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Show PROBLEMS OF IMPERIAL VALLEY AND VICINITY. 155 Precipitation during growing season, 8 inches. Elevation, 6,000 to 6,500 feet. Interval between killing frosts (summer), 125 days. Transportation, Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, narrow gage; nearest station, Dolores, 3 to 15 miles away. Irrigation plan.-Water is diverted from the Dolores River a short distance below Dolores on the left bank of the river by means o/ a low concrete dam.. Immediately below the headgate a 5,800-foot tunnel t^akes part of the Water and delivers it to the easterly portion of the irrigated area. The remaining water is carried through an 8-mile canal to the Narraguinnep reservoir, with a presen* storage capacity of 5,600 acre-feet, and then fed to the distribution system covering the western and central portions of the project. The Ground Hog reservoir has been constructed on Ground Hog Creek near Dun ton with a capacity ,of 8,000 acre-feet, but remains unused for lack of repair and because of dangerous leaks. The enlargement necessary to care for the increased area will necessitate enlarged reservoirs and canals. Two small reservoirs are also planned within the project. ; Duty of water.--A. diversion of 2 acre-feet per acre for this project is believed to be sufficient,' considering the rainfall. ^ Water supply.-Aside from a small amount of surface run-off and return flow available within the project, all water is derived from the Dolores River. The relation of supply, to demand at the intake is estimated to be as follows: Water supply and irrigation requirements. ¦ [Acre-feet.] .' . Mouth. Discharge of Dolores River. Demand for irrigation. Draft on storage. April.,., i.,... May........... June........... July...*...... August........ deptember..... October-March Total.... 44,000 98,000 86,000 28,000 12,000 8000 '43,000 8,000 20,000 30,000 20,000 15,. 000 7,000 3,000 319,000 100,000 3,000 Storage.-From. the above table there is seen to be but little storage needed in an average year. In a year like 1902, however, the discharge in Dolores River, June to September, inclusive, was but 33,000 acre-feet as against a demand of 72,000 acre-feet. Present plans provide for 18,000 acre-feet of storage which would keep the shortage even in such a year to a permissible limit. Conclusion.-The Montezuma project may be expected to build to its full size as soon as general conditions for irrigation development infprove within the Dolores Basin. While the project has been troubled with financial burdens which it has been unable to bear in the past, these may reasonably be expected to be overcome in the future. |
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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] : |