Arizona republican., 1920-12-23
URGES ACTION ON
 COLORADO RIVER
 PROJECT AT ONCE
George H. Maxwell Outlines Development Possibilities At Town Meeting, With Plea That Arizona Pro- tect Its Water Rights

tect US Water Rights
 Before an audience which filled to Overflowing the hall at the chamber or commerce building last evening, in what was described afterward as per haps the best of the gatherings yet held under the Town Meeting plan, George Fl. Maxwell, director of the National Reclamation association. gave a detailed outline of the proposed de- celopment of the irrigation and power possibilities of the Colorado river at the Black Canyon dam site, with plea that the people of Arizona protect their rights In the river before other inter- ests have taken them away forever.
 The meeting was presided over by C M. Zander, chairman of the committed Tn charge of last nights program, and Howard C. Reed, civil engineer whd was formerly project manager for the roosevelt dam project assisted MT. Maxwell in presenting statistical evil dence concerning the Colorado river development plans. The meeting ended with the adoption of a resolution that a committee of five members be ap- pointed to formulate resolution ex- pressing the sentiments of the meeting and laying out plan of action which the state of Arizona can put under way immediately. The gist of Mir. Max wells address follows:
 T first want to define the point of vie wfrom which I speak, in order to avoid any misunderstanding. There is no conflict, as has been intimated late ly, between Arizona and the other sec tions looking for a division of the wa ters of the Colorado river Arizona's only task is to look out for her fair nf hA share? To answer this we must re- member that a certain proportion must be conceded to the states above the canyon, and a certain part also below the line to Mexico. But there remains between the canyon and the border an amount of water so large that what can be done with it is more than the imagination can picture.
 Real Economy in Costly Project
 My ground is that after the portion above the canyon and below the line IS taken out the remainder be apportioned between California, Arizona and Mex ico in definite ratio. Now, to give Arizona one-half the water will neces- sitate the building of works of large est, but which, when built, will pro vide better facilities for the use of the water than is possible on a cheap plan and I propose to prove that 1t will be a real economy to give the water to Arizona at any cost.
 T want you to fix your minds on this Salt River valley in it's original condition. say 60 years ago. Suppose that then men had gone below the Sentinel reservoir and had made that dam the center to which all the rights above ad to subordinate themselves. what would have been the result of such a utilization of the waters of the Salt and Gila rivers2 It would have strangled the Salt River valley, for the rights of the lower land must be guarded, and perhaps none living today would ever have seen this great valley developed in any manner.
 '"rhe argument is that the Colorado river must be treated the same as was the Salt river. so that we shall start at the beginning and work down that the waters used on the upper lands may be drained again into the river and used in the irrigation of the lower lands.
 Renew Source of Supply
 Long ago had the problem of the underground water flow put before the powers that be. Thirty years ago the so-called water table was factor in the San Joaquin valley in California but still, with all the knowledge and experience of this and other sections of the West before you, you waited in the Salt River valley until your lands were waterIogged. when you should have known that with. irrigation the level of the underground waters would gradually rise until the desert agair claimed your ranches. Whenever in the past man has fought the desert tho desert has won. Let us not hope that this generation will permit the repetition of the process. believe, or the contrary. that we are going to en- large constantly our irrigated area by the use of our streams and the watel tables beside them-that we are goins to multiply our fields, frow new for. ests, and. in short. give the nation { constant renewal of its sources of sup ply.
 T am here tonight, however, to pleat with you to develop the Colorado rivel along the right lines. Tn Arizona ther, are 2,000,000 acres which can be re claimed by this stream. Tn Californi; there are another 1000, 900 acres, and il Mexico 100000 more, so that the fina development of a correct plan of con servation will result in the reclamation of an empire of 5.o00.0O0 acres.
 ''The river upon which this develop ment isc to depend has a flow below the Grand Canyon of 16,000.000 acr d as the flow at Roosevelt dam. And thi water is slipping away from Arizoni and Arizona lands for the simple req son that you people of this state ar doing nothing about it.
 Opposes Boulder Canyon Dam
 Here I want to say that the pro posed Boulder Canyon dam will not pu water on the lands of Arizona, and 1 1t is built 1t will destroy the possibilit of any other dam that will irrigate tn deserts of this state. In opposing thi dam. however, we arc not doing an injury to any other state, nor are w, by advocating a dam at another sitt inturfng our chances for the develop nnent and use of the power latent L tho river. The more power, the bet ter for Arizonal (Applause.) By ad vooating another dam we are, in par ticular, not advocating anythin against the great power project of tn California Edison company to develo millions of horsepower at Diamon creek and Marble canyon. The Boul der canyon or Black Canyon dams ar below the projects of this compan! and the building of the higher dam by the power company will be of i'm mense value to us in regulating th river above the Black canyon and ] desilting 1t.
 T want to impress this fact upo your minds! Once a dam is built g Boulder canyon yon can never develo foot of Arizona lands and you hay allowed the commission of a erin against all future generations. To cannot touct the deserts of Arizon with water taken from the Boulde