Bisbee daily review., 1922-02-23
, Million Acres Of Land Waiting For Riuer Water
Seven States Join Hoover in Attempt to Settle Claims
 For Irrigation, Power
By HARRY HUNT

 harness 6,000.000 water horsepower, belonging to seven states, convert it into electric energy and irrigate 5,00O,- 900 acres of land with the same water that furnishes the power, is the prob lem to be tackled by the Colorado River Commission, headed by Secre- tary of Commerce Hoover, at hearing to begin at Phoenix, AriZ., March 15.
 At a preliminary session, just con- cluded in Washington, agreement was reached upon developing the power and irrigation facilities of the river as a unified whole, each development be- ing considered as a part Of one CO ordinated system.
 As an index to the magnitude of the full development of the ColoradO's power possibilities alone, proposals from private interests, applying for the right to develop individual sites, provide for aggregate expenditures of omre than $600,O00,000!
 Seven States Affected
 The problems of the Colorado affect directly seven states, and the neces- sity for reconciling the demands and claims of these separate states caused the creation of the commission headed by Hoover. Each of the states affect ed = Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyo- ming-has a representative.
 As an example of these conflicting interests, California - which contrib utes least to the river itself-stands to benefit more largely by it's devel- opment more than any of the other states. Colorado and Utah, which SUD- ply about three-fourths of the water flow, are inclined to press their prior rights to the water for diversion for irrigation.
 Before progress can be made peace pact must be reached between these states, providing for the division of the water supply. Such a compact would be subject to ratification by congress and the various state legis- latures.
 First Development
 First on the list of likely power sites to be developed is that at Boul- der Canyon. Here the waters of the Colorado are compressed between towering rock walls only a few hun- dred feet apart A dam 600 feet in height would provide water power to generate 600,000 horsepower of hydro electric energy. Such dam and plant would cost about $40,0O0,000.
 Los Angeles, 250 miles to the south west, would be large market for the power thus developed. A large poten- tial market, however, lies within 200 miles to the southeast in the mining districts.
 The Southern California Edison Company, in planning distribution of power, in event it's application for one of the major power sites is grant ed, has planned to carry power as far as San Francisco, 500 miles distant.
 The possibilities of power develop ment on the Colorado may best be visualized when it is understood that in it's 1,7O0 miles of length the river drops more than 62OO feet. In the $50 miles between Glenn Canyon and Boulder Canyon there is a drop of 2500 feet. And the annual volume of water passing down the gorge be- tween Glenn and Boulder canyons would cover an area of 15,00 acres to a depth of 1000 feet!
 It is this precipitous descent, malf ing possible vast power development, which also makes imperative river control to regulate it's flow and safe guard the fertile Imperial Valley of California from disastrous floods.
 Such is the topography of the coun- try through which this river flows, howefer, that the sites for maximum power development, such as Glenn and Boulder canyons, offer small oppor tunity for water storage for irrigation or for flood regulation. Dams for these purposes must be built farther upstream and on the more important tributaries.
 All these conflicting factors make necessary a general comprehensive and correlated development.
 With this program definitely estab- lished, the big question remaining to be decided following the Phoenix con ference-if it is successful in settling the conflicting claims of the states