THE IRIGATIONAGE 419 



Greatest height 52 feet 



Capacity of reservoir 6,000,000,000 cu. ft. 

 Submerged area 8,100 acres 



This reservoir, the largest in America and one of the greatest in 

 the world, covers 8,100 acres to a varying depth, in some places 50 

 feet. The body of water varies in width from a quarter of a mile to 

 three miles, and is 11 miles long. It is provided with ample waste- 

 ways to permit escape of surplus water in case of a sudden rise when 

 the reservoir is already full. Twice in the year it may be filled to its 

 entire capacity, and its waters will irrigate 80,000 acres of farm land 

 from one filling. But to this must be added the constant flow of the 

 Pecos, sufficient to supyly nearly as much more land. Hence, since 

 this reservoir is usually wholly for storage purposes, ample water for 

 the cultivation of all the land under the Southern Canal is fully 

 assured. 



The Carlsbad distributing reservoir is 12 miles south of the Seven 

 Rivers Reservoir, where a dam 1,150 long, 50 feet high and resting on 

 solid rock foundation, has been thrown across the river. Ample 

 waste-ways protect it from overflow. It submerges an area of 1,032 

 acres and has a capacity of 300,000,000 cubic feet. 



From this reservoir, which is also used for storage purposes, 

 leads the Southern Canal, starting from a rock cut at the east end of 

 the dam. It is now 40 miles in length, is 45 feet wide at the bottom, 

 and carries when full 7 feet of water. Three miles below the Carls- 

 bad dam the canal crosses the Pecos River by means of a flume 468 

 feet in length. Continuing southward from this point, and known as 

 the West Side Canal, it crosses Black River in a similar manner, ter- 

 minating 15 miles further down. 



Just before the main canal crosses the Pecos above Carlsbad, it is 

 tapped by the East Side Canal, a branch, 19 miles long, which sup- 

 plies the farmers and suburban tracts of La Huerta, the northern ad- 

 dition to Carlsbad. This canal is 15 feet wide. 



Ten miles below Carlsbad, the river having been amply replen- 

 ished by springs and by the surplus water from the large laterals, a 

 solid masonry dam has been thrown across to divert the water east- 

 ward into the Hagerman Canal and Lake Surprise Reservoir. Sur- 

 plus water flows over the dam to the river bed below. Under this 

 canal are at present 15,000 acres of irrigable land. 



The Highland Canal is the last of the series, beginning abjut 60 

 miles below Carlsbad and now extending 13 miles. Its proposed 

 length is 42 miles, and when completed will irrigate the 35,000 acres 

 of land owned by The Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Company in 

 Texas. 



Summarizing, the total length of water conduits already con- 

 structed and in operation in the Pecos Valley is found to be as follows. 

 Main canals 121 miles 



