MEXICO RECLAIMS ARID LANDS WITH THREE GIANT DAMS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6843, 22 February 1929, Page 5

MEXICO RECLAIMS ARID LANDS WITH THREE GIANT DAMS

WILL WATER 365,000 ACRES. MEXICO CITY, Jan. 15. The Mexican Government reports good progress on three major irrigation works costing £3,200,000 and designed to impound water for the cultivation of 365,000 acres which are being built by an American construction concern and under the guidance of reclamation experts from the United States. These projects are the most important of their kind in Mexico and they are giving employment to more than 6000 workers, both American and Mexican. They will open up vast areas of arid rind to agriculture and will also greatly increase Mexico’s electric power. They were begun during tho regime of President Calles and were largely due to his initiative. The smallest of these works is now in partial operation and the others will be placed in service during 1929. The biggest is the Don Martin Dam situated on the Salado River, about 50 miles south of the city of Nueve Laredo in the State of Neuvo Loon, northeastern Mexico. Not only will this be tlie largest dam in Mexico but it will bo one of the greatest in North America. It will irrigate 165,000 acres.

It will include 2,500,000 cubic yards of earth and 175,000 cubic yards of concrete. The dam and other works connected with it, such as roads and canals, will represent an expenditure of £2,000,000. The Government has under consideration several power developments for this print and as parts of the pro ject schools, demonstration farms and co-operative associations nro being organised. Many of them stc already in operation. The second of these undertakings is the Calles Dam on the Santiago River, 20 miles north of the city of Aguascalientes in the heart of Mexico. This will be a concrete dam 220 feet. high. AVater to irrigate, 50,000 acres will be Impounded, and tho contractors announce that it will be in operation by April. The dam now in operation is on the Rio Mantc in the State of Tamaulipas, 100 miles from in southeastern Mexico. It is supplying water from which 50,000 acres are being irrigated.