WSP04599

• File Number: 8278.200
• Description: Title I - Wellton-Mohawk
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1978
• Author: WM I&DD
• Title: Wellton-Mowhawk Irrigation and Drainage District - District Overview
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

In 1........:1. Iwo hl:"adlll~.; or di\'l:"r..ion ..tnlctun-s wcrl' huilt. Om.. ..outh
of Texa.. HilI. fo'(1 eanal.. whieh ;;(-'f\'l'(j th,. "~lohawk \'allt,.\," un thl'
north ;;Idl' 01 thl' (;ila Th,. otht.r. nl'ar :\nh'lnpt-' Hill. dplin'fl'(! wah'r
to l'anal... Whl,'h ;;"r\"l-<! thl' "Atltdopt. \'alh..y" on th,. ..outh sine of thl'
(;i1a /1I"aT \\\-lltnn Thl:" lands Jlroducpd t'J(cdlt'nt crops: "l'~'l'ral thnu..and
acres, rough Il.Yt'lI'(! wilh It'ams and slip s('"ral""r.., Wert' in produdion.

Of ('our",.. tht' st-'lIll'rs weft' p]aj;:ut'(! h.\' 1100d..., which dama~l"d tht'
irngalion work;; and wa..tll'd tlut Iht'ir 'Tops. and by Pl'rinds of drought
Ihal rt'flut't'Cl or dnt-'(I up th., riy,'r'.. now In 1~~j1. a disaslrous Oood
w<1..ht-.:1 nUl hoth hparllng.. aml rui'll'd ttw ('al1ab. Tht' nn'r mflYt'd a
milt, sl)ulh of Its formt'r fhannd at tht. Tt'xas Ili]l ht'adillJ::. BIlth ...ystPl11,.;
Wf'fl' ahandon..d, Man~' familil'S ll'ft tb,. an'it

]n 1!J(Wi, ";01111' fort.\' farnH'r.. fOfllll'd tht' Antpl"pI' Valll'Y Irri~atioll
IJlslriet to n.bllild .\lltl-IopI' Ih-arllllj;: and its main canal. Construction
Oil 11-11' hl'adlllg starli'd ill ~t'pt..mhl'r, 1~1!V-:. A nl'w of tbirty rallcbt'r-;
and hirl'Cllahofers cllmpl:"d 1Il tht, op.'n for th.. 111:'xt six mOllths as thl'y
huill a timllt'f twadgatt' and du~ ttlt' ('anal. Tilllh..rs for Ihl' structurt'
wert' halll('d in wa~f)ns mlltl\-' mi]/,s from hridg.,s tlw railroad han ahan.
rlnlleo:l aftl'r tht' IX~j] noorl. TIlt' canal il'sp]f wa's f'xt'/lvat.'Cl hy hors.,
drawn slip snap.'r-;. :-iupp]i.,.. WNt' hrought in from Wellton and Yuma
10 till' ,'ollstru. tion I'<lmpS that \\.'r.. ..slabhsht"(l as wIlrkf>r.... mo\'t'(j alnn~
tilt' cana] roult'.

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CHEW AT COOK 1'1-:;-':1' - Anll'I<lf1'" raMt l'"f>nslnJ"lion t~.19 !>tan It! n"ht ~~ Fi..k1..f
:-it""um. filII,,", orChil''''''' W :-il""um. pn"'..nl "Ivil..n"lllt'f'r or thl' rl'~lrl<.t

When thl' Antdopt" Canal was fini...hl'd it carrilod watt'r hy ~a\;ty
fill.... from thl' ht'adin~ In ju.;;1 e<-l,st of Wellwn. It was complett'd on
March ;10, WI!!l, whf'1l irrigation watt.r was nt'liwrt'C1 to a tn-acre- plot
of tht' Will E, ~1d\.h' fanch at Wf'lltnn. Th"f\'aftl'r for ten year-; th.'
!'anal carri.'rl watN to cultivall'(j lands following tJ;lch high watN 110w
oftht' river.

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