t 
 
 HD 
 
 17J9 
 
 UC-NRLF 
 
 V V d 
 
 D a4 
 
 I 
 
^ y^. Oc /r^r^^/y 
 
DEPiVRTITOTT OP THE UTTER lOR 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 Seattle, ?/ash. , Sept. 3, 1910 
 
 Hon. R.A. Bal linger, 
 
 Secretary of the Interior, 
 Seattle , ^^;„sh. 
 Sir:- 
 
 I return iierewitli the iJt.pers relating to the siti^ation 
 near the mouth of the Colorado River . 
 
 The iiatter is coxnplicated }riainly by the ownership 
 of large areas on "both sides of the .Colorado River, in 
 Mexico , and "by the pressure that vrill he brought to bear to 
 have the v/ork so extended as to protect all property, etc., 
 subject to ravages of the overflow not only in the U.S. but 
 in Hexico as well. Eor the protection of American inter- 
 ests in the Sal ton Sink and Imperial Valley, and the irri- 
 gable lands in the U.S., an effectual reir^edy is obvious in- 
 
 1. Coxiipleting the levee nov/ partially built south 
 
 of the Imperial Canal extending (in llexico 
 entirely) from the Colorado river levee, 
 below the intake, across ITew River drainage 
 area to the high ground vvest of ITew River; 
 
 2. Providing a suitable and i^racticable intake 
 
 for The Imperial Canal, which involves fix- 
 ing the low level of the Colorado River in 
 the vicinity of and at the intake, in the 
 U.S. Territory, This obvious arx-angement 
 \7ill not probably satisfy the landed inter- 
 ests in Hexico, or, probably, be aided by 
 the llexican Governjuient . 
 
 If the present intake could be closed and the 
 ^.-.^. _^ — J. Canal be extended to a new intake above the Lag^ina 
 Dam, and the owners of this Canal passing in Mexico be com- 
 pelled to complete their levee for the protection of Salton 
 Sink against water coming into this Canal in Mexico, the 
 matter v/ould be solved in so far as American interests are 
 involved, but the v/ork of extension to Laguna Dam would 
 cost probaoly $2,000,000, or twice the current appropria- 
 tion, but be under control of the Governjaertt . 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 Consulting Engineer. 
 
 -4 7- 
 
DEP^JlTIOrJTT OP THE ULTERIOR 
 PROTICTirG LAi^US AID PROPERTY 
 I1TPP31IAL VAI.LP,Y, Cal. 
 
 Yuma , Ar iz . , Oct. 4 , 1 910 
 
 I iiiivc tiic hoiior to submit the follo\Ting report, cov- 
 ering my investigations of the lower Colorado River and 
 its delta, together v/ith a project for the control of tlmt 
 stream, in a manner tliat will protect the lands c;.nd proper- 
 iperial Valley, Cal. 
 
 received; 
 
 On July 19th, 1910, the following telegi-am v/as 
 
 "¥a shingt on , D . C . 
 
 "J .A. Ockcrsoi-, u^.x o --^saissippi River Coj^u.iission, 
 St .• Louis , Mo . 
 
 The President jc^.h designaoed ^, uurself Engineer to 
 investigate Imperial Valley situation on the Colo- 
 •rado River near boundary "betvireen U.S. and Ivlexico 
 for which Congress recently appropriated one mil- 
 lion dollars. Please report to Interior Dept. 
 here for conference prompt action necessary. 
 
 Prank Pierce , 
 
 Acting Sec'y." 
 
 On th.e evening of July 19th, the v/riter left St. 
 5uis, and reported to the Interior Dept. on the morning 
 of July 21st. After a general conference as to the hope of 
 investigations to be inade and the character of work to Le 
 done, the results v/ere embodied in t}ie following letter of 
 instruct: ons: 
 
 DEPART] TITT OP TI'J: INTERIOR. 
 
 "Washington, D.C., July 22/lO 
 
 .. . Ocherscn, Esq.,, 
 
 Washington, D.C, 
 
 Sir:- 
 
 By Joint Resolution of Congress, approved June 25 
 1910, it v/as provided: 
 
 -43- 
 
Ifnri). 4- 
 
 the. sum of one 
 
 thereof a.s 
 
 of b.ny xiionc;: 
 
 .ry 
 
 Lllion dollcirs, or so r:iuch 
 'eby appropriated out 
 
 pro- 
 
 ije necesso-j . , 
 
 .^ 111 the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 
 to he expended hy the President, for the purpose of -"- 
 tecting the 
 elsev/here 
 
 the United States, and the President is authorized to ex- 
 pend any portion of such money within the limits of the 
 Repuhlic of Mexico, as he raay deem proper, in acocrdance 
 v.'ith such agreements, for the purpose, as he inay niake with 
 the Republic of Mexico . 
 
 _^ , ^ __ ^ * _j. _ _^. J-^ w 
 
 5 lands and property in the Iiaperial Valley and 
 i.long the Colorado River, v/ithin the limits of 
 
 Interior 
 of which 
 ularly 
 1oy;s: 
 
 On July 8, 1910, the Acting Secretary ci .^-_ 
 addressed to the President a comxiainication, copy 
 is herewith enclosed, your .attention heing partic- 
 directed to tliat par^..rraph thereof, reading as fcl- 
 
 "The ascertainment of what is necessary to be 
 done for the purpose of accomplishing permanent avoidance 
 of these recurring menaces to life and property on both 
 sides of the International Boundary Line will reqtiire a 
 thorovigh exajiiination of physical conditions, which, to be 
 effective, should have the co-operation of both govern- 
 ments and will consiune considerable time. In the meantime, 
 j5nnineer Hill states tlxat unless prompt relief is afforded 
 a water shortage, if not famine, is probable in the Im- 
 perial Valley -'ii''<in t''!e next tv,ro months. 
 
 In a country Adhere the heat reaches an intensity 
 of 120 def-rees and even higher, the great loss of property 
 and menace to both animal and human life, Wjiich rnay ensue, 
 should such a catastrophe occur, renders it impex-ative that 
 
 prompt measures be taken tov^ard averting the same, 
 
 To 
 
 tiiat end, I respectfully recoxrjcend tliat you designate an 
 engineer, liaving familiarity with- problems involving river 
 
 control 
 
 the purpose 
 and if so , i 
 
 to proceed im;rLediately 
 
 with an e:carain-ation, for 
 of deter;riining v/hether sucxi emergency exists, 
 take steps necessary to avoid the same." 
 
 "You have been employed and designated by the 
 President to Eiake investigation of the situation referred 
 to in said Joint Resolution and communication . 
 
 You v/ill report as to whether the existing emer- 
 gency is sucli as to require irrmiediate action, and, if so, 
 wliat is necessary to be done to accomplish the purpose set 
 forth in said Joint Resolution, 
 
 Rc.jrese:r:.ai: ions 
 jrequires that 
 and make the report requ 
 and immediate necessities 
 
 tnat Ciic Situation is critical 
 
 you should proceed with the utmost dispatch 
 eport required as to the ptesent conditions 
 
 by wire . 
 
 -49- 
 
You will also, in this connection, :c^]:c appropri- 
 ate exa:nination upon the rround and recommend the course, 
 which, in your opinion, v/ill prevent injury and destruction 
 of property in the U.S., through recurrence of the diffi- 
 culties which liave heretofore from time to time arisen, 
 "by reason Qf the unreliability of the Colorado River . 
 
 For any service or information, which the Dei^t . 
 of the Interior, or any of its officers, which' #111 ■ tend 
 to facilitate your lahors, you will, of course, not hesi- 
 tate to Liake requisition. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 ITrank Pierce, 
 
 Acting Secretary" 
 
 The critical conditions described in paragraph 
 3 and 4 of letter of instructions, lay in the shortage of 
 water supply in Imperial Valley, due to soiiie difficulty in 
 the intake at tiie river, and also in the Imperial canal, 
 belov/ the headgate. In order to get the earliest practica- 
 ble information, aS to the relative elevations of the bed 
 of the river and bottom of intake, the sill of the head- 
 gates and bottom of the canal, I v/ired to the Project Yn- 
 ginoer, ?!r . P.L. Sellew, at Yuma, requesting a survey, cov- 
 ering localities named, and on my arrival at Yuma,- July 
 30th, results were available for my inspection. 
 
 The plats showed clearly tiiat the bed of the 
 river was above the sill of the head gates, and lack of 
 water in the canal was due mainly to the silting up of 
 both the intake and the canal. (See plate 1.) 
 
 Two courses v;ere open to remedy these defects. 
 'Vi":h proper appliances, the simplest plan would liavc been 
 to dredge out the intake. Indeed, this sliould have been 
 done imjiiediately after the passage of the sxammer flood, 
 and in all probability a disastrous shortage of water 
 'voiild have been averted. Or, the v/ater could be raised to 
 such an extent, by means of a submerged dam just below the 
 intake, as to fill tbe canal without dredging. 
 
 The Cal. Development Co., ^'f.Yi, Ilolabird , Re- 
 ceiver, under date of liar. 2, 1910, secured from the War 
 Dept . a v/aiver of objections to the construction of a temp- 
 orary dam. This was renevred by the Dept . July 20, 1910, 
 Triis rjtructtire was befom in Feb., 1910, but a sudden rise 
 
 -50- 
 
I 
 
in the rivei' carried av/a.y the v/ork tliat. hud "been done , and 
 for the time heinp; it 'taecaine unnecessary, on account of 
 }iir;h stao:e of river, or lentil "f"^ season of spring floods 
 had passed. 
 
 The type of dam, proposed Toy the Company, in its 
 application to the War Dept . for a permit to construct the 
 same across the Colorado River, which is a na.vigable stveaxg. 
 is shovn in Plate 2. 
 
 A trestle is carried across the river, as a mat- 
 ter of convenience, as there is no floating plant on the 
 river available for such construction. Tlien the loed of 
 the river is covered with bundled of willow fascines, about 
 forty ft. long, and weighted y/ith stone and sviccessive 
 layers used until the necessary height is reached. This 
 inakes a satisfactory submerged temporary dam of limited 
 height, the expectation being tliat it would be carried a^my 
 b3'- floods, so as to offer no hindrance to scour of bed at 
 high stages of river. 
 
 After the Spring floods had passed and low stage 
 conditions of river returned, water shortage in Imperial 
 Valley again became serious, as shown by the following tab- 
 ulation of volume of water passing the headgates: 
 
 Tiie difference in the volume passing Hanlon's 
 heading and that reaching Imperial Valley represents the 
 quantity diverted to irrigation in Mexico and losses due to 
 seepage and evaporation. 
 
 -51- 
 
1 
 
STAT3'2narT or the gal. ri^T^LOPIiraTT CO. sho\7ing amount of 
 wuter entering Concrete Heading s.nd amount delivered to 
 the Imperial Valley, tlirough the Imperial Canal System 
 from lliarch 10th to Sept. 1st, 1910. 
 
 HAITLON Rl'ADIHG 
 
 IlIPmiAL VALLEY 
 
 ilarch 
 
 llin. 
 llean 
 
 1500 
 1175 
 1395 
 
 April 
 
 I'lin. 
 Mean 
 
 1689 
 
 950 
 
 1511 
 
 Y^j 
 
 Kin. 
 Mean 
 
 1650 
 1300 
 1427 
 
 June 
 
 Ilax, 
 ■■'in. 
 Mean 
 
 1569 
 1420 
 1512 
 
 July 
 
 i :in . 
 llcan 
 
 1592 
 
 746 
 
 1120 
 
 August 
 
 ?iix. 
 Min. 
 
 1651 
 811 
 
 .^:-. 14S2 
 :iin. 1012 
 I.Iean 1374 
 
 1445 
 1048 
 1307 
 
 1326 
 
 9 71 
 
 1112 
 
 1188 
 1061 
 1140 
 
 1173 
 417 
 
 782 
 
 1113 
 
 395 
 
 It seems tliat 1200 to 
 to Satisfy the demands of the ar 
 and to meet the requirements of 
 and for domestic use, as these a 
 canal for their entire svpply , a 
 neither are there any storage ta 
 an emergency, such as might come 
 tiiat v/ould cut off the entire wa 
 cause great suffering to the oec 
 
 1800 sec.ft. are necessary 
 ea nov/ under cultivation 
 the large herds of stock 
 re wholly dependent on the 
 s there are no wells ; 
 nks for use in tiding over 
 from a break in the canal, 
 supply for a tim.e and 
 pie and to live stock. 
 
 ter 
 
 In the latter part of July, the volume passing 
 -.-•_ -.^„„, ^tes had dropped down to 746 sec.ft. and the con- 
 ditions "became alarm.ing. Only 395 sec.ft. reached Imperial 
 Valley. 
 
 Yumj 
 opmen* 
 
 It 
 Co 
 
 Such v;as ^3tate of affairs on m^'' 
 was soon learned, however, tlmt the 
 
 arrival at 
 Cal . Devcl- 
 had secured a dredge, with which to clear out 
 " to 
 
 22nd. 
 
 the deposits iii the intake, and had also taken steps 
 
 huild a submerged dam, on v/hich work v/as begun July 
 
 Ey Aug. 23rd, a trestle was completed across the river and 
 
 -52- 
 
surface 
 
 two ft. 
 
 he tops 
 
 of the 
 
 of 1700 
 
 sec. ft . 
 
 r--- dvjaped therein had raised the water 
 and tl'ie water in the intake stood above 1 
 head gates, giving a flow down the canal 
 
 This dam was constructed "by dumping rock from 
 side-duii:p cars, until the required height was reached, and 
 as no fascines were used, it might readily he carried he- 
 yond the point where it could he classed a^s a temporary 
 structure. Plate 1 shov/s the crest of the dcon and the ele- 
 vation of the "bed of the river, ahove and helow, on Aw. 
 23. A photograph of the trestle is shown in plate 3. 
 
 An interview, on Aug. 24th, .,-...- prominent „..-.- 
 cials of several of the Imperial Valley water companies, 
 indicated that the water supply was .adequate for all their 
 requirements and the losses to the Valley, v;hile of consid- 
 erable proportion, were mainly confined to loss of the 
 corn crop, owing to lack of water at planting time and to 
 one or two cuttings of alfalfa. 
 
 Sliortly after my arriva,l here, I roade a tour of 
 the valley and observed the condition of the crops and 
 abundant evidences of lack of water were to be seen. Ilany 
 alfalfa fields were dry to the roots and but very little 
 corn was in evidence. Cotton appeared to be doing fairly 
 well and now promises a good crop. 
 
 The effort of the Cal . Development Co. to secure 
 the necessary water supply to the valley, was watched \';ith 
 care, and as they seemed to have the work well in hj^.nd, and 
 were energetically striving to reach the desired result , 
 both by dredging and by a submerr^ed dam, my attention was 
 then turned to the larger question, of how ti prevent Injvxj/ 
 and destruction of property, through the recurrence of tlie 
 difficulties arising from ciianges in the route of the Colo- 
 rado river. 
 
 Reports of the foregoing work were wired to you 
 from time to time, as the work progressed. 
 
 Tlie Imperial Canal, known as the property of the 
 Cl.1 . Development Co., taps the Colorado river at a point 
 about 1600 ft. above the International Boundary line. 
 Prom this point, the water flows in a south¥/ester!^y direc- 
 tion for a distance of about 1500 fit., with a bottom width 
 of about 60 ft. and 100 ft. wide at the top, to the con- 
 crete headgates about 1000 ft. North of the International 
 Boundary line. These gates are said to rest on bed-rock. 
 There are 11 openings, 12 ft. wide and 10 ft. high a.nd a 
 navigation by -pass 12 ft. wide. Tiie estifliated capacity of 
 the gates is 10,000 cu.ft. per sec. 
 
 
Tlie elevation of tiie floor, or sill, is 100,9 
 . .lOVc sea level, U.S.R.S. datxoia, and ?/hen built in 1906 
 it was about 5 ft. "below tlie "bed of the river. As the 
 bed of the river is continvuxlly chanf-ing, with even 
 slight changes of stage, it seems now that the sill of the 
 gites should have been placed several feet lower, in order 
 to icaeet the probably lowering of the low water plane, due 
 to the regulation of the river and flood control, by means 
 of levees. In fact, the bed of the river, in June, 1910, 
 was 10-1/2 ft. below the sill of headgates , . the water sur- 
 face being 5 ft. above the top of the gates, Yuma gage 
 reading 22 ft. After leaving the headgates, the water 
 flows through a canal for a distance of about 4 miles, 
 wjiere it enters the old bed of Alam.o river, a high water 
 channel, foriiierly empt^'ing into the Salton basin. It r.mkes 
 a detour to the southward into Mexico, on account of a hi^ 
 sandy mesa, which prevents carrying the water to Imperial 
 Valley throug^i tJ,S , territory. This old channel, on Mexi- 
 can soil, measures about' 44.2 miles in length and reaches 
 a maximiiia distance of about 9 miles southward of the Inter- 
 Tittional Boundary. It crosses back to the U.S. at a point 
 of 34.3 miles from tiie Colorado River, as measured on the 
 Boundary line. Tlie nuiin canal crosses boundary 41,5 miles- 
 from river, making total distance in llexico about 50 miles, 
 Ikch cultivated acre is entitled to 4 acre ft. per annian. 
 Tlie capacity of tliis Ilain Canal at present is about 1800 
 sec. ft., and it served this year 203,246 acres of land in 
 Iraperial Valley, Gal., and 22,000 acres in Mexico, The 
 mean velocity of flow in the canal is reported to be from 
 1.5 to over 3 ft. per sec. Tlie distance from the concrete 
 headgate to Slu^rps Heading is 53 :;:iles and the total fall 
 between the sills of the two gates is 75.5 ft., giving an 
 average slope of 1.5 ft. per mile. Por alignment of canal, 
 sec 'nap herewith. 
 
 In lay opinion, the shortage of water could liave 
 been avoided by the use, earlier in the season, both in 
 the intake and the canal proper, of an efficient type of 
 dredge of the proper capacity. 
 
 This only applies to ^^l<^ ^j^v_,o^.-o uo.su.t,nd for 
 water. Should the deiiiand largely increase, as now seems 
 inevitable, it v;ill be necessary to reconstruct the main 
 cana!). on more efficient lines both as to section and slope, 
 ?/liether this is done or not, the safety of the valley re- 
 quires tliat the various wooden controlling works be replac- 
 ed at an early day with substazitial concrete structures, 
 V/ithout such enlargement and reconstruction, the great out- 
 lay necessary le supply from Laguna Dam v/ould not 
 be justified. 
 
 -5^ 
 
^ 
 
An extension of the intake to Laguna Dam would 
 serve to definitely fix the source of supply Toeyond any 
 pro'Daole danger thereto and a maiji canal could he carried 
 therefrom, v/hich would serve loany acres in the liigher 
 lands, '" ich arc- ~ve the reach of the present system. 
 
 The Iiaguna daia, being merely a weir, does not 
 serve the purpose of storing water and hence would liave 
 no value for conserving the hif-h stage supply. 
 
 Tlie extreme lov/ 
 
 3X-*- 
 date 
 
 IS 
 
 Yiima , up 1 
 
 1903, fortunately a 
 
 2594 
 
 the season 
 
 water is needed. The Yunia Valley project covers so: 
 190,000 acres, and the Imperial Valley, v/-hicii can h 
 reached from present intake, ahovit 400,000 acres. 
 
 water discliarge, raeasured at 
 sec. ft. This occurred in Ja,n. 
 of the year when little 
 
 ome 
 
 , ahovit 400,000 acres. 
 
 Then, South of the 
 river, in Mexican territory, 
 cream of the Colorado Delta, 
 productive with a good water 
 and their holdings in Mexico 
 
 tne 
 
 Boundary lint, ^. .a West of 
 lies 860,000 acres of the 
 which could he loade highly 
 supply, Tlie principal owners 
 are as follows: 
 
 Tiie 
 observations a 
 Colorado River 
 
 following va.vli 
 t Yxnna 
 
 !£, v^.viv. j.-v^.s, from the disclxarge 
 , the available v/ater. su5)ply in the 
 , without storage , and the area tliat could 
 be irrigated therewith, if drawn upon as needed and utili- 
 zed without waste: 
 
 This table slxows tiiat there is sufficient water 
 xi. .-Lu x^ver, during even the low stages, to supply sever- 
 al tiiaes the area now under cultivation. It is based on 
 the monthly average of water used in Yuxiia Valley irriga- 
 tion, per acre, the total required for the year being es- 
 timated at 5-1/2 acre feet , v/hich covers evaporation and 
 other losses. 
 
 The following table gives the monthly discharge 
 for the years 1903 to 1909 , inclusive , the total acre 
 feet per month, and year, and '' • n:eans "-- lonths and 
 ♦ years. 
 
 It indicates clearly thao ^he anniial supply of 
 'fratex is sufficient to irrigate the itiajor portion, if not 
 all, of the entire Colorado Delta, if adequate storage 
 ^ provided. 
 
 -35- 
 
An exliaustive study of the wliole question of t'n.e 
 conservation of the flood waters of the Colorado water- 
 shed and the economic use of the I^aguna dam, in connec- 
 tion with the irrigation of the Colorado delta., should he 
 taken up without further delay*- It will require consider- 
 able time to do this properly and' it is none i;oo soon to 
 hegin. 
 
 The tr>^.-.-^..^ ^..^.^rienced in Iraperial V.^lley, 
 under present conditions, are very largely due to lack of 
 capital for the needed preliminary investigations and for 
 the design and construction of proper and economic works, 
 for the diversion and control of the v/ater from the Colo- 
 rado River. Exception should he i;ia.de to the concrete head 
 gates, wliich are apparently serv'"^' t^'C --,--:T-,oap -^or ^■•^■lich 
 they were designed. 
 
 The developiiient of Iraperial Valley lias "been 
 little short of raap;ical. Within a decade it Irns changed 
 from a barren desert to highly productive fields, orc.iards 
 and vineyards, occupied by a thrifty people some 15,000 
 in niAmber. 
 
 i-.rivj.rig towns dot the valley, in v/hicji ui^y ue 
 seen large, well-appointed school buildings, substantial 
 business houses and comfortable homes, all proclairaing 
 tliiit this development is not ephemeral, and under proper 
 co^Hiitions , the prospects for the future are exceedingly 
 
 The extraordinary fertility of the soil results 
 in greatly increasing demands for more and more area under 
 cultivation, with large increase in the ai;iount of water 
 required therefor. But, to continue this rapid expansion 
 of cultivation v/ithout insuring an ample water supply, by 
 i.ieans of better control of intake and more adequate main 
 canal and controlling v/orks, is to Invite troubles greater 
 tiian have yet come to them. 
 
 v/'ith the assurance of such prolific returns , it 
 does not seem probable that this opportunity of practical 
 conservation vrill long be neglected. 
 
 The control of the course of the Colorado River, 
 for the purpose of Protecting Lands and Property in the 
 Lr.perial Valley, and elsd7/hore, alonp- tlie Colorado River, 
 viTithiri the limits of the U.o. 
 
 -56- 
 
SUP.V 7YS A:n)_ EKAI-nK -ATIOUS. 
 
 In oteclience go one lourui paragraph, of your 
 instructions to ";jiake appropriate examination upon the 
 £:round and reooiUinend the course, which, in your opinion, 
 "will prevent injury and destruction of property in the U.S. 
 throuf;h the recurrence of the difficulties which have 
 heretofore from time to time arisen, "by reason of the un- 
 rclialDility of the course of the Colorado river," a 
 survey party was organized, which reached the field and 
 v/ent into camp near the International "boundary line, on 
 Aug. 15th. 
 
 Great difficulty was experienced in securing com- 
 petent men to serve under conditions, of extreme heat and at 
 a point remote from habitations and travelled hip:hways. 
 
 Equipment and teajas were secured from the Rec- 
 i^.-^..ion Service at Yiu:ia , and a supply line was estahlish- 
 ed , in order to minimise the discomforts of the heated 
 season as far as practicahle. 
 
 The party consisted of J.C-. Moirgan, Chief of 
 party, R.B, Bay, transit-cian , L.I*. Tripp, levelman, four 
 rodnen, cook und 6 Cocopah Indian Axemen. 
 
 SURVEYS 1. 
 
 The instrumental survey with tertiary triangula- 
 tion and stadia covered the Colorado River from a point 
 about 6 miles below the concrete iieadgates at Hanlons down 
 to the Abejas river break and thence down -the dry bed to 
 v/ithin about 20 miles of tide water, a total distance by 
 river of about 35 miles. The survey was also extended 
 do-m the Abejas river a distance of 5 miles. It includes 
 the location of both bank lines with elevations thereon aid 
 with cross-sections in the Abejas and the dry bed of the 
 Colorado river. A line was also cut through the timber 
 and brush along near the west bank of the Colorado, approx- 
 imating as near as practicable the site of the proposed 
 levee and extends tlie entire length of the survey. 
 
 Levels were carried over this line and an accu- 
 rate profile thereof, lias been developed. Tlie distances 
 \7ere jfieasured :' ' ' steel tape. 
 
 The notes of this survey have been platted on a 
 scale of one inch to 1000 ft. On this map the route of 
 the proposed levee and the crossing of the Abejos river 
 iiave been projectsd and this will constitute the v/orking 
 plan for construction work. Profiles of the lines leveled 
 over iiave also been platted for the purpose of deteriainiiTg 
 the lieight of levee req.uired and estimating the cubic yards 
 of earth therein. 
 
 -5 7- 
 
SURYTT/S 2. 
 
 Several sections of tlie Alsejas were also platted 
 on a lar<?;e scale for the purpose of selecting the >.est site 
 for the crossing and for estima.ting the quantity of xaater- 
 ii'.l required for trestle b.nc\ the rock fill. 
 
 The surveys were coidpleted on Oct, 4 add covered 
 a period of 42 v;orking days in the field — v/hich is an ex- 
 ceedingly good record when we consider tliat tlie work was 
 done during the hottest part of an unusually hot season, 
 llany who are accustomed to the climate declared in the he- . 
 -i' -'ing that survej'' of the lower Colorado River dviring the 
 .r, -i.er fuonths was impracticable. 
 
 Ilr. Hornan, his assistants and the Cocopah Indi- 
 an Axemen all deserve credi't for carrying the v/ork to a 
 successful conclusion under such trying conditions. 
 
 In addition to the instrumental survify^ ^Examination 
 rreve -nide hy myself of the Colorado river from Yuma down 
 for a distance of some 40 miles; the Ahejas river from the 
 Colorado river d07m several miles; of the IL^rdy river frcja 
 F!ource at Volcano lake to its junction v/ith the dry hed 
 or tae Colorado; the lower portion of the Pescadero river; 
 Salt Slough; Hew river and the Alamo, Tlie water in the 
 Hardy river, which now carries the entire volume of the Col- 
 orado, vras found to he practically clear, the sediment hav- 
 ing been eliminated in its passage down the Ahejas river to 
 Volcano Lake, 
 
 SURVEYS 5, 
 
 Examinations were also jiu.\de , covering to a con- 
 siderable extent the various canals and headings of the 
 Gal. Development Co., together with a general view, of a 
 large part of the irrigated portion of Imperial Valley and 
 f"^ rif^lta south of the International Boundary Line in Ilexi- 
 ot . 
 
 The records of \,.^^ .-^ox.,. ^u.tion Service at Yx;iraa 
 liave been fully drawn upon for facts relating to stage and 
 discharge of the Colorado river and were of great service 
 in t''^ '^+udy of t'i'° ■^■^oblems relating to flood control. 
 
 Pir/SICAL CI-IARACTERISTICS OE THE L0TF31 COLORADO RIVER. 
 
 Tlie geological history of the Salton basin and 
 t;i'j UJ.J::.. tion of the Colorado delta have been discussed so 
 fully of late years tluit it is deeined best to confine this 
 report to the salient features, which bear directly on the 
 -•""■l^nlar prob:' - -- -n '•:--". 
 
 -58- 
 
The lower Colorado river lias the ustuil cliarac- 
 teristics of sedimentary streams, althou/xh some of tiie 
 features of its regimen are accentiiated , such as the per- 
 centage of sediraent , the slope, the very fine iiiaterial com- 
 posing its "oed and hanks, and the extreme elevation of its 
 delta ahove Salt on basin. The ratio of sediment to water 
 is 1 to 363, vfhile in the Mississippi river this ratio is 
 1 to 1500. Th.e total anntial volume of sediiaont amounts to 
 53 sqiiare miles one foot deep. 
 
 Tlie iiiaterial of tlie Led is so easily eroded tliat 
 its elevation hecomes a function of the stage, while no 
 fixed relation hetweon stage and volume of disciiarge can "be 
 traced. Por instance, in June, 1904, at a stage of 126.3, 
 the disclmrge measured 50,000 sec. ft., while at the same 
 stage in Dec., 1908, the discharge was 72,000 sec.ft. 
 
 The river flows on the crov/n of an elevated del- 
 ta, having an area of about 3600 square miles. It has a 
 slope of about 2.6 ft. per mile, tovrard the Gulf of Cali- 
 fornia, and lids some 400 ft. above the bottom of the adja- 
 cent Salt on basin, which gives very steep slopes to the 
 westward for the overbanlc discliarge during floods, and the 
 tendency to leave its bed for one of the high water out- 
 lets, with its steeper slope, is continixally present. Dee 
 'Tip herewith. 
 
 The slope toward the eastv/ard mesa, is about 2 
 f .. ^-or iiiile. The diief high water outlets, or channels, 
 which under normal stages are dry, are the Alamo, now occu- 
 pied by the Imperial Valley canal, the Paredonis, Abejas 
 and the Pescadero. The ITew river occupied the thalweg to 
 the westward of the delta and flows in a No rtli westerly di- 
 rection to the Salton Sink, or in a southwesterly direction 
 to Volcano Lake, and thence to t-ie Gulf, via the Hardy 
 river, according to the magnitude of the overflow. North 
 of Volcano Lake, it is a dry bed with little or no water 
 except such as iiiay reach it through the Paredonis at over- 
 flow stages of the Colorado river, or v/ater from the waste 
 gates near llexicali. At the present time, flow to the 
 
 P-'-^^^ward is cut off l-j c. l----. 
 
 The average flood slope of the river from Yuma 
 to tidev/ater of the Gulf of California is about 1,6 ft. per 
 mile, estiir.ating tlie distance from Yuma at 80 miles by 
 river, v/hile the average slope from the river, along the 
 Alaiiio and ITew rivers, to Salton sink is about 3.5 ft. per 
 laile , but tliis latter slope is not uniformly distributed, 
 and in places is much in excess of this figure. Tliese vari- 
 ous si " * - are S'lov/n in n general v;ay on plate 4. 
 
 The havoc created by the river In 1906, when it 
 flov;ed down this very steej; slope, tlirough material so 
 easily eroded, is sufficient warning tliat strenuous meas- 
 ures should be used to prevent such catastrophes in the 
 future, Imperi "! " lley can never be safe in the face of 
 
 -59- 
 
such menace, until anple v/orks are erected to confine tlrie 
 flood Waters to narrow limits along the river proper. An 
 interesting e3dii'bit of the development of the Salton Sea 
 is shovm in hydropraphic plate 7. 
 
 Records of stage have Leen kept contiiiuously at 
 YuiUci since 1S78, The lovrest sta;";e recorded to date was in 
 October, 1879, ?/he::. . , 113.2 ft. above sea level. 
 
 The hifjhest stage recorded was on Peb . 26, 1891, 
 \v}ien the cage read 133.2 ft. above sea level. This gives 
 the extreme range in stage at Yuina since gage was estab- 
 lished as 20 ft. 
 
 Regular disc-iurge measurenonts were inaugurated 
 the U.S. Reclamation Service in 1903. Since tliat time, 
 the lov/est volume measured was on Jan. 12, 1903, ^i^ien the 
 river carried but 2694 cu.ft. per sec, with gage reading 
 15.8 f t . 
 
 The largest volume recorded v/as on June 24, 1909, 
 when the flood reached 149500 cu.ft. per sec,, with gane 
 reading 130.7 ft. 
 
 The oscillation of the bed, incidental to changes 
 of stage, is shown in plate 5, where it v/ill be seen tliat 
 the elevation of the lov/ v/ater bed at the discharge station 
 at Yuma, on Dec. 16, 1908, was 113.5 ft. at the deepest 
 part, v/hile during the following great flood of 1909, the 
 bed \Tas scoured down to an elevation of 77.2 ft. above sea 
 level — a difference of some 36.3 ft. In this vvay, the 
 streiun readily adjusts itself to the volume v/liich it is re- 
 quired to carry if confined to a fixed channel. 
 
 The Col*6rado river lias t'lc usual cliaract eristics 
 of sedimentary streams of great slope. T/ie high water clian- 
 iiel ranges from 1000 to 3o5o ft. or more in width, and is 
 quite siiallow, v/hile the low water channel is 500 to 1000 
 ft. v/ide , and wanders over the whole range of the high wat- 
 er bed. The high v/ator bed is more or less obstructed virith 
 vegetation, \7hich springs up in the interval between floods. 
 T.-.e high water bank, vmich lies along the concave side of 
 the stream, is usLially well-defined and nearly vertical, 
 6 to 8 f t . in heifiht. Tlie opposite bank is often quite 
 indefinite . 
 
 J. : :. u 
 
 •ecs along the banks are in many cases bur- 
 ied in the deposits for several feet in depth, and tl^e 
 roots of smaller grow'th also extend well dovm. The upper 
 adobe soil, from 2 to 6 ft. thick, or sometimes even more, 
 is filled with cracks, through which water readily finds 
 
 -60- 
 
In order to construct levees tliat will "be reas- 
 omaoly safe, it is evident tiiat l^otli roots and cracked soil 
 must "be carefully eliminated, by means of laudc ditches of 
 le depth. Tlie.lack of this precaution is responsiole 
 
 • tiie failure, which^odurred a fev/, hundred feet "below the 
 
 Hind dam which liad successfvilly closed the "break of 1905-6. 
 
 Tlie banks adjacent to the river are covered with 
 a dense p-rov/th of vrillows, arrow weed and some cottonwocd 
 trees of moderate size. 
 
 * 
 
 TTo coarse sand or f:ravel is fovind on the low 
 water hars, wl-.ich are composed very largelj' of fine silt. 
 
 FLOOD CPy^TROL BY IITAITS OP LKVEES . 
 
 x—^, o L..-C river is excieodinrly ui;ic;iiu"ble to con- 
 trolling v/orks is shown by its action in the reach from 
 Yi;ima down-stream, for a distance of 25 miles, v.here the 
 flood control is ef-'--^-'- -' '■- ineans of levees, as shov/n on 
 map herev/ith. 
 
 The left bank levee, for 12 miles dovm, was con- 
 structed in 1905, and the levee on the OTjposite barik was 
 constructed by the.Cal. Development Co., in 1906-7, 
 
 It 'vTill be noticed that these levees are less 
 trian 1500 ft. apart belovr the concrete headgates, yet the 
 greit flood of 1909 was Cci.rried tlirough witholit endanprering 
 the levees a,nd with little increase in the flood height 
 above the higher natural banks. The confined flood eroded 
 the bed to the extent required to sitike room for the in- 
 cres^sed flood volume, and this too v/ithout any effort at 
 bank protection on either side. 
 
 After the flood of 1910, the left bank levee v/as 
 breeched by bank erosion at a point about 12 miles below 
 Yuma. Tl^.e record for stability/ will, however, compare 
 favorably with similar structures on more stable streams, 
 partictilarly when the close proximity of the levees to the 
 river is taken into account. 
 
 The effect of an extension of the levee system 
 will be to lower the low v/ater plans, v/hereas a tendency to 
 elevate this plane, due to advancement of delta into the 
 sea, the depletion of the river by irrigation outlets and 
 other causes, may easily counter-balance the lowering ten- 
 c^r-nrr.r of Icvecs in the c^n-^^" of time. 
 
 So there does not seem to be any great obstacle 
 
 ir' ;..;■■ of construct j'"-' c.--^. . .. ^ >nH .. -ivi^,,^ ^.^^ adequate 
 
 -61- 
 
levee system, \ -iic^i v/ouia iJi-cvcnt tlie river from endanger- 
 ing the Iraperial Valley and other portions of the delta 
 and .Tould confine the flood wtiters closely to -ligh 
 
 water "bed of the river. A levee located a reasoiiable dist- 
 ance from the westerly "bends would probaloly remain intact 
 for some time. If a levee had been "built in 1893 from the 
 intake down to Arizona -Mexico line, \vith a loce.tion 3000 
 ft. West of the Westerly "Dends, it v/ould be intact to-day, 
 so far ^-nk erosion is concerned. 
 
 Llainteriaiice of levees necessarily means, not only 
 keeping up at all times the section of the levee, freeing 
 it from weeds and brush, and keepinn it free from burrov;ing 
 aniin;..ls, but the erosion of river bank must be checked 
 whenever it threatened to breach the leve-e; or, if found 
 to be ;aore economical in special cases, build a loop around 
 the threatened break before a flood can take possession of 
 :.:d submerge the adjacent land. 
 
 -^-- ..-.J. that the river shifts about so readily, 
 to escape even a comparativelj'- sli{5;ht obstruction, is suf- 
 ficient evidence tliat it would yield readily to proper 
 treatment, Tlie banks are not hifh and the depths are small 
 both of which favor economy in construction of bank projec- 
 tion. Faintenance can be secured by vigilance, rather 
 t}'.a.n "by extraordirary expenditures of mone3r. 
 
 CHAITGES Ih ALIGKICET^T 0? RIVFR. 
 
 Bo,iik ex'osioii on the lov/er Color^u.^ ^-...r is 
 _te active, and is doubtless accentuated by the escape 
 over the bank, at flood stages, v/}iich serves to develop ob- 
 structions below the outlets of such cliaractei- that it is 
 easier for the water to pass around them than to remove 
 and a route is developed along nev/ lines. 
 
 1 \uid shows many evidences of these clianges. 
 
 The comparative stability of the banks along the upper por- 
 tion of tiie delta, vriiere levees liave been effective in _ 
 cutting off flood escape, s\;rgests that like treatment" Of 
 the lower portion v/ould ^ring similar results. 
 
 Plate 6 shows the right or west bank shore lines 
 of the surveys of several years and illustrates tlio extent 
 
 It Will be noticed, if. tjae earlier surveys be 
 given consideration, tiiat t>Le movement of the river lias 
 been largely to the Eastward, and this confirms to some 
 extent the suggestion heretofore made, that the moveiiient is 
 i; fluences by outlets, all of whic}i flow to the Westward. 
 
 -r^2- 
 
The c^^^-^y survc.^-;^ ..^^-j not connectea .r^^.'si defi- 
 nite points that can nov/ he identified, and. it is hclieved 
 tlicit t}).eir v/ide diverf^ence frora the later surveys is due ^ 
 to errors in azimuth, and tliat such radical cliange in the 
 position of t}ie river, as shown, could not liave ocairred. 
 
 Some of t_^ V a.ff erences c...o..'i. u.re aouotless due 
 to differences in stage at vmicli the surveys were iiiade, 
 the oluff banks of tiie Westerly hends heing the only lines 
 aloi''.^ r- -;..-. ^^^■•rv,^risons of value can h-^ ■:.de. 
 
 CHAl'IGE IH LOW WATER PLAHE. 
 
 A com^iarison of tji<j c<-<.li^ .i-cXi^Ci^s uc Yiunc. , using 
 ten year periods, "beginninr; vrith 1878, shoY/s thi.it the aver- 
 age low water plane, v ..^ tier part of 1909, lias 
 gradvially risen: 
 
 Average elevation of lov; v/ater-plane 1878-89-114-5 ft, 
 
 do 1890-99-116.5 " 
 
 do 1900-09-117.4 " 
 
 (See hydropi- 'ch). 
 
 A reuiarkahle exception is, however, to he noted in the low 
 water-plane at the end of the year 1909, follovfing the 
 great flood of tliat year. It was 3.5 ft. lov;er tlian any of 
 the six preceeding years, including the years of the c^eat 
 Colorado river break. It was lower t-ian any of the pre- 
 ceding twenty years by 1,7 ft., and lower than any of the 
 precedtkng thirty years, excepting onlj'- the years 1879, 18f)3 
 and - " - '■ ■" first of v;hich was still lower by 0.8 of a 
 
 .f 
 
 0-. 
 
 This lowering of the lovr water plane in 1909 has 
 .- .- w,"-.ributed to a, "cutting back" from the break in tJie 
 Colorado river, which now flows dovm the Abejas river. 
 This is evidently a mistake. Tliese ir no eA^idence of any 
 cutting back in the main river, following the breaks of 
 1905-6, which were much nearer to the Yuma gaging station, 
 
 Tlien too the fact ^- ../„ ^-revious years show even 
 lower lov/ \7ater planes -.without any great breaks in the river 
 indicate that soiioe other cause must lie sought. 
 
 Since the last ten year period shows an average 
 elevation of the low water plane of 2.9 ft. above that of 
 the firfit ten year period, the depression at the end of 
 1909 becomes mucli more K'iirked than any th-at have previously 
 occurred since record of stage began. 
 
 -53- 
 
Tv/o higher floods tr^an tliat of 1909 liave "been re- 
 corded, one in 1891, and the other in 1905, but they were 
 of very short duration, and it is altogether prohahle tiiat 
 the iiiaximuia discharge of 1909, v/hich reached 149,500 sec, 
 ft., exceeded in YOliurie any of f!"^- -f^:) oods of +h-- revious 
 thirty years. 
 
 T-.o .. ^w^c. of 1000 v,^^s ^--v, x'lrst to ve ^..i^ ^...enced 
 by the Laguna dam and its basin, covering some ten square 
 miles, which was completed in -..'-e spring of tliat year. 
 
 The flood \Tater was stored to such an extent as 
 to leave a considerable portion of the sedijfnent therein 
 before moving on dowii the river. With a lighter load and 
 higher flood velocity, unusual scouring effect on the bed 
 and banks might be expected. This, coupled r/ith the un- 
 usvial ms,gnitude of the flood, and the effect of the levees 
 which confined it to the clia,nnel , readily account for the 
 excessive depressioii of the bed, which was followed by the 
 "" " ^ - ''lane . 
 
 Unfortunately'', no sediment observations were made 
 at Yij u„ during the flood of 1909, and this means of veri- 
 fying the assumed influence of the Laguna basin is not avail- 
 able , 
 
 LOV/ERIITG 0? BKD OP RIYJiR DUE TO "CUTTING BACK". 
 
 Th^tt ohere has been no cutting back from the 
 Abejas river during the suircner of 1910 is clearly sho"'n by 
 the slope diagram plate 8, the elevations for which were 
 taken at frequent intervals follov/ing the flood of 1910. 
 Tlie Colorado river proper was left dry for the first tirae 
 1;- Sept., 1909, due to the Abejas break, vmich developed 
 as a permanent outlet with the flood of tliat year. 
 
 Superficial observations in the vicinity of where 
 the cliannel h-as abandoned its old bed for a new route with 
 a steeper slope, are apt to give an exarrerated idea of the 
 depression of the new bed. 
 
 T- _ ,,^,.-;e in the direction of flov/ occrurs at a 
 high, atage of river, when the beds of both streams are ele- 
 vated above the normal, and the effect of the outlet is to 
 contribute still larger deposits to the bed of the deplet- 
 ed fitream, due to a diminished velocity therein. 
 
 After the low water stage is reached, it is seen 
 that the dry water bed is several feet above the bed of the 
 f leaving stream and this is generally given as the measure 
 of trie ciitting down of the bed at tliat point, due to the 
 outlet. This, however, is not the case. If the river had 
 
 -64- 
 
continued to flow in its „..:.. .;ed, it would itself i:^ . o .^een 
 cut down decidedly with the advent of low water, following 
 the law of ull sedimentary streams. The best tangible 
 neasure of the lov^ering of the bed is the relative heights 
 above water surface, of the average high water banks, im- 
 mediately above and below the point of diversion. The 
 lower portion of the dry bed at the break is only 3 ft. 
 above the present low water stirface. 
 
 Tlie ^-w:.- .. ..on of ,...o :,.:...■ ^■..:. flo\/ing over a ne'.v and 
 steeper slope v/ill ultimately reach a grade commenstirate 
 with tiie material in vrtiich it flows, and the proportion of 
 sediment which it carries and the normal slope of the stream 
 will be equalized, both by filling and raising up the lov/er- 
 end of the steeper portion and the cutting back for an in- 
 determinate distance upstream. In the case of the present 
 break, the steep portion of the slope is largely nevitra- 
 lized by excessive curvature in the stream and by sediiaent 
 deposition along the lower reaches thereof. 
 
 The Cutting back if it reached the Colorado might 
 ^x. w....\..xe cases easily depress the lov/ v;ater plane to suda 
 an extent at the Irapcrial Cunal intake as to leave the sill 
 of the h.eadgates above v;ater. 
 
 This would, of cotirse, be disastrous to the pres- 
 ent \Torks for supplying water to Iiaperial Valley. ITo stich ^ 
 
 danger from the Abejas is imminent so long as the flovr is 
 tov/ard the Gulf oT California. 
 
 Even this could be remedied in time by construct- 
 ing new controlling works e-nd headgates xTith a much lower 
 sill at a point about a mile, or so, above the present 
 'wgabes, where the river washes the foot of bluffs of 
 
 le material. The proposed gates to be served with water 
 direct from the river v.'ithout the use of an intake which 
 serves as a catch basin for drift and silt. 
 
 To make this position secure, the left bank of 
 the riYur should be fixed by means of suitable revetment; 
 or, the intake might be carried to Laguna Dam, as h-<;t,s often 
 been discussed. 
 
 EEIT^CT OF OUTLETS OR BREAKS ? ^ IICH RETIJRIT TO TIDFV^ATl-Tl . 
 
 Any diversion of the Colorado river tiiat occurs 
 80 far below the head of the Delta as to carry its waters 
 to the Gxilf of California, even v/ith a slope much above 
 the noi'inal ,■ for a fev/ miles, ca.n have little or no injuri- 
 ous effect on tl^e Laguna dam, as sudi minor cutting back if 
 any, could readily be arrested at Yuma, where a lii:.rd stratum 
 
 -65- 
 
1:. be found not fur telow tlie laigh water bed. Tlie cost 
 
 of such a defensive structure woiild "be nominal , as com- 
 pared with the cost of closing a hreak in t}xe river and 
 constrtictinr a levee down to tidev.'ater. 
 
 An exLifiiinatiori of plate 5 shows this li;:.rd forrna- 
 , -.- which rock could be placed to a hei,rht necessary 
 eutralize the effect of the "cut back" if need be. - 
 
 I. _- _.,,_oba'ble that borings further down 
 
 stream, ciS far as Pilot Knob , might reach this hard sti'eam, 
 i-easonable depth. 
 
 It must "i)e understood, however, tliat for an out- 
 let \7hich \7ould reach the great depth of Sa,lton Sink and 
 the excessive slope incidental thereto , the "cvit lack" 
 would become a very serious menace to structures on t':e 
 river for u long distance; upstream. 
 
 And it is tiiis major danger v/hich must be safe- 
 giiarded in the interests of Imperial Vu.lley, as -even 
 tiiose outlets far downstream would build sub-deltas, v/hich 
 in a brief space of time might reach such height as to 
 overtop the defenses to the northward and thus divert t'e 
 water to the Salt on Basin. 
 
 The spectacle of the New River gorge, 80 ft. 
 deep, and a thousand feet vride, eroding its way upstream 
 at the rate of 15 miles per xnonth, as it did in 1906, was 
 an object lesson to the people of Imperial Valley, not easy 
 to forget, and they have ample ■"»-: sons for dreading a re- 
 currence of such a catastrophi , Iliid it reached the Colo- 
 rado river, it would certainly have lov/ered the bed to sudi 
 an extent th^tt ir"'"i'":ition therefrom vT-ould '• ■"•^'■e been im- 
 practicable . 
 
 IIFTIIODS WHICH HAVE BKEN PROPOSKD POR PROTECT Il^G 
 
 T^-P^RIAL VALLEY. . 
 
 One !;.-it oi-od of flood control, v/.-icii :^.;,ti .;een car- 
 riec in a measure by the Cal . Development Co. is the 
 construction of a line of iBvee, whicli turns back f id m 
 the river at a point about 6 miles belov/ the Int erntiticnal 
 boundary line, and runs in a 8outL.westerly direction. 
 This levee is finished to a heigiit of 5 f t . above high 
 Water for a distance of 14 miles. It is covered -i-^h 
 gravel and carries a railroad track upon it. 
 
 Frum Liiu end of this levee, there is an incom- 
 plete line for a distance of about 11 miles farther. 
 
 • 66« 
 
T^.-:.^ _....o ,._s coi:c.\.^.. ..d. in ^--.. ..^.r^nc of 1910, and is 
 deficient in "iDoth heiplit ajid section. 
 
 If the levee line liad loeen carried u^.-.i along 
 tlie river, at the time the upper section was built, it 
 F/ould have reached a point about 6 miles below the present 
 Abejas outlet and no break t'iiere v/ould have occurred. At 
 tiie end of the levee, the flood height would be about 25 
 ft. lower than the flood heijrht where the present levee 
 turns back, vrtiich is equivalent to a reduction of flood 
 height, to that extent in the territory v/hicli the present 
 levee was intended to protect. . 
 
 T:iere is a f^p of 10 miles to the west end of 
 the Volcano Lake levee, which is about 7 miles in length, 
 and teriainates at the hi^h ground west of Volcano Leike, 
 This latter levee is also too low to meet emergencies tliat 
 mipht occur at any flood stage of river. Wliere tb.is levee 
 crosses ITew river, flood f^ates with concrete abutments are 
 provided but liave been rendered useless by a loop con- 
 strTicted arovmd them by order of the ICexican Government. 
 
 It 'las been suggested that this line should be 
 completed to the proper grade and the Abejas break be al- 
 lowed to flow on umaolested. This would undoubtedly pro- 
 tect Imperial Valley from floods for a short time; but it 
 only solves pari; of t,.o problem, and. even t/^at but tempo- 
 
 - * .■ n - - 
 
 The effect of any ciitti>ig back in the Abejas, 
 ./■.:.oh might develop to such proportions as to lower the 
 bed of the Colorado river below the sill at the hcadgates, 
 would receive no check by such construction. 
 
 That eveii flood control woulr v 
 
 duration can be seen when we realize that the levee is 
 built dovm into a basin, which lias a slope of some 3 f t . 
 in a mile, and that this basin itself v,rould in a brief 
 period of time be raised by deposits on the sub-delta of 
 the Abejas, v.^hich is limited in area, so that a.ny levees 
 of practicable height would be ovettop-i)ed. It is related 
 that during f-rief interval between the preliminary pro- 
 
 file and the cor.struction of the Inter California Railway, 
 tlie deposit of sediment liad- raised the line several feet. 
 Tliis shows hovr ineffectual an interior level line niay be. 
 
 I'ore tban like „ , .me nevily developed branch of 
 the Abejas, attracted by the steeper slope to the north- 
 ward, v/ould again find a route for tbe Colorado River to 
 tbfi f!f>Vit>F; nf the Saltcn Sink, 
 
 As this proposed method only tempore.rily solves 
 one pliase of the problem, it may well be rejected as in- 
 adeqviate. 
 
 -o7- 
 
A;:uv.j'. r rtiiiedy^ . .ij.Oii j-haQ uceu proposed, is to 
 confine the v/ork to a closure of the "break a.nd restore the 
 river to its fr.riner channel. Tliis, also, would prove of 
 temporary value, hut another break would ce sure to occur 
 in tlie very neu,r future, periiaps with the next great flood, 
 and the expense of making the closure i/ould not he justi- 
 
 A critical study of the whole sitiiation, in all 
 its hearincs, leads to the conclusion that the protection 
 of lands and property in Laperial Vdley requires that the 
 Colorado River he restored to its former clmnnel and thx),t 
 an effective line of levee for flood control he constructed 
 from a point on the Cal. Development Go's levee, ahout 6 
 miles helow the International Boundary line, and following 
 along dovm stream at a distance of ahout 3000 ft, from the 
 westerly bends of the river for such distance as will carry 
 the flood height down to an elevation helow the intervening 
 land in the vicinity of Volca.no Lake, a diversion of the 
 stream occurring helow such point v/ould resii.lt in the v/ater 
 reaching the Gulf of California and the tendency to flow 
 
 Such a levee will he about 25 miles long and v;-ill 
 require about 1,300,000 yards of earth work and 450 acres 
 of clearing and grubbing. To com,)lete this large amount of 
 work before the. spring floods v/ill require the use of 320 
 scrapers, with double team of mules, estimating each scraper 
 at 40 cubic yards per day of 10 hrs. The end of the levee 
 wQuld be about 20 r;iiles above tide water. 
 
 The levee should be built to a grade of 5 ft, 
 above high \7ater, this hpight being specified for the pur- 
 pose of having excess i;Taterial, where^vith to remedy deteri- 
 or.ticn rather than any fear of overtopping from floods. 
 
 railroad track nor gravel' covering for levees are 
 rcco.ij'-enaed , for it is believed to be more important to ex- 
 tend the levee as far as practicable, rtither tiian dissipate 
 ilable funds for mere convenience of maintenance. These 
 can ' dded later, if thought desirable. 
 
 The crown should be 8 ft. wide and the side slopes 
 one of three and a berm width of 40 ft. should be left be- 
 tween toe of slope and edge of borrow pit, v/hich must he on 
 the river side of the levee. 
 
 T--- -^.. .— - Id not exceed 2 ft. in depth, 
 
 i-de next to the levee, and then slope gradually to 
 tiie farther limit. Traverses 50 ft, in width should be 
 left across the borrov/ pit, at intervals of about 400ft, 
 Tlie entire ground covered by the levee must be cleared of 
 roots and stumps, to such depth as will eliminate danger 
 from seepage xinder the levee, A much ditch of such depth 
 as will reach through, the cracked adobe soil, even to the 
 extent of several feet, must be constructed, under tlie axis 
 of the levee and filled in v/ith clean selected material, 
 v/ell tramped by the scraper teams. 
 
other detiiils of construction v/ill "be covered in 
 u^.cc^ 'ions, — ■ - "bids are called for. 
 
 A large proportion of the lov/er part of the Colo- 
 rado delta is now' utilized for crazing purposes, the Cal- 
 if ornia-IIexico Ranch Co. havinf: 13,000 head of cattle 
 therein. 
 
 The ijeriodic overflov/s supply tiic moisture needed 
 to develop liixurious pasturape and fills the v/ater holes to 
 supply t]ie cattle. 
 
 T:ie construction of the levee proposed v/ill de- 
 stroy t-iis automatic process of watering? the tract, as 
 gates or openings in a levee of this character cannot he 
 recons'aended . This can, however, he realized in a .more 
 certain and simple way, hy putting a waste gate in the 
 south side of Imperial canal, where it approaches near the 
 former hed of the Paredones, and flood the tract fro;. 
 tiiere, via the stream mimed, during flood stages of .-lu 
 Colorado. 
 
 As it is no\r , only the high iverflow stages 
 :...„u^. ...0 upper portions of the pasturage tract. U^inr- 
 the means suggested, through the Imperial headgates, 
 times when the water is abundant , would insure an anr.uui 
 <-.•-,: riiy of the magnitude required. 
 
 The space "between the levee and the river could 
 he us..^ . wr grazing, and also a large area helow the end of 
 the levee. So, on the whole, the levee should not he ser- 
 iously ohj ectionahle, even to the cattlemen. Tlien, too, 
 the soil is so productive theit cultivation must he resort- 
 ed to in the near future, and a canal along the lines r-am- 
 ed would supply the necessary water. In short, a levee is 
 essential to any schp^no of cultivation in this portion of 
 the delta . 
 
 CLOSURE 03? THE BREAK AND DIVERSION OE THE 
 ?/ATER BACK TO THE BED OE COLORADO RIVER. 
 
 j:..-.. ..reak is on t/ie right hank, ahout 20 miles 
 hy river helow the California Mexican Bor.ndary line and 
 gome 5 miles from the end, of the track on the levee. It 
 will, therefore, be necessary to extend the track in order 
 to hring the necessary material to the point reqiaired. 
 
 At 'jj^ j. a i; j-j.iu , OJH.J <.-i; i^ J- / & _ .i»j VI w J .;-»^ _■ j. V ^x ^, es 
 
 dova a high water oiitlet Of long standing, known as the 
 
 Ahejas river, and finds its way down the Pescadero and 
 
 other channels to the Hardy River, and thence down to its 
 
 junction with the Colorado river. In its passage to the 
 
 -69- 
 
-^.i\.j i. .u o_j.i, J.O _^j.^Gticc.,lly all eliriiiiiiated and tiiis de- 
 posit is rtipidly raising tiie foot of tiie steep slope vvitli 
 .' result tiiat a slope line is developed which is not 
 XT,, ^., ,.,.„^„g -Q^ noi-jiial river slope. 
 
 As near a,s ci^n ue liieasured from the data c-t 
 
 „^,.ia , 0--U ;jresent route to tidev/ater, via the Abejas river, 
 
 Volcano Lake, P^a-edones and Hc.rdy rivers, is about 7 miles 
 siiorter tha .he Colorado River. 
 
 The slope of the Hardy River is lAuch flatter tlmn 
 that of the Colorado,- hence the tide runs farther i-i' . 
 llean tide would reach about the laouth of the Pescadero , 
 on the Hardy, and measuring to that point, the distances 
 by the _ I'outes v/ould be practicaily the s^r^iie. 
 
 Tlie crossing for the closure v/ill Y)e about 2000 ^ 
 ft. dovm the Abejas, where a trestle about 1000 ft. long 
 will be required. The distance botv/een the high, water 
 banks being 2100 ft. and the present ciiannel width 550 ft. 
 Tiiis v/ill be the ordinary standard railway trestle, with 4 
 pile bents, spaced 16 ft. between centers. Tlie piles 7/ill 
 be driven to a penetration of 20 ft., or more, where re- 
 quired. 
 
 The entire crossing v;ill then be uniformly blank- 
 eted with run of quarry rock from Pilot Knob, some 25 miles -j 
 distant. Tlie rock v;ill be hauled in and dvimped from bat- 
 tleship cars, of . 50 cu.yds. capacity 'each, and dumping \7ill 
 continued until the water level is raised, so as to run 
 ao'/n the old river bed and the dam v/ill be finished up to 
 the r-Tiidc of the adnacent leveos, vrith which it v/ill con- 
 
 nec-. 
 
 sloToes of 1 on 2. 
 
 ,/idth of 20 _,. and side 
 
 As w.-v. ..reak lies in a sharp bend o^ .. ^.^.r, 
 
 the dam must he placed well down the Abejas in order to pre- 
 vent its early destruction by erosion. On this account the 
 work will be somewliat more difficult tlian closing a break 
 in a straijf^ht reach as has been done heretofore. 
 
 l\.^. ..j..,iuii oj. -.--o v.-...^.i. A.1 c.\. >-...j.e crossing is at 
 present 550 ft,, and the maximum height of the dam for a 
 short distance v/ill be 20 ft. up to grade. Assi^ming a set- 
 tling or shrinkage of one-third, the dam v/ill require about 
 67,000 cu.yds. of raaterial in its construction, under con- 
 ditions as they now- are. Intervening flood conditions o&y 
 r-'' i ^•■■.lly cli-ange these fi^^vr'-^s. 
 
 If the closure could be errected at a stage of 
 river like the present, no difficulty need be anticipated, 
 but a sudden rise in the midst of the v/crk might result in 
 serious complications and the destruction of the work in 
 
 -70- 
 
Tiie closures siiould be comraenced at t/ie earliest ^ 
 practicable date, in order to take advantage of the prob- 
 able low water season. 
 
 If tile 7ork could be done at a very low stage, 
 tb.e wiiole operation of closure might be economically han- 
 dled in the dry, by utilizing the temporary dam, just below 
 the intale , raising it to the required height with ballastdd 
 willow mats, so as to divert all of the v/ater through the 
 concrete head gates, which liave a capacity of 10,000 cu. 
 ft. per sec, dov/n to a spillway leading to the Paredonis 
 ch-annel. This would very materially simplify the ?/hole 
 problem, but like c.ny other method of closure, would be 
 subject to serious damage by floods, v/hich might come dur- 
 ing' any stage of the v;ork. Its success would require a 
 very low stage of river for perhaps ten days. Tne canal 
 between the head gates and the suggested spillway would be 
 expected to enlarge by sluicing out the sedimentary depos- 
 its, vmich have reduced its capacity to a niarked extent, 
 and this of itself would be highly beneficial to the supply 
 Si'-stem of the canal. 
 
 -'v' 
 
 IITTJ'K'STS AJPECTJ^D BY TEE PROPOSED IIIPROVima^T WORK 
 
 I'ir St : The people of the Imperial Valley are 
 vitally interested, since their very existence depends on 
 the m&,intenance of a barrier that v/ill eff ecti:ially prevent 
 the Colorado River from invading the Salt on Basin. Tne ap- 
 '■'jpriation iimde by Congress is for the purpose of protect- 
 _.-^; lands and property'- in Imperial Vallej/ but incidentally 
 other interests 'Till be largely benefited by any v/ork tlis.t 
 may ' 'one. 
 
 Second: The Cal . Development Co., and its Mex- 
 ican Association Co., which must liave stable river condi- 
 tions, in order, to successfully carry out its oblig:;^.tions 
 to supply water to the various wtiter companies in Imperial 
 "- - - ■ Mexico . 
 
 Third: The 3. P. Ry. Co., '.Yiiich receives large 
 revenues from the transportation of tlie people, the prod- 
 ucts of the Valley and the supplies required therein. Tiiey 
 also have a direct interest as holders of bonds and judg- 
 
 ''Or a large amount, covering land holdings of the 
 ..-.---.e^n side of the Development Co. Tliey are interested 
 in the prosperity of the Cal. Development Co., in order 
 t-ifit pay the cash advances and oth.er obliga- 
 
 Poxirth: Tiie i^roperty ovmers on the soiith side 
 Qf -- o T.r^■, v-,,v ,.,r line, in llexico , vi-ose 1- -^'^^^ could never 
 
 -71- 
 
jught. under successful cvativati tliout effective 
 
 flood, control. Large c»reas, now flooacd, such as Volca,no 
 Luke, covering perliapslOO sq .miles, nor vortlilcss, •;oi-.ld 
 "be recluiiaed for cvltivation. 
 
 T.-.^ -^se of tlie Colorado River Land Co, differs 
 from tluit of the other parties interested in the proposed 
 inprovement , in that the right of v/ay for a levee must pass 
 throiigh their land and furthermore a levee will interrupt 
 to a certain extent the natural irrigation from floods 
 which the:.'' now huve. So here the questions of hetterment 
 a "" ■possible d-"^ '••e are entitled to consideration. 
 
 This COiipany is said to own 686000 acres of land 
 in .--^ lower part of f e Coloraao delta. At least one- 
 third of tSre'horthern -on of this land is not watered 
 
 to any valuaTale extent by ordinaz'y floods, and the most 
 valuable area for forage lies in t}ie lower iialf of the re- 
 :>Taining portion of the tract. 
 
 It is ^.^w^..used to carry the leveu ^^.... ^.^r enoiagri 
 so t-Lu.t o.ny tendency of the river below the end of the 
 levee to follow outlets to the westward v;ill be minimized 
 and even a break v/ould not become a menace to the lands and 
 property in Lripurial Valley as the flood control would 
 reach within 20 miles of tide water where the nuiximvun flood 
 .„^j„-.,4. s_^ ..-,w-,-,,+ +-.-« H- '^.o as tjiat of Volcano La3:e. 
 
 Txie area between the end of the levee, the 
 :;;^,'u.-- ui .-^e Hardy, the Colorado river and the Cocopah 
 range covers about 265000 aJEres v/hich \-7ill not be niateri- 
 ally affected by the levee and this area covers tiie best 
 of '■'""■ ■^'"T'' -^ ^ract now devoted to cattle. 
 
 Between the two tracts described, lies an area 
 v.'_.xu-- u:ider normal conditions has been flooded to a ri^eat- 
 er or less extent at high stages. 
 
 Tl;.e iii^ximutn flood voIvjilc at Yvaiia for t^-.e past 8 
 years are as follows: 
 
 I , is believed that to flood this middle tract 
 to SUCH ex'ucnt as to be rater ially beneficial, the flood 
 volume must reach at least 75,000 cu.ft. per sec., L;.nd it 
 T/ill be seen from the table that during only half of the 
 years iias this condition been realized. Yet it is likely 
 t:iat to \7holly exclude the flood waters from this tract 
 will deplete to a material extent, the area tiiat is low used 
 advantageously for cattle. So here is the j.icasure of the 
 possible injury to the company ai-ising from the exclusion 
 of floods. 
 
 
ion should also "be iruide of the lands which 
 
 -. _. __ een the levee and the river. Tliis It^nd will 
 
 dovibtless be flooded every year with rare exceptions and 
 h-ence should be prolific in forage suitable for cattle, so 
 the damape here i>''.ay properly be re~^rclcd as norfiin£..l . 
 
 Having enumox'atod. tiie pcscible dainages arising 
 i__... „_^rainating the overflov/ it is proper to consider the 
 benefits accruing to the Colorado River Land Co. therefrom. 
 
 In \::-c jirs. _.:,,. ue, it is lii-hly improbable tliat 
 this vast fertile tract of over 600,000 acres will be long 
 devoted to stock raising. At the present time there is 
 about 35 acres to each head of stock on the ranr^e. 
 
 Under irrigation and cultivation, this 35 acres 
 .-._„ ^ -eld about 1225 bushels of barley or 350 tons of 
 alfalfa, so there is every induceraent to change to cultiva- 
 :.s rapidly as conditions ""ill per?"it. 
 
 Cultivation to any considerable extent without 
 flood control bjr means of a levee is impracticable both on 
 account of the protection of the irrigation S3/stem tu'id t'le 
 protection for the crops from direct flood damages. 
 
 Tlic cc .. -rv-c.__-: of the levee therefore becomes 
 of substantial benefit to the Colorado River Land Co. in 
 this respect, 
 
 Furthermore, the exclusion of floods from the 
 Volcano Lake district v/ill reclaim 65,000 acres or more 
 
 ..,.- -. ,,v, j^g pQ^ vmolly valueless. 
 
 So on the whole it seems clear that the better-r 
 ments ^ .r outweigh such injury as rnay be properly charge- 
 able to v/orks for flood control. 
 
 These are r^^u.^ox i. Matters -^^-^.^ j-.ould be cu^i l-j^oU 
 by and between the local interests in order that the pro- 
 jected work be not delayed which might even jeopardize the 
 
 g^^^-.,,,i .■-,.,,,. ^ ^4- x-,^ mone;' •, '■ropriated, 
 
 ?iith: The Goverrjaent of Mexico will receive 
 substaii.^^1 benefit, since the proposed improvement will 
 make it possible to change a very large tract, wiiicli now 
 affords meagre pasturage for comparatively few. cattle, to 
 a state of cultivation, which will bring returns of r^ny 
 dollars per acre, and these revenues v;ill add materially to 
 the prosperity of our sister Republic. 
 
 Sixth: Works for effective flood control 7;ill 
 contribute measure to safety of the structures 
 
 • 
 
 -73- 
 
"built by the U.S. at great expense, for uf'ri cultural de- 
 velo^inent of Yuma Valley and the anxiety heretofore felt 
 for safety of .Lacuna dam, uhen breaks of the Colorado 
 
 rjs,YC occurred, will " '"'cctually set at rest. 
 
 RECOlGDE^iDATIONS. 
 
 In accordance v/ith the investigations inade and 
 
 tlie elusions reached thcrrnfroin, I have the honor to 
 
 recorrjnend the closure of Ahejas river so as to divert 
 
 the flow ■ " " Colorado rivtr back to its forraer >)ed. 
 
 The construction of a line, of levee southward 
 from a point on the Cal. Development levee about six iiiiles 
 south of the head gates and following along the river a.t 
 a distance of about 3000 ft. v/est of the westerly bend, 
 dov,-n to the tjroposed diversion dan across Abejas river and 
 continue the saxae to a point about 42 niles by river below 
 the liead gates at Hanlons, l. total length of levee of about 
 25 railes. 
 
 A break below the lov/er terminus of the proposed 
 levee would be so near the Gulf of California t-iat there 
 ••-'ould be no fear of the- Colorado River reaobinr the Salton 
 sink from that locality. 
 
 Tliese recoramc: .._._. .,:j ^r^. ..^sed on the supposi- 
 tion that the right of way for access to the break and on 
 v^hicli to construct tiie proposed levee will be granted to 
 the U.S. free of cost, as it 1^ ":" e practice on the Miss- 
 issippi river on Bimilar ./orl . 
 
 T. V. ..^■.^...- .,....^„ ..^ closed . _-.„ ...e lov/ v/ater 
 
 season and the entire work must be completed before the " 
 arrival of the usual spring floods. Active construction 
 laust therefore begin at a verj- early date and the necess- 
 ary negotiations v/ith the Mexican Government should there- 
 fore be concluded v^ith the least possible delay, 
 
 lly acknov/ledgements are due to Mr. F.L. Sellew, 
 Project Engineer of the Reclaii^ation Service, who has ren- 
 dered substantial assistance in many ways which r,)atcrially 
 facilitated n^'- v/ork and did much to mitigate the liardships 
 incident to field work in the summer section where 
 
 ■r'-—' ' i-'r temperatures are comnion. 
 
 To Mr. W.H. Holabird, Receiver of the Cal. I>e- 
 V u^o^.:;:u:it Co , , and his Cliief Engineer, C.K. Clarke; 
 Mr. I>.0. Anderson, of the Colorado River Land Co; Mr, 
 ?f.K. Bowker, of the C-M Ranch Co,, and the officials of 
 
 the sr- --^- "^ ■■■■ r ^,T companies in Imperial Valley "'■" '-"anks 
 
 -74- 
 
are due for prompt response to :ay many reqi; est s for infer- 
 . .■-■T . s to their, respective fields of work. 
 
 Respectfully submitted , 
 J. A. Ockerson, 
 
 Hon. Franlc Pierce, 
 
 Assistant Secretary of Interior, 
 Washington, D.O, 
 
 -75- 
 
List of J-iaps and Plc-tes to acconpany report of 
 
 J. A, on, Cc:r'r:i-1 . . . . "nr'ineer on •'iie Protec of 
 
 La:-:ds " ,;urid Vaiicy, C^.j_ . 
 
 ._._. _,. 1 - .1,,- 3 Colorado Delta and Imioeri^l ■V..,lley 
 
 Map No . 2 - 1.L.P of tlie Colorado River survey of Aur. - 
 Sept. , 1910 
 
 Plate 1 - Inperial Canal Intake 
 
 " 2 - Temp or, -estle 
 
 " .1 - .' -^ .. - ..sent dara 
 
 " 4 - Sloije diagram of Outlets 
 
 " 5 - Cross-sections sliov/ing bed rock and ciiunges in 
 
 riv :r bed due to floods. 
 
 " -ancec :.nk line of Colorado river since 
 
 1873. 
 
 " 7 - HTdrof:rat)h of Salt on Sea 
 
 O — O ^ 1^' . 1.. 
 
 "'lorado ./.. ■ - ^--0 
 
 9 - Hydrograph of Colorado River at Yuma 1878-1910 
 
 -76- 
 
,:i 
 
COLORADO RIV3'":R HISTOR Y 
 
 1540: r.::.^loru/;.ion , ..^ ..'..ter, of tlie lower river hy Prtin- 
 cisco Alarcon 
 
 1540: Fi.-, j.>^. c, .-.o-v^.i , ^voxxc,...d, of tlie lower river l-y Ilel- 
 cliior Diaz 
 
 1604: '•" ^ '^^■^■. - . . u\.:^.\:i de Onate 
 
 1701-1702: Exiploratic Padre Eusibio F-cuncisco Kino 
 
 1721: Tbcploration by Upc^.rte 
 
 1744: T: _ --..,. ,^ :\,. _,...ado Cor say 
 
 1771 1776: E::pl oration by Pu^dre Gi^rces 
 
 1826: Kxiploration by Lieut. RJ-.E. Hardy 
 
 1 ::::/<: JL ■"•■ ■^-- J; s.P. Pat tie and father 
 
 1850-51: Exploration by Lieut. Gr.H. Derbj'- 
 
 1B57: Exploratic Lieut. J.C. Ives 
 
 l":r'3: C,,l. Development Co. incorporated in State of N.J. 
 O-p.31 
 
 1 ' : CD. Co. secured option on 100,000 acres in i.ic-.vico 
 from Cuillermo Andrade 0-p.31 
 
 1- ' -: J' ne. Contract cuiiSLiiiL..x^tc!a to jjurc.ii^se 100,000 
 
 acres from Guillermo Ai'drade by C.D.Co. 0-p.31 
 
 1900: Construction by C.D.Co, begun at Hanlons Heading, in 
 late suroraer K- p. 3. 
 
 1903: Need of levees. {Ci. ' . " Ci--r Jad\7in, Corps of En- 
 gineers) I p. 5 
 
 1904: '". -ing. Second intake cut from river to canal, bv 
 C.D.Co. O-p.33 Also, Intake ITo . 3 n^ade. 
 
 1904: J vie 10, Contract bctv/een Republic of Mexico und 
 Sociedad de Yrringacion y Terrenes de la Baja 
 California Anonima , permitting appropriation of 
 10,000 SEc.ft. from Colorado River in. Mexico 
 (Approved by Pros. Diaz) 0- p. 24. 
 
 190P: r ne 20. Aci-ecmeut Ljetv/ee.i C.T'. Co. " S.P.Co. 
 0-p. 20 
 
 1905: June 20, Agreement betv/een C.D.Co,, Mexican Co, and 
 S.P. Co. 0-p. 22. 
 
 -77- 
 
1?0": All . or Sept., disa,strous flood occurred, washing 
 out $150,000 '•o.,tc cutting clmnnel 1800 ft. 
 
 '.ride 0- ."" 
 
 Oct. (?) Rock dam completed across cut in ditch 
 
 0--.35 
 ITov. 6; CD. Co. succeeds in clcsinr , -^- 0-p.l2. 
 Dec- 7: Plood passed under levees immediately south 
 
 of hreak, washing out levees "below dam, etc, 
 
 0- p.l?. 
 
 Dec. 21: Llexican Government served preliminary in- 
 formal notice on liexican Co. to furnish proof sat* 
 isfactory tlmt it had means, within 30 days there 
 after, to shut out and control waters of the 
 Colorado River or else concession to llexican Co, 
 v/ould he cancelled and the v/ater shut out of 
 llexico. 0- p. 35 
 
 Dec. 26: Doran gives financial statement of CD. Co. 
 0-p. 16. 
 
 1906: Dec. 13 to 31. Teler:rams E.H. Ha,rriman and Pros. 
 Roosevelt . 
 
 1907: Ji'.n. 4 to 7. Telegram President Roosevelt and 
 E.H. Harriman, 
 
 
 June 25, 1910, Congressional Record, Vol. 4! 
 :To. 163, p. 9522, ln + --'- ---^ e President (H.Doc .ITo .972) 
 stating that the situcitiori on Colorado River is exceeding- 
 
 Gerious and Vnat unless qiiick relief can he had thous- 
 ands of people ■ '-^r> ^i] "> ions in land valvies vilJ he .jeopar- 
 dized. Also, letter from P. H, I'ewell to Senator Plint , 
 dated June 23rd. 
 
 June 25, Joint Ilesoliition (S.J. Resolution I'o , 
 120) making appropriation to permit President to protect 
 peo-:51e )roperty in Imperial Valley in Cal . , appropriat- 
 iiifT one million dollars was passed by the Semite. On the 
 Same day (Cong. Record, p. 9559) the message was laid be- 
 fore the House )see pare 9565) a.'id under suspension of the 
 rules Senate Joint Resolution was passed. 
 
 -78- 
 
J" ■"- '^J: x.'ev/ell to Elint- A'gy.x.i^..:,ly a similar v;ork must 
 "be undertaken imrnedia.tely to prevent the possi- 
 Lility of disaster. Confr:. Record, Vol. 45, ITo . 
 163, p. 9523. 
 
 June (?) Conference at Los Anf^eles of representatives of 
 Iraperial Valley, R.P. Co., Cal . Developraent Co. 
 etc. 
 
 June '^'^j Act. ^■'"-^•'■ed. 
 
 July 4, L.'w. ?;ill in Y/ashinr;ton from Phoenix 
 
 Ockerson to V/ashinf:ton 
 
 Invest! rat ion 
 
 July 
 
 15, 
 
 Auru; 
 
 St, 
 
 Sept 
 
 • 
 
 Oct. 
 
 4, 
 
 I'ov . 
 
 3, 
 
 "cv. 
 
 4, 
 
 "ov . 
 
 5, 
 
 Ockerson reports 
 
 Oc''-"^r':n to Y';..sh. for conference 
 
 Report 
 
 Ballinper to President. 
 
 :;.7ov . 18. Sinall force Q.rganized for survey for railway. 
 
 ITov . 23. Ockerson at Yujna 
 
 !Tov . 2:. :.ds opened p. 42 
 
 Dec. 1. Ockerson reports season far advanced 
 
 Dec: 9. Contract betv/een Colorado River Land Co, and 
 Ockerson 
 
 De.c. 12. Ockerson wires cannot send tools, etc. over line 
 
 Dec. 13. Ockerson wires delay costinp- Government $700 per 
 day p. 14 
 
 Dec. 17. Ockerson wires v/ork blocked p. 14 
 
 Deo, 17. OckersonWites luive no forraal documents p. 15 
 
 Dec. 19. Ockerson wires no ingtructions yet for local 
 officials, p. 17. 
 
 Dec. 21. Ockerson wires no concessions as yet 
 
 D''". -'^ . Purinal p-^^n}-- v^e o^ '^.otes 
 
 Dec. 28. Ockerson wires duties being paid 
 
 Dec, 51. Ockerson wires no ctistoras officers yet, 
 
 -79- 
 
1911. 
 
 Ja,n . 3 , 
 
 J: n 
 
 . 8. 
 
 
 18. 
 
 
 21. 
 
 
 P9. 
 
 Peb 
 
 . 2 
 
 
 4 
 
 
 7 
 
 
 17 
 
 
 19 
 
 
 21 
 
 
 22 
 
 
 28 
 
 llarch 
 
 It 
 
 7 
 
 II 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 28 
 
 Apr 
 
 • 
 
 II 
 
 6, 
 
 II 
 
 8 
 
 II 
 
 16 
 
 iiiy 
 
 10 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 26 
 
 Ockerson v/rites promises of officials no use. 
 \7iuit instructions to tlrem. 
 
 TrcLck ^-cAir- heran vTorlc. 
 
 Pile driver a:'id tools reached Alejos 
 
 Pile driving tegan 
 
 Insurrectos capture : lexical i 
 
 Last bent driven and rock dumping iDegan 
 
 Track completed to Alejas river 
 
 ,-.,... v;en rise 
 
 Trestle again closed 
 
 Ockerson informed that Mexican Government pro- 
 posed sending 300 soldiers 
 
 Insurrectos take Algodones 
 
 Mexicans authorized local police 
 
 By end of month 1300 carloads of rock dumped 
 
 Insurrectos stop equipment, etc. 
 
 ITcrf-" '^'■'^r •^'=''^en herxts '- -'•'^ ■'""^.y 
 
 Ra,ft of drift v/recked bents- drowned one man 
 
 Pile-driving resumed 
 
 Insurrectos plundered stores and were constant 
 menace to work 
 
 Ockerson \7ires, must orranize patrol 
 
 Ockerson ordered to leave 
 
 : lex i can troops arrive at camp 
 
 llexican troops go to Algodones 
 
 Dam completed 
 
 Ockerson aiithorised to protect levee 
 
 Ockerson reports resvilts 
 
 Ockerson at Washington 
 
 Ockerson talking to General TIarshall & xTev/ell 
 
 -80- 
 
June 1, "ec'v Pisher calls Tooard -- ITewell , lh.TshB.11 , 
 OG>:erson, Lippincott & Otis 
 
 June 7, Board report. 
 
 -81- 
 

40.351); 
 
 A/. 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CAUFORNIA LIBRARY