The Yuma Reclamation Project: Irrigation, Indian Allotment, and Settlement Along the Lower Colorado River

301 Pages·2009·10.98 MB·English

by  Robert A. Sauder

sauder
The Yuma Reclamation Project is an environmental studies n the arid American West, settle-
I
original and significant contribution to T ment was generally contingent on
our understanding of federal reclamation h the availability of water to irrigate
endeavors in the West. It provides new and E crops and maintain livestock and

fascinating information about the history y human residents. Early irrigation projects
Praise for The Yuma Reclamation Project
of the Yuma region and, as a case study u were usually the cooperative efforts of
of irrigation policy, it offers compelling M pioneer farmers, but by the early twenti-
insights into the history and consequences eth century they largely reflected federal
“This book is a welcome addition to historical geographical study A
of water manipulation in the arid West. intentions to create new farms out of the
of reclamation policy in the American West.” R
western public domain. The Yuma Rec-
Robert A. Sauder is professor emeritus — Steven E. Silvern, Salem State College EC lamation Project, authorized in 1904, was
of geography at the University of New
L one of the earliest federal irrigation proj-
Orleans. He is also the author of The Lost
“This book makes an immensely significant contribution to (1) our A ects initiated in the western United States
Frontier: Water Diversion in the Growth
M
understanding of federal irrigation in the West; (2) how the story of and the first authorized on the Colorado
and Destruction of Owens Valley Agricul-
ture and others. irrigation unfolded in a little-studied region of great importance; and A River. Its story exemplifies the range of
T difficulties associated with settling the
(3) how the narrative of federal irrigation became inextricably inter-
I nation’s final frontier — the arid West,
O
twined with the story of Native American settlement in the West. including Indian lands — and illuminates
N
The author has sifted through an enormous amount of primary data some of the current issues and conflicts
P
concerning the Colorado River.
to tell his story, and it is a story that has never been told before. A R
O THE YUMA Robert Sauder’s detailed, meticulously
highly original, engagingly written, thoroughly researched study!”
researched examination of the Yuma
—William Wyckoff, Montana State University j Project illustrates the complex multiplic-
E
RECLAMATION ity of problems and challenges associated
C
with the federal government’s attempt to
T
facilitate homesteading in the arid West.
He examines the history of settlement
along the lower Colorado River from ear-
PROJECT
liest times, including the farming of the
local Quechan people and the impact of
uNIvERsITy Of NEvAdA PREss
Spanish colonization, and he reviews the
engineering problems that had to be re-
irrigation, indian allotment,
solved before an industrial irrigation pro-
and settlement along
gram could be accomplished. The study
the lower colorado river
also sheds light on myriad unanticipated
environmental, economic, and social
challenges that the government had to
Jacket illustration: Yuma Reclamation Project.
RObERT A. sAudER
confront in bringing arid lands under irri-
(Map by Jeanie Taliancich)
gation, including the impact on the Native
Jacket design: April Leidig-Higgins, Copperline
Book Services American population of the region.
nevada
sauder
The Yuma Reclamation Project is an environmental studies n the arid American West, settle-
I
original and significant contribution to T ment was generally contingent on
our understanding of federal reclamation h the availability of water to irrigate
endeavors in the West. It provides new and E crops and maintain livestock and

fascinating information about the history y human residents. Early irrigation projects
Praise for The Yuma Reclamation Project
of the Yuma region and, as a case study u were usually the cooperative efforts of
of irrigation policy, it offers compelling M pioneer farmers, but by the early twenti-
insights into the history and consequences eth century they largely reflected federal
“This book is a welcome addition to historical geographical study A
of water manipulation in the arid West. intentions to create new farms out of the
of reclamation policy in the American West.” R
western public domain. The Yuma Rec-
Robert A. Sauder is professor emeritus — Steven E. Silvern, Salem State College EC lamation Project, authorized in 1904, was
of geography at the University of New
L one of the earliest federal irrigation proj-
Orleans. He is also the author of The Lost
“This book makes an immensely significant contribution to (1) our A ects initiated in the western United States
Frontier: Water Diversion in the Growth
M
understanding of federal irrigation in the West; (2) how the story of and the first authorized on the Colorado
and Destruction of Owens Valley Agricul-
ture and others. irrigation unfolded in a little-studied region of great importance; and A River. Its story exemplifies the range of
T difficulties associated with settling the
(3) how the narrative of federal irrigation became inextricably inter-
I nation’s final frontier — the arid West,
O
twined with the story of Native American settlement in the West. including Indian lands — and illuminates
N
The author has sifted through an enormous amount of primary data some of the current issues and conflicts
P
concerning the Colorado River.
to tell his story, and it is a story that has never been told before. A R
O THE YUMA Robert Sauder’s detailed, meticulously
highly original, engagingly written, thoroughly researched study!”
researched examination of the Yuma
—William Wyckoff, Montana State University j Project illustrates the complex multiplic-
E
RECLAMATION ity of problems and challenges associated
C
with the federal government’s attempt to
T
facilitate homesteading in the arid West.
He examines the history of settlement
along the lower Colorado River from ear-
PROJECT
liest times, including the farming of the
local Quechan people and the impact of
uNIvERsITy Of NEvAdA PREss
Spanish colonization, and he reviews the
engineering problems that had to be re-
irrigation, indian allotment,
solved before an industrial irrigation pro-
and settlement along
gram could be accomplished. The study
the lower colorado river
also sheds light on myriad unanticipated
environmental, economic, and social
challenges that the government had to
Jacket illustration: Yuma Reclamation Project.
RObERT A. sAudER
confront in bringing arid lands under irri-
(Map by Jeanie Taliancich)
gation, including the impact on the Native
Jacket design: April Leidig-Higgins, Copperline
Book Services American population of the region.
nevada
ij
The Yuma Reclamation Project

The Yuma
Reclamation
Project
ij
Irrigation, Indian Allotment,
and Settlement Along the
Lower Colorado River
ji
Robert A. Sauder
University of Nevada Press
reno & las vegas
University of Nevada Press, Reno, Nevada 89557 usa
Copyright © 2009 by University of Nevada Press
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Design by Kathleen Szawiola
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sauder, Robert A.
The Yuma reclamation project : irrigation, Indian allotment, and settlement along the
lower Colorado River / Robert Alden Sauder.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-87417-783-1 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Reclamation of land—Arizona—Yuma Valley—History—20th century. 2. Irrigation—
Arizona—Yuma Valley—History—20th century. 3. Indian allotments—Arizona—Yuma Valley—
History—20th century. 4. Indians of North America—Arizona—Yuma Valley—History—20th
century. 5. Land settlement—Arizona—Yuma Valley—History—20th century. 6. Yuma Valley
(Ariz.)—History—20th century. 7. Colorado River Valley (Colo.-Mexico)—History—20th century.
8. Yuma Valley (Ariz.)—Environmental conditions 9. Colorado River Valley (Colo.-Mexico)—
Environmental conditions. 10. Irrigation—Political aspects—West (U.S.)—History—20th century.
I. Title.
tc824.a6S25 2009
333.73'15309791—dc22 2009015671
The paper used in this book is a recycled stock made from 30 percent post-
consumer waste materials, certified by fsc, and meets the requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed
Library Materials, ansi/niso z39.48–1992 (r2002). Binding materials were
selected for strength and durability.
first edition
18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09
5 4 3 2 1
For Rose

ij
When I was a kid in geography class,
I was taught that water always flows
downhill. What I’ve learned since is
that water flows to money and power,
wherever they may be.
—Former Navaho tribal chairman Peterson Zah,
quoted in American Indian Water
Rights and the Limits of Law,
by Lloyd Burton