192 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



April 



be used while the other is being cleaned, 

 for it must be understood that the Col- 

 orado carries a great deal of sediment, 

 which adds to the fertility where its 

 waters are used, but which is a source 

 of expense in canal construction, as it 

 rapidly fills in excavations where the 

 current cannot keep the matter in sus- 

 pension. Water was first brought on 

 the ground in June, 1901, and since 

 that time development has been rapid. 

 The present year, 1903, will see the 

 first of actual demonstrations of what 

 may be expected of full crops grown 

 by this irrigation. 



Passing over the question of climate 

 with the simple statement that it is that 

 of the semi-tropical desert, with very 

 slight rainfall, high summer tempera- 

 ture, and only slight frosts in winter, the 

 next consideration is that of the land- 

 its conformation and constituents. 



The region between the Salton and 

 New Rivers is considered the best part 

 of the delta country. Much of this is 

 sandy, covered with dunes and hum- 

 mocks from 3 to 15 feet high. Unless 

 this land is leveled, it cannot be success- 

 fully brought under irrigation, and such 

 leveling will prove too expensive for the 

 prospective homesteader unless the pro- 

 posed railroad lines enter this region 

 and bring all the land to higher values. 

 Around Mesquite Lake, about three 

 miles northeast of Imperial, the land is 

 badly gullied ; but with these exceptions 

 the desert is very level, with an accom- 

 modating slope which makes the prob- 

 lem of applying water extremely simple. 

 There are a number of beach lines, some 

 of them very distinct, in this area below 

 sea level, showing that the basin has 

 been partially refilled at times with 

 water which has remained long enough 



Courtesy Bureau of Soils. U. S. Department of Agriculture 



r.I.CKFS ON NEW RIVRR 40 FEET HIGH, AT A POINT ABOUT 80 FEET BELOW SEA-LEVEL. 

 NE\V KIVKR CHANNEL RISES ABOVE SEA-LEVEL AND DISAPPEARS AT 280 FEET BELOW. 



