OCR Text |
Show [42] Average value of irrigated land per acre, $150. Average annual precipitation, 4 inches. Source of water supply, Colorado River. Market for products, local and general; good. Distance from railroad, 1 to 10 miles. Since the completion of the pumping plant at Colorado River, in 1912, the Indians have received 10-acre allotments, and where water is available for irrigation they have made fair progress in getting the land under cultivation. During the fiscal year 1918 a second unit was added to the pumping plant, and it is estimated that about 5,000 acres will soon be under cultivation. For this reason considerably more fuel will be required, and a small allowance must be made for an advance in price. This project affords the only adequate means of livelihood for more than 500 Indians, and it is probable that the branch of the Mohave Tribe now living in Mohave Valley, and numbering about 800, may soon be ready to take up allotments at Colorado River, where conditions are much more favorable from every viewpoint. Aside from the present needs of the Indians, it is essential to continue the operation of this plant in order to preserve the water rights in the Colorado River. The normal summer and autumn flow of the river is scarcely adequate for the irrigation of those areas already under cultivation along its lower course. In addition to operation, it is essential in order to convey the water through the canals and laterals of the distribution system to remove large quantities of silt that are continually being deposited and which, if not removed, soon render the canal useless. During the past few months it has been necessary to remove more than 40,000 cubic yards of silt. The work of ditch cleaning, however, was not completed because of insufficient funds. It is proposed to overcome this silt problem, which is a serious menace to the efficient operation of the system, and avoid the annual heavy expenditure for cleaning the canals by constructing a settling basin, at an estimated cost of $11,000. Funds for this purpose are included in this estimate. The canal system, with the necessary structures for delivering water to the Indian allotments in township 9 north, range 20 west, has never been completed. At the time the pumping plant was constructed the main canals and principal laterals were excavated and such structures only as were then required were built. It was the intention to extend the system and put in additional structures |
Source |
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] : California exhibits. |