Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-04-19
TO BUILD HIGHEST DAM.
Giant Structure Will Harness the Col
orado River.

The highest dam in the world, to join
the states of Nevada and Arizona and
harness turbulent waters Of the Colora-
do river fer extended irrigation in the
southwest, is to be constructed in the
near future by the United States rec
lamation service.
The dam, according to the tentative
plans. would rise to the.unprccedented
height Of 500 or, s6oss feet, in Boulder
canyon, where granite abutments "rfs.
more. thas .oO@ feet .above the water
surface. Engineers Of the reclamation
service, afloat on barges, are now bor-
ing for bedrock beneath: ""t'':''' ~.
A lake varying from 80 to 5o'mles in
length would be backed UP in the Col.
orado and Virgin. rivers; and in this
basin would. be held in check for irri:-
cation therdrainage from almost the
entire Colorado river basin, including
parts Of six states.
The proposed structure would be
higher by far than the worlds highest
dam at present-ArrowroclS dam, on
the Boise river, Idaho, which rises 34S
fcct-and would top other famous dams
in the United States. among the high
est Of which are:
Shoshonc, on the Shoshone river,
Wyoming. 32S feet; Elephant Butte, on
the Rio Grande, New Mexico. 300 feet
and Roosevelt, on the Salt river. Ari-
zona, 200 feet.
Preliminary work on the Boulder
canyon project is being done under au-
thority Of congress. which appropriated
$4,000 for investigation. An addition
al $4,000 was contributed by local ir-
rigators. Engineers have located a
site and are making borings for foun-
dations. While these are incomplete
bedrock has been located at a number
of points and the outlook is favorable,
according to Arthur P. Davis. director
of the reclamation service.
Interests from the irrigable region
are expecting to bring their problem
before congress at the present session,
and through the committee on irriga-
ton seek government aid, it is under
stood. but the exact nature OF their
proposal, whether an out and out ap-
preparation, government loan, or ex-
tension OF credit has not been an
nounced.
So unmanageable has the river been
In the past that 1t has oftch changed
It's lower channel. Like huge ele-
plant with body over seven states it
swung it's trunk about through the
soft-silt delta, uncomfortable at flood
and destructive to canals and levees.
So active did the trunk become in 1905
that it entered the California Develop
ment company's Imperial canal. run
ming through part Of Mexico to the I'm
perial valley, and poured the entire riv-
er into the Salton sink, 200 feet below
the sea level. 1t ate out the canal, en-
larged the Salton sink and formed
cataract which threatened to work It's
way back through the soft land, with
great damage. Only the activity OF the
Southern Pacific railway in building
dam across the widening mouth Of the
canal channel, after hard fight with
the river, were able to swing the chan
mel back again to the Gulf of Cal.for-
MIA.
The Laguna dam, built in 1909. join
ing Arizona and California. has resist
ed flood water. but complaints OF orok-
en- levecs, and later scant water for
the rapidly increasing area Of irrigated
land, continue.N Complications with
Mexico in the Imperial canal add to the
problem, and the entire situation is
messing southwest interests to action.
In addition to the Boulder dam pro-
icct, the Imperial Irrigation district IS
pushing plan to tap the Ccguna dam'
and build an all-American high line
canal on a higher level irrigatc more
extensive acreage and avoid Mexican
relations.
The Boulder canyon dam project, 10
Gated below the Grand canyon near
Las Vegas, Nevada, where engineers
are now boring, is the most advanta-
geous position of any projected Sites
according to the preliminary report
made to congress by the reclamation
service. A dam there would inter-
cent most of the drainage of the Color
ado river, and, therefore, be Il more
complete solution of the flood control
problem" the report says, "Such res
ervoir would also be more valuable IN
tho irrigation of lands on the lower
river on account of the great proXlm-
;ty to them, and the consequent posi-
hi,itv of regulating it's flow more neal
lv in accordance with the fluctuating
needs. incidentally it would furnish
large amount of power" further
rcport of more recent findings is under
preparations.
The irrigable lands Of the lower COL
orado river as listed BY the reclama-
rio, service comprise many valleys and
projects, with total of 1,242,OOO acres
They include Cottonwood island. Ma
have valley, Chemehuevis valley, Par-
ker project, Palo Verde valley FalQ
Verde mesa, Chucawalla valley. Clboie