Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-10-05
COLORADO RIVER
HYD ELECTRIC
POW { R FEASIBLE
Meeting OF American SoCie-
ty of Civil Engineers Dis
CusSeS Problem; Boulder
Canyon Dam Favored.

San Francisco. Calf, Oct, A.
Problems relating to the develop
ment of the Colorado river for
hydro-electric power and other
purposes were outstanding themes
today in the opening session OF
the fall meeting of the American
Society of Civil Engineers here.
One of the most remarkable
characteristic of the Colorado
river is its great power possibili-
ties" said Arthur p. Davis, WASH
ington, d. c., director of the United
states reclamation service and past
president Of the American Society
of Civil Engineers.
Rising on the summit or tne
Rocky mountains at an altltuae
exceeding $4,000 feet, 1t fails rapid
ly through canons Astounding win
rapids. 1t drains about 244,0Oo
square miles, including large areas
Of heavy snow fall, and discharges
an annual average Of about H.
100000 acre feet of water.
"This large volume of water with
its immense fall, indicates a tota'
of 100000 horse power, or Whlch
fully three-fourths may be deVel-
oped. ,
"The Gulf of California formerly
extended nearly $50 miles farthei
north than its present head, anu
the Colorado emptied into Its east
ern margin, 10 miles or so south OF
the head, carrying into it over w.
900 acre feet of silt annually. some
engineers have held that the sedi-
u GnlnTn10
voluminous that storage reservoirs
in the lower basin should not pe
attempted, but that reservoirs
should be built only in the upper
basin. IL all the reservoirs founa
feasible above the canyon reglou
were constructed more than nall OF
the drainage area would still DC
unregulated. ..
Boulder Canyon Dam.
Fortunately, it has been DIS
closed that a dam can feasiply be
built in the granite gorge of Boul-
der canyon that will intercept prac-
tically all the drainage above the
ella and form a reservoir OF any
desired capacity, sufficient to resu-
late the entire flow of the river TO
anv desired regime of discharge
such a reservoir would not only
completely eliminate the FLOOD
menace OF the river but Wouiu
furnish the regulation ana tne
head necessary to develop ooo'uoo
horse power, and the same resula
ton would fill the requirements ol
irrigation in California and Arizona
Gwen should the Boulder can
Won reservoir entirely fill with sedi-
ment, 1t will leave the power mead
unimpaired. Thus, happily. ma
tire has provided means for re-
moving any conflict of interests
between the upper and the lower
basins of the Colorado and the way
is open for an amicable agreement
upon a division of its waters, which
are ample for all feasible uses IN
all the states concerned.
"There are now about 1,526,O00
acres Of land irrigated in the up.
per basin. There is possibility OF
bringing this development up to
over 100000 acres. The lower
basin, exclusive of the ella basin,
now irrigates about $4,000 acres
and this can be increased to about
100000"
Decline of Paper Making.
John p. Hogan. consulting engi-
neer of New York, told the conven-
ton that his state could supply
about 10 per cent of the potential
100000 horse power in the
United States from hydro-electric
projects. The expected decline of
paper making, he said. would have
an appreciable effect on the cleo
trio power supply as this industry
uses three-quarters of the available
power. Development has Jagged in
the state, he said. in spite of the
great amount Of study that is being
given to it.
The business sessions of the
meeting will end tomorrow and will
be followed by a series of excur-
sions to the Hetch-Hetchy valley,
Yosemite valley and elsewhere.