Arizona republican., 1920-08-06
HEAVY DEMAND FUR WATER DURING JULY
 NOTED IN REPORT

Unusually heavy demands for irriga- ton water on the part of the share holders of the Salt River Water Users association taxed the. project heavily during the past month. The increase or cotton acreage in the valley and the scarcity of summer rains is the cause or the great demand for water, ac- cording to officials of the association.
 When the project was planned and built it was not intended to provide irrigation water for the class of crops which are produced here now. Alfalfa was the principal crop at that time. and required irrigating in small quan- tlty steadily almost the year around. With the advent of cotton, the charac- ter of the valley has changed Cotton must De irrigated only during the spring and summer, and at that time must have its supply in fairly large quantity The fact that almost all the cotton here is planted at about the same time, it all must have water practically on the same dates and as consequence the machinery of the project is taxed to the limit during the summer and is almost idle during the winter
 The project is gradually being en- Iarged, though, to take care of the ex- tra demand for water for cotton in the summer, and in the course of the next few years it will be so altered as to easily accommodate all the water necessary to properly irrigate the cot ton crops at the right time.
 SIX maintenance crews were in the IleId during the month of July. ac- eofolng to the report for that month by the chief engineer. Three hundred and thirty-s six men were engaged in maintenance work and accomplished the following results: Miles main ca- nals cleaned, 56 1-2; miles laterals cleaned. 229 1-2; number of new structures installed, Is; number of old structures repaired. PA; riprap placed 24o0 feet; concrete placed, 23 3-4 cu- DIG pards; dirt fill placed. 1920 cubic yards; concrete pipe laid 402 feet. corrugated pipe laid. 75 feet.
 The protective work on the left bank of the Arizona canal, 1000 feet below Granite Reef was compIeted This consists of a cobbIe- stone paved wall 9S5 feet lonf, extending into the rock at base, ard feet above flood line, and involved the laying of 2935 square yards of grouted paving
 The Marion drag1ine was put back into commission on July 24 and is now engaged in excavating for spillway on Consolidated canal about one mile be- low the power house.
 The total power generated during the month was 7.s62.370 XVIII. The Roosevelt and Cross Cut power plants operated continuously during the AACheAis t4C oOuL1 SOnSOf1QaIed plant operated 97.7 per cent of the month the Arizona Falls plant 975 per cent and the Chandler plant 95 per cent
 The sub-stations all operated during the month with no trouble All pump- ing plants were available when needed except the San Francisco plant, which was taken out of service and part or the equipment moved to the Highline plant.
 Construction work on the south spillway at Roosevelt dam ceased July IA when the construction camp was abandoned Construction work on the Phoenix-M Mesa telephone line com menced on July 26.
 The following acreages were en- titled to irrigation water service on the first of the month:
 Acreage Applica-
 tions Permanent 172,23s.5o 42s6 Normal Flow 2.175.25 67O Temporary 19,04226 IA Townsites 397S75 6