Imperial Valley press., 1925-03-27
MANY AND VARIED HAVE BEEN
IDEAS ADVANCED IN COLORADO
RIVER DEVELOPMENT ISSUE


der Canyon. This site was inves-
tigated. 1t developed that construc-
ton there was about three times as
expensive as at Boulder, and besides,
the canyon walls were of such soft
material that they would not sup
port a high dam. Mr.. Weymouth,
formerly chief engineer of the re-
clamation service, testifying recent
ly before the senate committee, ex-
pressed the opinion that the idea
of high dam at Glen Canyon was
little short of fantastic. A low dam
there might be feasible. The plan
was essentially for a power devel-
opment.
Next came the plan for a division
dam some 1000 feet in height at
Spencer Canyon, and a high line
canal running a long distance
through a mountainous section of
Arizona and carrying the greater
part of the water Of the river to
the Gila Valley and there irrigat-
ing vast areas of land This plan
was investigated and reported upon
by government engineers who es-
timated its cost at $1,770,0G0,000
and concluded that it was not feas-
ible in an engineering way.
Topoc Dam Suggested
Then came the suggestion that
the government build low flood
control dam at Topoc, few miles
below Needles, to be paid for by
direct and unreimbursed govern
ment appropriation, or to be charg-
ed against land in Imperial Valley
protected thereby from floods. Upon
scrutiny, it developed that there
was nothing to be gained i'll the
way of saving III cost by construct
there would flood and destroy near
ly $4,000 acres of irrigable land as
well as the city of Needles. Such
a dam would leave the upper river
free for purely power development,
, relieving dams higher up from any
obligation of any character to re-
lease water for flood control or re-
clamation purposes, and thus IN eff
feet subsidlzing power development.
Next came plan sponsored by
/ congressman from Southern Cali
| fornia for u flood control dam at
Boulder Canyon at direct govern
! ment expense, but to be built 50
! that some agency could be authoriz-
ed to add a superstructurd upon
! this. Reclamation features, such as
the All-American canal, were eli
! minated. AS the superstructure un-
| der these circumstances would be
for power development and obvious
! ly but one agency could construct
! this superstructure, the plan point
! ed to a monopollzation of the power
| privileges at this point and this
with a probable governmental sub
sidy in the form of a contribution
in the interest of flood control. Nat
urally this plan made no progress.
! Out of all the discussion and
debate that has occurred, two plans
for the development of the river
stand out. These are:
First.-The Boulder Canyon pro-
ject as recommended to congress
by the interior department IL the
spring of 1922. This involves ma
Jor development by the government.
1t. calls for high dam at Boulder
Canyon to be financed and paid
for by the disposition of power
rights, such rights to be fairly al
located geographically and amongst
; the various applicants. 1t also pro-
vides reclamation features whereby
] the water conserved by the dam will
be applied or preserved for use on
American soil. 1t is a flood control
and reclamation project. Power is
placed in subordinate position.
Second Plan
Second.-The development of the
lower Colorado by a private cor
poration under the terms of the
federal water power act, with pow
er as the chief objective. just what
this involves in a physical way has
never been made quite clear. 50
far as disclosed by the heatlngs at
Washington, it oontemplates a
series of low power dams occupy
! ing the strategic sites of the river.
; The first construction would pcob-
ably be a low dam at Boulder Can
Won, the most important site, III
many ways, on the river; this to
be followed by another low dam
higher up and at Glen Canyon,
which is also a strategic power
/ site. One or the other of these
two plans will almost certainly be
finally approved and adopted.
Tho various other plans which
! have been suggested, such as the
| Glen Canyon construction, the high
line canal plan, the Topoc plan, the
low flood control dam plan, and