Arizona republican., 1919-07-29

1uCqudbC WehlSl anu 1 NOAlpcIei- lively small acreage, and the present Salt River project, with an area of 250. 900 acres under intensive cultiva- tion, but extended beyond the safe limits of it's water supply.
 In concluding, MT. Hamlin advances as his opinion the statement that of the two possible uses of the waters stored upon the Verde, the water may | be most advantageously used in the Salt River valley.
 MT. Ham1in in his report summarizes the salient features of the proposed project as follows:
 The Paradise Project
 Officials of the Paradise Verde IT, rigation district contemplate the use of water from the Verde river, Cave creek and New river for the irrigation of 95,000 acres of land in Deer valley l Paradise valley and adjacent regions
 Tt is proposed to build the Camp | Verde and Horseshoe dams on the | Verde river, also dams on Cave creek | and New river to store the flood waters | of those streams, as a water supply | supplemental to that from the Verde river. It is further opposed to build ! the loop diversion dam on the Verde river, a transmission canal 27.83 miles | long, a distribution canal 29.01 miles | long, and lateral canals and dicthes for the purpose of delivering water to the lands within the district.
 Officials of the district further point out that in their opinion, flood water in Salt river could be conserved by the construction of a dam at Mormon flat; that there is an unnecessarily low duty of water in the Salt river project; that a large portion of the water diverted to | that project is wasted and that large quantities of underground water within | the boundaries of the Salt River pro- ject could be developed by pumping and used for irrigation on that project
 They maintain that if additional storage were proV,1ed on Salt river, the alleged low duty of water and waste corrected, and more extensive pump ing practiced, that more water would be available for storage on and di- version from Verde river for the Par adise- Verde irrigation project. Conclusions:
 'The findings of this report are summarized in the following state ments:
 q. The classification of lands with in the district is as follows:
 Patented lands, 49,64523 acres.
 Entered government lands, 30, "A acres.
 State lands, 14,764.00 acres. "2. The design of the proposed dams is grossly in error and if built would be serious menace to life and proper ty in highly developed communities.
 5. Adequate structures for the de- velopment of the district cannot be built for the estimate submitted.
 A. The available water supply from 7 the Verde river is inadequate for the l nf hn T Iief,- diversions and use of water from Salt 5 river are considered.
 5. The water supply from Cave , creek and New river is small and in y termittent. Development should not be based thereon until more accurate n data are available
 r ''6. The storage of flood water al Mormon flat is not economicall, feasible
 S Y. general system of canal Hnine should not be required until it has beer demonstrated that seepage losses therefrom are great enough to justify the cost of such work
 S. It is to be regretted that this dlstrlct has been proposed with nc more substantial basis than the mis. leading, inaccurate and insufficient data submitted. The district is not considered feasible, both on account Of the inadequate water supply anC the cost of construction"
 Following about 40 pages of type written report, Engineer Hamlin sub mits the following conclusions:
 The storage regulations of the pres ent surplus waters of the Verde rive constitute then, practically the onl, available water supply for the Para dise-Verde irrigation district. as it ha been shown that the supply iron Cave creek and New river is doubtful and unimportant, particularly durinl drought periods. The supply from tn Verde river is seriously short for al area of 30,000 acres and should no be considered for the development o an Independent irrigation system un less supplemented by a ground wate supply during drouth period.
 Tt is certain that such a groun water supply could not be develope' in the Paradise Verde district Whe the cost of storage dams, diversion works, transmission canals and dis tributaries is considered in relation t the area benefited and the characte of the water supply, it is not consid cred to be a feasible development
 The study of the water supply c the Salt River valley based upon a area of 193,703 acres shows serious de ficierey during a period of drouth. . supI lemental supply must be develope if the project is to pass successful through a drouth similar to that occur ring between 1898 and 1904, period z seven successive years, during whic the precipitation and run-off were be low normal.
 The rainfall record at Fort Apach in the drainage basin of the Salt rive indicates three protracted periods ( drouth in the past 43 years. It therefore reasonable to assume ths there will be a similar recurrence conditions.
 We have on the one hand pro posed new irrigation development ir volving expensive construction, a tc tally inadequate water supply and con p9ratively small areas. On the otht hand we have an area of nearly 250. .0t acres in the Salt River valley und. intensive cultivation, but extended b' yond the safe limits of it's water suppl
 'I1. consideration therefore of u economic merits of these two possib uses of the water stored upon the Vert r.ver. it is the writer's opinion tn these waters can be most advantag Sxx csxI4 Tl-,x