OCR Text |
Show AQBIOOXTUBE UNDER IRRIGATION IN BASIN OF VIRGIN RIVER. 251 the area that the 36.78 cubic feet per second should irrigate. When it is considered that the 36.78 cubic feet per second found in the creek April 19, 1902, was the normal flow below which the creek seldom falls, that for considerable periods the flow is larger than this, and that this measurement does not represent the amount of water which, confining the creek in a comparatively tight channel, would make available, it is clear that Muddy Valley is capable of a much larger development with only the natural flow of the creek. Add to this the reservoir possibilities, which will be discussed elsewhere in this report (see page 264), the prospects of the valley should be encouraging. Development there, however, will require a far more economical use of water and a greater adherence to approved modern agricultural methods than the farmers of the valley have yet adopted. Several years ago an effort was made to unite the irrigation interests of the valley to make water titles more secure, and as a result the Muddy Valley Irrigation Company was incorporated in 1895, with a capital stock of $15,000, divided into 15,000 shares. It was calculated that with one share for each acre in the valley the capitalization would eventually take in the entire valley. In 1902 there were 1,514 acres of land included in the company. The company nominally controls the water of the creek and has a general water master for that purpose. In practice each settlement controls the details of distribution, with little instruction from the water master. The settlements in Muddy Valley are all in the main valley, which is from 1 to 2£ miles wide and 15 miles long. There are but three-St. Thomas, near the mouth of the creek; Overton, and Logan, formerly St. Joseph. The principal products grown are wheat, alfalfa, and barley, with sufficient fruit for local consumption. The only sale for the products is to emigrants passing from Arizona and other southern points to the north, and in the mining and railroad camps. The upper end of the valley is on the line of the old California trail, near which the Salt Lake-Los Angelea railroads are now endeavoring to locate routes. If a railroad is built within a reasonable distance of the valley, what is now an undeveloped section should become a thriving one. ST. THOMA8. There are three ditches at St. Thomas taking water from the creek, with a total length of 6 miles. From the three ditches 500 acres are irrigated in holdings averaging 50 acres. To ascertain approximately the quantity of water used per acre in the settlement, gaugings of the two main ditches were made, as follows: Gauging* of St. Thomcu ditches, April 15, 1902. Cu. ft. per see. St. Thomas Town Ditch, 75 feet below head.................................... 9. 04 St. Thomas East Ditch, 50 feet below head...................................... 7.49 Total................................................................... 16.53 When the above gaugings were made, Town Ditch was carrying its full capacity and East Ditch was carrying its usual flow. When distributed to the 400 acres under the two ditches, the water had a duty, at that stage of the season, of 1 cubic foot per second to each 25 acres. There is no local organization in control of the water at St. Thomas, and no definite svstem of distribution is followed. |
Source |
Original book: Utah exhibits [of the] State of Arizona, complainant, v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, City of San Diego, and County of San Diego, defendants, United States of America and State of Nevada, interveners, State of New Mexico and State of Utah, parties |