The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-06-19
5O,OO0|l 4 \ \ !.
DESERT { FIGHT G H TO .:
I PREVENT !. FLOODS L: 0 D.
Menance Threatens to Change
Fertile Imperial Valley
Into a Lake.
~ Jack LuNaMEYER.

, 81 V i5gH wi -. Z II.
i BY JACK JuNGMEYER.
Ell CENTRIC, Cal, June l9.-l line
most serious flood threat of years year..
/ hangs over the SO 900 residents and
1 s73 100000 in property of 1mper1al
i Valley as the Colorado River rises
Toward the critical stage expected
June 90 to 80.
The peril is due to an exception
ally heavy winter snowfall in the
upper river region. The snow thus
| far has been slowly liberated but
| protracted warm spell would send
I It down upon the delta country N
a destructive deluge.
Despite new flood defenses, con
siderable preliminary run-off anu
| failure of early waters to reach the
stage officially forecasted, the val
Hey is uneasy and is preparing for
an emergency.
Dread of being wiped out haunts
| Imperial Valley, largest and rich.
est reclaimed area in America.
It is to eliminate this annually
recurring menace, that southern
! California first urged the flood
control dam at Boulder Canyon. I'm
| til that is erected, the valley in
sists, there can be no permanent
| security.
Build Empire From Desert.
The reclama ton and settlement
| of this area, once blazing desert,
| a death trap and declared unln-
| habitable by the government, is
one of the worlds pioneering epics.
Dauntless spirit and engineering
genius by the magic of diverted
water here created an empire or
! the size of Connecticut.
Thirst, fierce heat, sand blasts,
loneliness, life in tents by men and
| women who would not be beaten
that was the picture two dec AIDES
| ago.
But always these people have
lived below the level of the river
that seasonally threatens to engulf
| them.
For centuries the river has been
building up its bed on silt until, en-
| circling the valley, it rides in
places skyscraper-high above adj
| jacent ranches and towns, seeking
| weak spots to break through
! levees.
Valley Menaced in 1906.
In 1866 it went through, CASH
! ing new. channel into the heart of
! the valley and for weeks threat
ened to convert Imperial Valley into
an ocean until it was literally lift
| ed back into its bed by the Hercu-
lean efforts OF the Southern Pa
tcific Railroad organization and an
army of men at cost of more than
s2,Ooo,O00.
Last year there were breaks
causing considerable, damage. This
spring, further up the river, fresh
cts inundated 10000 acres and
caused an estimated damage OF
more than s1,o00,000
Working feverishly against the
menade of heavy SHOWS in Colorado
and Wyoming, Imperial Valley re-
Gently completed the Pescadero cut
| which at present is diverting two
thirds of the river flow away from
the valley.
! Unbroken Dyke Defense.
Besides, an unbroken line of
dyke defense for the first time has
been constructed covering weak
spots on the levee.
The government flood prediction
set at June % anticipates a high
water stage of 81 feet at Yuma
with a discharge of 100000 second
feet of water or less than half the
volume earlier predicted because
of slow mountain run-off.
The danger, mark at Yuma is 80
feet, reached last year with less
snow but quicker discharge. The
danger seems somewhat mitigated
but Imperial Valley people don't
count too much on the expected for
they have too often faced the I'M
expected.
The Southern Pacific Railroad,
savior of the valley in@1906. is pre-
pared for an emergency call as well
as other large concerns and ranch
ers and town folk, banded in de-
fensive organizations.
When call is broadcasted by
telephone, men. machinery and ma
terial are concentrated on the
threatened spot with military pre-
cision. Women carry on field work
while men battle raging waters.
It's an old story in Imperial VAL
ley where battle and a march be-
hind the pillow have won 100000
acres of irrigated land, 100000
in annual produce and the worlds
richest soil production by the acre
from what rs years ago was an
inferno.
OFFICIALS ATTEND FUNERAL
CHARLESTON, June IA num-
Der of Charleston people3left here
last night for Wheeling to attend
the funeral of N. Price Whitaker;
former member of the State Road
Commission and the Capitol Build
ing Commission, who died at;
wheeling Saturday. The state gov
ant woe ranreeeDf ad bv Cow