AZ vs. CA:24 California Exhibits, Vol. XXIV; Miscellaneous

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PROBLEMS OF IMPERIAL VALLEY AND VICINITY. The control of the floods and development of the resources of the Colorado River are peculiarly national problems for several good reasons: 1. The Colorado River is international. 2. The stream and many of its tributaries are interstate. 3. It is a navigable river. 4. Its waters may be made to serve large areas of public lands naturally desert in character. 5. Its problems are of such magnitude as to be beyond the reach of other than national solution. That these problems are national in character, scope, and magnitude was recognized by the act of Congress approved May 18, 1920, entitled, "An act to provide for an examination and report on the condition and possible irrigation development of the Imperial Valley in California,'' which forms the authority for this report. t A broad consideration of the various problems of the Imperial Valley and of the lands "which can be irrigated at a reasonable cost from known sources of water supply by diversion of water from the Colorado River at Laguna Dam," as required by the act. under which this report is made, involves a comprehensive study of the entire Colorado Basin, which the law recognized in section 3, where report was required upon "the effect on the irrigation development of the other sections or localities * * *." This report will, therefore, include a general review of the conditions and water resources of the entire Colorado Basin. To make the report complete, data were required on five principal lines: 1. Quantity and regularity of water supply for irrigation. 2. Protection from the floods of Colorado River. 3. Storage facilities available. 4. Available land for irrigation. 5. Canal systems required to serve these lands. The water supply of the Colorado Basin has been measured at various points for many years, and a large number of gaging stations in different parts of the basin has been maintained for varying f)eriods. The measurements have mostly been made by the Geo-ogical Survey, but some of them have been conducted by the Reclamation Service and some by the interested States. So far as available and pertinent they are condensed in this report and are an essential part thereof. PHYSIOGRAPHIC FEATURES. The Colorado River is formed by the junction of the Grand * and Green Rivers in southeastern Utah. The Grand, which by reason of its volume may be considered the upper continuation of the main 1 Recent action of the United States and of Colorado and Utah has changed the name from "Grand" to "Colorado."