There were many outcomes of the Yuma Project’, many of which were very positive. But there were also a few downsides to the Yuma irrigation idea. Yuma was never noticed before 1912 because Yuma never really had anything. But all of that changed when the flood in 1916 happened and the Laguna Dam and irrigation system was constructed. But it was not easy and a lot of challenges had to be conquered. This is how Yuma conquered those obstacles that were in the way.
The project was very successful and the Yuma agriculture would be nowhere close to what we are now if it was not for the Federal Government giving a helping hand in the project by funding it. In 1909 we had about 7,500 acres that could be used for agricultural purposes, after all the necessary canals and dams were built and installed, Yuma had an estimated 59,450 acres of irrigable land. That means the land that the Yuma County owns that was irrigable went up approximately 51,950 acres! Another upside to the ‘Yuma Project was the increase in the Agricultural Income from the Wellton-Mohawk region.
In 1975 the annual income was 37 million, but in 2014 it went all the way up to 2. 6 billion in revenue. That is not including the multiple businesses that helped sell the product in stores. After the canals were put in, on June 1912, the first wave of water was still flowing through the Yuma Siphon to water about 50,000 acres of land. Also, In 1909, The Laguna Dam was built off of the colorado river and was the reason the ‘Steamboat era’ ended in Yuma and was the beginning of the irrigated agricultural era for all of Southern and central Arizona. The main reason Yuma planned on building dams and canals as because in 1916 Yuma had a major flood. The water was up six to eight feet tall. And even higher in the downtown Yuma area. The flood was last documented on June 22nd, 1916, so the flood lasted a few months before being able to rebuild the destroyed property. Also, the amount of irrigable land decreased about 10,000 acres due to the need to build residential areas to compensate for the largely growing population in Yuma Just to name a few this goes to show the positive and also some of the negative effects that came after all of the irrigation that was put in in Yuma.
Some of the upsides included growth in population, end of the steamboat era and the building of the Laguna Dam. But it also came with some downsides such as a flooding and a decrease in irrigable land What were the various costs of Irrigation, How far was it beneficial to Yuma? When the buyout of the Welton-Mohawk irrigation and drainage district happened, it included 115,000 acres of land. 75,000 of which was irrigable and the remaining 40,000 was not irrigable. By 1975 the land was divided by the Mesa/alley, Citrus, Vegetables, alfalfa plant, etc. ere planted and cropped. By 1975, the Crop Census Report was nearly completed, but it’s estimated that the total crop income was around 37 million, which was more than half of the 66 million that had been invested into the Yuma Project. The crop production was more than 5x the annual agricultural income of 185,000,000 with a tax contribution of 32 million. This also includes a growing income of livestock feeding, which was ranged at 50 million. A major population impact came into play as well, with new jobs opening up and plenty of farmers buying land.
The population in the Wellton-Mohawk area was guessing around 4,500, all of which were quite dependant on the agriculture. Since then, a major growth happened and now the Wellton Mohawk region is responsible for more than one third of the annual agricultural income of southern Yuma. In February, 2015, valued at 2014 dollars, agricultural businesses and other related jobs had contributed 2. 8 billion dollars in output to the Yuma County. This also included the 2. 6 billion in direct sales from those agricultural businesses and other businesses. Plus an additional 540 million in sales from local Yuma stores.
This means over a period of twenty five years from 1975 to 2014 (still current) our annual income from our crops and agricultural businesses had an income increase of two billion seven hundred sixty-three million. Also the price per acre went up tremendously since all of the land is now irrigable and very useful and helpful for farming. The price of land per acre in 2010 was $680. 81 when in 1987 it was about $10 dollars per acre depending on how close you were to the Colorado River and on how much of your land would be irrigable. Plus all of the labor fees for building the irrigation system for your land.
This means the price of irrigable land per acre went up approximately Six hundred and Seventy dollars over a period of thirty years as well. Showing that Yuma’s worth has gone up tremendously and proven our worth in the agricultural topic. How did geography impact the development of irrigation in Yuma , Arizona? There were a lot of factors that were considered in the development of Yuma’s irrigation system. Most of which aided the building process. Due to Yuma being a dessert, out soil was real sandy and dusty, so it was easy to get a good, solid tithe through.
But one of the biggest problem is trying to figure out how to flood control, so until a flood control system is built, no real farming that name worthy should be done. Many ideas of how to keep the river water in the channel was considered, such as raising the levee, or digging under the water. Because, as previously said, The water was known to rise 6 to 8 feet in the lower Downtown Yuma area. But leveling or draining would cost way too much, but due to the sandy soil Yuma is known for, it was quiet pervious, and the idea of maybe releasing water into the soil to make it a little bit more moist.
It was a much cheaper idea. After the construction of the Laguna Dam, A uproar in land development happened in the Yuma and Gila Valleys. Over a couple of years, the United States president passed the Yuma Reclamation Project in 1911, which prompted an eighteen mile construction of canals running off of the Laguna Dam to flow water to about 4,000 acres of land about 3 years later. The Colorado River is the biggest reason that the south was developed, the Colorado River is what shaped Yuma, Seeing as we were growing for the need of irrigation, the river’s water was the biggest influence.
And the easiest way to cross this massive river was right through Yuma, which gave us plenty of visitors and put Yuma’s name on the map. After our name got out there, of how we have all this new farming land and a brand new dam. Our population grew massively. Geography had so much to do with the development of Yuma’s irrigation system. Ranging from our impeccable location by the Colorado River and the Gila River, to the fact that we were in the midst of building an all new canal system and the Laguna Dam with an Irrigation Project that would soon transform Yuma for the better. Describe in detail how irrigation changed Yuma/Southern Arizona.
Irrigation has truly shaped Yuma into what is today. Yuma has had a major population growth since 1912 and had so much done to it, such as renovations and 50,000 acres of farming land with flood control and canals. In 1912 Yuma’s population was roughly 7,700 people, and after our canals were put in we grew to about 91,00 in 2012. Before the construction of the Laguna Dam, Yuma had about 7,500 acres of farmland that was irrigated, after the dam was built with increased incredibly fast to 59,450 acres. But Yuma had to keep up with the increasing population, so it decreased slightly to 44,832 acres of irrigated farmland.
People from all over started migrating to Yuma to buy some land and all other kinds of reason. These people included Indians from both sides of the banks and Mexicans from Sonora. In 1887 a bridge was built, It was 187 feet long with a draw that was able to let a Steam engine pass through. After a few weeks, the Southern Pacific got it confirmation it needed and lots and lots rails came in, and Yuma started building its Steam Engine. The new railroad was a huge success and wiped out any confrontation, Soon it bought out the Colorado Steam Navigation Company and Jaeger’s Ferry, so railroads were starting to compete with the ferry’s.
Water is still flowing through the Yuma Siphon which is watering over 50,000 acres of farming land. And the only reason it’s still flowing is because people saw the possibility of success it had. And it is now opened at the Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park. Yuma has changed massively since the canals and Laguna Dam were put in. Ranging from our major population growth all the way to how much land we gained and farming success we have had over the past 100 plus years.
Yuma is now the number one lettuce producing region in the country and produce more vegetables than anyone else, Yuma has had such a amazing agricultural growth. Yuma had to overcome very many challenges which have already been stated. It was not easy but Yuma slowly became the outstanding place it is today all thanks to the Bureau of Reclamation, the Federal government and to all of the people who put there time and money towards the Yuma Project. And to this day Yuma is a successful city and much more populated and advanced due to Yuma’s new advances in technology for the agriculture
