ANNUAL PRECIPITATION 2 TO 30 INCHES IiJ ANNUAL PRECIPITATION 30 TO 80 INCHES
U. S. Weather BUreGu
Vol. VI No.9 TO OUR MEMBERS:
• FOOD-FORAGE-FIBER-POWER FOR WAR
DEDICATED TO THE TASK OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE WATER FOR A PROFITABLE AND DIVERSIFIED AGRICULTURE IN WESTERN AMERICA-THE CREATION OF NEW HOliES-THE STABILIZATION OF DROUGHT AREAS. THIS WILL MAKE AMERICA STRONG I
-AND POST-WAR PLANNING AT DENVER
1119 NATIONAL PRESS BUILDINGI WASHINGTON. D. C. August
12. i942
YES, THERE WILL BE A RECLAMATION CONVENTION - MUCH AS USUAL - BUT SUBJECT TO CHANGE In answer to numerous inquiries concerning the
1942
Annual Meeting and Conven- tion of the National Reclamation Association - when, where and what kind of ameeting - we are pleased to report that the
1942
meeting will convene in the conven- tion hall of the Shirley-Savoy Hotel in Denver, Colorado, October 14, 15 and 16.The convention is planned as a meeting and conference place for every individual and organization in the seventeen western arid and semiarid states interested in any phase of the irrigation, reclamation, or water conservation proEram. All are
welcome - all are invited to attend.
The Associa tion Directors will convene in Denver on October 12 and 13. Bureau of Reclamation officials will be there to confer, by appointment, with delegations from all sections of the West on any subject pertaininE to the Bureau's work. Offi- cials of the Army Engineers and the Farm Security Administration and other federal agencies will also be in Denver.
Joseph Eastman, Coordinator of Defense Transportation, is reported to have said that he recognizes the values to the nation's economy and well being which come from the annual meetings a~d conventions of business and development associations. It is understood that, at least until further notice, he is leaving the size and type of such meetings up to the judgment of the officers of the respective organizations.
Mr. Eastman is reported to have made one suggestion - that people Who attend conven- tions for a good time instead of for the business at hand should this year stay at home, this to include both men and women.
Your
1942
convention program, now nearing completion, will be flexible enough so that it can be adjusted to any emergency that might grow out of our war effortsbetween now and convention time.
Better start planning now to be there; it's only about two months away!
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A FAREWELL MESSAGE TO 'THE WEST FROM CONGRESSMA.N LEAVY
Just before leaving the Nation's Capital for his home 'state of Washington to be sworn in as a federal judge, Congressman Charles H. Leavy, one of the greatest cham- pions of the federal roclamation program in Congress, in a letter of appreciation to the National 'Reclamation Association, wrote in part as follows:
"Whi le consi derable has been accomplished in recent years in behal f of reclamation, the task that lies ahead is still one of great magnitude and
OFFICERS O. S. WARDEN. PRESIDENT ORA BUNDY. FIRST VICE·PRESIDENT ROBERT W. SAWYER. SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT J. A. FORD. TREASURER
F. O. HAGlE. SECRETARY-MANAGER
HUGO B. FARMER. YUMA. ARIZONA J. R. FAUVER. EXETER. CALIFORNIA CLIFFORD H. STONE. DENVER. COLORADO N. V. SHARP. FILER. IDAHO
E. PORTER AHRENS. SCANDIA. KANSAS O. S. WARDEN. GREAT FALLS. MONTANA
DIRECTORS H. D. STRUNK. MC COOK. NEBRASKA A. M. SMITH. CARSON CITY. NEVADA E. W. BOWEN. TUCUMCARI. NEW MEXICO HARRY E. POLK. WILLISTON. NORTH DAKOTA FRANK RAAB. OKLAHOMA CITY. OKLAHOMA
ROBERT W. SAWYER. BEND. OREGON W. D. BUCHHOLZ. NEWELL. SOUTH DAKOTA R. E. BASKIN. SEYMOUR. TEXAS ORA BUNDY. OGDEN. UTAH J. A. FORD. SPOKANE. WASHINGTON PERRY W. JENKINS. CORA. WYOMING
Bulletin No.9 - 2 August 12,-1942
it will require patience, perseverence, and tolerant understanding of all the people who live in the west€rn half of the United States.
"I hope and trust that your organization will continue its effective and active labors in behalf of reclamation through the years to come."
* * * * *
**
A NEW RECLAl'1A.'rION HhNDBOOK JUST OFF TEE PRESS
A 99-page handbook on reclamation, prepared by the Information Division of the Bureau of Reclamation (and available from the Superintend~nt of Documents at 20; per copy) is just off the press. Eighty pages divided into ten chapters cover all phases of the subject; an appBndix of ten pages amplifies the story with eleven very inform- ative tables; and an addenda supplements the study with charts, maps and graphs.
It is the most complete and informative handbook on reclamation ever published.
Because of this fact the National Reclamation Association has mailed a copy to each member for immediate use and for his reclamation library. We hope you will study the book and put its information to use in behalf of your respective areas and the West.
* * * * * * *
APPARENT TRENDS AS BE1~.zEEN POWER AND IRRIGATION IN THE FEDERAL RECLAMATION PROGRAM .
-
WPB Restricts Power Expansion Plan
Over-expa.nsion of our war plant, considering the raw material which is available for the manufacture of arrl.ament s, apparen tly has curtailed the demand for hydro- electric power. The WALL STRt~ET JOURlJAL of July 29, 1942 states that:
"The War Production Board has decided to abandon about
40%
of its former projected ~ower expansion program in order to save l:l8.terials, primarily metals, for immediate war production and to provide efectric- ity for new and growing war plant areas."By loppinr; off
40%
of the new power supply it had originally contem- plated" WPB has appn.ren tly cOmTl1it ted it self to rn. ti oning electricity in most non-indus·trial areas where civilians will be required to minimize use in order to live wi thin existin.g supplies."It is understood that the WPB decision will expedite the construction of such power plants as can be brought into production by late 1943. Nearly everything else, it appears, will be stopped unless the project is far enough along and has most of its critical material on the ground, in which case it appears the construction might be a llowed to worry along, o.t least for the time being. It appears that this change of power policy will stop several Bureau of Reclarration power projects now contem- plated, or under construction, and vull probably prevent any new projects being undertaken in the immediate future, except in areas where the War Production Board may be I planning additional plant capacity and where sufficient power" even by ratiofr
ing for non-defense purposes, can not be made available by other means.
~ Bulletin No.9 ..
3
August12, 1942
More Irrigation Now Depends Upon Food Require~S~udy Which Is Underway The extent to which the irrigation and water conservation features of the feder- al reclamation and Great Plains programs are to be expedited, or rushed to completion, will depend largely, we believe, upon the decisions soon to be reached by the Depart- ment of Agriculture which is making a survey on this year's production of foods and fibers, and, upon the basis of anticipated needs ,will estimate the
1943
requirements of food and fiber to feed and clothe the United States, her soldiers here and abroad, and also supply our Lease-Lend commitments to our allies and the United Nations.This should be known by mid-September when the Bureau is scheduled to submit its contemplated construction program for the fiscal year 1944 to the Bureau of the
Budget for approval or revision.
• * * • * * *
COMMISSIONER PAGE COMPLETES FIELD CONFEREHCES ON APPROPRIATIONS FOR' FISCAL YEAR
1944
Accompanied by Mr. S. M. Dodd, Chief Budget Examiner for the Bureau of the Budget,. Commissioner ~age has just completed a series of meetings at Denver, Boise, Grand Coulee, Portland, Redding, Sacramento, and Boulder City, to determine budp;et requirements to carry forward construction on all Bureau of Reclamation projects during the fiscal year1944.
Mr. Page is due in Washll!gton Aug~st15.
* * * * " " *
WESTERN BEET GROWERS ASSOCIATION CALLS DENVER CONFERENCE OCTOBER
13
This is a conference of men and representatives of organizations who are inter- ested in expanding the sugar beet industry in the West - either now or afte~ the war.
That there is much fot such a conference to consider is emphasized by a statement attributed to l'1rs. Franklin D. Roosevelt appearing in the New York Times. July 11, from which we quote the following:
"I hope and pray that we wontt encourage the beet sugar industry, be- cause it has always had to be subsidized and always took advantage of cheap labor that had to go on relief the rest of the year ••• It
In view of such unjustified and uncontradicted statements emanating from high places, it is apparent that both educational and political effort will be needed to prevent many branches of American agriculture from being ,sacrificed to the cultiva- tion of internatiol~l goodWill at the close of the war. Forward-looking business men and farmers alike, from all sections of the West, could well afford to give thought and attention now to matters of such importance to the future economy of the Hest.
Why not align yourselves with the Western Beet Growers Association to help Save and extend one of the West's great industries?
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"SELECTED PROBLEMS IN THE LAW OF WATER RIGHTS IN THE WEST" - NOW OFF PRESS
The above is the ti tIe of a 500-page book recently published by the Department of Agriculture, and prepared under the supervision of the Solicitor by Wells A.
Hutchins, LL.B.
Bulletin No. 9 -
4
August 12, 1942The publication was inspired by, and is largely in response to, Resolution No.
11,
passed by the1938
convention of this Association, which reads, in part, as follows:"Be It Resolved, That we urge the officers of this Association that they lend their cooperation to have nade a critical analysis and compari- son of the water district laws of all the member states ••• n
The Association is indebted to the Solicitor of the Department of Agriculture, to the Bureau of A~ricultural Economics, the Soil Conservation Service, the Farm Security Administration, the Water Facillties Board, and Wells A. Hutchins.
The following sentences quoted from the preface will indicate something of the value of the book to everyone who is interested in water law everywhere in tho West:
" •••• It is generally agreed in the West that some of the provisions of the sta~e water codes, particularly as interpreted and supplemented by
judicial decisions and administrative interpretations, stand in the way of effic ient and equitable conservation and utilization of waters. Agree- ment is far less sure, however, when one seeks to break down this general- ization into specific provisions of specific codes that need amendment.
The law of water ri.ghts is a highly specialized branch of the law, and within the last few years its rate of change has been noticeably acceler- ated. It happens, also that the most recent eenerul text on this subject is mOTe than
25
years old. The present study attempts, therefore, to pre- sent a current organization and description of the law of water rights in the West, in the hope that it may serve as a common starting point for those in the State and National Governments, in the universities and else- where, who seek such changes in these legal institutions as are appropri- ate to release the waters of the West for their richest contributiom to our national Iife.
nWe urge those interested to order a copy today from the Superintendent of Docu- ments. Price is $1.00 in buckram b indine. It is known as "Mis cellaneous Publica- tion No. 418.1t
* * * * * * *
STUDY COI1PARES REPAYMENT COSTS OF NON-FEDERAL AND FEDERAL IRRIGATION PROJECTS As the result of proposals that private or non-federal irrigation districts, which have been refinanced by the RFC and are payine
4%
interest on their loans, should have the interest charges paid out of the federal reclalllr.'1.tion revolving fund in order to place non-federal districts on a more comparable repayment basis with interest-free federal projects, the Bureau of Reclamation has just fini shed a study at the request of the National Reclamation Association. The study compares the in- debtedness and repayment costs of all federal and non-federal projects by states.The study discloses that repayment costs as reported by the RFC for all districts which it had refinanced up to June
30, 1941,
even while paying interest, were already less than similar charges of federa 1 projects by from 6.59 per cent to 1036 per cent.The National Reclamation Association will soon issuo a special bulletin showing the comparison in detail for the knowledge of our membership.
Respoctfully submitted,
F. 0. Hagie, Secretary-Manager P .S'e Hope to see you in Denver.
