side of Salt River, and the South, Eastern, Main Consolidated, East Branch Consolidated, Mesa, San Francisco, Western, and Highline Canals on the south side. In addition, water was pumped. from batteries A, B, C, D, E, F, Clemans, McQueen, and San Francisco wells in connection with the water distribution on the south side. Water was supplied to the north side canals after diversion from Salt River, through the Arizona and the Joint Head Canals, and on the south side through the South Canal. The total area irrigated with water supplied through the canals of the United States Reclamation Service was 189,082 acres. About 12,000 acres lying under the Tempe Canal were supplied with water diverted by the Reclamation Service at Granite Reef and carried through the South and Main Consolidated Canals to the division gates, then through the Tempe Cross Cut into the Tempe Canal. The Tempe Irrigating Canal Co. is an independent organization, and the water was supplied to the head of their canal in accordance with contract approved May 15, 1915. On December 23, 1915, contract was entered into with the Utah Irrigating Ditch Co. for the delivery through the canals of the United States Reclamation Service of the amount of water decreed to the water users under the Utah Canal. The amount to be delivered is limited to a maximum of 40 second-feet. For the year ending June 30, 1916, there were diverted through the canals of the Reclamation Service, for irrigation of lands under Salt River project, 1,141,149 acre-feet of water, of which 798,804 acre-feet (estimated) were actually applied to the land. On January 29, 1916, the Roosevelt Reservoir reached its maximum contents for the season, at an elevation of 236.4 feet, which represented a volume of 1,563,720 acre-feet of water within the reservoir. From January 18 to May 30, 1916, a period of 134 days, water poured over the spillways representing a total of 2,133,854 acre-feet, only part of which could be utilized for irrigation and for generating power. The minimum amount stored in the Roosevelt Reservoir during the fiscal year was on December 30, 1915, when the gage height was 202.46 feet and the contents 1,014,107 acre-feet. On June 30, 1916, the elevation of the reservoir was 219.48 feet, representing a storage of 1,275,586 acre-feet, a net loss at the end of the fiscal year of 3.88 feet in elevation and a volume of 64,162 acre-feet. Operation and maintenance work, as in previous years, consisted almost entirely of removing sediment from canals and laterals, cleaning weed growth along the banks, removing moss from the beds of the main canals, and repairing existing structures, as well as installing a few checks, turnouts, and bridges. Weed growth was removed from banks of canals and laterals with the use of shovels, scythes, mowing machines, and by grazing of sheep and goat herds. One herd of goats, 536 head, and two bands of sheep, 1.237 head, maximum number, were pastured on the banks of canals and laterals during the weed-growing season and on the desert during the winter months. Satisfactory profits were obtained from the sheep and goat venture and it is expected to increase the herds. Water was turned out of some of the canals during the months of January and February to allow maintenance crews to remove silt deposits and berms. During the other months of the season water was in all the canals except in the Main Consolidated and the canals I supplied with water from this canal. Due to the high stage of the river and because of a shifting of the river bed, the Salt River broke through into the Main Consolidated Canal during the month of January, 1916, and made necessary extensive repairs. During the same flood period the Grand Canal just below the Cross Cut power plant was damaged to such an extent that it was necessary to relocate this canal for 1 mile. This work was begun January 30, 1916, and ended May 10. At the end of the fiscal year 1915 the Reclamation Service owned and operated 782.6 miles of canals and laterals, and at the end of the fiscal year 1916 this had been increased to 806.25 miles. The pumping plants were operated whenever occasion demanded. No trouble was experienced during the year in the operation of any of the pumps. During the early winter of 1915 heavy snow fell in the higher elevations of the Salt and Verde River watersheds. Later in the year and in the month of January heavy rain melted the snow and caused a run-off heavier than for many years past. On January 18 the reservoir made a record gain of 157,981 acre-feet, which brought the surface of the water to the crest of the spillways. The day following there was a further increase of 182,110 acre-feet which caused an overflow of 7.15 feet over the spillways. For a period of 165 days, owing to the high stage of the river, irrigation water was delivered to the water users of the project at half price; that is, each acre-foot of water delivered was charged at the price of one-half acrefoot. The contract rates for the season 1915-16 are as follows: A minimum charge of $1 for not to exceed 2 acre-feet per acre, 50 cents for the third and 50 cents for the fourth acre-foot, and 75 cents per acre-foot for all in excess of 4 acre-feet per acre for land signed and in good standing in the water users' association; and for land not signed in the water users' association, or delinquent in that association, $1.20 as a minimum for not to exceed 2 acre-feet per acre, 60 cents for the third and 60 cents for the fourth acre-foot, and 75 cents for all in excess of 4 acre-feet per acre. On October 12, 1915, the time limit for the delivery of irrigation water to the "uncultivated area," as defined by the board of survey, was extended from October 1, 1915, to December 1, 1916. The rates are 60 cents for the first acre-foot and 60 cents per acre-foot for all in excess of 1 acre-foot per acre. On account of the plentiful supply of water, due to flood conditions, the delivery of water for a long period of time at one-half the contract rates caused the water users to irrigate heavily during the flood period, and consequently the duty of water for the agricultural year 1915-16 will probably be lower than for the preceding year. In the following table, "Historical review, Salt River project," it will be noted that the water duty was much lower for the year 1916 than for the years 1913, 1914, and 1915. This is due partly to the fact that the water supply was more plentiful in 1916, and partly to the fact that investigations made during this last year have shown that the water delivered is approximately 68 per cent of the water diverted (which figure is used for 1916) instead of 60 per cent, the figure used for the past two or three years. 1 191,647.6 acres is the amount recommended by the board of survey report dated May 25, 1916, to be included in first unit of Salt River project. 2 See paragraph immediately preceding "Historical review," for explanation of lower duty of water than for preceding years. SETTLEMENT. Few new settlers arrived on the project and little farm property changed hands by sale, though many exchanges were made. Higher prices received at the close of the irrigation season of 1914-15 caused considerable improvement in the situation, and in the first six months of 1916 all conditions were favorable for an exceedingly good season for the water users. A cow-testing association was formed and additional associations for this purpose are being organized. A county farm-improvement association was formed, consisting of a councilman from nearly all the local organizations in the county. There was no appreciable change in population during the year. The area in cotton for the agricultural year ending September 30, 1915, was much smaller than the year previous. The area in longstaple cotton was 1,830 acres, valued at $128,100. This reduced acreage was due to the losses experienced in the previous year by the growers on account of poor market prices. The returns from the lettuce shipments were more satisfactory this year than any year previous, due to proper methods of marketing and preparing for shipment. The alfalfa market was good, and at the end of the fiscal year all previous records for shipment of alfalfa were broken. Citrus fruits are in excellent condition. A large wheat crop was harvested, but the production of barley was below normal on account of smaller acreage. Olives are unusually large and the crop promises to be a record breaker both for quantity and quality. The ideal spring weather was favorable for all kinds of crops. From indications at the close of the fiscal year the agricultural year of 1915-16 should be a big money maker for the water users of the project. Crop report, Salt River project, Arizona, year ending Sept. 30, 1915. |