New Britain herald., 1922-06-20
COLORADO RIVER IS
 NEAR FLOOD STAGES
Last Week of June Is Always
 Critical Period

serious flood threat of years hangi over the 5o,ooo residents and S7s,. o00.000 in property of Imperial Val. | ley as the Colorado River rises toward the critical stage expected June 2a to 30.
 The peril is due to an exceptionally river region. The snow thus far has been slowly liberated but & protract- ed warm spell would send it down upon the delta country in a destruc- tive deluge.
 Despite new flood defenses, consid- erable preliminary run-of and fail- ure of early waters to reach the stage officially forecasted, the valley is uneasy and is preparing for an emergency.
 Dread of being wiped out haunts Imperial Valley, largest and richest reclaimed area in America.
 It is to eliminate this annually re- curing menace that southern Cali fornia first urged the nood-control dam at Boulder Canyon. Until that is erected. the valley insists, there can be no permanent security.
 Build Empire From Desert.
 The reclamation and settlement of this area. once a blazing desert. a death trap and declared uninhabit- able by the government, is one of the worlds pioneering epics. Daunt- less spirit and engineering genius by the magic of diverted water here created an empire of the size of Con- necticut.
 Thirst fierce heat, sand blasts, loneliness, life in tents by men and women who would not be beaten that was the picture two decades ago.
 But always these people have lived below the level of the river that sea- sonally threatens to engulf them.
 For centuries the river has been building up its bed on silt until, en- circilng the valley, it rides in places skyscraper-high above adjacent ranches and towns seeking weak spots to break through levees
 Valley Menaced in 19O5-O6.
 In 1905-06 it went through, gashing a new channel into the heart of the valley and for weeks threatened to convert Imperial Valley into an ocean until it was literally lifted back into it's bed by the Herculean efforts of the Southern Pacific Railroad or and an army of men at a cost of more than s2.000,ooo.
 Last year there were breaks caus- ing considerable damage. This spring, further up the river, freshets inun- dated 10000 acres and caused an esti- mated damage of more than S1,000,- 900.
 Working feverishly against the of heavy snows in Colorado | md s1yofninges Imperial Valley re- gently completed the Pescadero cut which at present is diverting two thirds of the river flow away from he vaHey,
 Unbroken Dyke Defense.
 Besides, an unbroken line of dyke 1efense for the first time has been | covering weak spots on he levee.
 The government flood prediction 'et at June 23 anticipates high water stage of 27 feet at Yuma with ] discharge of 10000 second feet of water or less than half the volume 'arlier predicted because of slow mountain run-off.
 The danger mark at Yuma is 32 eet, reached last year with less snow ut quicker discharge. The danger eems somewhat mitigated but Inn 'erial Valley people don't count too much on the expected for they have co often faced the unexpected.
 The Southern Pacific Railroad, avior of the valley in 1906, is pre- 'ared for an emergency call as well s other large concerns and ranchers nd town folk, banded in defensive 
 When a call is broadcasted by tele- hone. men, machinery and material re concentrated on the threatened pot with military precision. Women arry on field work while men battle aging waters.
 It's an old story in Imperial Valley -here a battle and march behind l he blow have won 500,0o0 acres of 'rigated land, s5o,ooo,ooo in annual reduce and the worlds richest soil reduction by the acre from what 25 ears ago was an inferno.
 Jy