84 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



RECLAMATION SERVICE NEWS. 



The Colorado River Trouble. 



In response to inquiry, Mr. F. H. Newell, Chief Engineer 

 of the Reclamation Service, stated that so far as he was aware 

 no official action was under consideration with reference to 

 the situation on the lower Colorado River. It is assumed that 

 the California Development Company, with the assistance of 

 the Southern Pacific Railway, will repair the recent break, 

 and that with the experience had it would be possible to put 

 the river back in its proper channel with little delay and 

 relatively less expense than before. The equipment is on the 

 ground and the men and materials are presumably available. 



As regards the future permanence of the work, this is a 

 point which is serious, but it is believed by the engineers on 

 the spot that the dikes can be built in such manner as to be 

 secure. On the opposite side of the river from the broken 

 dikes the Reclamation Service has built similar dikes which 

 have stood recent floods and which, with occasional repairs. 

 -'ve nromise of being fairly secure. 



On beir^- asked whether the Government would not imme- 

 diately go to the aid of the threatened settlers, Mr. Newell 



and no authority. The government officials are watching the 

 developments and assume that the owners of the canals will 

 get together within a few days and, presumably with the 

 backing of the Southern Pacific Railroad, push forward the 

 repair of the break in the river bank. The railroad has such 

 great interest at stake, not only in the preservation of its 

 main line, but in the business from the Imperial Valley, that 

 it obviously cannot afford to see millions of dollars of prop- 

 erty and securities go to loss. 



Prompt action must be taken in order to close the break 

 before the regular spring rise. There is no time for delay 

 and even if Congress should act promptly, which it probably 

 will not, it would be impracticable to proceed excepting with 

 the equipment already belonging to the railroad company. In 

 other words, if the exigency is to be met, it must be through 

 the agencies already on the ground. 



The officials have granted authority to the Reclamation 

 Service to construct by force account a canal approximately 

 three miles in length, to be used in connection with the power 

 plant to be constructed for the generation of electricity at the 

 mouth of Spanish Fork River, Strawberry Valley irrigation 

 project, Utah. 



A Herd of Thoroughbreds in a Colorado Valley. 



stated that he did not see how this could be done without an 

 act of Congress and an especial appropriation of some $2,000,- 

 000. The work must be done on Mexican territory, and some 

 form of convention or treaty must officially be had before 

 Government officials could cross the line. On the other hand 

 the employes of the railroad or of the canal company could 

 do so without further formalities. 



As to the probability of obtaining an appropriation or 

 authority from Congress, this seems very remote. The mem- 

 bers of Congress who have taken most interest in the matter 

 express doubt of the probability of Congress making an ap- 

 propriation, and, in fact, appear to hesitate to introduce any 

 bill to this effect, believing that even the introduction of a 

 bill might serve to complicate matters by forming an excuse 

 for the present owners to throw up their hands. If it could 

 be said that the Government might undertake the work, the 

 responsible parties would unquestionably take refuge behind 

 such a statement. 



Mr. Newell further stated that the Reclamation Service 

 had nothing to do with the matter, and, beyond expressing 

 deep symnathy, was powerless, as it had no available funds 



Uncompahgre Difficulties. 



A telegram from Montrose, Colorado, recently contained 

 the information that water had been struck in the west end 

 of Gunnison Tunnel, Uncompahgre Valley irrigation project, 

 and is flowing into the works at the rate of about 4,000.000 

 gallons per day. Work will necessarily be suspended until 

 means have been devised to carry off the flow and the water 

 is under control. 



Most satisfactory progress has been made on this tunnel 

 since the work was taken over by the Government, and it is 

 now considerably more than half way through the moun- 

 tain. It is not probable that this interruption will be seri- 

 ous. The engineers now expect to have the tunnel com- 

 pleted and water flowing through it for irrigation purposes 

 by June of 1908. 



Late advices from Montrose state that the water flowing 

 into the tunnel is so highly impregnated with carbonic acid 

 gas that it is impossible for the men to enter the tunnel. The 

 water probably comes from a large underground reservoir 

 which will drain out in time. It may be necessary to blow 

 the gas out by means of pipes. 



