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<br />:'"',..,'" ".... <br />Gvv0 <br /> <br />26 <br /> <br />'. <br /> <br />as the maximum discharge of tne Colo~ado at t~0 sarno point. <br /> <br />These floods from the Gila, ho~evor, are infrdquont and of <br /> <br />relatively Short duration. \7hile their sudden oD2racter and <br /> <br />erratic OCmJTr3nCtJS na:;.o thelli. peculiarly menancing to the <br /> <br />leV030s or other property on the bank. of t,'>.a river, th,y do <br /> <br />not present so great a lIICr.ace to the Imp3ri.:.l Val"cy on <br /> <br />account of their snort duration and relatively small volume. <br /> <br />T'ne COlorado River rises gradually, carrics a large volurr.a <br /> <br />of vater for seve~ul weeks, and doclines gradually. Should <br /> <br />it break into the Imperial Valley at ti~" of flood, the 101~ <br /> <br />duration of high water would. caUS,3 /Feat erosion =d rondeI' <br /> <br />its control exceedingly diffic~lt. This is tho experience <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />actually obtainod when this occurred. The Gila, on the other <br /> <br />hand, mignt break into tho Imperial Valley but tho r~latively <br /> <br />short duration would not furni sh nearly so much water to the <br /> <br />Salton Sea, and conscq~ntly not ir.cur the danger of Subrner- <br /> <br />ging th.3 entir3 valley. 'Th:; quic~ dGcline y"/ould ma:".:.3 its <br /> <br />oontrol comparatively easy. Tae great floods of the Gila <br /> <br />occur in winter, while those of the Colorado occur in s=o1'. <br /> <br />So far as known, they never have coincided; but if this ever <br /> <br />should occur, it would gr3atly increase tha menace. <br /> <br />A reservoir site of 2,200,000 acre-feet capacity has <br /> <br />been investigated near 5"mtinel, on tl,e Lower Gila, which, <br /> <br />if built and maintainad, would practically elimiilate the <br /> <br />. <br />