We visited the Hidalgo Pumping Station which served to pump water from the Rio Grande river, lift the water nearly 25 feet and discharge the water into irrigation canals serving Hidalgo county which includes McAllen, Mission, Edinburg and Pharr.
The confluence of farmers from the Midwest, land developers, steam engines and many Mexican nationals fleeing the 1910 Mexican revolution evolved into a plan to irrigate the entire Rio Grande valley. This pumping station, along with others, was built to move water to fertile fields for agricultural products sent north.
Water was pulled from the Rio Grande river by these large intake pipes.
Mesquite wood was harvested for fuel for these boilers to create 150 psi steam to power engines.
Steam engines, including a Corliss engine, were replaced in time by engines powered by oil and then natural gas.
This is one of the pumps used to move great quantities of water.
Output water was sent through these gates into the canal system.
A photo, courtesy of Google Maps, of the area around Pharr, TX, showing the canals and grids of agricultural land. These canals extended all the way to Brownsville, said to be the largest irrigation system of its type in the world.
Lisa was our tour guide around the site. Exterior landscaping and bird sanctuary areas have been added by donations and grants.
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