Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-02-17
FRESH WATER

formerly a lake of brackish water.
A levee cut off connection with the
Laguna Madre, and the Laguna Atlas
cosa, over two miles in width, now
receives the entire surface drainage
from practically all of central Cam
eron county, drain waters from the
Fresnos resaca being directed into
the laguna through the Arroyo Atlas
cosa. Several thousand acres OF the
fertil coastal lands are to be de-
veloped under this project.
Following completion of the levee
at the north end of the Laguns
Atascosa last fall, the Laguna was
filled during the period of heavy
rains. Gates in the levee then
were opened, permitting the water
to discharge, the waters carrying in
solution the salt deposited by the
brackish waters which formerly en-
tered from the Laguna Madre. Later
rains again filled the Laguna Atlas
cosa, and have transformed it into
n of the largest fresh water lakes
IN the southern part Of the state.
Perform Useful Service
Irrigation district nag re-
gard the storage rule promulgated
by the water board as what might be
termed compulsory insurance against
possible water shortage. They point
out that the water carried in storage
will be sufficient for an average Of
two waterings Of the entire acreage,
an ample supply to carry over any
period when the flow Of the stream
would not be sufficient 70 meet the
demands of irrigators.
Regardless Of what action Is taken
by the Mexican and American gov
ernments relative to negotiation of
a treaty and ultimate conservation
of the waters of the Rio Grande
through n series of impounding
dams, the storage reservoirs will
continue to serve a useful purpose,
irrigation leaders assert. They
point out that a large volume of the
flood waters come from the San
Juan, which enters the Rio Grande
near Rio Grande City, and that i'm
pounding of these waters will be
difficult. At least part of this wa
ter, which otherwise would go to
waste, can be diverted into the
reservoirs of the Valley districts and
stored for future use. II is true
that the supply under conservation
may be sufficient to meet all re-
quirements, but the storage reser-
voirs will serve as insurance to meet
any possible contingency that may
arise and will give added security
TO investments in Valley irrigated
lands, a factor that is deemed OF
utmost Importance.
Fresh Water Lakes
Another factor that should not be
ignored, is the Identification and
recreational possibilities Of the nu-
merous water storage reservoirs
which are beginning to dot the Low
err Rio Grande Valley. When the
present projects are completed prac-
tically all resacas and many Of the
natural depressions will have been
transformed into fresh water lakes,
each offering exceptional opportuni-
ties for recreational purposes and
Identification. Several of the de-
velopment companies have taken
e~ognizance OF this factor, and plans
already have been formulated to
take full advantage Of it, the lakes
and resacas to provide a water back
ground for homesites and recrea-
tional resorts.
Several leaders in Valley develop
ment are discussing coordination of
plans for Valley Identification, in
which the storage reservoirs will
play an important part, and they
predict that within five years every
section of the Valley will have its
fresh water lakes, lined with beau
tiful homes or reereational resorts.
all of which will add to the fame of
the Valley and the attractions this
section offers tourists, sportsmen
and visitors.