THE POSSIBILITIES OF SALTON SEA 



1 1 



point there are three intakes or openings, for each of which there 

 should have been provided a head-gate. This was not done, however, 

 and over a year ago, during high water in the Colorado, these intakes 

 began to admit more water than was necessary for use for irrigation. 

 This surplus, which at times was very large, naturally sought the lowest 

 part of the desert, and in consequence Salton Sink became ' Salton Sea.' 

 Edwin Duryea, Jr., C. E., of San Francisco, who has made a 

 careful study of the situation for the Southern Pacific Railroad, says 

 that since October, 1904, when the canal first began to carry a surplus, 

 the water in Salton Sink has steadily risen at the average rate of over 

 one half inch per day. At times, during floods, this has even been 



Unitsed Head-Gate between Intakes Nos. 1 and 2. May 29, 1905. 



temporarily increased to the rate of two inches per day. The water 

 used by the irrigation system varies with the seasons from nothing in 

 rainy weather to about 1,000 cubic feet per second; and Mr. Duryea, 

 to show the variations in the surplus of water carried into the region, 

 has made a number of measurements that leave no doubt as to the 

 importance of the danger threatened. On February 14, 1905, the canal 

 received 2,500 cubic feet per second, while about 30,000 cubic feet 

 passed down the river; June 5, about 8,000 cubic feet went to the 

 canal per second and 60,000 down the river; July 18, 18,000 to the 

 canal and 7,000 down the river; October 17, 7,000 to the canal and 

 none down the river; November 20, 6,000 to the canal and 128 down 

 the river; December 13, 10,300 to the canal and none down the river. 

 On November 29, there was a flood in the Colorado River, and it was 

 estimated that the river at Yuma carried a maximum flow of 110,000 

 cubic feet per second, of which about one-half went into the canal, 

 and thence into Salton Sea. 



