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<br />43 <br /> <br />43 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Mr. Cald,/ell. I think my question Has answered before I asked, <br /> <br /> <br />Do I understand that navigation extends to the mouth of the Gila? <br /> <br /> <br />Mr, Scrugham. Ho have navigation far above that, Hhere they <br /> <br /> <br />actually did mining they brought mining machinery prior to the con- <br /> <br /> <br />struction of the railroads. In the early days there was considerable <br /> <br /> <br />navigation from the mouth up to Black Canyon, <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. CaldHell. May I ask Hhat effect the construction of the <br /> <br /> <br />laguna dam has on the navigation of the river? <br /> <br /> <br />Mr" Davis. It was authorized by the Act of Congress due to the <br /> <br /> <br />fact that the river was navigable and it actually stopped navigation. <br /> <br /> <br />It is not possible to navigate past that dam. At that time there were, <br /> <br /> <br />I believe, three boats plying on the ::'o,/er Colorado River and it had <br /> <br /> <br />been for a long time a navigable stream and the commerce had been con- <br /> <br /> <br />siderable at one time. It is gradually declining on account of the <br /> <br /> <br />railroads tapping many points and being much more accessible for the <br /> <br /> <br />transportation necessary and now laguna Dam is a stop to navigation. <br /> <br /> <br />Navigation is possible above and beleu but not through the dam, <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Norviel. Is the river navigable beloVl Yuma? <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Davis. Of cource the larger depletion of the river by <br /> <br /> <br />deflection into Imperial and to a smaller extont into the Yuma Valley <br /> <br /> <br />makes it non-navigable for a considerable period but there is still a <br /> <br /> <br />period Hhen it is navigable during high water but it has not been for <br /> <br /> <br />many years. It n~y be a fact that most of the time the Hater is too <br /> <br /> <br />shoal in Volcano lake to permit navigation out the distance between <br /> <br /> <br />Volcano lake and Laguna Dam could be .navigated for probably a few <br /> <br /> <br />months of the year in ordinary years. As a practical fact Laguna Dam <br /> <br /> <br />is the diversion for the Yuma project and the Imperial Valley project <br /> <br /> <br />and it has destroyed practical navigation below. Every use of the <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br />. <br />