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Show 214 ' IRRIGATION INVESTIGATIONS IN UTAH. River below St. George; the valley of Santa Clara Creek, including Santa Clara, the Shebits Indian farm, Gunlock, Magotsa, Pine Valley, and Grass Valley; Washington and Middleton^ just above St. George; Harrisburg and Leeds, on Quail Creek; Harmony, Kanarraville, Bellevue, and Toquerville, on Ash and Kanarra creeks; Virgin City, on the river at the mouth of North Creek; Mountain Dell and The Mill, on North Creek; Grafton, Rockville, and Springdale, on the river at the mouth of Zion Creek. ST. GEORGE. The agricultural lands farmed from St. George are mainly in five fields-the St. George and Washington Field, 4 miles southeast of town; the Jarvis Field, 2 miles south of town; the field under the Santa Clara Seep Ditch, directly west of the Jarvis Field; and the two St. George Clara fields, on the Santa Clara Creek bottom*, about 2 miles southwest of St. George. The land in these fields is in individual holdings. Except at Atkinville, the water used in their irrigation is distributed by incorporated companies of which the landholders are the shareholders. Title to the water is supposedly vested in the companies and stock in these companies entitles its holders to shares of the water furnished. ST. GEORGE AND WASHINGTON FIELD. The largest field is the St. George and Washington Field, which embraces something over 2,000 acres. It is located on a low-lying bench south of the Virgin River and is watered through the St. George and Washington Field Canal, the largest canal now in operation in the basin. The canal heads 10 miles above St. George and follows the south bank of the river for 5 miles, when it turns to the south to reach the field. Its total length is 10 miles, its width an average of 9£ feet, and its depth an average of 3 feet. Just prior to leaving the bank of the river it passes around Schnstubkibe Mountain, where heavy construction work was necessary. About 1 mile below this it divides, one branch turning west to that part of the field called the old field, the larger branch continuing to the main or new field. The construction and maintenance of this canal and the dam diverting water into it have been a heavy burden on the farmers. The dam and the canal have cost to date for construction and repairs nearhT $70,0<>t>. Building the dam has been particularly costly and difficult. Experiment after experiment demonstrated the construction of a permanent dam across the sand bottom of the Virgin River to be practically impossible. What was expected to be a successful effort was made some years ago 4 miles beiow the present dam. At a large expense heavy piles were sunk into the river bed to hold the rock and brush work of the dam, but they proved unable to withstand the summer floods, with the result that when water was most needed and plentiful in the river there was no dam to divert it to the fields. With the washing away of the dam the farmers became satisfied that unless a solid foundation could bo found the fields would have to be abandoned. They accordingly sought a new site, which they found where the present dam is located. At that point the river had swung to the left of a stratum of rock which protruded above the river l>ed. For a number of years some of the farmers held the idea that by damming tho channel of the river so as to throw the river to the right over this |
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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 |