The Colorado River and Its Development 543 



basin that any construction of dams for the benefit of the lower basin 

 shall not prejudice in any way their equitable rights. 



But, the irrigation of our lands we must insist on; the develop- 

 ment of the Parker project of 110,000 acres and of the Mohave Valley 

 of 27,000 acres, and of the Cibola Valley of 15,000 acres, and that 

 the right to double the acreage under irrigation at Yuma, as is con- 

 templated, shall not be denied. It will require at least two new 

 diversion dams similar to the Laguna dam, and they must be started 

 in time to be finished when the storage dam is finished. The great 

 river control dam and the power will be secured largely because Cali- 

 fornia is fighting with us. But for the irrigation of Arizona lands 

 we must fight alone. It does not follow necessarily that our lands 

 will be irrigated if the Boulder dam or Lee's Ferry dam is built. Pro- 

 vision for the Parker diversion dam should, if possible, be put into 

 the act which shall provide for the larger project. Be it said also, 

 that the Parker and Mohave projects do not have the usual influential 

 citizens and real estate boosters to present their claims. They are 

 still under the care of the United States Indian Service. Congress 

 passed an act for their opening to entry several years ago, and the 

 matter is now sleeping. There are only a few Indians, and they have 

 received allotments. It is the finest opportunity in the whole United 

 States to provide lands for former service men, not less than 3500 of 

 them. The State of Arizona has got to speak loudly for those projects. 



Lastly, the high-line irrigation project — what of it? It has been 

 claimed that if the high dam is located in Boulder Canyon, water can 

 be turned into a canal on a high level, and led through the mountain 

 passes of Mohave County, across Bill Williams River, through the 

 Bouse Valley to Harrisburg Valley, and down the Centennial Wash to 

 the Gila River. The writer has studied all the available data, and is of 

 the opinion that the project is not feasible. Regardless of how desira- 

 ble it would be to bring under irrigation from the Colorado River an 

 extensive area of elevated desert land, yet it is better for the people 

 of Arizona to dream no vague dreams, and to concentrate all efforts 

 to obtain those developments which are practicable. 



In the first place, the high-line project would require a dam 500 

 or 600 feet high to raise the water to the level of the canal. A great 

 reservoir of dead storage water would be created, for the water level 

 could never again be allowed to fall below the elevation of the canal. 



