Graham guardian., 1922-02-10

llc AllNoNA - L ~ D II L
ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT OF THE
COLORADO RIVER AS RECON-
MENDED BY THE ARIZONA INDUS
TRIAL CONGRESS AND INDORSED
BY GOVERNOR THOMAS f. CAMP.
BELL AND w. S. NORVIEL. STATE
WATER COMMISSIONER.
The Colorado river is the third larg-
est river in the United States. In
it's course II flows for a distance of
approximately five hundred sixty
miles through the State of Arizona,
and in that distance from point
near the Utah line through the lower
end of Boulder Canyon, distance
Of about two hundred eighty miles,
the course of the river is through a
deep gorge and there is a difference
in elevation between the top Of the
gorge and the bottom of about twenty
five hundred feet, which can be in.
creased by suitable dams to three
thousand feet. BY suitable dams reg.
ulating the flow of the river there
can be developed in the distance
within the State of Arizona an excess
of four million electrical horsepower
The river is subject to extraor-
binary variations in flow with disas
trous floods in the summer, and
IL carries in its waters enormous
quantities of silt. most of which
comes from the San Juan River into
the Colorado River some miles above
the Glen Canyon site.
1t is absolutely necessary for the
safety of the low lands at Yuma and
below that point upon the river, that
the extraordinary floods of the
river be controlled and the flow
definitely regulated.
From an engineering standnoin;
the intelligent way in which to de-
velop all of the resources Of the
Colorado River within the State OF
Arizona, is to construct dam at
the head of the gorge of sufficient
size to impound the flood waters OF
the river for as long period as
possible, certainly one year.
A high dam built at Glen Canyon
will serve this purpose and at the
same time, by flooding the canyon
of the San Juan River, will practically
obviate the entire problem of silt as
now carried in the waters of the riv.
er. We are informed by competant
engineers that ninety per cent of the
flow of the river passes Glen Canyon
and that any water going into the
river below this point amounts to
only ten per cent OF the present max.
imum flow, so that dam located at
Glen Canyon will efficiently control
the floods of the Colorado River for
all time. If dam is built at the head
of gorge and the flow of the river is
regulated by means Of such a dam,
the subsequent dams below that point
can be built at an expense much less
than If there is no regulation and
the works in progress Of construction
are subject to damage from floods
and silt.
Practically the only point in the
gorge of the Colorado river from which
water can be economically diverted
for reclamation purposes is at or near
Boulder Canyon.
We feel sure that some agency which
is able to provide large amounts of
money with no immediate hope Of
return and long deferred repayments
of the money advanced must handle
the reclamation of arid lands from
the water of the river. in view of
the number of people affected and
benefited by reclamation projects, it
must be admitted that such matters
can only be handled by the United
States Government for the evident
reason that the owners of homesteads,
desert land, etc. cannot provide the
enormous sums of money necessary
to properly develop such projects and
must be given long periods of time in
which to repay loan of size suf.
ficient to accomplish the end.
On the other hand, there are de-
velopments in connection with the
Colorado River. as for example. the
generation. distribution and sale Of
hydro-electriC power, which are and
should be handled by individuals or
corporations who can provide the
funds with which to make the devel-
opments and who stand ready to do
this and should be granted permission
so TO do. 1t is surely not within the
province of the United States Gov
ernment to undertake the construc.
tion and operation of enterprises
which can be financed otherwise.
We are informed that the Secretary
of the Interior has stated to the Water
Commissioner OF the State of Arizona
that all permits for power purposes of