|
<br />10
<br />
<br />CALWORNLA'S STAKE IN THE COLORADO RlVER
<br />
<br />The political obstacles encountered in constructing and operating
<br />this !:i)'stem were almost as serious as tbe ph)'sical difficnlties. The
<br />Mexican concession was ullBati...ral'.tory in many respects, 8ggrn.ated
<br />by unstable political conditions in MeIico. As a result, efforts to ob-
<br />tain a sub~titute diversion canal which would be entirely in United
<br />States terrItory were early initiated. Numerous SUrveys and investiga-
<br />tions were made, culmil.Hl.tfn~ ill 8 faVOrable report on the All-American
<br />Canal issued in 1919 by a board consisting of Elwood Mead, W. W.
<br />Schlecht, and C. E. Grunsky. In the same veal'" a bill was introduced in
<br />in Congress b,y Congressman Kettner to ~ntborize construction of the
<br />canal. This was the forerunner of the Boulder Canyon project.
<br />Coach~l1a V alley Ar~.
<br />Irrigation of the CoacheUa Valley area was early contemplated in
<br />conjunction with the Imperial Valley development. Howe\.er, it was
<br />not included in the area irrigated hy the works COllstructffi hy the
<br />California Development Company as lIuhsequently enlarged and ex.
<br />tended hy the Imperial Irrigation District.
<br />Nevertheless, irrigation development star1:ed in the Coachella Valley
<br />in 1902 hy water supplieR ohtained from th~ artesian baain underlying
<br />the "aUE'Y. There followed a gradual expanB\On of tbe irrigated area,
<br />accompanil?d hy a substantial increased use of underground water.
<br />All a result of this expansion, coupled with the relatively small water
<br />supply, artesian pressurE's and underground water lewls gradually
<br />~ubsided. Realization of the fact that the underground suppl:r was be.
<br />mg drawn upon in excess of replenishment convincM the landownerll
<br />in the ,'aUt'y tbat remedial measures would be essential. In ]918 the
<br />CoacheUa Valley County Water District wall organized for the initial
<br />purpose of conserving local supplies aud rt'plellishing the underground
<br />bB8in. OroSll area of the Cllachella Valley Cllunty Water District is
<br />ahout 268,000 acres. The fully conserved local water supply is far
<br />(rom lIufEicient, howe\Oer, to serve the irrigable area in the ,'alley.
<br />Accordingly the dilltricl immediately turned its aUl'ntion to the Colo-
<br />rado River as a source of water supply, and cooperated with the 1m.
<br />perial Irrigation District in planning and promoting the All-American
<br />Canal and Boulder Canyon dam.
<br />Yam. Project in California
<br />Another early development providing for the irrigation of lands in
<br />California from the Colorado River is the Yuma Federal Reclamation
<br />Project which was autborized in 1904. This wall one of the first projects
<br />authorized under the Reclamation Act and the first thereuuder on
<br />the Colorado River. In addition to lands in Arizona, the project covel'fl
<br />a. grOM area. of about 25,000 acr~ in California, including valley lands
<br />lying within the Yuma Indian reServation. Irrigation started in 1907,
<br />and about ]],000 acres are now under irrigation in California. The
<br />present area irrigated lies partly within the Bard Irrigation Dil'ltrict
<br />which wu organized in ]927.
<br />
<br />. ~..- .,.
<br />
<br />..:~. ~_; _, _,:._..r. :'.' .~.
<br />
<br />':.:J
<br />fO-:'
<br />,,)
<br />. .\J
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />CALIFORNIA'S STAKE TN THE COLORA.DO RIVER
<br />
<br />11
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />Other Propoled Irrigation Projecu
<br />]n addition to the forf'going irrigation dt>,oelopments, a number of
<br />potential projects for irrigation of lands in California from the Colo-
<br />rado River were early investigated and proposed. These included proj-
<br />ects for irrigation of lands in the Mojave, Chemehuevi, Parker and
<br />Chuckwalla Valleys, and on the Palo Verde Mesa.
<br />Ahogether, including existing and proposed proje('ts, plans had been
<br />definitely made or were under consideration, prior to the twenties, for
<br />irrigating lands in California from the Colorado Ri,oer, aggregating
<br />nf'arly ],500,000 acres aud involving an estimated net annual use of
<br />Colorado River water of 6,250,000 acre-feet.
<br />Metropolitan Ana. of Southern California
<br />Prior to the turn of tbe century, the intensive irrigation developments
<br />and the cities and townll throughout the coalltal plain area had obtained
<br />tbe nf'ce8S8.ry water Rupplies for irrigation, domestic a.nd municipal Ullf',
<br />by the dewlopment of local surface and underground ,,'ater supplies.
<br />The first importation of water into the area was undertaken by the
<br />City of ws Angeles which initiated the construction of works for bringo
<br />ing in a water supply from the Owens River in 1907. The Owens River
<br />Aqueduct was completed in 1913 with a capacit:r of 400 second.feet.
<br />h was thought at the time that this imported supply would Rolve the
<br />city's water problem for many years to come. However, rapid growth
<br />of population and other factors combined to prove otherwisf', and leslI
<br />than 10 yea.rs later it became evident that the combined local and
<br />imported supply would become inadequate within 10 to 15 yeal'fl.
<br />It was in the early twenties that William Mulholland then chief
<br />enginef'r of the water df'partment of the City of Los Angel~s, envisaged
<br />tbf' idea of going to the Colorado Ri\.er for an additional water supply.
<br />After considering various other possible 50urCt'II, it was concluded that
<br />the Colorado River was the only adequate source for the additional
<br />water supply nef'ded. Preliminary EHlrveYII were initiated in 1923 which
<br />established the general feasibility of bringing water in {rom .the Colo-
<br />'l'~do River. Ou .June 28, 1924, the Ci.ty of Los Angl:'les tiled an applka-
<br />hon to appropriate 1,500 second-feet of water {rom the Colorado River.
<br />During the ne:rt five ).eal'S intellBive surveys and studies of alternate
<br />divel'8ion routes were carried out under the direction of Mr. Mulholland
<br />and H. A. Van Norman by the City of Los Angeles.
<br />During 1924 general sentiment developed for the construction of an
<br />aqueduct from the Colorado River which would beJlefit all of the metro-
<br />polita~ ~rellll of Southern CaJifornia. The Colorado River Aqueduct
<br />AssOCiatIon was organized to sponsor the project. Through tbe efforts
<br />Qf this B.SSIlciation, an act was passed by the Legislature and app~oved
<br />by the Governor on May 10, 1927, authorizing the organization of mrt-
<br />ropolitan water districlll.
<br />The Metropolitan Water Dititrict of Southf'rll ClI.lirornia was incor.
<br />porated on December 6, ]928, following au election on November 6th
<br />
<br />:...' : .~:.';"'.
<br />
<br />.'-.~:"-~'-'-~:-"'..~;:-'.-.:'
<br />.'
<br />
<br />\
<br />
<br />.,. ,. ~ -,- .
<br />
<br />
<br />-t._:
<br />
<br />;.,;..
<br />
<br />.+.:.
<br />
<br />., ...~
<br />
<br />",
<br />
<br />r
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />
|