OCR Text |
Show -26- the construction of these channels should be commenced. The main drain of the Indian Reservation enters the Colorado River at a point about 3,000 feet downstream from the Southern Pacific railroad bridge; it crosses the main canal about 2,000 feet above the siphon entrance, and continues in a generally northerly direction, occupying the bottom of a large slough for a distance of four miles. This is the portion of the drainage channel that was constructed in February-April, 1912, and its location is clearly shown upon Plate I. The drainage passes under the main canal by means of a concrete culvert which is described among the structures pertaining to the main canal. The channel constructed has a bottom width of 14 feet, side slopes of 2:1, and an average depth of 3 feet. The total excavation accomplished in the period referred to above was 71,989 cubic yards, the average cost, including top charges, being 30 cents per cubic yard. The work was done by Fresno scrapes and the earth removed to a few inches below the groundwater plane. Surveys are now going on for the extension of these main drainage channels and approximate locations are shown by dotted lines on Plate I. In addition to the rise in the ground-water plane due to the excessive use of water, the high flood of the past season, which was of long duration, further increased the difficulties, and extensive areas in the vicinity of the levees were entirely under water. Many crops were ruined and the settlers in some instances prevented from realizing any profits from their efforts of the present year. The ground water has become so high along most of the locations of the main drainage channels that future construction work will of necessity be done by drag-line scrapers. |
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. |