The Winslow mail., 1923-07-27
CONG. HAYDEN
TELLS ROTARY
CLUB Of RIVER
DEVELOPN

FLAGSTAFF Ariz., July "a, 1923
Congressman Carl Hayden in an adj
dress before the Flagstaff Rotary
club Tuesday noon, cleared up some
of the obscure points in the minority
report on the Colorado river investi-
cation made by Engineer La Rue.
In the course of his remarks Mr..
Hayden said:
The latest development in connec-
ton with the Colorado river is the
report of the Arizona Engineering
Commission which was submitted
about ten days ago. The commission
was organized nearly year ago and
consisted of H. E. Turner, appointed
by the state water commissioner; e.
G. LaRue of the United States geolo-
gical survey, and P. J. Preston of the
United States reclamation service.
The engineering services of Messrs.
La Rue and Preston were donated to
the state of Arizona by the interior
department and Mr.. LaRue was made
chairman of the commission.
The report of the commission has
not been made public but I under
stand that consideration is being CIV
en- to its publication in pamphlet from
[ have not seen a copy of the report,
but I am advised that the commission
estimated that it would cost 1925 an
acre to irrigate two million acres un-
der the proposed Arizona highline
canal and therefore found that the
scheme was not feasible. The COM
mission recommended, however, that
an additional $4,000 be appropriated
to be expended in checking up GER
tain assumptions made in its esti-
mates of the cost of this canal.
The most valuable results accom-
plished by this group of engineers
was the study which they made OF
the possibility of diverting water
from the Colorado river for the ir-
rigation of $4,000 acres of land in
Arizona and 100000 acres in Calf
ornia. This may be done by the con-
struction Of a diversion dam above
Parker from which main canals
would extend on each side of the
river. The lands to be reclaimed in
California are principally in the Pa
10 Verde and Chucawalla valleys. It
was estimated that about $4,000
acres could be irrigated at reason
able cost within the Colorado river
Indian reservation and the Cibola
valley in Arizona from the main can
al which would be located on the
higher ground between the damsite
above Parker and Lighthouse rock.
The feature of the report which
will attract tie greatest attention is
the proposal that a large pumping
station be established near Light
house rock to lift the water 200 feet
after which it would be conveyed in
to the lower Gila valley through a
tunnel 16 miles long.
The commission estimates that by
his means about 100000 additional
acres might be irrigated in Arizona
at an approximate cost of $168 per
acre. The report recommends that
this project be studied in detail by
mother engineering commission rep
Arizona, California and
he federal government.
A supplemental or minority report
by Mr.. La Rue in which he express
ses views differing from the conclu-
Sions of the majority of the Arizona
Commission has been
printed in the newspapers. I since
rely regret that l missed seeing Mr..
La Rue before he left Flagstaff for
Lees Ferry last Wednesday. He is
low with party of engineers head
I'd by Col. G. H. Birdseye of the
geological survey on trip by boats
through the Grand Canyon. 1t is not
that the party will reach
Needles until about the first of Oct
,ber because of the stops which will
)e made to accurately survey every
possible power site between Lees
Ferry and Boulder Canyon except
within the Grand Canyon national
Park.
In his absence let me say that no
me can object to the reception by
Gr. La Rue in his minority state
nent of the facts heretofore deVe-
oped which demonstrate that the de-
supply of water in the
Colorado river is limited. He quo
es the figures prepared by Arthur P.
Davis, former director of the recla-
nation service, which show that on
he average, there will be 9,610,000
cre-feet of water available for stor-
ge at Boulder Canyon. I presume
hat he considers this to be a con-
ervative estimate because some
lonths ago Mr.. La Rue told me that
was safe to assume that after all
ossible future uses of water had
cen made in the upper basin there
yoUld remain an average Of ten mil
ion acre-feet annually for use in the
over basin.
In Senate Document No. 149 Mr..
)avis estimated that 100000 acres
Continued on page 10)