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4 Ca l i f o r n i a ’s s t a k e i n t h e Co l o r a d o r iv e r of this entire amount 'within a reasonable period of years. In fact, the main works are already built and in operation. In addition to its role as a source of water supply for Southern California, the Colorado River in recent years has been the largest single source of electric power for Southern California. It appears at this time to be the only large potential source of additional hydroelectric power that Gan he made available for Southern California’s future needs. Thus, Southern California looks to the Colorado River not only as a large source of water supply which is of basic and primary import­ance, but also as a substantial future source of electric power which will he needed in adequate amounts and at reasonable costs to serve anticipated power demands of increased- population and expanded industrial and commercial activities. EARLY HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The history of California’s developments and interests on the Colo­rado River is a long and interesting one covering nearly a century of progressive planning and development. It begins with a plan to divert Colorado River water to the Imperial Valley area, that was envisaged in 1849 by Dr. Oliver M. Wozencraft. That plan actually advanced to the stage of authorizing legislation with the passage of an act by the State Legislature in 1859 but necessary companion legislation by the Congress failed of passage. Although the proposed scheme did not materialize, it is significant as marking the beginning of plans to utilize Colorado River water in California, and as the forerunner of the plan which was actually carried out some 40 years later. Palo Verde Valley Development California’s active interests in and rights to the use of water from the Colorado River date from the seventies when water was first appro­priated for the Palo Verde area. In 1877 Thomas Blythe acquired about forty thousand acres in the Palo Verde Valley under the Swamp and Overflow Act, and made a water filing in the amount of 95,000 miners inches on July. 17, 1877, which was followed by numerous additional filings in subsequent years, for irrigation and other purposes in the Palo Verde Valley and adjoining lands. The original Blythe filing, as far as known, is the first of record on the lower Colorado River. Due to numerous difficulties irrigation development proceeded slowly under private and mutual organizations. The present Palo Verde Irri­gation District was created by special act of the Legislature in 1923. The district embraces an area of about 100,000 acres bordering and extending aiong the river for about 30 miles, It is contemplated that about 16,000 acres of adjoining mesa lands will be added or connected to the district. About half of the lands in the existing district are now under irrigation. CALIFORNIA’S STAKE IN THE COLORADO RIVER 5 Imperial Valley Development The largest irrigation development in the desert area of Southern California is: that of the Imperial Valley area which was initiated in the nineties. The first filing was made on Slay 16,1895, by B. I. Rockwell for 10,000 second feet of Colorado River water for the irrigation of the Imperial Valley area in the United States. This was followed by several subsequent filings, one of which contemplated irrigation of the Coachella Valley area as well as the Imperial Valley area. In 1892 an engineer, C. R. Rockwood, after making a reconnaissance along the Alamo River to Salton Sink, organized with associates: the Colorado Irrigation Company, .This was succeeded in 1896 by the Califor­nia Development Company, which was organized to develop the Imperial Valley, with C. R. Rockwood in charge of engineering and construction. In 1900, a contract was made by the company with Ceorge Chaffey for the construction of the Imperial Canal. In June, 1901, water was flowing in the canal and irrigation began in the Imperial Valley. Although the canal diversion was within the United States, for practical reasons the canal had to be located and constructed through the territory of Mexico en route to the Imperial Valley, and accordingly it was necessary to get a concession from the Mexican Government. This concession, which was obtained through a Mexican subsidiary of the California Development Company, provided that .water from the canal should be made available and delivered for the irrigation of lands in Lower California up to one-half the volume of water passing through the canal. In 1904 and 1905 floods broke through the headings of the canal and water flowed; through the canal into the Salton Sea with disastrous results. Efforts to close the break were not successful until 1907. The Southern Pacific: Company, which;was interested not only in the develop­ment of the Imperial Valley but also in the protection of its railroad around the Salton Sea, took over the work of closing off the river and it was through its efforts and financing that the break was fin ally closed. As a result of this disaster, the California Development Company got inti| financial difficulties. Its management and operations were taken over by the Southern Pacific Company in 1905 and it went into receiver­ship in 1909, The Southern Pacific Company acquired the company’s entire system both in Mexico and the .United States at a receiver’s sale in February, 1916. The Imperial Irrigation District was organized in 1911 with an area of 523,000 acres. In June, 1916, the California Development Company’s canal system was purchased by the district from the Southern Pacific Company, including irrigation facilities in Mexico. In subsequent years the district at its own expense constructed a system of levees in Mexico 2— 92171