The Color.\do River and Its Development 537 



water which is wasted to the ocean each year, there is an actual short- 

 age during the latter part of the irrigation season in dry years. In 

 1915 the entire flow of the river was diverted into the Imperial Canal 

 at the end of August, and yet there was not enough water to meet the 

 demand. Since that time the acreage irrigated from the river has in- 

 creased 300,000 acres. If the natural flow next September is as low 

 as it was in 1915, there will be 300,000 acres of crops without any water 

 to bring them to maturity, and the financial loss and human suffering 

 will be appalling. Again, it is the Imperial Valley that is in danger, 

 for other projects have the advantage of location upstream. No fur- 

 ther expansion of irrigation use should be allowed until storage is pro- 

 vided ; it should be admitted that the natural flow is entirely appro- 

 priated. It does not seem practicable, however, to prevent continued 

 nppropriation and use of water in Utah and Colorado. 



But how can storage be financed? The Imperial Valley is bur- 

 dened already with a heavy bonded indebtedness and is facing the 

 further problem of the AIl-American Canal, which is expected to cost 

 $30,000,000. The farmers cannot finance the river regulation which 

 they require and must have. 



Now enters the third element of the great project — power. The 

 power possibilities are so great, and power is so valuable, that it is esti- 

 mated the sale of power will pay for the entire project. A few months 

 ago the proposal was to charge five percent of the cost of the storage 

 dam to irrigation, ten percent to flood protection, and eighty-five per- 

 cent to power. Now it is proposed to charge the entire cost to the 

 power privileges. About 4,000,000 horsepower can be developed in 

 Arizona at the four sites mentioned above. 



Is there a market for so much power? Arizona can take about 

 100,000 horsepower to replace present steam plants. Cheap power will 

 permit of increased pump irrigation, the mining of lower grade ores, 

 and the electrification of our railways. We shall have factories where 

 our own raw materials can be fabricated, — cotton mills, copper and brass 

 foundries ; and the electrolytic refining of Arizona copper can be done 

 in our own State.- All city and house lighting will be done with hydro- 

 electric power, and any excess can be used for making nitrate fertilizers. 



But other states, especially California, will compete for the power. 

 A great amount can be marketed in southern California now. It is 



