Imperial Valley press., 1935-03-14
AMOUNT BACK
Of DAM NONE
TOO ABUNDANT 7
Irrigation Demands At Present
Require Nearly All Of Rivers
Extremely Light Flow
ANXIOUS OVER SUMMER
Water Users Asked To Place
Orders Ahead Sufficiently To
Allow For Arrival Here
ANXIOUS OVER SUMMER

Calling attention to the necessity
users, to obtain the most benefit
from Boulder dam storage, and en-
phasizing the necessity OF conserva-
tion so that there will be no short
age during the coming summer, the
Imperial Irrigation District today
issued the following statement for
the guidance of valley residents:
"Storage at Boulder dam was
started February l, however, the
flow of the river has been so low
that irrigation demands have re-
quired nearly all of the inflow so
that available storage at the pres
cent time is less than 10000 acre
feet, and this has been drawn on
for the past several days to meet
the requirements of irrigated areas
below the dam. In other words,
We are already receiving benefits
from Boulder dam storage.
According to reports on snow
fall over the Colorado river basin,
conditions are somewhat better
than last year but still very much
below normal, indicating another
year OF low run-off, similar to last
year. 1t is, therefore, very i'm
portant that as much of the run
off be stored back of Boulder dam
as is possible in order TO prevent
q repetition of the shortage which
Imperial Valley experienced last
summer and fall.
"At a meeting held in Yuma last
Monday attended by representa-
tives of the government and var
ious agencies using water below
Boulder dam, a procedure was out
lined for controlling the release of
water from Boulder dam and meth
DDS discussed for conserving the
available supply.
"It requires approximately five
days for water released from Boul-
der dam to reach the head gates
of the Imperial canal at Andrade
and, therefore, the Imperial Irriga-
ton District must place its orders
for water five days in advance.
The only way in which the de-
mands for water may be anticipat-
ed is through the cooperation OF
the water users and it is, there
fore, requested that all water users
place their orders for water as far
in advance as possible and whenev-
er practicable order the water for
a definite number of days rather
than following the present custom
ary method of ordering until off. ,
Difficulties Cited
E'Some idea of the difficulties
to be overcome are realized when
II is remembered that the district
operates nearly 1000 miles of canals
and laterals and it requires approx
imately two days for the water
when diverted into the canal at
Andrade to reach the northeastern
and northwestern portions of the
valley, thus it requires a week to
get water from Boulder dam to
these sections and nearly that long
a time for most of Imperial Valley.
1t should be realized that it is just
as important to anticipate reduc-
ton in demand as it is an increase,
in order to hold the waste of water
to a minimum, and this is the rea-
son it has been requested that wat
er users order water for a definite
number of days.
Remembering the tremendous
loss and hardship occasioned by the
severe water shortage of last sum-
mer and fall, the Importance OF
conserving the water supply this
year can be appreciated by every
one. Once Boulder reservoir is
filled, there need be no fear of ever
again having to face situation
similar to that of last summer, but
until this is accomplished it will be
necessary to adopt such means as
will make possible the conservation
OF the flow of the river.'