| OCR Text |
Show -181- pact of BIA policy became noticeable. One policy is of particular interest to this history: an intent to incorporate Zuni into the economic mainstream of American life and improve its standard of living. The first major project undertaken by the Blackrock Agency was the construction of a large dam across the Zuni River at Blackrock, for the creation of a reservoir to be used for irrigation purposes. It was started in 1904 and completed in January 1908. When completed, the dam was 90 feet high, 450 feet long, 410 feet wide at the base and 30 feet wide at the top. It was made of rock fill and hydraulic fill with a puddled core. The dam was built with Indian (Zuni & Navajo) labor and BIA money (Lent, 1908). It originally impounded 15,811 acre-feet of water, which was reduced to less than 30% of its capacity by 1928 and to 15% of its capacity in 1978 (B. Mills, 1977:2), due to silting of the reservoir. The building of the dam was considered such an achievement that in 1908 Mormon settlers unsuccessfully demanded water rights from the reservoir (BAF). Below the reservoir approximately 5,000 acres of fields surrounding Zuni were 'put under ditch1 (McDowell, 1919:8). Fields near Zuni had not previously been irrigated, even though there were springs at Blackrock, as the water level of the springs had been too low (interview). The effect of the dam on the Zunis was probably great. It was estimated in 1924 that all the other farming districts |
