The Reclamation of the West 



27 



ary between Arizona and Califor- 

 nia. Nearly all the important 

 rivers of the arid West rise either 

 in Colorado or Wyoming, in the 

 mountain ranges crossing these 

 states, and flow out from these 

 states, furnishing water for ad- 

 joining states. This interstate 

 character of the streams has been 

 held as one of the reasons for fed- 

 eral intervention in reclamation, 

 as well as the fact of federal owner- 

 ship of the vacant lands. 



GUNNISON RIVER PROJECT 



In Colorado the largest project 

 now in construction is that of tak- 

 ing the Gunnison River into the 

 Uncompahgre Valley. This river 

 flows in a narrow canyon two thou- 

 sand feet deep. This canyon has 

 been regarded as impassable, but 

 Mr A. L. Fellows, one of the engi- 

 neers of the reclamation service, 

 and an assistant went through in 

 1902 at the risk of their lives. 

 The attempt had been made a 

 number of times to go down it by 

 boats, but without success. These 

 men did it by means of swimming 

 and by using a pneumatic mattress or 

 rubber bed as a raft. They put in small 

 rubber bags the necessary food and a 

 little underwear. In ten days, by float- 

 ing, swimming, and climbing, they suc- 

 ceeded in getting through and locating 

 the point at which may be located the 

 headworks to take the water out by a 

 tunnel into Uncompahgre Valley. 



The tunnel, heading in the steep 

 cliffs, continues near the river for three 

 or four miles in order to gain grade, and 

 then passes through the mountain to 

 the valley beyond . Careful surveys and 

 examinations are being made, and it is 

 believed to be feasible to build the tun- 

 nel, if enough irrigable laud can be 

 found to justify the undertaking. 



Another project which has been under 

 examination is that in southern Wvo- 



The Present Water Supply System of Phoenix, 

 Arizona 



There are thousands of acres of reclaimable land 

 near Phoenix which are capable of producing some- 

 times seven crops a year. 



ming on the North Platte River, at what 

 is known as the Devils Gate, on Sweet- 

 water River, a short distance above the 

 point where it enters North Platte River. 



Unfortunately the amount of water 

 available at this point is small, and after 

 careful examination, there is now being 

 considered another reservoir site at a 

 lower point, where there is ample water 

 for storage purposes. This is on North 

 Platte River itself, below the mouth of 

 Sweetwater River. 



In northern Wyoming there is an- 

 other reclamation project, that on Sho- 

 shone River, which here flows through 

 a granite range. Surveys are being 

 made to demonstrate the practicability 

 of diverting this river and carrying it 

 out to the broad plains of the Big Horn 

 basin. 



