Arizona republican., 1921-09-06

SnOulO De ellmlnaleu when the TcCoil- struction of the Arizona canal was under way. At that time it was understood by me that I was to turn the water from Cave Creek when we got to the proper point with the construction. Unfortunately, this was not done, owing to lack of funds; only sufficient were available to finish the Arizona canal.
 The damage to Phoenix is aused by the water which crosses the Ari- zona canal and spreads as far as the improvements and changed condi- tions permit over the adjacent land. being checked and concentrated where it strikes the railroad. The railroad grade, acting as a levee, de- fleets the water in a compact stream down Grand avenue along the rail- road which gathers volume and ve- locity as it travels, finally reaching the northwestern part of Phoenix where the water can again spread and dissipate its energy.
 As Cave Creek followed this course mainly because it naturally could not help it, it was planned to use the same scheme in turnlngI the water across the desert aboVef the Arizona canal into Skunk Creek. in other words, force Cave Creek to
 
 to where they would do no harm, by deflecting the water from Cave Creek to Skunk Creek by a levee seven | miles in length, constructed rom material excavated from a cut along | its upper side which would form the primary water channel, at a prelim- | mary estimated cost at the time of between $S,000 and s10,000. as it was planned to utilize the flow of water as far as possible in construction.
 A survey I had made at the time showed a fall of S7 feet. if my rec ollection is not at fault, while the bed of Cave Creek at the point of the black butte on the old Black Canyon road had vertical sides with bottom width of 100 feet and a high water depth of four feet. The fall of Cave Creek is about 25 feet to the mile, which would give a velocity of about ten feet per sec ond and a corresponding discharge of 4,000 second feet, not formidable amount of water when it is remem- bered the amount of water that can be diverted in the manner described is controlled entirely by the height and strength of the levee embank- ment, providing there are no obstruc- tions to prevent backing up against it's upper side, or free flow along its base to Skunk Creek. Possibly the sharp flood crests could be reduced and spread so the water could be cas- fly and safely handled by smaller and less expensive levee and chan mel than would otherwise be re- quired, by constructing cheap. rock check dams on the upper reaches oi the stream. owing to improvements land accrued rights. the present con- struction cost would be greater thar when the work was contemplated, as it will have to be done in more thorough manner than was required at that time to satisfactorily mee changed conditions. Possibly reser- voir basins exist that, if utilized, vii regulate the flood and save thu water; but under no conditions vii good business practice sanction tn, expenditure of any money not abso- lutely necessary under the best, sim plest and most economical plan tha
 can be devised to meet the situation
 The construction of all elaborat, and expensive alternatives should b, deferred until positively certain re
 turns upon the expenditure justify their construction.