OCR Text |
Show 'FARMERS COMPLETE PAYMENTS ON . PROJECT WATER All but eight of 385 water users on the Strawberry Valley Project who acquired their land prior to 1924 have completed payments on their share of project construction construc-tion costs, according to Regional Director E. O. Larson, Bureau of Reclamation. Latest Strawberry Valley Project Proj-ect farmers to receive full payment-final water right certificates signed by Reclamation Commissioner Commis-sioner Michael W. Straus, are: Hans L. Otteson, Henry Prior, John T. Hales and Barbara E. Hales, David L. Huff and Amelia Huff, John Nielsen and Sophie Nielsen, Lars Nielsen and Mary J. Nielsen, Charles M. Roberts and Lucille Roberts, David J. Bona and Ana Jane Bona, and Alonzo E. Wilde and Ruth Wilde. 4 These farmers chose not to join the Strawberry Valley Water Users Us-ers Association when it was formed form-ed and, as a result, retained their individual contracts with the Bureau Bu-reau of Reclamation which required requir-ed the repayment of construction costs in 20 rather than 40 years as permitted association members. Some of the contracts ran beyond be-yond the specified 20-year length because of moratoria granted during dur-ing the depression years when farm income was reduced to such a low level that farmers were un- i able to meet annual construction charges. The certificates make the use of the water appurtenant to the irrigable irri-gable lands described, and signify added prosperity for the farmers thus relieved of all project assessments assess-ments except the nominal charges for operation and maintenance, Mr. Larson said. The Strawberry Valley Project, with about 49,900 acres under cultivation cul-tivation in 1946 produced crops last year having an estimated gross value of $2,197,735. The estimated average gross crop value per acre under cultivation was nearly $54. |