Another unexpected flood, the third of the year, washed down the Colorado River and through the Lower Mexican Heading . But unlike the floods from the previous month, this one scoured the channel making it wider and deeper. This startled Mr. Rockwood to such a degree that he immediately made the decision to close the heading before the larger summer floods arrived.
Construction was started on a dam that was designed in a similar fashion to others that had successfully closed the Upper Mexican Heading in earlier years. It was almost complete when the fourth flood of the year swept the structure away.
All seemed lost to Mr. Rockwood and his engineers and it was feared they might loose control of the river.
Construction of the Dyke at the Lower Mexican Heading Looking South
Note; This picture was actually taken June 1, 1905 and shows the third attempt to close the Lower Mexican Heading . It was used here because photographs from the first and second effort to close the heading cannot be found, but since the photo demonstrates the same methods, efforts, tools, and instruments used to construct the dam described above, it was placed here.
High Resolution Image
Super High Resolution Image
Super High Resolution Image with Super Zoom
Super High Resolution Image with Extended Panoramic View and Super Zoom
Note; The Extended Panoramic View includes the southern end of what would be known as ‘Disaster Island’ and the eastern shore of the Colorado River with trees partially submerged by the enlarged river.
