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

page 51

PROBLEMS OF IMPERIAL VALLEY AND VICINITY. Classification of lands, Mohave Valley project. 51 Present status.-The only irrigation development in the Mohave Valley has been done by the Cotton Land Co. and the United States Indian Service. The Cotton Land Co. system comprises about 19£ miles of canal, with a capacity of about 100 second-feet. A concrete intake is installed about 2 miles below Fort Mohave which is at a point well protected from river action by a jutting point of mesa. No silting works or diversion structure other than: an intake have been provided. The Cotton Land Co. has also constructed; about 10 miles of levee, with a crown width of about 6 feet and- an average height of 4 feet. No riprap or slope protection has been done. This levee, as pre«-viousfy stated, was partly destroyed in 1914v The United States Indian Service afterwards constructed a levee running south from near the headgate of the Cotton Land Co.'s. canal. This levee was also partly destroyed! in 1914 and has not since been repaired. CHEMEHUEVIS VALLEY PRODUCT. Location and description.-The Chemehuevis Valley is located on both sides of the Colorado River, with the larger area on the west side. The portion on the east side is in. Moharve County, Arizona. The portion on the west side of the river is in San; Bernardino County, California. . V ^ The nearest town and railroad station is the station of Powell,^ onv the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, about 10 miles from ihe valley. The length of the valley noirtk and south is about j6 miles anti tire maximum width 2 miles.. The elevation is aboutT400 feet above sea level. The valley is all subject to overflow during normal high, water. For this reason it is not feasible for irrigation development without the* construction of levees on both sides of tfoe river. Such levee construction may be reduced in cost by a partial flood; control, and possibly could be eliminated with complete flood control by storage. The valley is small and is not attractive as an irrigation project. The valley on the wwst.side of the river is in the Chemehuevis Indian Reservation. A few Indian* (approximately 200) live, on the reservation. Tentative allotments of 10 acres each halve been made to thefee Indians, aggregating a total of about 2,000 acres.