Settlement, Growth, and Water Security for Southwest Cities - Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development - page 446

26.5 Securing Water
The desert Southwest is an area defined by the scarcity and unpredictability of water
supply. The settlements of southwestern cities were established on what was then flow-
ing rivers; although maybe not large in size, they provided an adequate supply of water
for the small population of these areas at that time. At first, these young cities were able
to provide water by primitive means, by windmill pumps, aqueducts or even water
delivery services by a water wagon. All of these desert cities were sited near known
sources of perennial water in streams, rivers, and artesian wells. As the population
began to grow, the cities began to recognize the need for a more sustained long-term
water supply. The future of these desert communities was tied to securing a permanent,
reliable source of water.
In the first decade of the twentieth century, the federal government began serious consid-
eration of water reclamation projects to address the problems presented by the periods of
drought and flooding that plagued the major rivers of the region. Major flooding of the Salt
River in the 1890s and later the diversion of the Colorado River began flooding the Salton
Basin in 1905 to form an inland sea before the river course was corrected. At the same time,
frequent and unpredictable changes in the other major rivers such as the Salt, Verde, Santa
Cruz, Gila, and Rio Grande presented a concern for the development and public safety for
area leaders to address. After careful evaluation, the Bureau of Reclamation chose the Salt
River Dam project to be the first major project to be undertaken by the federal government
to address concerns about western water issues.
The Salt River Dam was the first water reclamation project initiated by the federal
government in 1902 after successful attempts by Benjamin Fowler and George Maxwell
to secure funding in Washington for the passage of the Newlands Act to fund the
construction of the Roosevelt Dam. In 1904, the Salt River Valley Water Users Association
was formed to negotiate a contract to repay the federal government for the construction
of the dam. It was dedicated by Theodore Roosevelt on March 18, 1911 with much fanfare.
The Roosevelt Dam had an immediate economic and social impact on the Phoenix area.
An extensive canal system was soon constructed that carried water to areas that were
previously desolate, and farms and ranches along the path of the canals were allowed to
prosper. The success of the Roosevelt Dam fueled ideas for bolder and far-reaching water
projects in the West. The idea that modern engineering could harness the West created
great excitement for investment and growth possibilities, particularly with the eastern and
midwestern establishments (Figure 26.4).
In 1928, Congress passed the Boulder Canyon Project Act that authorized the construc-
tion of the Boulder Canyon (later renamed to Hoover Dam) project. Before construction,
the federal government reached an agreement with the states for the division of river
allotments. The river was separated into upper and lower divisions. Each division would
share the water proportionately with considerations for future settlements with Mexico.
The Boulder Canyon project was the largest public works project ever undertaken by
the federal government. This project provided thousands of jobs for willing workers,
many of whom migrated from areas deeply affected by the depression-era economy, and
served as a catalyst for growth of the otherwise desolate area around Las Vegas, Nevada
(Figure 26.5).
New Mexico and West Texas had a similar dilemma with the Rio Grande River. After
contentious debate among delegates from Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico, and the bene-
factors of the dam project, it was decided that the site at Elephant Butte Lake was the best