Arizona republican., 1922-01-27
ARIZONA PLAN
UNEMPLOYMENT
Of THECOLORADO.
Policy Outlined By Arizona
Industrial Congress And
Endorsed By Governor
And State Water Com
missioner

The following Is the policy OF Ari-
Aona as recommended by the Arizona
industrial Congress, in the deyelop-
ment of the Colorado river. It has
Deen endorsed by Governor Campbell
ana w. ). Norviel, state water COM
missioner:
The Colorado river Is the third
Iarsest river in the United States
IN It's course it flows for a distance
OF approximately $50 miles through
the state of Arizona, and in that dis
lance, from a point near the Utah
line through the lower end Of Boul-
uer canyon. distance of about 2S0
miles, the course Of the river is
through a deep gorge and there Is a
ulIIerence in elevation between the
TOP OF the gorge and the bottom of
ABOUT 1900 feet. which can be in
creased by suitable dams to 5000
1eet. By suitable dams regulating
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 extraordi-
nary variations in flow with disas-
trous floods in the summer. and it
carries in its waters enormous quan-
titles 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 standpoint,
the intelligent way in which to de-
velop all Of the resources of the
Colorado river within the state of
Arizona is to construct a dam at the
head of the gorge of sufficient size
to impound the flood waters of the
river for as long a period as possi-
BILE, 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 practi-
cally obviate the entire problem of
silt as now carried in the waters of
the river. We are informed by COM
petent engineers that 80 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 10 per cent of the
present maximum flow, so that
dam located at Glen canyon will eff
ciently control the floods of the Colo
rado river for all time. II a dam is
built at the head of a gorge and the
flow Of the river is regulated by
means of such q dam. the subse-
quent dams below that point can be
built at an expense much less than
IL there is no regulation and the
works in progress of construction re
subject to damage from floods and
silt.
Practically the only point in the
gorge of the Colorado river from
which water can be economically di-
verted for reclamation purposes is at
or near Boulder canyon.
We feel that some agency which Is
able to provide large amounts of
money with no Immediate hope of
return and long-deferred repayment
of the money advanced, must handle
the reclamation of arid lands froG
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 home
steads. desert land, ETC., cannot pro-
vide the enormous sums of money
necessary to properly develop such
projects and must be given long peri
ods of time in which to repay a loan
of a size sufficient 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 de-
velopments and who stand ready to
do this and should be granted per-
mission so to do. 1t is surely not
within the province Of the United
States government to undertake the
construction and operation of enter
prises which can be financed other
wise.
We are informed that the secre-
tary Of the interior has stated to the
water commissioner Of the state OF
Arizona that all permits for power
purposes on the colorado river must
be granted by the federal power
commission and that the state OF
Arizona, through it's proper officers,
has no jurisdiction in this matter.
We believe that az. investigation OF
the question will prove that the sec
retary has no legal justification for
his position and that the expressed
ueleTIllDdllOll " uGpllNS IlV oNeb~ "
Arizona of it's proper rights in this
action are unjustifiable and should
be vigorously contested by the state.
We feel that a proper determination
of the rights of the state OF Arizona
in the questions involved in the de-
velopment of the Colorado river are
essential to the welfare of this state.
We believe that nothing should be
allowed TO stand in the way of the
most expeditions development Of the
resources Of the river and the pro-
lection of those living in its lower
reaches from disastrous floods, and
we therefore suggest that this body
submit the following recommends
tions to Governor Thomas f. Camp
bell and Water Commissioner w. S.
Norviel with the request that they
use their utmost influence and the
influence of our senators. representa-
tive, and the citizens at large, to
bring about the results desired or so
many Of them as can be secured
without undue delay.
Recommendation No.
That the United States government
be urged to construct Immediately