Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-09-29


fall that IL was once burned -out
waste, reclaimed from the desert BY
irrigation. and now threatened with de-
struction by floods, sounds like a &C.
ton tale. The valley, however. which
has been saved from the food menace
for another year, and which viii, event.
ually be thoroughly safeeuarded BY
modern engineering skill, is the famous
Imperial Valley Of California and Mex
leo.
The valley was once at the bottom
OF the Gulf Of California. In some
dark prehistoric age ocean going ships
could have sailed UP the gulf where
prosperous cities ad productive farm
lands are now situated.
For unnumbered centuries the Col
orado River poured its floods into the
gulf, carrying approximately one per
cent OF aliuvial silt with its waters.
The silt settled as the river reached
hdewater, so that in the progress of
ages the entire north end OF the gulf
was filled with rich alluvial soil. The
river cut a new channel to tidewater
farther south. In time the old delta
dried up, leaving a basin which stones
northward from an elevation OF about
40 IT. at the south to 200 II. below sea
level at the lowest point 10 the north.
This delta only awaited the digging OF
canals to bring the waters OF the Colo
RADIO upon il and convert il into a vas,
garden from which scores OF long
trains leave every day carrying its
products to the markets of the world.
The valley had not been reclaimed
from the desert many years before men
began to realize that the Colorado Riy-
er had not altogether completed the
work which has made this garden spot
possible. The river, fed by the melt
ing SHOWS Of Colorado, Utah, and
Wyoming, is subject to extraordinary
periods OF high water. There is evil
dence, too, that the river periodically
OVERLOOKED into the great below-sea-
level valley long after the original del
ia land had been formed. In order TO
protect the valley from floods, great
levees were built across the south end
OF the valley from the high ground on
the east to the low range of volcanic
mountains which bound il on the
southwest.
The Colorado River has never ceased
to bring down the same quantities of
SILT 1t brought to make the valley. AS
it nears its outlet during flood season in
the Gulf Of California the silt is de-
posted in the river bed. Ever since
the valley was brought under cultiva-
ton the river bed has been building
up at the rate OF about one foot per
year, so that each year it has been
necessary TO increase the height OF the
levees. Higher and higher the levees
have gone, and obviously there is
physical limit to the heights to which
they can be built to withstand the riv-
err
With the river bed sitting UP from
flood waters at the rate OF one foot a
year, the engineers in charge OF the
irrigation and hood-Dntrol work frank
ly admit that five more years is about
as long as they can expect to hold the
levees. What, then, is going to be-
come Of it? The answer is, simply
the valley is going to be saved by en-
cheering skill. Long before the I'm
perial Valley levees become hopeless,
the river will be hobbled and broken
to make ii steady and harmless
stream, docile and subservient to the
will Of man. The check dams and
reservoirs will be built where there is
bedrock to anchor them, and hydro
electric power sufficient to turn all
the wheels Of commerce west OF the
Rocky Mountains will be developed.
This power will be used to convey
the impounded waters to 1000, 900, 900
acres OF now parched desert lands,
which only await the construction Of
irrigation bitches to convert them
into gardens.