The Coolidge examiner., 1946-05-24
Sinking Water
Levels Create
Critical State
San Carlos reservoir a puddle"
with little relief seen; prayer
called for as power supply de-
creaSes.

with little relief seen; prayer
called for as power supply de-
creeses.
With the San Carlos reservoir
turned into little more than "pd-
die" by the continued drought and
the underground water supply drop
ping faster than ever before in the
history OF the county. this area
faces an extremely critical situa-
tion. according to Carl A. Ander-
son. district engineer OF the San
Carlos Irrigation and Drainage
District.
Approximately $500 acre feet OF
water remained in the reservoir a
week ago and possibilities OF OBJ
tanning irrigation water from that
source is becoming less and less.
The situation is worse than
people think" Anderson said. 1T
Is usual TO have 100000 acre feet
stored in the reservoir on the first
OF May" Anderson said. THAT has
prevailed for the past ten years"
Little relief Is seen until the
July rains. il was declared.
The continued drought has Great
ed a power shortage In this region
Roosevelt Lake is low and the
Indian Service in Coolidge wants
the Central Light Company TO sup
ply II with up to 1000 kilowatts.
4 letter OF agreement has been
made so this power can be led into
Coolidge. Casa Grande. and Flor
ence. The Arizona Power Company
in Prescott is being supplied by
Central.
l.. X. Doutrick. vice president
OF the Central Arizona Light and
Power says Arizona's electric power
situation is critical now and II
will be more so in 1s47 II the
drouth continues.
The drought is so serious that
Governor Osborn has set Sunday.
May &c as a day OF Prayer for
RAIN" in requesting everyone. "in
the churches OF their respective
faiths. or In the privacy OF their
homes to humbly petition the Al
mighty Father in His Wisdom to
consider our plea for life-pying
rains to replenish our reservoirs
and revitalize our land"
Doutrick said that Parker Dam
has cut electrical production. Boul-
der Dam may further decrease out
puts and California may be asked
10 come TO Arizona's aid by re-
leasing Boulder power, according
To Doutrick.
"The Colorado river has gone
back on us this year" Doutrick
said. II wish the War Production
Board had listened TO our plea TO
release materials for the wartime
construction OF Davis Dam. We
need that power now. but won't
get II until ls49 or 1850. All Boul-
der and Parker hydroelectric power
is under contract Arizona's next
source from the Colorado river Is
Davis Dams power plant and they
are Just starting to build the dam =
Doutrick said all contractors Tor
Parker Dam hydroelectric power.
were ordered by the u. S. Bureau
os Reclamation two weeks ago TO
cut by 25 to 30 per cent their daily
kilowatt consumption from that
source. Lake Mead water Is not
being released at Boulder TO iioW
down to Parker Dams power plant
I'VE can get by in ls46. but II
will take the cooperation OF all
the utility companies concerned.
Doutrick said. What we need is
Davis power. which hasn't been
allocated and should be wide open
to Arizona bidding. l hope Ari-
zona gets IT all. II will be cheaper
than Boulder Dam power ever can
be, but no power can come from
Davis before late 1949 or early
1850"
Civilization. population growths'
small industries and new irrigation
projects have taken up all war
plant losses. he said. California
population and industrial growths
have offset war load losses AND
produced a shortage there. He be-
lieves similar conditions exist In
the Yuma and Imperial Valley ar
cas- where Parker power is used.