Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-22
PROJECT WILL
lRRICATEOVER
10000 ACRES
Entire Area Between
Foothills And Rio
Grande To Be I'm
der Cultivation

extremely fertile land OF Starr
county lying between the foothills
and the Rio Grande will be added
to the irrigated area of the Lower
Flo Grande Valley according to the
plans Of Starr County Water I'm
provement District No. !, which last
year voted bonds in the amount Of
81. 500, 600 to finance the irrigation
system.
Though the bond issue has not
been sold. preliminary work is well
underway. financed by local inter-
ests under the provisions of the new
state law permitting water districts
to advance ten per cent Of their
bond issue, and approximately
seven miles OF the main canal has
been constructed. With final ap-
proval of the plans by the state
board Of water engineers and sale
of the bonds the board of direc-
tors, OF which Limo Perez Of Rio
Grande City is the president, pro-
pose TO rush construction, and II
is believed that the system will be
far enough advanced to apply water
20 part Of the lands next year.
Lands included IN the district
comprise practically the entire area
lying between the foothills and the
Rio Grande and extending from
Roma to a point Is miles below Rio
Grande City. The district is rs
miles in length, with a maximum
width Of approximately / 1-2 miles.
Practically the entire area is level
and well adapted to irrigation, en-
gineers report.
One of the features Of the district
organization was the fact that all
land owners were unanimous in
approving the project. When the
bond election was held the vote
was unanimous. and there has been
close cooperation between the dis
trict officials and land owners in
connection with all moves toward
naturalization Of the plan to apply
irrigation water TO the fertile acres.
Large Acreage 70 Fruit
Practically the entire acreage will
be planted to fruit. according TO
plans of the landowners, who point
10 the fact that the entire acreage
Is well adapted TO citrus and grape
culture. Avocadocs and other trOp-
&c and semi-tropic fruits grow in
abundance at Rio Grande City and
Roma where water is available for
yard irrigation. and promoters Of
the district assert that with an
abundance OF irrigation water the
entire acreage between the foothills
and the river eventually Will DC
planted TO citrus fruit, avocado and
Zig orchards and grape vineyards.
Experiments have proved the soil
well adapted to grape culture. Root
rot and other root diseases which
heretofore have prevented CONNER
Cial production of grapes in the
Lower Rio Grande Valley, do not
affect the same varieties when
planted on the river lands or Starr
county. With the river lands pro-
tected on the north by the foot
hills and exposed 10 the full warmth
of the spring sunshine, early grape
production is expected to become
q of the principal industries. Ex-
periments prove that at Rio Grandc
City and Roma the grapes ripen
from two to four weeks earlier than
in California, assuring the earliest
and most profitable markets.
Many Of the oldest orange trees
III the Valley are found in Rio
Grande City where some Of the
trees have been producing 20 to IS
years. Avacadoes also thrive in q
soil which appears especially adapt
ed to development Of large fruit Of
surprising flavor. and a number Of
the landowners, convinced by their
experiments that avocado growing
will he a prolific source of revenue,
ere preparing to set out large acre
ages as soon as irrigation water is
available.
No Drainage Required
The Starr county irrigation sys-
tenn viii differ from other Valley
systems in that no drainage will DC
necessary. IN the lower part OF the
Valley the slope is away from the
river, but III Starr county all
drainage is into the Rio Grande.
All lands to be irrigated are in
close proximity to the river, and
sssts indicate that the s~ub-surface
Is adequate and that there will be
no watcr-logging Of lands. Pro-
meters Of the irrigation district
point 20 this fact as indicative OF
the a~daptability Of the lands for
fruit culture. assuring there will be
no loss by reason Of lack Of drain
6Ee.
IN accord with a request Of the
Ftate board Of water engineers the
district board Of directors has set
aside 100000 of the bond issue for
the purpose OF ~concreting the
canals. Tests indicate that on part
pf the canal system there will DC
practically no seepage ana that
such waters as may Seep through
finds its way directly TO the Rio
Grande. Under an agreement with
the state board q survey will be
made within a year after the sys-
TEN is completed TO decide those
portions Of the canals necessary TO
place under concrete. The district,
however, has been authorized to
concrete sections Of canals where IL
As obvious that the seepage will be
heavy, and this work win be done
while construction is underway.
1T is our plan TO make this n
nj the most efficient irrigation sys-
TENS in the United States" a menu
her or the board stated. I'VE are
moving slowly ard cautiously. TAX
ing fun advantage OF the expert
cnroe and errors OF the lower VAL