Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-17

WASHINGTON, D. c., March IL
A vast reclamation project which
oontemplates the subiugation of the
Colorado, that wild and turbulent
river so fraught with possibilities for
good and evil, has been brought to
stage where its realization is no long
er a dream of empire builders. 1t in
wolves concerted action on the part
OF seven States and the Federal Gov
ernment. 1t promises new farm
ho- for 100000 people within
the next few years and tremendous
industrial development based on the
utilization of part or all of 10000
horsepower of electric energy. 1t Is
SO big that compared with it the
construction of the Panama Canal
might be called a minor enterprise
and the Suez Canal a mere ditch be-
tween two oceans.
Seven States, Arizona, California.
Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico. Utah
and Wyoming, crea :ej Com mission,
with Herbert Hoover as the guiding
spirit, which worked out an agree
me. t Of a treaty which requires
merely the approval of Congress to
become effective after it is ratified
by the Legislatures of the several
States. An initial appropriation of
100000 is asked to launch the
undertaking, but this is but COM
paratively small part Of the sum
that will be expended eventually.
Fifty millions will be spent first
in the construction of a dam at
Boulder Canyon, which will put an
end to the disastrous floods of the
Colorado, and at the same time pro-
vide irrigation for 100000 acres of
what are now desert lands. The re-
naming s20,0o0,0o0 of the first ap-
propriation will be devoted to a
canal which is needed to furnish
water TO the Imperial Valley by an
all United States rout of one that
passes partly through Mexican terri
tory. as at present.
The United States will be reim-
bursed for the entire cost of the pro-
ject, it is claimed, within a period of
40 years through funds derived from
the sale of power and fees for water
supplied for irrigation purposes.
Embraces a Vast Empire
The Colorado River basin en-
braces an empire OF $4,000 square
miles in the United States and an
other 1000 square miles in Mexico.
It is e-timated that a population Of
100, 100000 might be sustained in
this territory, which now has only
about 100000 inhabitants. 1t is a
rugged country of mountains, gorges,
sand and general DISSOLUTION and in
much Of it there is little that lives
excert mesquite, coyotes and rattle
snakes. There is a natural flow Of
almost 100000 acre feet a year in
the Colorado, but in spite of this
wealth of water the land lies scorch-
ed and scared, a veritable blIghted
region,
The basin is divided into three
main sections-the upper, the mid
die, and the lower. The first is that
section lying above the Arizona-Utah
boundary, where in 900 miles the
river drops 3.500 feet, and includes
5000 square miles. Four of the
State are included in this upper
zone Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and
New Mexico, and about 100000
acres are now under irrigation there
| Some 100000 acres are to be added
to this by the project now under con
sideration, and 1t is also possible tt
develop 100000 horsepower o.
electric energy. There are eight res
ervoir sites in this part of the basin
suitable for the power development
and these will serve to stabilize the
flow of the river when the water ]:
diverted for mitigation. Flood con
troll will be linked up with the reser'
voirs and irrigation.
The middle section Of the COLORADO
includes about 500 miles between tbs
Arizona Utah boundary and the Ari
zona-California line, with a drop o.
| 5000 feet in this stretch. There are
[77,0c0 square miles in this section
but not a great deal Of irrigabl'
ground. 1t is here, however, tina
the great power possibilities of tn
river are to found, as 100000
horsepower can be created for fac
tories, electric railroads. ct cetera.
Three large dams are planned 70
this section, one at Lees Ferry, on
lat Diamond Creek and one at Bould
er Canyon. At Lees Ferry it is pos
sible to build a dam 700 feet l1is
that will store 50,0o0,000 acre feet @
lwater and develop 100000 horse
lpower. AT Boulder Canyon the dar
iwould be 600 feet high, storing 81
400,0 900 acre feet of water with
lpower potentislity of 100000. Thi
Lesm is sSpsSsed te check the Al