Arizona republican., 1922-01-07
END MENACE Of
j UNDERGROUND
WATER IN VALLEY
Wells and Pumps Have
Lowered Water Level In
All Sections, D. w. Muir
ply, Project Engineer,
Tells Rotarians.

The underground water level in the
Salt River project is being lowered
and the menace of waterlogged land
is removed.
With figures showing the activi-
ties Of the Water Users association
for the past four years and with a
detailed outline of conditions before
work was started and an explanation
OF what has been accomplished, d. w.
Murphy consulting engineer for the
Salt River Valley project, addressed
the members of the Rotary club yes
terday at their luncheon at the Hotel
Adams.
II was a most interesting address
and one that carried much informa-
ton of extreme Importance to Rotar-
ians as to everyone else in the valley
as upon the removal of this menace
Of waterlogged land depended the
continued prosperity of the valley.
Mr.. Murphy's talk was supple
mented with charts.
The matter of underground water
effects all In the valley" said Mr..
forms another supply which may
serve we'll in time of need and thus
is an asset to the valley. but if not
properly cared for it may become
liability. | have been studying the
underground water of this valley
since 1914 when it first became
known.
AIkali Is Deposited
This underground water may be
formed in; three ways, some by the
natural supply in the ground, some
by rainfall and some by excess irriga-
tion. 1t comes TO the surface OF
the ground through capillary attrac-
ton where II quickly evaporates in
this country, leaving on or near the
surface the mineral content of the
water, more or less alkali. IL this is
permitted to continue the soil will
become unproductive. Nor will plant
roots grow IL immersed in water. We
must see that only a moist soil is
preserved a few inchss or feet down
from the surface.
what is happening in this valley
occurs in every large irrigated sec
tion in the country. In combating
this. underground drainage may take
place in small areas, but in general
the water must be removed.
who pays these losses when the
alkali and the waterlogging ruins the
land? The man owning the land is
ruined, he is unable TO grow crops.
The community must pay the loss, It
must see to the removal of the
menace. The entire area must be
taken care of. For the past three
wears this is what we have been do
ing in the salt River valley.
"The method of removing this
menace in the Salt River valley has
been by means of wells and pumps.
With 150-foot wells. the effect of
this pumping has been noted in some
cases half mile away in from 80 to
40 days. In other sections it has
been less effective That may have
been caused from the fact that they
were pumping from a gravel reser-
voir.
System Of Test Wells
"How. do we know we are gaining
ground by this pumping? How can
we tell that this method is effec
tive? Has the water level been low
cred over this project Of 2o5,ooO
acres?
1--WE are able to know this from the
establishment OF system or small
wells over the whole valley. Twice
each year. in May and October, these
wells are read and direct comparisons
made. You cannot tell much by
looking at the land. Fifty or so wells
have been dug on the north side OF
Phoenix; "a southwest of Phoenix.
"On the north side in 1919 there
was pumped 2S72 acre feet OF water;
in 1920, there was pumped T.1S5
acre feet: in 1921, 21,S99 acre feet.
A great Improvement was noted in
this district.
"Pumping on the south side began
in 1918 south and west of Mesa and
east of the Tempe irrigation canal.
In 1918 there was pumped $4,000 acre
feet. in 1919, $4,000 acre feet: in 1920,
SO, 600 acre feet: in 1921. $4,000 acre
feet. Good results from this pump
ing were clearly marked. On the
entire south side from May. 1918, TO
October 1921, there were observed
an average of III wells.
Northeast of Phoenix there was
an area of several thousand acres
that was practically unproductiye.
In May, 1918, the water was within
1914 feet of the surface. In 1920