OCR Text |
Show 15 IV. History of the Colorado River In large portions of the Lower Basin true desert conditions prevail and, without the resources of the Colorado River System, human life could not be maintained in these areas. Certainly settled habitation would become impossible. There is archaeological evidence that some 2,000 years ago irrigation canals were built and maintained by the ancient Hohokam tribe in the Salt River Valley in the vicinity of present-day Phoenix, Arizona. Indians practiced irrigation in this vicinity before and during the period of exploration of this region of the southwest by white men.46 The region of California in which large scale use of the Colorado River for irrigation purposes was first made was the Imperial Valley, located in the Salton Basin, just west of the Colorado River at the international boundary, and outside the natural drainage basin of the River. In 1876 the Bergland Survey was made to ascertain the feasibility of irrigating the Valley by diversions from the Colorado River.*6 Water was first brought into the valley by the California Development Company [hereinafter C. D. C], a New Jersey corporation formed in 1896 by C. R. Rock-wood and his associates."" Because it was found that a canal would have to traverse Mexican territory in order to irrigate the Valley with River water, La Sociedad de Irrigacion y Terrenos de la Baja California, S. A. [hereinafter La Sociedad}, a Mexican corporation, was formed to hold title to the land, canal and works in Mexico. The stock of La Sociedad was held by the directors of C. D. C.48 1901 saw «Tr. 448-449, 2845-2846 (Ewing) (Turner). 48Tr. 6516, 6529 (Dowd). 47Title Ins. and Trust Co. v. California Development Co., 171 Cal. 173, 179-180, 152 Pac. 542, 545 (1915). 48171 Cal., at 180-181, 152 Pac, at 546. |
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Original Report: State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial 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 |