Irrigation upon the Pima Indian Reservation, Ariz.


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Source: 56TH CONGRESS, 1st Session, SENATE, DOCUMENT No. 304.

IRRIGATION UPON THE PIMA INDIAN RESERVATION, ARIZ.


LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, TRANSMITTING, IN RESPONSE TO RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE OF APRIL 9, 1900, A REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY RELATIVE TO THE PROPOSED PLANS FOR IRRIGATION UPON THE PIMA INDIAN RESERVATION, ARIZ.


April 21, 1900.--Referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs and ordered to be printed.


Department of the Interior,
Washington, April 20, 1900.

Sir: I have the honor to be in receipt of Senate resolution of the 9th instant, calling for certain information respecting the proposed plans for irrigation upon the Pima Indian Reservation, Ariz.

In reply I transmit a copy of a report, dated the 16th instant, from the Director of the Geological Survey,to whom the matter was referred for consideration, his Bureau having had charge of the work of investigating the subject of a water supply for the said reservation, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 1, 1898 (30 Stat., 571-594).

I also transmit a copy of a report from the same official, dated March 13 last, upon a proposed amendment to H. R. 7433 (the Indian appropriation bill for the fiscal year 1901), offered by Senator Baker, appropriating $20,000 for continuing the work commenced under the aforesaid act of 1898.

As H. R. 7433 has since passed both Houses of Congress, but without Senator Baker's amendment, it is thought proper to also transmit a copy of the last-mentioned communication for the information of the Senate as bearing upon the subject of the Senate's inquiry.

Very respectfully,

E. A. Hitchcock, Secretary.
The President of the Senate.


Department of the Interior,
United States Geological Survey,
Washington, D. C., April 16, 1900.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge, by reference from the Department dated April 11, 1900, a resolution of the Senate, dated April 9, 1900, calling upon the Secretary of the Interior to carefully examine and report upon the proposed plans for irrigating the Pima Reservation in Arizona, with eight specific inquiries. The reference calls attention to the Senate amendment to the pending Indian appropriation bill and to the debate in the Senate on the subject.

In reply I beg to submit the following answer to the categorical inquiry:

1.With reference to the feasibility, cost, and comparative merits of plans of irrigation of the Pima Reservation, attention is called to Senate Doc. No. 27, Fifty-fourth Congress, second session; also to Senate Doc. No. 152, Fifty-sixth Congress, first session, and to Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 33, of this Survey. These give full details of the investigation. Summing them up, it may be stated briefly that while water may be procured in various ways, the most feasible and economical, taking all matters into consideration, is by the construction of a reservoir at San Carlos, on the Apache Indian Reservation, at an estimated cost of $1,038,926 (p. 77, Water-Supply Paper No. 33). The merits of this plan are that, as far as present knowledge extends, it is feasible, and the cost of the reservoir, although large, can be returned by sale of the irrigable public lands.
2.The extent to which the Indians occupying the Pima Reservation have heretofore been furnished irrigation for their lands is not a matter of record; it is a matter of common knowledge that before the river was diverted by the whites these Indians supported themselves by the cultivation of lands watered from the river. The area and location of these lands has probably changed from time to time and has not been recorded by the officers in charge of the Indians. It is difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain from the Indians themselves what was done in past years beyond the fact, as above noted, that there was an ample supply of water, and whatever land they wished to use was cultivated.
3.The Indians on this reservation have been deprived of the irrigation, as noted in the reports above cited, by the gradual diversion of the ordinary flow of the stream at innumerable points from its head waters down. This diversion has been in every respect legal, being encouraged by the Government through its desert-land laws and requirements that water must be taken out before title can be had to certain tracts. Along any river passing through several valleys and losing water by evaporation it is not possible to trace directly the effect of any one diversion for irrigation because of the seepage into or from the stream. The fact, however, is well established by the reports cited and by the common knowledge of the people that Gila River no longer carries water through the Indian Reservation at the times when needed. In times of flood, however, as shown by the figures of river flow on page 27 of Water-Supply Paper No. 33, a large quantity of water flows through the river, but for periods too short and too erratic to enable the use of the flood waters.
4.The irrigation which the Indians have hitherto enjoyed has, according to tradition, been practiced from time immemorial, and has not been in connection with any enterprise for the irrigation of lands belonging to individuals or syndicates. At one time, as noted in Senate Doc. No. 27, Fifty-fourth Congress, second session, page 8, there was an attempt to procure water from the so-called Florence Canal Company, and a correspondence extending over some years was had between the Department of the Interior and the office of the Attorney-General. It appears that this matter has been for many years in the hands of the law officers of the Government, but nothing has been accomplished, presumably from the fact that the so-called Florence Canal Company is or has been bankrupt through its inability to obtain sufficient water to supply the cultivated lands under it, and has not been in condition to make an agreement or carry out any scheme for supplying water to the Indians.
5.Among the proposed plans for irrigating the lands upon this reservation are several alternative projects, as noted on pages 3 to 6 of Senate Doc. No. 27, Fifty-fourth Congress, second session. There are objections to all of these on the ground of economy and efficiency. It is possible to pump water for these Indian lands exclusively, or even to store it, but the first cost and maintenance will be so great that none of these schemes is recommended on its merits alone. If, however, it is decided from other considerations that a large storage reservoir for general use shall not be built, then one of the smaller and less efficient plans may be substituted. The experts to whom the matter has been referred, will not on their own judgment recommend as economical or desirable the pumping of water unless with the understanding that no better project is allowable. In this connection attention may be called to the fact that the investigation ordered by the act of Congress of July 1, 1898, was so worded as to exclude all question of pumping and confined to water storage.
6.The claims of the Florence Canal Company and other owners of land to the water in Gila River can attach only to the quantity of water which they have hitherto put to beneficial use. As they have never used the flood waters of the rivers, which it is proposed to store, they can have no claim to these. This is supported by the decisions of Arizona courts and is in line with practice throughout the arid regions; otherwise the storage of flood waters would be impossible.
7.A map of the unoccupied Government lands which might be irrigated from waters stored at San Carlos has been prepared, showing that there are 389,211 acres of arid public land in the district which can be reached by this water. The map is on file in the office of the Geological Survey.
8.All facts in the possession of this Survey necessary to inform Congress as to the feasibility of irrigating this Indian reservation with or without furnishing water for the irrigation of private lands, and the probable cost thereof, have been fully set forth in the publications named. It is impossible, without quoting these in extenso, to discuss the merits and objections to each of these projects. The experts in charge have carefully weighed all of the matters committed to their care and have recommended that, taking all things into consideration, the San Carlos reservoir should be built, provided that further investigation shows that the bed rock at San Carlos is found to be at proper depth. As stated in my letter of March 13, a preliminary drilling was begun at this point, and the apparatus was upset and partially injured by a sudden flood. It is important to continue the drilling at this point and demonstrate all of the essential conditions beyond doubt; also to continue the measurements of the flow of Gila River at this and other localities to determine the fluctuations in water supply and the effect upon these of the diversions for irrigation at points above and below the San Carlos reservoir. In order, evidently, to carry this out an amendment was introduced in the Senate by Mr. Baker to the bill H. R. 7433. It was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs, but was not incorporated in the bill.

If after careful consideration it is concluded by Congress that the storage reservoir should not be built, then it is recommended that active steps be taken to procure water by pumping. As noted in the reports above referred to, this matter has been under advisement in one form or another for about half a generation. Meanwhile the Indians are suffering physically and morally, but no relief can be had until the recommendations made are accepted and acted upon or are rejected and new plans authorized.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

Chas. D. Walcott, Director.
The Secretary of the Interior.


Department of the Interior,
United States Geological Survey,
Washington, March 13, 1900.

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge, by Department reference dated March 3, a copy of an amendment intended to be proposed by Mr. Baker to the Indian appropriation bill (H. R. 7433), accompanied by a letter from Hon. W. A. Jones, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, regarding the work of ascertaining the depth of bed rock at the Buttes on Gila River, Arizona, and the proposed continuation of similar work at San Carlos, Ariz.

Under authority of the act approved July 1, 1898, appropriating $20,000 for ascertaining the depth to bed rock at the buttes on Gila River, Arizona, and for other purposes, work was begun there and at Queen Creek and vigorously continued until the $20,000 had been expended, in the fall of 1899. Closely related investigations were also made under the general appropriation for ascertaining the water supply. The results were immediately prepared for publication and were sent to the Public Printer about December 1, 1899, as Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 33. This has been printed and copies are sent herewith as being the most complete and definite statement of results accomplished.

It may be briefly stated that the investigation of the feasibility of obtaining water by storage for the Indians on the reservation of which Sacaton is the agency demonstrates the fact that the locality of the buttes is not desirable on account of the great depth to bed rock, as revealed by the diamond drill. The conditions also at Queen Creek are unfavorable, and it is not advisable at present to attempt to store water at either of these localities.

In ascertaining the feasibility of water storage and in exploring the river to ascertain whether obstacles exist to the construction of the dam at the Buttes, it was found that there are better reservoir sites and that the location at San Carlos, on the Apache Indian reservation, affords exceptionally good opportunities. With the amount of money available for studying this great river system and the many problems there were not sufficient funds nor time to complete the investigation at San Carlos.

A drilling machine was taken to San Carlos and, as noted on page 70 of Water-Supply Paper No. 33, two holes were put down, finding bed rock at 23 feet and at 74 feet. Further drilling was prevented by the floods which upset the drilling apparatus and resulted in such an increase of expenditure that further work was not practicable. Nevertheless, estimates were prepared, based on the somewhat incomplete knowledge, showing that the San Carlos reservoir site is probably the best locality for water storage and that it is preferable to hold water at this point for the use of the Indians.

It is important to continue the drilling for bed rock at this point and to demonstrate all of the essential conditions beyond doubt; also to continue the measurements of the flow of Gila River at this and other localities to determine the fluctuations in water supply and the effect upon these of the diversions for irrigation at points above and below the San Carlos reservoir site. It is particularly important to take steps toward ascertaining these latter facts as they bear upon the rights to the use of the water along the Gila River and as to whether these will in any way affect the utilization of a storage dam for holding flood waters.

The amendment proposed by Mr. Baker, above referred to, has evidently been drawn with this object in view, viz, to ascertain the facts for this San Carlos reservoir site, which at the time of the appropriation for the Butes investigation was unknown.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

H. C. Rizer, Acting Director.
The Secretary of the Interior.


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