OCR Text |
Show Investigation of Virgin River Basin Being Made Investigation To Date Indicates Water Here for 14,000 Acres By J. W. CAHOON An investigational survey of the possibilities for maximum utilization utiliz-ation of water and land resources of Virgin river basin, comprising 6,000 square miles located in southwestern Utah, northwestern Arizona and southeastern Nevada, is being carried on by the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior, as a part of a general study of the Colorado river basin. Receives Special Attention Means of relieving irrigation deficiencies de-ficiencies on present cultivated lands and for utilizing surplus water wa-ter for irrigation of new lands to relieve the agricultural population pressure in the basin are receiving special attention. Possible multiple mul-tiple purpose projects for irrigation, irriga-tion, for hydroelectric power development, for flood and silt control, and for fishing and recreation recre-ation are included in the survey, the investigations being carried on pursuant to the Boulder Canyon Act of 1928 authorizing the Secretary Sec-retary of the Interior to make investigations in-vestigations and reports on projects proj-ects for the improvement and utilization util-ization of the water of the Colorado Colo-rado river and its tributaries. Investigations by the Bureau of Reclamation are ordinarily conducted con-ducted in three phases, proceeding proceed-ing from a basin reconnaissance to a basin survey, to a project investigation. If the basin reconnaissance recon-naissance shows potential irrigation irriga-tion exists in the basin, and it is evident that there are prospects of desirable basin development, but also a prospect of conflicting (Continued on page four) Reclamation Story (Continued from first page) plans, competitive uses for water, or interstate conflicts, a basin survey is undertaken. The basin survey is to more fully study potential po-tential developments, to fix the pattern of projects for the proper control and utilization of the basin's water and correlated land resources, and to assist in settling any difficulties or divisions of waters wa-ters on interstate streams. Following Fol-lowing the basin survey, detailed investigations are made of individual indi-vidual projects found to be the most practicable and desirable for the region. Basin Survey Work now being done by the Bureau Bur-eau on Virgin river is in the na ture of a basm survey. All potential po-tential projects on the main river and tributaries in Utah, Arizona and Nevada have been covered to date and the field draft of the report on the basin survey is nearing completion for submission to the Bureau's head engineering office at Denver Colo. Field work connected with the survey has consited of mapping of irrigated land and classification of new lands suitable for irrigation; stream gauging and project water supply determinations, silt sampling, sam-pling, formulation of project plans, and prehminary surveys and field estimates of reservoirs, sites and irrigation works. Results of the basin survey will be made public at such time as the report is completed and issued through the chief engineer's office at Denver. A dire need to permanently secure se-cure and stabilize irrigated agriculture agri-culture in the basin by storage of water and expansion in irrigated irri-gated land has been recognized. The area is predominently agricultural. agri-cultural. Irrigated land averages only 1.8 acres per capita of population pop-ulation in the basin, resulting in the "low average farm incomes". Many young people are forced to migrate from the basin and seek a livelihood elsewhere. About one-half one-half of the irrigated land now has an inadequate water supply. In addition to retaining the local population pressure, expansion of irrigated land would also add to the support of the present and potential po-tential livestock industry. Several potential projects have been found which would nearly double the irrigated ir-rigated area in the basin, providing pro-viding reservoir sites prove sufficiently suf-ficiently tight for the storage of waters. Reclamation Law The Reclamation law states in effect that no expenditure for the construction of a project shall be made, nor shall estimates be submitted sub-mitted therefore by the Secretary of the Interior until after he has made an investigation thereof and has submitted to the President ' and to the Congress ' his report and findings on the engineering feasibility, the estimated cost, the part of the estimated cost which can properly be allocated to irrigation irri-gation and probably be repaid by the water users, and the part of the estimated cost which can properly prop-erly be allocated to other uses and returned to the United States. If the proposed project is found by the Secretary to have engineering engi-neering feasibility and if repayable repay-able and returnable allocations equal the total estimated cost, then the project shall be deemed authorized and may be undertaken under-taken by the Secretary. If all allocations al-locations do not equal the total estimated cost, then the project may be undertaken by the Secretary Secre-tary only after provision therefore there-fore has been made by an Act of Congress enacted after the Secretary has submitted to the President and the Congress the report and findings involved. Upon completion of the Virgin river basin survey the Bureau of Reclamation Rec-lamation will undertake detail investigations in-vestigations on certain individual projects to comply with the requirements re-quirements of the law. Plans are to complete investigation in order to have a shelf of post-war projects proj-ects available for immediate construction con-struction if necessary at the close of the war. Tour Hurricane Project On Friady of last week Lawrence Lawr-ence Wadsworth and Edgar Simpson Simp-son of St. George and George Stevens and Gene Wadsworth of Hurricane toured over parts of the potential Hurricane (Dixie) project accompanied by J. W. Ca-hoon Ca-hoon of the Bureau of Reclamation, Reclama-tion, who pointed out the principal princi-pal features of the project. This project tentatively contemplates irrigation of some 14,000 acres of new land located generally southwest south-west of Hurricane and southeast of St. George and extending into Arizona. Power development for replacement purposes and project pumping is also contemplated as is development of fishing and recreation rec-reation center at one of the two alternative storage sites for the project. Gov. Herbert B. Maw, Joe Ber-gin, Ber-gin, state aeronautic director, Newell R. Frei, of the Fish and Game department, and J. W. Ca-hoon Ca-hoon of the Bureau of Reclamation, Reclama-tion, on Monday of this week, made an air tour of the potential Hurricane (Dixie) project-storage sites, the possible canal location, and project lands were pointed out to Governor Maw. Other potential po-tential development on the Santa Clara river as well as the present irrigated lands in the Hurricane-St. Hurricane-St. George valley were also viewed view-ed from the air. The Virgin river investigations are handled by the St. George office of-fice of the Bureau of Reclamation Reclama-tion located in the Pioneer Investment In-vestment building. The office works under the Salt Lake City office, which in turn is under the Denver office. Associate engineer, J. W. Cahoon is in local charge of the St. George office. |