THE IRRIGATION AGE, 417 



ng power of these springs. Six miles above Carlsbad an enormous 

 dam has been thrown across the river which, during the storage and 

 irrigating periods, holds back every drop of the river's flow, which is 

 carried miles away through canals. There in so seepage, and the 

 river receives ro tributaries, yet the outflow of springs in the river- 

 bed in this distance of six miles causes a very respectable stream to 

 flow past Carlsbad. The sources of water supply are therefore seen 

 to be in a measure independent of surface conditions being, in fact, 

 practically artesian flows constituting this supply one of unmatched 

 constancy and reliability in all the arid region. 



The valley through which this remarkable river flows has an av- 

 erage width of ten miles, and its surface is in the main as smooth as a 

 floor. 



But this fair valley, with all its wealth of water and soil, was 

 nevertheless a desert land, so far as availability for agricultural pur- 

 poses was concerned. To redeem this valley in all its length and 

 breadth, and to transform its arid plains into smiling fields and the 

 homes of thousands of prosperous people, was a most inviting under- 

 taking, and one of unquestioned practicability; but for its accomblish- 

 ment time, labor, engineering skill and millions of dollars have been 

 spent. Six years ago The Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Com- 

 pany, with a capital of 1,750,000, was duly organized and entered 

 upon the great work. 



The northernmost of the series is the Northern Canal, which 

 draws its water from the Rio Hondo, a mountain tributary of the 

 Pecos, neat Roswell. It is 35 miles long and will be extended south- 

 ward when needed. It is 30 feet wide and carries a stream 6 feet 

 deep, sufficient to supply the 67,000 acres now under its level. To in- 

 crease the supply when the canal is lengthened, a reservoir of 1,300,- 

 000,000 cubic feet capacity was constructed. To the flow of the Hondo 

 has been added the surplus of the spring rivers about Roswell; and a 

 great deal of land other than the above is already irrigated direct 

 from these. 



At present the most important system is that in the vicinity of 

 Carlsbad, and comprises the Southern Canal, taking its water direct 

 from the Pecos, the Carlsbad Distributing Reservoir, and the Seven 

 Rivers storage reservoir, called Lake McMillan. 



Eighteen miles above Carlsbad a massive dam resting on rock its 

 -entire length has been thrown across the river, intercepting its entire 

 flow. A natural basin lying above this dam is thus constituted a 

 great reservoir, the size of which, as well as of the dam, may be 

 gained from the following figures: 



Length of dam 1,686 feet 



Greatest width at base 306 feet 



Crown of dam 20 feet 



