Dear Editor:

I am prepared to get much criticism, flack and backlashing, but I feel very strong about this subject.

For the past 10 years or so I have been reading and monitoring the meetings held regarding the Arizona Water Settlements Act. I admit that I finished reading the articles with many disgusted and confused feelings.

At many of these meetings, there were people from various groups that I feel had no business being there. Who were they and whom did they represent? Were they just sent there to filibuster/lobby and just prolong the project and extend it beyond the statute of limitations date? Another question—where do they get their funding to participate in all these meetings as they do?

What water are we talking about? With this severe drought that we have had for the past decade or two, by the time the farmers get their meager allotment and Freeport gets theirs for Lake Bill Evans, those "poor" farmers at Redrock and Virden don't have much to work with.

I am no newcomer to the area, as I was born and raised on the Gila 87 years ago. Therefore I know the Gila River and its history pretty well. I lived there until after WWII and labored in many of those nice fertile farms that you now see covered with rocks, sand and gravel.

During these many meetings it appears that the farmers and ranchers who own the ancient water rights on the Gila and San Francisco rivers have had very little input, and when they did, they were "shot" down. They should be very much in the middle of the decision-making.

There is a group of people that keep talking about keeping the Gila as a "wild" river with no dams or diversions. There has been a dam on the Gila River for almost a century. Have you heard of San Carlos Reservoir, near Globe, Arizona, which was created by the constructions of Coolidge Dam (named for President Coolidge, making it almost a century old). There is is Lake Bill Evans, which would qualify as a diversion, would it not?

Let's back up here a little bit in time—some of you were around then and many of you were not. In about the mid-50s, there was a movement to construct a dam on the Gila River.

The first site that was considered was building a dam at the "lower box" of the Gila. The name was to be Conner Dam (in honor of a prominent family in the Redrock area. After much study, this plan was ruled out, because it would cover all of the valley, including all the beautiful farms and the towns of Riverside, Cliff and Gila. Then another dam site was considered, studied and approved. This plan would be to build a dam at the mouth of Turkey Creek on the upper Gila and back up the water into the "wilderness" area. It was to be named Hooker Dam (in honor of the longtime Hooker family of the Gila Valley).

This project was acted upon in Washington, D.C., with funds set aside for it, and with the help of one of our "distinguished" politicians, we were SOLD DOWN THE RIVER, resulting in no dam.

This has been a sore spot with me for these many years, and I will probably get much criticism from the readers, but look what a lake in that area would do for the county. People keep complaining about the loss or revenue and tourism dollars, and this would help this situation a lot. It would not be as large as Elephant Butte, but there would be no comparison as to the beauty and climate between the two.

Another thing that bothers me is why does Silver City and Deming think that they have any right to any of that water. They are in another district.

I mentioned earlier those beautiful fields as I knew them that are now covered with rocks, sand and gravel. That was brought about by another of our government agencies—the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They came in there in the 60s and pushed all those old cottonwoods and willows down and straightened the river channel, thus causing the river to just rush down the channel during flooding season, with no trees, etc. to slow it down. I was told that this was a good idea, if it had been maintained, but it was never maintained resulting in what you see today.

Again, I repeat, how do Silver City and Deming think they fit into the program?

What I predict is that if this is not acted up and settled before the expiration date, some CROOKED POLITICIAN will find a way to run a pipeline to the Rio Grande and sell the water to Las Cruces, El Paso or use it to pay the water debt that New Mexico supposedly owes Texas.

As you know, this plan is already in the legal stages in the Augustine Ranches near Datil to drill wells and pump huge amounts of water into the Rio Grande.

Perhaps you feel that I am too outspoken regarding this subject, but the Gila River Valley is very dear to me and always will be. I have too many fond memories to have some "bureaucrats" come in and erase them without some form of opposition.

Gene Stailey
Mimbres

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.