Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-22
ALL CONCRETE
CANALS WATER
HUGE ACREACE
Over 5000 Acres Are
Planted to Citrus on
Large Project West
Of Mission

modern ideas in irrigation con-
struction the system Of Hidalgo
County Water Control and I.l-
provement District no. 6. which viii
water the Goodwin tract of 1880
acres west Of Mission. has been pro-
nounced by irrigation engineers r.
Of the most efficient in the United
States.
To serve an area which has an
average height CT IS feet above the
bed Of the Rio Grande, on which
the cost Of watering would have
been prohibitive under the usual in
efficient. wasteful methods. the en-
sineers have evolved a system Of
high efficiency which already has
demonstrated that these high lands
can be irrigated at comparatively
small cost.
On the Goodwin tract. as the
district Is generally referred 70.
water wastage has been reduced 70
the minimum. Tests have indicat-
ed that approximately % per cent
Of the water diverted from the Rio
Grande is applied to beneficial use
as compared with less than So per
cent on the average irrigation dis
trict. AS a result Of this high eff
ficiency the cost Of irrigation is no
greater than in many districts an
which the water lift is less than
half.
Complete Concrete System
Concrete construction and high
, velocity distribution is the basis OF
tile high efficiency the district has
: attained. All water is delivered
through concrete lined canals or
concrete pipe lines. the "" type
canals having gradients which as
sure high velocity and quick dis
tribution to all points on the sys-
tenn. The four major pumping
plants and the smaller booster
pumps. the latter serving the high
est lands, are all electrically orer-
ated.
The east line Of the Goodwin
tract Is / IA miles west Of Mission,
and the district is approximately
3 ID miles in width with a max
imum length north and south Of l.
miles. Practically the entire acre
age is irrigable. The system which
is now watering over 5000 acres OF
the tract is rapidly being extended.
and the entire acreage IS expected
TO be under irrigation and cultiva-
ton within two years.
Preliminary work on the system
was started in 1926 when a bond IS
sue Of $4,000 was voted for the
purpose. Following completion Of
the surveys and plans a bond issue
of $1,000. 600 was voted. Cot>struc-
ton work got underway less than
two years ago.. and development Of
the lands has kept pace with the
extension or the irrigation system.
All canals are being concreted as
Il. soon as sufficiently settled. and
promoters Of the huge development
are confident that in less than two
years the entire area TO be served
by the district VIII be brought I'm
Ger irrigation.
Model Of Efficiency
The high efficiency OF the distri-
button system has been supple
mented by pumping plants. cleo
trically operated, which also are
models Of efficiency. The first lift
pump, located 9 short distance
north Of Penitas. has a capacity OF
$4,000 gallons per minute. discharg-
ing into reservoir a short distance
north Of the plant. The second
lift. approximately a mile from the
first lift. has a capacity Of $1,000
gallons per minute. assuring an
ample supply for a much larger
acreage than now contained in the
district. The third and fourth lift
pumps are located on the higher
lands, and several booster pumps.
which have an average lift Of II
feet. are utilized 70 serve the high
est lands.
At the river pump the average If
Is "a feet. with q lift Of AZ feet NJ
the second and 43 feet at the third.
None Of the lands are watered from
the river pump. the second LIT serv-
ing approximately 80 per cent ot
the total area, the third lift so per
cent and the fourth lift 20 per cent.
Each of the pumping plants IS OF
the same design, compactly ar
ranged and with pumping equip
ment Of the most modern and eco
nomical design.
No Drainage Problem
The Goodwin tract. unlike the
average irrigation district. has no
serious drainage problem. With
the exception Of a few low spots.
there is no part of the tract which
viii REQUIRE drainage works. The
entire area is slightly rolling. not
sufficient TO interfere with efficient
irrigation. but sufficient TO assure
n~oper drainage Of practically the
entire area. a feature which is on
sidered very favorably by fruit
growers.
Another factor in connection with
the drainage is that concrete con-
struction will completely eliminate
seepase from canals, a condition
which Is causing considerable loss
and great inconvenience IN those
irrigation districts served by dirt
canals. All water is delivered
through meters, assuring accurate
check ON the amount applied et
each irrigation. a factor which not
only viii tend to eliminate wastage
but also viii prevent injury to lands
through application Of water IN too
heavy volume. At all pumping
plants Of the district equipment Is
being installed TO accurately check
the volume of water in order TO de-
fect without delay any possible loss
and also to establish with accuracy
the cost OF operation. AT present
the district is supplying water at