Show Reservoirs BigI Big I Asset Says Gov Official Hardly Any Need for Fed Federal Federal oral eral Relief at Height of Depression or Damage From Drouth on matlon Projects in Region BURLEY While Idaho Idaho While acres of farmland In the erner- erner emergency emergency gency drouth area continued to sear under the most scorching sun In recent history and several mil mit- million lion more acres In surrounding areas are being laid low there will willbe willbe be no drouth effects on most of othe I the western lands which are ore wa- wa watered Watered watered by federal reclamation works work Acting Commissioner of Reclamation Reclamation I tion John C Paige advises officers of the Minidoka project I In 14 states all of which are affected by the drouth 19 I Iacre acre feet of water are stored In 57 federal reclamation reservoirs enough to cover to a depth of five inches the entire state of SOuth I Dakota one of the hardest hit by the drouth This water storage accumulated by the rivers and the snows of last winter represents ap- ap approximately approximately ap approximately proximately 95 per cent of or the sup sup- supply supply sup supply ply In normal years YEarl and will give aU all except two of the projects sum sum- sufficient dent cleat water for tor the crops SOme of them even have enough water to carry over for the 1937 crops Mr Paige said Policy Sound Commenting on the drouth situ situ- situation situation situ situation Mr Paige said The heal heal- healthy healthy healthy thy condition of our reclamation projects where there has been any need for federal relIef even during the height of the de- de depression depression de depression Indicates that the policy Is one of the soundest thus far inaugurated toward conservation and utilization of our water We have bave 14 more reservoirs under con con- construction construction con construction wel and they will add almost 13 acre feet to 10 the amount of water vater we will be able to store watering store watering the land In normal years and tiding us over such emergencies emergencies des cies as the present In discussing drouth conditions with Secretary Ickes Abel chairman of the water ater resources committee of the national resources resources resources es committee said The The effects of serious and floods are the penalty of piecemeal water re- re resources resources re resources sources programs Balanced reconciliation of multi multiple pIe purposes and recognition of re recurring cycles of drouth and flood Hood damage fre- fre frequently frequently fre frequently com i must be em- em em COntinued on page four I I I I I I I oms BIG A S SAYS AYS T rE lI HEAD AD I Cont from page one mind mind ln the public bE- bE bEfore before be before bEI fore the country nia ma mav be sure of a aI favorable economic future Reclamation Reclamation Reclamation mation projects 13 lS demonstrated by their present performance are arean arean arean an Important step In the planned battle against Planning The past dry years ears have hae hown chown us that the usefulness of carefully planned water storage projects to meet recurring drouth difficulties is just as dramatically applicable to every section of the United Sta- Sta StaI States Sta States I tes tea as It is to that part of the country There Is no field perhaps in our nation nation- national national al economy where advance think think- thinking think ing is so e es as in the ter sater I field All ate water sater r a agencies must fight the problem ll Jointly with a strong I single front Without mis thIs coordination on only Iv mage damage can cm result I Mr Paige submitted to Secretary Ickes a detailed report by states I of the water supply condition on reclamation projects as plans were carrIed forward for by Washington onI II D I C federal agencies to extend aid aidin aidin 10 In the less fortunate of the drouth region 1 aste Water Stored i He reported that Boulder darn dam largest of af the reclamation structures structures structures tures In this country as well as largest in the world now has stor- stor stored stored stor stored ed behind It in Lake Mead 9 I acre feet of ot water ater This water which would have wasted into the Gulf of Mexico Is being released as needed for irrigation or of lands In the Palo Verde ira ira- Im Imperial penal North Olin Gila and Parker In- In Indian Indian In Indian dian Irrigation districts and the Yuma project A summary of water supply con con- conditions conditions con conditions on the major intermountain in reclamation projects shows Idaho Boise Idaho project normal Minidoka ample Montana Montana Frenchtown amp ample e Huntley sufficient Milk river tie tie- demand mand heavy but supply should be SUn film river sufficient f Nevada Newlands Nevada ample last winter s snow above normal Hum Hum- Humboldt Humboldt Hum Hum-boldt boldt sufficient Oregon sufficient Vale Klamath Owyhee ample Utah StrawberrY Utah Strawberry valley clent suet BUm I dent cleat Wyoming Shoshone ample On most of f these projects the months 1 I precipitation for tor the past has been low but brt because of reser reser- reservoir reser- reser reservoir voir vein facilities which have stored Ihas the runoff the water supply is sufficient dent Tribune Tribune |