The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1922-02-19
Ry II mNT

cunNvrt. 10 luto electric energy and
lrrigate 5000. 600 acres OF land with
the aaWc water that furnishes ia
power. is the problem tu he tackled
hy the Colorado River Commits.
-tuu. headed by Secretary OF COM
Wcrc, Hoover an hearings To- be-
GIN at IhocnlA. Ariz, March 10.
~ a preliminary session, just
concluded n Washington, agree
mont was reached upon deNeloping
the power and irrigation facilities
% the river as % unified whole
each a part 81 one co-Ordinatcd
system.
AZ nr indoN 10 the magnitude OF
fhu fun Development OF the Colo
rnlus power possibilities alone,
proposals from private Interests,
applying for the right to develop
individual sites. provide Tor aggre
quite expenditures OF than
5000. 00O. .Ou'
Sc,cn states Affected.
Tlo problems ~ the Colorado
affect directly ove states. and
tho u|orcasily Tor roconcilinE the
demands and claims OF these scp-
Hrato -iuter caused the creation OF
the commission headed by Hoover
Euvh of the states affected-Ari-
zuuu California. colorado Nevada,
Now Mexico. Utah ana Wyoming
-haf % representative.
As an example of these conflict
INK interests. Caliturnla-whlrh
Z contribute, lvrst 900 the river itself
stands Co benefit more largely by
its development than amy other
state. colorado and t'tuh. which
supply jh~rco-fourths VI the water
| FLOW. are Inclined to press their
prior rights to the water FOR di-
forsion for irrigation.
Before uruWrcss can Doe made q
peace pact must Zee reached bee
tween those states. providing fur
tho division OF the water supply
Such p compact would be subject
Goo ratification hy congress ana the
various state legislatures.
FIRST Development.
First on the list of likely power
sitpH to De dcvcloped is that at
Bnuldor Canyon. Here the water.
90 Tho Colorado nrc compressed hc-
tween towering rock walls only "a
few hundred feet apart 4 dam
500 fcst In height would provide
water power 90 generate 500. 600
horsepower Of hydro-clectric en-
rrgy. such a dam and plant
would cost about $40. 0O0. 600.
Los Angeles. 25e miles TO the
southwest. would ne the FIRST large
market FOR tho power thus dcvol-
opcd. \ large potential market.
however. lies within goo miles 10
the southeast In the mining dis
tricts ncar Phoenix
Tho Southern California Edison
company in planning distribution
Of power. in oven Of It's arpllca-
ton for one NJ the major power
sites b. granted. has planned 20
cnrry owe as far as sam Fran
cisco. 500 mlcs distant.
Tho possibilities ~ power dcvol-
opmeut on the Colorado may best
hc yisuallzrd when 10 is understood
that IN its 1900 miles Of length
The river drops more than Gr0O
feet. In tho $50 miles between
Glenn Canyon and BOULDER Cam
yon there Us n drop ~ ? 500 feet
And the annual volume OF water
t'7esinr down the gorge between
Glenn and Boulder canyons would
cover nm nren Of $4,000 ucres 90 o.
depth of 1000 feet.
Flood Safeguards.
n o. this prccipltous descent
making possible vast power dcvpl-
opmcnt. which also makes impcrI-
tive river control 10 regulate ltu
flow and safeguard the fertile Inn
pOrinl valley Of California from
disastrous floods.
such Ii the topography OF the
country through which this river
flows. however. that the sites fur
maximum power development. such
Us Glenn and Boulder canyon. Of
fer small opportunity Tor water
storage for irrigation I'll" for flood
regulation. Dams for these pur-
poses must De- built farther up
stream ana ON the more important
~tributartor.
An these conflicting factors
make necessary . general comprc-
hensivc and correlated develop
mont.
With this program definitely cs-
tablishcd. the big question remain
ing to be decided following the
Phoenix conference 10 is sue
ccsnful in settling the conflicting
claims OF the states viii be the
extent 10 which the development
is 10 he done by public agencies.
o. b. believed Secretary Hoover viii
l recommend the development Of the
hoy sites hy tho government d.
rect. States ana municipalities
may bc given preference in dcvcl-
uping others.
To the extent That private cap
itnl Ia granted development rights.
u viii be- required to coordinate
rs plants TO ~ tremendously into
the general scheme.
Given the reservoir Of power pos
slhlo hy the Colorado river hRr-
Messing. and the increased fertility
That would come with $1,000 900 ad-
ditionnl acres Of irrigated lands, the
southwest would have to look 10
the industrial east or the agricul-
tural middle FOR few Of the
things It desires 10 make life worth
living.