The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-05
IRRIGATION TO
PREVENT
FLOODS.
Texas Will Redeem 600, 900
Acres Of Land and Saw
Freshet Damage.
BY j. SYDNEY HUGHES,
international News Service.

FORT WORTH, Tex, April S.
In the United States geological
reclamation survey now under way
that will render more than soc, 900
acres Of Texas land tillable by irri.
cation, it is estimated that between
$40 ,000,0 and $4,000, 900 annually
will be redemmed in taxes from.
flood loss alone in addition to the
eventual production from the vast
acreage to benefit for agricultural
purposes.
If the intensive survey now being
made through the combined efforts
of the Government and the Texas
board Of water engineers is carried
in its entirety, the tremendous prof.
ect will provide beneficial reaction
to territory in practically every sec
ton of the State in the matter of
water supply for irrigation, allay.
ing flood hazards and the impound.
ing of great quantities of water for
domestic and industrial use.
Close Study Made.
Close study of the volume of the
variation of volume at present is
NCAhS cbpPAANN ~ OfSIy IINcI
in the State with approximately
operation.
The purpose of the stations IL TO
provide the necessary data for the
construction of irrigation projects,
flood control works, city water sup
ply, manufacturing and other eco
nomic needs.
ton involving millions of dollars in
clude the cities of Brentwood,
Bronte, San Angelo, San Saba,
mour, Crowell, Three Rivers, Sabi-
| Worth and Waco projects are
largely for the supplying of water
for city use,. while the other en-.
| prises are mainly for irrigation
The proposed system at Bronte is
the largest of the group and will
irrigate some 5000 acres of land
in that vicinity.
Major c. E. Cook, in charge of
Federal activity, states that actual
survey work has been completed on
| many sites. Five sections of the
| total outlay at Bolton have been
| surveyed, two sections at Waco
along the Brazos river, seven on
| the BraZos, south of Cranberry, two
sections of Wylie, on the Trinity,
and four sections on the Brazos,
near Mineral Wells.
Economic Phase.
Texas has never before seen the
possibilities of development as
these surveys will enable it to see
in the future" Major Cook de.
clared. From ten to fifty millions
of dollars are lost every year in
floods and this could be prevented
for an indefinite period if flood pre-
vention methods were taken. San
Antonio could have prevented its
last disastrous flood for less than
the flood itself cost her."
Imagine" he said, Flying over
Texas in an airplane and viewing
reservoir after reservoir with fac
tories and irrigated productive
farms where now there stretches
only, bleak, sun-baked, untillable
acres by the hundreds Of thou
| sands.''
And in speaking of airplanes
the survey chief declared arrange
ments had been completed whereby
the Government Air Service will CO.
operate with the State and Federal
surveyors by flying over and photo.
graphing all of the contemplated
area. In this manner the desired
data will be acquired at half the
expense and time devoted to each
territory under the old methods.
An even more comprehensive
survey of the possibilities of Texas
reclamation has been outlined for
the coming fiscal year, Major Cook
stated, involving every section of
the State where irrigation is
| feasible