Why Is It Important To Build The Yuma Project

Irrigation in Yuma

The Yuma Project was and still today is a very important historical element. This was build to irrigate and provide water to the crops and land in the Yuma County and some of the Imperial County. It took over 13 years to finalize and finish the project. This was the very first important dam that they would ever build. There were many situations that the laborers had to conquer and get over with to build this and preserve this dam.

The Yuma Project was an importance of people for a long time for different groups. The project would cause a big impact throughout Yuma’s population. The Yuma History sympathizes the three main cultures of Hispanics, American Indians, Anglo America. The Yuma Crossing was a very important communication

For example floods were a big part to the development of the project. This was a hard problem for the developers building the project, it was hard for them to overcome this. As this quote states “One major flood occurred in 1912. A larger flood hit the Yuma Project in 1916, breaking previous records. Flood water from the Gila River began rising on January 18, 1916, and by January 22 flowed over the lower Reservation levee causing 800 feet in breaks”. The Yuma Project took over 12 years to build most of it. So, if there were floods happening often it would take even more time to finally build the whole project. Another big problem of the developers encountered were even their own selves. This was because of the hinder that World War 1, this war caused the lack of both skilled and unskilled workers. This was a big problem because those laborers that were unskilled of the job they had to do, would use additional water that they didn’t have to use. This would cause a chemical named alkali to rise up to the exterior. “Unskilled laborers received $2.25-$3.00 a day while skilled workers collected $4.50-$5.256.” This showed that the government had more interest on workers that were more skilled and were willing to pay more of a wage for them, then the ones that were unskilled and needed the money as well. To build the Yuma Project they needed the approvement of the President. This was a sort of problem but not a really big one due to the fact that it would pay off at the end. As the quote says “Reclamation purchased the property of the local irrigation and ditch companies and maintained their operation until the project could supply water.” This showed that even before the project water wasn’t available to even begin the task. The laborers also had a hard time controlling the Colorado River as it states in the