet Of water the year round.
Reservoir Il B-Iilf-
In order to conserve the winter
FLOW Of this water supply and the