The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-09-27
'IRRICATINC
FARM CANAL IS
NEARLY READY
California Melon Basket
Is Becoming Vast Man
Made Garden
Bv ARTHUR N. SUVERKRUf
limited Press Staff Correspondents

CALEXICO, Cal. Sept. n.
GJP).-The worlds largest lrrl1
cation canal will be completed
witbin the next two months' a'
least by November /. Az nv
Engineers in charge OF the ef
cavation of the $30,OOO,ooo pro-; TO-
ect said their work now Is III '''
final stages. -, otor &c
turned into the big ditch, the
threat of disastrous summer
drontb, and equally disastrous
CoIorado river floods forever Will
bo eliminated from the Imperial
valley-melon basket OF the UNI
''@ The flood control feature OF
the canal vii loperate in connec-
tion with that other gigantic prof.
ect of the southwest-the Build
er dam. , T.
rome II. Fertig, engineer IN
charge of the work here for the
II. S. reclamation service. said
water will be flowing in the ditch
bv the spring of 1889 - making
available for cultivation 50O,OO0
acres of land, the largest irriga..
tion district in North America, II
not in the world.
ENGINEERING PROBLEM
DIFFICULT
In the construction of the ca
nal. tremendous engineering prop
lens were overcome before the
operation of the big ditch could
be assured Of success.
Undesirable silt deposits, which
have been a problem to Imperial
valley farmers since Colorado
rdiyer water first was diverted
for irrigation, will be eliminated
by desilting plant which will
siuice heavier silt back into the
river below Imperial dam;
Colorado river water will enter
the canal from Imperial dam, ~
miles above Yuma, Ariz. 49,.
Below Yuma the canal VIII
parallel the Mexican border for a
short distance then circle north,
ard soon tow veer back toward
the border near CaleXico. The
serpentine S0-milc course OF the
canal ends in the westisde nam
canal at the western limit of I'M
perial 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 Tor
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 ding fight to obtain
legislation and funds from the
federal government, had to sell
the nation on feasibility of the
project as a national asset.
Four power drops will be con-
structed on the canal for the I'M
periad irrigation district under
the contract with the reclamation
bureau, and revenue derived from
the sale of electric power gene,
rated by canal waters is expected
to repay the entire cost of con-
struction in 40 years.
Funds for building the first
power plant were made available
in August when a temporary
court order was signed in Wash
ington, 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 nat
ural fall; highway bridges where
the canal goes under roadways;
vine mind and and His ideas. The
/ Scriptures also declare that God
is spirit. He is all inclusive. and
| is reflected by all that is real and