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Show 154 PROBLEMS OF IMPERIAL VALLEY AND VIjCINITY. Conclusion.-This project can probably be-constructed at less cost than most of the projects of the Dolores drainage area, but the unreliability of water supply, together with its isolated location, does not warrant placing it in the Class A projects. WEST PARADOX VALLEY. Present irrigated area, 3,000 acres; additional irrigable area. 10,000 acres. Mean temperature, 48°. Mean annual precipitation, 13 inches. Precipitation during growing season, 6 inches. Elevation, 5,200 feet. Interval between killing frosts (summer), 160 days. Transportation, Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Placerville, on the narrow-gage line, and Delta, on standard-gage, are 70 to 75 miles away. Irrigation plan.-Collection canals aggregating 20 miles in length will concentrate waters from West Paradox, Deep, Geyser, and Rock creeks in two reservoirs of 1,240 and 7,000 acre-foot capacity, to be released into West Paradox Creek and diverted lower down. The project has been formed by the consolidation of old ditches for the purpose of providing necessary storage and increasing the total irrigated area. Duty of water.-Diversions are expected fa average 2.5 acre-feet per acre, the longer growing season and higher temperatures demand-mg a greater diversion than the average over the Dolores drainage area. Water supply.-All water is derived from Geyser, Deep, La Sal, and West Paradox creeks, which head in the La Sal mountains of Utah, in the western corner of the Dolores drainage area, and flow easterly to the Dolores River. No records are available, on these streams. Their combined drainage area of 180 square miles has an average altitude of 8,000 feet, with 25 square miles exceeding 10,000 feet. The run-off from this "area is estimated at 40,000 acre-feet annually? or 3 acre-feet per acre to be irrigated. Owing to the high altitude of parts of the watershed, the spring run-off wiU last later in the season than on most creeks and will more nearly resemble that of the Dolores River. Storage.-The amount of storage planned, 8,240 acre-feet, will probably suffice for the distribution oi water in ordinary years, but • will not do so in abnormal years nor provide hold-over for years of low total run-off. The availability of additional storage capacity is not known. i Conclusion.-This project will probably be built up reasonably soon to the acreage intended, in spite of its distance from railroads, as its crops would oe in demand for feeding purposes and for the use of the uranium mining interests close by. MONTEZUMA PROJECT. Present irrigated area, 25,000 acres; additional irrigable area, 25,000 acres. Mean annual temperature, 45°. Mean annual precipitation, 15 inches. |
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Original book: [State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California, defendants, United States of America, State of Nevada, State of New Mexico, State of Utah, interveners] : |