WEALTH IN WATER

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ANNUAL PRECIPITATION 2 TO 30 INCH£S \iii ANNUAL PRECIPITATION 30 TO eo INCHES

U. S. Weather Bureau

Vol. VI No. 1

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OCTOBER 15·16·17 ARE THE DATES

DEDICATED TO THE TASK OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE WATER FOR A PROnTABLE AND DIVERSlnED AGRICULTURE IN WESTERN AMERICA-THE CREATION OF NEW HOMES-THE STABILIZATION OF DROU&HT AREAS. THIS WILL MAKE AMERICA STRONG I

MEETING

November 27. 1941

DID WE TAKE THE PHOENIX PEOPLE AT THEIR WORD?

Yes, we accepted the invitation from Phoenix -- 939 of us from twenty-two states -- and we were never more royally entertained anywhere, and never have we had a more satisfactory three-day conference on irrigation-reclamation and water conservation issues.

Those who did not go to Phoenix really missed the opportunity of participat-- ing in an epoc-making meetine because the convention, through its resolutions, took rather positive action on a number of subjects, including the disposal of incidental hydro-electric power, a substitute for regional authorities, outline of post-defense acctivities, etc.

PRINTED PROCEEDIHGS OF PHOENIX CONVENTION

~rinted proceedings of the Phoenix convention, including all. programmed addresses, committee reports and resolutions, are now on the press and will soon be mailed to all members in good standing (those whose dues are paid for the year ending October 1, 1942).

PRIORITIES ON BUREAU OF RECLAMATION PROJECTS

Because there is not enough steel, copper and-many other strate-gic-mate'!-'ials~

_nor -enough labor and machinery to fabricate them for an all-out defense program and for all non-defense needs, the federal government has allotted all such materials and productive capacity to the Army and Navy which, after holding for their own use what they require, issue -priorities on material remaining. Defense preference priority ratings-range-from A-I to A-lO. Non-defense priorities range from B-1 on down the alphabet.

Largely through the persistent efforts of Mr. E. W. Rising of Idaho, 10 federal reclamation projects have received ratings of A-IO or better. Until recently, when the government put Russian lend-lease materials above all other priorities,

including our own Army requirements, we have shared the belief with Mr. Rising that at least an A-IO rating could be secured for all federal reclamation projects, including Case-Wheeler projects which are now approved or under construction. At the moment, the possibility of securing priority rating in the nAu class for' all reclamation items and projects does not seem too bright, but the situation could easily

improve after the first rush to equip Russia is ·over.

The projects which have received ratings, together with their standings, are as follows:

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 c. E. ALTER. ALMA. NEBRASKA A. M. SMITH. CARSON CITY. NEVADA E. W. BOWEN. TUCUMCARI. NEW MEXICO HARRY E. POLK. WILLISTON. NORTH DAKOTA FRANK RAAB. CANTON. 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

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Bulletin No. 1 - 2

PROJEC'f Boulder Dam Keswick Dam

Grand Coulee Power Units Shasta Dam

Green Mountain Dam Colorado-Big Thompson Davis Dam

Parker Dam Anderson Ranch Cascade Dam

STATE Arizona-Nevada

California Washington California Colorado Colorado

Arizona-Nevada Arizona-Nevada

Idaho Idaho

November 27 ^I 1941

PRIORITY RATING A-l-C

A-2 A-I-C A-l-E A-3 A-IO

A-2

A-I-C A-3

A-5

The following projects and items are now in the mill and should be given priority rating at an early date:

All-American Cenal Tucumcari

Provo Fria.nt Dam

Material to protect all projects against sabotage

California New Mexico Utah

California All states

It is understood that a project enjoying an A-IO or higher preference rating which may need steel or other strategic materials. may, upon application, secure a substantially higher priority number for the specific material needed to permit work to be continued.

IRRIGATION DISTRICTS BENEFIT FROM PRIORITY Al'ffiNDHENTS

A number of amendments .xo preference rating order P-22, covering repair, maintenance, and operating supplies, have recently been announced by OPMts Priorities Division. The changes are designed to assist important industries heretofore not specifically covered by the order.

One amendment brings within the terms of the order irrigation districts and water users associations. Another amen~~ent extends the assistance of the order to those using tools or equipment to repair or maintain the property of other pro- ducers. Priority assistance is thus extended to independent contractors and others, such as machine and repair shops and blacksmiths.

Several western men, including Phil Swing of California, have contributed to the securing of these amendments.

RECLAMATION BUDGET ES~IMATES FOR NEXT YEAR

It is understood that Bureau of Reclamation officials have appeared before the Bureau of the Budget on several occasions in behalf of budget estimates for the fiscal year 1943'. In view of the general confu sion growing out of the defense effort, however, it is doubtful if the Administration has as yet adopted a definite policy as to the part which straight reclamation projects, without featur~s to provide hydro-electric power for defense industries, will be called upon to play in the defense program -- and this in spite of the fact that Secretary of Agriculture Wickard and Secretary of the Treasury Morgenthau are calling upon American

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Bulletin No. 1 - 3 ^November 21, 1941

agriculture for the increased production of meat, dairy and poultry products, fruits and ver,etnbles for lend-lease to England, China, Russia as well as toward the creation of stockpiles of the same products for post-war peace purposes.

Moves are underway which we hope may clarify this matter and which rray demon- strate that the irrigation of new lands is necessary to achieve the goal set. In the meantime, however, it appears that the Bureau of the Budget may be influ~nced

largely by priority ratings which reclamation projects are able to obtain.

ANOTHER SUGAR BILL UP FOR EARLY ACTION

On November 7 Sena.tors Ada.ms of Colorado and O'I"hhoney of Wyoming introduced S. 2041, and Congressman Fulmer of South Carolina introduced H. R. 5787 a compan- ion bill. The bill caught many of the sugar interests flat-footed. It increased benefit payments from 60t to 801 per hundred, increases the domestic beet quota about 4%, and would be effective for three years. It is doubtful if provisions of the bill will arouse much enthusiasm in newly irrigated areas where substantial increases in acreage are badly needed.

Your congressmen and senators should know your views on the matter at an early date because the bill is supposed to get onto the House floor for early consideration.

RESOLUTIONS BY RECLAMATION ASSOCL~TION, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ASSOCIATION, AND NATIONAL RIVERS AND HARBORS COFGRESS ALL SEEK SUBSTITUTES FOR ttAUTHORITIES"

Western opponents of Regional Authorities, who believe that legislation to expand the spheres of the Bureau of Reclarration, the Army Engineers, and the Depart- nent of Agriculture and coordinate their planning and construction activities so that they might undertake any type of multiple-purpose project on any stream basin of the country, will be glad to know that following the adoption of a resolution at the Phoenix meetinG by this Association, similar resolutions were adopted by the 11ississippi Valley Association at its meeting in St. Louis last month and by the National Rivers and Harbors Congress at its recent meeting in MiaIui. Steps are now being taken t o have such legis lat ion drafted for consideration this winter.

WESTERN WATER LAW

We have asked Senator Hayden to send to those we think may be interested a brief discussion of water law in the western states and of the part which water

law plays in determinil:.g the uses made of western land which were kindly supplied us by the Depart~ent of Agriculture. In fact, the discussion merely summarizes the chapter on sta te wuter laws in the Agriculture Depa.rtment ^ts public~tion "state Legislation for Bette~' L'l.nd Use".

The leaflet is designed for use of persons and groups interested in water use planning, but will be of value and interest to many laymen in the irrigation states.

A lfgt~ COLm-lEIA P01rlER AUTHORITY BILL

On November 19 Congressman Hill of Washington introduced H. R. 6076, a new power authority bill for the Columbi.a River area in the Pacific Northwest. It is understood that the new bill was drafted by the Bureau of the Budget and therefore probably has White House approval.

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Bulletin No. 1 - 4 ^November^{27, 1941}

From the study which Judge Clifford H. Stone and others of us here in Wash- ington have been able to give tho bill, it appears that the authors have made a real effort to limit the purpose of the bill to an agency for the disposal of power, and to protect to the utmost the irrigation-reclamation interests of the area. We believe the intent of the authors was very much in line with the resolutions passed at Phoenix concerning needed legislation for the disposal of hydro- electric energy from federal reclamation-power projects. In some instances, however, we feel that the language of the bill is not sufficiently definite to

guarantee the results which the reclamation interests desire, particularly in re- ference to the portion of the cost of the project which power shall repay, as well as in other vital matters.

In order to be specific, we are submitting herewith a series of amendments which we believe, if adopted, would absolutely aSsure protection to the reclamation interests of the Northwest, and if this power bill should become a model for other areas, would in turn assure the reclamation interests in those areas of the necessary protection wherever the provisions of this bill might be applied

throughout the West.

We have asked Senator Hayden of Arizona to mail a copy of H.R. 6067 to those we think will be interested. We ask that you study the bill, and study the amendments herewith submitted, and then advise your congressmen and senators of your approval, or disapproval, with or without our suggested amendments, or such amendments as you may think desirable.

SUGGESTED A!'ENDMENTS TO H.R. 6067 ^J NOVEMBER 19, 1941 BY HILL OF WASHINGTON

On page I, line 6, strike all of section 2 and substitute therefor the following:

"It is hereby declared to be the permanent policy of the Congress that the power facilities of the Bonneville project (now being operated under provisional legislation) and of the Grand Coulee Dam project, the power facilities -buil t or acquired under this Act, and the power facilities of other Federal projects in the region to the extent power therefrom is marketed under this Act shall be operated so that they will promote wide and efficient use of electric energy, facilitate in the public interest the development of the land, water, and mineral resources of the Pacific Northwest, provide for the national defense, promote the general welfare, and protect and encourage commerce among the States."

On page 4, l'~ne 3, after the word "electrici ty" a.nd before the colon, insert the following:

"Or with the use or control of water in the region."

On page 8 ^J line 19, after the word "section, ⁿ strike 11 (a) (5) and substitute 15 (b) (6) •.

On page 15, line 2, strike all of section 13 (a) and substitute therefor the following:

"RATE SCHEDULES.-Electric power and energy available for sale at wholesale under this Act shall be sold at rates fixed and established at

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Bulletin ~o. 1 - 5 ^November n·) ¹⁹⁴¹

levels calculated to produce revenues sufficient to meet the payments authorized by -paragraphs (1) to (5) inclusive of section.;l7 (d) of this Act. In order to permit use of electricity throughout as broad an area as possible, the said rates may be uniform throughout the region or throughout prescribed transmission areas. The schedules of rates and .charges for the power and energy to be marketed at wholesale under this Act as prepared by the Administrator shall be subject-to the approval of the Federal Power Commission."

Page 22, line 19, after the word "Treasury," strike the entire paragraph and substitute therefor the following:

n To provide for the orderly return of certain moneys heretofore or hereafter invested in projects from which power is made available for sale under this Act, the Authority's indebtedness on account of such investment shall be fixed and determined by it, with the concur- rence of the Secretary of the Treasury, in the manner in this section provided.-"

Page 23, between line 18 and 19, insert the following paragraph and renumber subsequent paragraphs in section 15 (b ).,

"Sec. 15 (b) (3). To aid in financing the irrigation features of the Grand Coulee Dam project, all of the remaining costs of the Grand Coulee Dam project other than (i) the amounts which the Secre- tary of the Interior estimates those to whom v-Jater will be available from the said project can repay in the manner required by the Feder- al Reclamation Law, and (ii) such other amounts thereof as the Secretary of the Interior and the Federal Power Commission ITny allo- cate to electric facilities of other downstream federal projects

determines are not properly allocable to the Authority's indebtedness."

Page 24, ^line3, strike entire paragraph and insert in lieu thereof the following:

"Sec. 15 (b) (6). Portions of the costs of other Federal pro'- jects from which power is made available under Section 9 (c) for marketing by the Authority as agreed on under said Sec. 9 (c) by the Authority, the Federal .p ower Conrrnis s ion, and the agency au thor i zed by law to operate and maintain such other projects, or in such other manner as the Congress may direct."

Page 28, line 12, after the word ltact" and before the semicolon. insert the following:

"paJ~ent for energy purchased or for expenses to be met by the Author- i typursuant to agreenents made under section 9 (c) of this Act."

Page 31, line II., after the word "section" strike "11 tt and insert in lieu thereof !t15" .•

Page 31, line 11, at the end of the line after the word Ifact'! and before the semicolon, insert the followingr

"excluding the amount charged -to the Authority under paragraph 3 of Section 15 ^(a)"

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Bulletin No. 1 - 6 November 27, 1941

Page 32, line 2, after (2) insert the following;

nand (3)"

THIS BULLETiN IS LAST THA.T WILL GO TO NON-PAYING tIEMBERS

By action of the Board of Directors, this is the last mailing that will be sent to anyone who is not a paid-up member of this Association, (except at the specific request of a Director). We, therefore, urge those of you who are not paid-up members and who desire to keep in touch with the irrigation-reclamation and water conservation program of the West and who desire to'eontinue your association wi th the water-minded people of the seventeen western ·states·, to send 'in your

dollar bill, check, or money order promptly to the National Reclamation Associatio~

1119 National Press Building., Washington, D. C.» and thereby continue to receive these bulletins, as well as copy of the printed proceedings of the 'Phoenix conven~

tion \~ich will be off the press in a week or tW0. We thank you for your coopera- tion.

FIVE STATES PLAN S TATE RECLAMATIon ASSOC IA TIons

At the Phoenix convention, the following five states announced their inten- tior.tS of forming state reclarm tion associations: New l"lexico, Nebraska, Utah, Oklahoma, and Arizona. New Mexico had their organization meeting on November 21- 22 at Albuquerque.

We wish all states success in setting up effective organizations that can crystalize public sentiment in their states that will bring about a united front on water development matters.

WILL FOOD WIN THE WAR AND WRIT~ THE PEACE?

Secretary Wickard, and his colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, have pretty well covered the ITition to organize an unprecedented agricultural production.

It is understood that they expect the Middle West and West to produce the meat, dairy and poultry products, and canned fruits and vegetables, which must be shipped abroad. The point is -- can this be done without expediting the irrigation program to furnish supplemental water where needed and to complete projects that will bring

in new productive lands?

Friends of reclamation should stress with their congressmen and senators the part which their irrigated projects might play in this program, if given the opportunity.

PRESIDENT WARDEN WILL BE IN WASHINGTON DECEMBER 10

President O. S. Warden plans to be in Washington about December 10 to assist in working out details of some of the problems outlined by the Phoenix resolutions.

Respectfully submitted,

F. O. Hagie, Secretary-Manager National Reclamation Association

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Fellow Members:

At the Phoenix convention in October, George H. Maxwell of Phoenix was honored as "Father of the Re- clamation Act of 1902." Below is copy of a clipping from the Morning Oregonian of July 31, 1902, Portland, Oregon, furnished us by Lewis A. McArthur, then on the Oregonian staff. Mr. McArthur is now an official of the Pacific Power & Light Company of that city.

The article written more than 39 years ago, about a month after the Federal Reclamation Act had been signed by President Theodore Roosevelt, is of real historical value because it outlines the reclamation program as its founder visualized it would develop and what it would mean to the West and the Nation.

WEALTH IN WATER

What Irrigation Will Do for the Northwest.

WHATAN EXPERTSAYSABOUTIT

George H. l\laxwell, Cha,irman of National Irrigation Association, Talks to

Business Men About Future of the State.

George H. Maxwell, the executive chair- man of the National Irrigation Association, was in the city yesterday, en route from the East to San Francisco, via the North- west. Mr. Maxwell was entertained at the Arlington Club by S. M. Brannick, to meet the president of the Chamber of Commerce, and .T. M. Moore, of the Board of Trade. O. F. Paxton and Henry W.

Goode were of the party, and after lunch Mr. Paxton showed the visitor around the town, pointing out various places of interest. This is Mr. Maxwell's first visit to Portland, and he expressed himself as being very deeply impressed, not only by the present beauties and developments of the city, but its prospects for future growth.

He is thoroughly imbued with a spirit of enthusiasm over the prospects of the development of the Pacific Coast cities. The Alaskan and Oriental trade, he says, will combine with the 'great increase of agricultural resources, through the reclamation of the arid region, and help to stimulate this growth.

The association of which Mr. Maxwell is the head has now a membership of over 2000 of the largest commercial and manufacturing concerns in the country, who are working for the reclamation of the arid lands as a great field for trade. Mr. Bran- nick, of Studebaker's Northwest agency, is the vice-president for the state of Oregon.

Many large fi'rms such as the Studebakers are members of the association, because such a membership is a business proposi- tion with them. A. H. Devers is also a prominent member, and it was through his influence that the Travelers' Protective Association passed resolutions at its recent Portland convention favoring the movement.

Mr. Maxwell said yesterday that one of the earliest among the manufacturers' associations of the country to enlist in the movement was the Manufacturers' Associa- tion of the Northwest, and more recently the Portland Chamber of Commerce has taken hold in €arnest. It is expected that he will return East by way of Portland, in about two weeks, and on his return he will address a joint meeting of the Cham- ber of Commerce, the Boa I'd of Trade and the Manufacturers' Association, to be held in this city on a date to be selected.

Speaking of the work before the public, Mr. Maxwell said yesterday to an Ore- gonian reporter: "The passage of the Na- tional irrigation act in the last session of Congress marked the inauguration of the

greatest project ever undertaken by any nation in the history of the world. The old civilizations of the earth were nearly all maintained in arid regions by irrigation, and the great system of government irrigation works in India stands as a living illustration of what can be accomplished by irrigation in the present age. The British Government in India has expended over $300,000,000 in the construction of its vast system of reservoirs and canals, and they are now a source of revenue to the government, which far more than justi- fies the expenditure of this large sum of money in their construction.

Possibilities Of Arid Land.

"The arid region of the United States presents a much more attractive field for reclamation through the construction of Government irrigation works than ever existed in India or in any other country of the world. The Government owns today two-thirds of the whole western half of the United States, over 600,000,000 acres of land. and of this vast area more than 100,000,000 acres can eventually be reclaimed. The Secretary of the Interior, in his annual report two years ago, estimated that these irrigable arid public lands would sustain a population of 50,000,000 people and there is no doubt that the western half of the United States, if all its irrigation resources were fully de- veloped, would sustain a larger population than the whole United States contains today. The population of this country is out of balance. There are over 70000,000 people in the eastern half and a little over 5,000,000 in the western half. With this great hive of humanity in the East to draw from, we could settle the irrigated lands of the West just as fast as the Government would make the water necessary for their reclamation avail a ble for that purpose. We could settle 2,000,000 or 3.000,000 acres a year just as readily as 200.000 or 300,000 acres a year. Our population is increasing so rapidly that the natural demand for )and resulting from Increased population, will outrun any possibility of keeping up this demand. The rate of increase in the past shows that our population will double in the next 30 years. Within that time we will have 150,000.000 people in the United States, and there will be a demand for every acre of land reclaimed by the Government just as fast as it is possible for the Government to reclaim it.

"We must bear in mind that not only nine-tenths of the population of the United States, but nine-tenths of the political power, is in the East, and the development of the National irrigation policy will follow the public sentiment of the East. The Eastern people, as a whole, have reached a point where in a general way they approve the broad idea of the reclamation of, and the settlement of the arid regions. They do not look at it from any selfish or sectional point of view, but as a great National project, one which appeals to the patriotism and the National pride of the whole people. The commercial and manufacturing interests of the East approve the project because it will crea te new markets, and increase enormou~ly

our internal trade and commerce. The new wealth which will be created in the West cannot be bottled up in the locality in which it i!; created. It will be turned into the channels of trade. and through these channels it will flow through every branch of business and manufacturing.

Comprehensive View

"It is in this broad and comprehensive way that the Eastern business interests look at the National irrigation movement.

In a small way it does not interest them.

They want the Government to do something on a scale large enough to make the results feIt beneficially throngh the country. Under the National irrigation act

F. O. Hagie, Secretary-Manager National Reclamation Association

something over $10,000,000 will be available for the construction of reservoirs and canals in the next two years. If the people in the West are wise in their day and generation, and secure the construction with this fund of a few great National irrigation systems, which will be large enough to attract the attention of the whole country, and serve as object lessons, demonstrating the advantages of National irrigation, they will overcome what re- mains of opposition to the policy, and the people of the country will approve the building of these great works by the Na- tional Government just as fast as settlers will take the land and pay back to the Government the entire cost of each system of works, in 10 equal annual installments as contemplated by the irrigation act.

This Government is not short of money.

The last session of Congress appropriated over $800,000,000 and authorized the expenditure of over ~200,000,()()O more. and every dollar of it was wisely appropriated.

No one in this country feels the burden of taxation, we have grown so great and prosperous as a Nation. It is the height of absurdity to assume that we cannot get more than ~2,500,OOO a year for the reclamation of arid regions when we have reached the point in our National development where a single session of Con- gress disposses of a billion dollars.

Funds Now Available

"The present national irrigation act cre- ates a fund of about $2500,000 a year in addition to the amount immediately available, which is about $6,000,000. There is not the slightest reason why this sum of ~2,500,OOO a year should be the limit of future expenditures for irrigation and reclamation. In a very few years we will be able to get $25.000,000 a year with more ease than we could now get $2,500,000 a year, if the people of the West will stand as a unit in favor of getting three or four large systems built, where the average cost per acre will be small, and settlers will take all the land just as soon as it can be reclaimed. and pay the cost of the work back to the Government. The greatest blunder which the West could possibly make at this time would be to have this comparatively small sum which is now available split up and divided around, and frittered away in the construction of a lot of insignificant systems to satisfy a short-sighted, selfish sectionalism. To do this would be to lose sight entirely of the great results which can be accomplished in a very few years if the West stands together and takes the same broad view of the subject which the people of the East take, looking not for an imme- diate local advantage, but fQr a broad demonstration on a large scale of the far- reaching National benefit which will result to the whole people of the country, if the Government will reclaim the West as fast as our people will settle on the reclaimed lands and build homes on them. Every interest which will be benefited by the development of the West should join hands with the East to secure the strengthening and up-building of the National irrigation movement along these lines, and if they can do so, there is no reason why in less than two years the Government should not be spending in every 'Vestern state and territory 10 timf's the amount to which that state or territory is entitled to under the present act. Under this act, Oregon, for instance, would get within 10 years $2,000,000. Instead of $2 000,000 in 10 years, there is no reason why the Government within five years from today should not be spending more than $1,000,- 000 a year. until every acre of the arid lands of this state have been reclaimed.

This cannot be accomplished, however, un- lei'S the business men, not only of Oregon, but of every Western state and territory, will take a keen and active interest in the, movemellt."