The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1921-01-08
ARIZONA SEEKS SITE
BELOW OUR PROJECT

Nevada took steps none too soon.
II would appear, for development Of
the irrigation and power possibilities
at Boulder canyon. in the Colorado
river. on the south boundary of Clark
county. A letter to the Los Angeles
Times, from Phoenix. Ariz., would
seem to indicate that Arizona is look
Ing at the wonderful impounding pos
sibilities In the gorges of the Colorado
with longing eyes. Many people be-
lieve some arrangement will eyentu-
ally be reached whereby Arizona and
Nevada will work In unison in devel-
oping this monster water power. Ne
yada already has taken steps to for
ward work at Boulder canyon. Engi-
neers have been in the neighborhood
for a year. taking "soundings" to de-
termine a favorable dam site. We
quote the letter to the Times:
movement has been started at
Phoenix. Ariz., toward survey of
contour lines. and of lahds lying
within Arizona and along the course
of the Colorado river, to determine
the part Arizona shall take in seek
ing a part of the benefit from the
ifnpoundment of the flow of the great
stream and from the water power to
be generated.
This task has been entered upon at
the suggestion of George II. Maxwell,
director of the National Reclamation
Association, and IL will be carried TO
the legislature on the basis of reso-
luton that is now being framed by a
committee selected at a Chamber of
Commerce town meeting" which was
representative of both local business
and agricultural interests.
Tentative plans have been made for
a great ditch, possibly 125 feet wide.
16 feet deep. and several hundreds OF
miles long. that will have its head
at 400-foot storage, diversion, and
power generation dam in one of the
lower gorges of the Colorado, prob
ably in Black canyon, some distance
below the mouth of the Virgin river.
Much land for reclamation is avail
able within Mohave county, while
the contour of the canals course will
tend to a return toward the river, as
the mountains narrow toward the
channel. opening again below Bill
williams fork into the great plain
that stretches eastward and south
ward from Parker.
Still beyond. from the same great
canal, could be a broadening of the
cultivated land eastward and south
ward from Yuma, while the contour.
with a canal fall of about a foot to
the mile. is expected to take the canal
to a point on the ella. where its waste
waters could be discharged into the
long considered.
A 500-foot dam contour line might
reach even to Arlington. fifty miles
southwest of Phoenix, embrasing
vast expanse of land north of ella
Bend.
A. the Phoenix meeting there was
agreement that Arizona would assist
liz the development OF Colorado river
water power. either by public or pri-
,ete enterprise; but there was express
zion of apprehension that construe-
ton of dam at Boulder canyon
right serve to prevent similar con-
struction in Black canyon.
The latter is considered the proper
site for dam that might supply the
east side lands, but ii might be placed
in the position that its complete fill
ing would be legally impossible, for
II lies less than twenty miles below
the Boulder canyon site and the back
water from the lower dam might
serve to blanket and decrease power
generation above, with 100 feet or
more of water backed up against the
downstream face of the upper
structure.