PIPE SPRING Cultures at a Crossroads: An Administrative History

The Rose Report

Bob Rose soon backed up Frank Pinkley's position on Pipe Spring's water with his investigation of September 12-17, 1933, at the monument. On September 19 he submitted his 54-page report to Pinkley, entitled "Report of Water Resources and Administrative Problems at the Pipe Spring National Monument." After reviewing the document, Pinkley sent a copy of Rose's report to Director Cammerer on October 12 with Pinkley's hearty endorsement of Rose's conclusions. (See Appendix IV.) In December Chief Engineer Kittredge was also sent a copy.

Rose began by describing the relative locations of springs and seeps at the monument. He identified these as the historic spring, big spring, tunnel spring, and seep spring (west of the fort, also called "west slope seep"). These are shown in a sketch map from the report (see figure 60).

60. Sketch map showing location of springs, September 1933
(Drawn by Robert H. Rose, courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79).
(click on image for an enlargement in a new window - ~46K)

61. Overflow pipe at upper meadow pool, September 1933 (Photograph by Robert H. Rose, courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79).

He then measured the flow of each of the springs, using various measuring techniques, described in his report. The historic spring (located under the west end of the upper house) produced a flow of 5.67 gallons per minute. The big spring (located 25 feet from the southwest corner of the fort) produced an average of 27.77 gallons per minute. Both of these springs flowed into the fort ponds, or interlocking pools, as Rose referred to them. Together, their flow equaled 33.44 gallons per minute. [803] The flow from tunnel spring (located just north of the upper meadow pool) was measured at the point of overflow from the upper meadow pool. Its flow was 7.7 gallons per minute. The overflow from the upper meadow pool was carried in a small ditch to the cattlemen's reservoirs just outside the southwest boundary of the monument. "This is all the water cattlemen have been getting during the summer of 1933," Rose reported. [804] The combined flow of the three springs was 41.14 gallons per minute. Rose also determined the west slope seep produced about .05 gallons per minute.

It is important to interject here that the big spring identified by Rose was later determined not to be a separate spring at all but only subsurface diversion from the historic spring placed by Edwin D. Woolley, probably in the 1880s. In 1937 Park Service Hydraulic Engineer A. van V. Dunn opined there were only two significant springs on the monument, the historic spring and tunnel spring. [805] In fact, tunnel spring was man-made through excavation into the main water source in the early 1900s. The only two true springs at the monument are the one that emerges under the fort and the one by the west cabin, which is a seep spring.

Pipe Spring water was being distributed in the following manner at the time of Rose's investigation: three-fourths of the water from the interlocked pools was going to the Indian Service (nine out of every twelve days); one-fourth of the water from these pools was used by Heaton to irrigate the 2.5-acre meadow and to water trees; and the cattlemen were getting the overflow from the upper meadow pool.

Improvements to tunnel spring - cleaning the tunnel entrance and constructing a flume - would only increase the total output of the combined springs by 3.42 gallons per minute, an increase of only about 10 percent, estimated Rose. He described the geological conditions and how these affected the springs. While he recommended improvements to tunnel spring, Rose warned against enlarging or extending it "because of the great danger of tapping the historic or big springs." [806] In reality, tunnel spring probably already compromised the flow of the main spring by tapping into it.

The meadow pools, according to information from Charles C. Heaton, were regarded by Mr. Mather "as an addition to the beauty of the little meadow," reported Rose. It appeared they had been constructed with the approval of Mather and Pinkley in 1926. "The burden of evidence will be found to prove these pools were designed for their scenic effect and approved with that end in mind," Rose noted. [807] At the time of Rose's visit, Heaton's stables and poultry sheds were located east of the meadow ponds. These were later moved and located near the monument's south boundary to be less visible.

62. Custodian Leonard Heaton's stables and poultry sheds, east of meadow ponds, September 1933
(Photograph by Robert H. Rose, courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79).

Rose argued that the Heaton family did not create the monument's water problems. Heaton Brothers of Moccasin, stated Rose, "are but one of thirteen people or groups of people belonging to the organization that is interested in watering cattle from the waters of Pipe Springs. The Heaton cattle usually comprise less than one-third of all the cattle involved in this watering problem." [808] In a section entitled "Claims of Various Contestants to Pipe Springs Water," Rose reviewed the claims of the cattlemen, National Park Service, and the Indian Service. He seemed particularly incensed at the attitude of Dr. Farrow, who always talked of Pipe Spring water in terms of, Rose reported, "CONCESSIONS which the Indian Service was willing to make to the Park Service...as though the Indian Service was in complete charge of parceling out these waters." [809]

With regard to Arizona water law in the case of Pipe Spring, Rose maintained that one-third of Pipe Spring water belonged to the cattlemen and the remainder to the Park Service. The monument proclamation only gave the Indian Service the "privilege" of using surplus water if it was available, argued Rose. Then Rose made the case that the Indians were not making efficient use of the water they were receiving either from Pipe Spring, reservation water sources, or Moccasin Spring. Rose reported that the Kaibab Paiute had a 3.11-acre cornfield and garden plot near the "Indian Pool" (reservoir) just outside the southeast edge of the monument. Leonard Heaton and his father, Charles C. Heaton, told Rose the output of the big and historic springs and tunnel spring was sufficient to irrigate 15 acres in addition to meeting the needs of cattlemen. Since the Indians were receiving three-fourths of the water, Rose calculated they should have enough water to irrigate 11.25 acres. "It would appear, therefore, that no great need or emergency for water exists on the part of these Indians, who are raising 3.11 acres of crops where they should, properly directed, be raising more than 10 acres." [810] Rose then discussed sources of water located on the reservation (the North Seep Indian Spring and Two Mile Wash) and argued that these too were not being well utilized. Several local Moccasin residents told Rose the Indians were not even using their share of Moccasin Spring water efficiently. The obvious implication underlying Rose's arguments was that the Indians were undeserving of additional water from Pipe Spring since they were not making efficient use of what they already had available to them.

63. Indian pond/reservoir, located southeast of the fort area on reservation land, September 1933.
A 3.11-acre corn patch and garden was located below the pond.
(Photograph by Robert H. Rose, courtesy National Archives, Record Group 79).

On the other hand, the Park Service had a solemn trust to keep with the Church, Rose argued:

The Monument area is 40 acres. The early Mormons had orchards, gardens, and many more trees than are now on the Monument. With the reservation of the Winsor Castle there was also the reservation of its setting. For increased cultivation and irrigation of the future, and with increased needs for tourists and the Custodian's residence and public facilities, it would seem unwise to turn over 99 percent of the water to the Indian Service after the Cattlemen have been recognized.... If we give away all but a figurative spoonful of this monument's water and cannot carry out the development of gardens, orchards, trees, and meadows, we will be breaking the faith Mr. Mather developed with the heads of the Mormon Church....

The Mormon Church had faith in Mr. Mather's desire to recognize the rights of the Cattlemen. They were also enthusiastic about Mr. Mather's intense interest in restoration of the place to its old historic standard. To do both of these things will require that (1) we recognize the Cattlemen's legal or moral right to the water as the case may be, and (2) that we guarantee ourselves the necessary amount of water to care for all of the needs, present and future, of the monument. [811]

Rose did not address the fact that the National Park Service had already substantially modified the landscape. Also lacking was any documentation on the appearance of the original landscape and any evidence that "many more trees" existed. [812] Nonetheless, Rose urged the following action:

Landscape architects should cooperate with us at once in working out definitely the future needs in trees, meadows, orchards, and gardens for an historical restoration of the Monument. The Engineers should then promptly have someone familiar with Irrigation Engineering submit figures on water the National Park Service needs for this restoration, and for residential and tourists' needs. We will then know just how much water we can turn over as surplus above our needs to the Indians. [813]

Rose concluded his report with the following statement:

The entire Mormon Church has a live interest in this most important historic landmark to their early pioneers. The Mormon Church fully expects us to bring the property up to Park standards by a full and complete restoration of Winsor Castle and its setting. To accomplish this end, most if not all, of the water to which we now have legal right will be needed. Whatever is then surplus can be utilized by the Indians. [814]

While the water question now lay at the doors of officials in Washington, unprecedented planning activities were taking place back at Pipe Spring National Monument.