Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-03-22
MEXICOFLOOD
CONTROL WORK
TOAIDVALLEY
Program Now Under
Way Will Provide
Outlet For Large
Volume

The flood control program now an
der way on the Mexican side Of the
MO brande In the Matamor0s section
Will, IN conjunction with the Valley
Iiooa control works. practically elm
Snate the flood menace on the lower
reaches Of the stream. was the YER
dict of American and Mexican engi-
neers who made a survey Of the
work Monday.
approximately $4,000 second feet
Will be discharged into the Arroyo
del figre when the flood control
channels are completed, according to
the estimate OF u. Ramirez. Mexican
federal engineer. who is in charge
Of the Matamoros district.
Work already completed, which in
cluaes the cutting Of three channels
through the S-foot ridge at Cabras
PintRs. four miles southwest Of
Matamofos, will take the pressure off
Brownsville and Matamoros levecs
during periods Of major floods. the
engineers stated. The channels al
ready excavated will carry between
10000 and $4,000 second feet, and
with the erosion expected to occur
during the first flood their capacity
will be greatly increased. One more
cut through the ridge is TO be made.
and the capacity Of the four channels
will eventually exceed $4,000 second
feet.
The survey Of the Mexican flood
control system was MADE by Javier
Meiorada. Mexican immigration
commissioner; Gustavo p. Serrano,
HAL 80 a. Mmw..~- m~m&e~- - a.
international water commission,
Amanda Santacrnz, engineer Of the
boundary comission; General Ian
sing III. Beach, member Of the Amer
lean section Of the international wa
ter commission; W.. +. Anderson,
Cameron county consulting engineer
on flood coEtrel; w. o. Washington.
county engineer. and several mem
bers Of the county engineering force.
Use Valley Plan
The plan adopted by the Mexican
engineers is in all essentials sim
liar to the Valley flood control plan
To the south and west Of Mata-
oros. near Cabras Pintss. lies a
ridge 3 feet in height, which in
former years has forced the flood
waters back upon Matamoros. When
the water reached sufficient height
TO flow owe the ridge IL found its
way into the Arroyo del Tigre. the
remainder draining back into the Rio
Grande when the flood subsidized.
The first work undertaken BY the
Mexican engineers was the cutting
Of parallel channels through the
ridge, about n mile In length. The
first of these channels was COM
plcted n wear ago. and took consid-
cradle pressure or the Matamoros
levces during the June rise. Two
additional channels have been cut.
but the fourth will not be finished
until additional ievces north oil
NafamoroS have been completed.
Each of these channels is about 100
feet in width. with a maximum
depth ar = feet. and Is desirned "a
carr between 1850 ard $4,000 sec
ond feet. They are cut parallel. and
engineers expressed the opinion that
after one or two major floods the
waste banks would be carried out
by the water. leaving one wide chan
mel through the ridge.
A small dredge is now working
on the east levee for the floodwav
which will carrs the water into the
Cabras Pintas channels. This levee
will extend from the railroad ~trestle
three miles west of Matamoros 10
the Ca5ras Pintas channels. a dis
lance Of four miles, and will di-
vert all water overlooking from the
Rio Grande above Matamoros into
the Arroyo del Tigre.
The Mexican flood control plans
include the construction Of parallel
levees from a point below Reynosa
TO connect with the Arroyo del
Tigre channels above Matamoros.
the flood control program being in
every respect similar to that OF
Cameron and Hidalgo counties with
the exception that only one out
let. through the Arroyo del Tirre.
will be utilized. When the program,
rs now outlined, is completed, the
Arroyo del Tigrc will carry between
$4,000 and 10000 second feet. assur-
ing in conjunction with the Valley
flood control works. sufficient dis
charge 10 handle a flood Of greater
proportions than any ever gagged.
Assure Valley Safety
The cutting OF the channels
through C7bras Pintas practically
assures the elimination Of the flood
menace. engineers state. Connie
tion Of the floodways and channels
on the American and Mexican sides
of the stream will provide for the
discharge Of fS5. 900 second feet. and
according TO estimates the most Sc
we're flood the Valley has ever ex-
~perienced vas approximately 100000
second feet. TIE river channel. now
well ieveed viii carry between 80
O31 and $500 secord feet 10 4
point below the developed section
before spreading to the lowlandS.
The Valley flood control works
will admit 12J.cC0 second feet AZ
Mission and through hackney lake.
carrying this volume to the division
point 1T III -ueste near Mercedes.
From this )3;nt $4,000 second feet
will flow ~rcrthward through the ar
sificiai floodway 10 discharge into
the Lagnna Madre north Of the
mouth OF the Arroyo Colorado. and
10000 second feet will be carried
through the Arroyo. An additional
5000 second feet will Re discharged
through the Rancho viejo resara
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