The Coconino sun., 1923-08-31
APPROVE THE COLORADO
RIVER PACT SAYS HAYDEN

| Congressman Carl Hayden in an ad-
dress before the Flagstaff Rotary
club Tuesday noon, July II, cleared up
| some of the obscure points the n1i-
nority report on the Colorado river
investigation 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 a year ago and
consisted of III. E. Turner, appointed
by the state water commissioner; e. c.
La Rue of the United States geolog-
icai 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 de-
partment and Mr.. La Rue was made
chairman of the commission.
The report of the commission has
not been made public but understand
that consideration is being given to
its publication in pamphlet form. |
have not seen a copy of the report.
but I am advised that the commission
estimated that it would cost $225 an
acre to irrigate two million acres ur1-
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
~ ln1 In
assumptions made in its estimates 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 irrigation of
764, 900 acres Of land in Arizona and
10000 acres in California. This may
be done by the construction of diver
sion 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 Palo Verde and Chucawalla val
leys. It was estimated that about 164,-
900 acres could be irrigated at rea-
sonable cost within the Colorado river
Indian reservation and Cibola valley
in Arizona from the main canal
which would be located on the high
er ground between the damsite above
Parker and Lighthouse rock.
The feature of the report which will
attract the greatest attention is the
proposal that large pumping sta
ton be established near Lighthouse
rock to lift the water 200 feet after
~. 4 1erkN
a tunnel 16 miles long. The commits
sion estimates that by this means
about 100000 additional acres might
be irrigated in Arizona at an approx
innate cost of $168 per acre. The re-
port recommends that this project be
studied in detail by another engineer
ing commission representing Arizona,
California and the federal govern
nent.
A supplemental or minority report
by Mr.. La Rue in which he expresses
views differing from the conclusions
Of the majority Of the Arizona Engin-
eering Commission has been printed
irssthe newspapers. sincerely regret
that I missed seeing Mr.. La Rue be-
fore he left Flagstaff for Lees Ferry
last Wednesday. He is now with a
party Of engineers headed by Col. c.
H. Birdseye Of the geological survey
on trip by boats through the Grand
Canyon. 1t is not expected that the
party will reach Needles until about
the first of October, because of the
stops which viii be made to accurate
ly survey every possible power site
between Lees Ferry and Boulder Can
yon except within the Grand Canyon
national park.
In his absence let me say that no
one can object to the repetition by
Mr.. La Rue of his minority statement
Of the facts heretofore developed
which demonstrate that the depend
able. supply of water in the Colorado
river is limited. He quotes the fig
ures prepared by Arthur P. Davis,
former director of the reclamation
service, which shows that on the ay-I
erage, there will be 9,610,000 acre.
feet of water available for storage at
Boulder Canyon. ! presume that he
considers this To he conservative /