The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-27
BIGGEST CANAL FOR IRRIGATION NEARLY READY--' MELON BASKET
 IS IN VAST MADE GARDEN
Expected To Be Completed Nov. 1-- FlCcd Control Feature Will Work In
 Conjunction With Boulder Dam

With excavation complete, Jerome H. Fertig, engineer in charge of. the work here for the U. s. Reclamation Service, said water will be flowing in the ditch by the spring of 1889 - making available for cultivation 500,000 acres of land, the largest irriga- ton district in North America, if not in the world.
 Engineering Problems Difficult
 In the construction of the canal, tremendous engineering problems were overcome before the opera tion of the big ditch could be as- sured of success.
 Undesirable silt deposits, which have been problem to Imperial Valley farmers since Colorado River water first was diverted for irrigation, will be eliminated by a desilting plant which will sluice heavier silt back into the river be- low Imperial Dam.
 Colorado River water will enter the canal from Imperial Dam, 20 miles above Yuma, Ariz.
 Below Yuma the canal will parallel the Mexican border for a short distance then circle north ward soon to veer back toward the border near Calexico. The ser- pentine 80-mile course of the canal ends in the Westside Main Canal at the western limit of Imperial Valleys cultivated area.
 When the canal begins to serve valley farms ranchers no more will worry about how much water is being taken below the border.
 Present Flow Restricted
 The present canal flows for miles through lower California and the rich agricultural area there has first claim on the water.
 Imperial Valleys early settlers proposed the idea 20 years ago, and in the long fight to obtain legislation and funds from the Federal government, had to sell the nation on feasibility of the project as 8 national asset.
 Four power drops will be con- structed on the canal for the Im- perial Irrigation District under the contract with the Reclamation Bu- reau, and revenue derived from the sale of electric power generated by canal waters is expected to repay the entire cost of construction ill 40 years. ,,
 Funds for building the first power plant were made available in August when a temporary court order was signed in Washington, releasing PWA money for this purpose.
 - Canal Crosses River
 Additional structures along the length of the canal will include, besides the four power drops, three drops to take care of natural fall: highway bridges where the canal goes under roadways; flood over. chutes in the desert to protect banks of the canal in heavy rain- storms; a series of turnouts to furnish water to farm lands served by present laterals; and siphons, including the New River siphon, a $300,000 unit will carry the all American canal across New River :i two steel pipes, 16 feet in diameter, supported on concrete billings 12 feet above the water level, for dis tance of 374 feet.
 Uninterrupted continuation of the canal project was assured earlier this year by inclusion of $l,500,000 in the Department of Interior appropriation bill.
 Authorized together with Boulder Dam b yact of Congress in Decem- Der, 1928, construction of the canal was approved by PWA in October, 1883, and $6,o0o,000 made available to start work.
 Excavation was begun early in 1884. Work at Imperial Dam, where the water will enter the canal, should be completed next spring.