Show Green River Project at Acre for Water Infeasible Says Engineer The report of William M. M Green engineer to the United States reclamation reclamation mation service and to cooperating Interests In Utah on investigation of the Green river project as announced announced announced an an- last week concludes that it would cost an acre and upward upward uv up up- ward to put water on the land there This virtually puts me the project out of or consideration and Mr Green accordingly accordingly accordingly ac ac- ac- ac cordingly recommends that no more expense be incurred in connection with the project He also recommends that the land withdrawal of April 30 1921 coverIng covering covering cover cover- ing twenty-five twenty townships and operating operating operating oper oper- to render about acres not subject to entry be reduced to include in- in include include in in- clude only land under the contour of feet above sea level This would leave a total of acres within the withdrawal of which the government owns acres the state and private parties 19 68 The irrigable portion of this acres is estimated at acres In government ownership ownership ownership owner owner- ship In state ownership and in private ownership Studies Another Plan Mr 11 Greens Green's recommendations I have been followed at least to the extent that he has been transferred from the investigation of the Green river project to that of the Provo- Provo Weber project under a coop cooperative raU e between the Utah Water Storage commission which it was announced was signed by the government government government gov gov- a week ago On the Green river project Mr I Green thus expresses his conclusIons conclusions conclusions ions The water supply is adequate for Irrigating acres with a direct connected pumping plant provided provided provided pro pro- vided the diversion dam crest is at elevation feet above sea level The soil is not of a first class nature nature nature na na- na- na ture the best portions being located on the east side of the Green river The best proposition taking into into ioto in io- to consideration the future L power ower possibilities and the interests of pf the whole Gunnison valley is the acre project acres on the east eastside eastside eastside side which includes the land under the abandoned Elgin acres on the west side of the Green river with the diversion dam crest treat at elevation the estimated total total total to to- tal coat cost being O or an m acre The most compact project to build is the acre one on the ea east eastside eastside t side of the Green river with diversion diversion diversion diver diver- sion dam at crest feet the total cost being or per acre The Green river project is not feasible at this time on account of the high construction cost Isolated location small acreage and low re returns returns returns re- re turns from the projects project's products Mr Green has made a l synopsis of facts indicated by his In investigation of which the following is still further further further fur fur- ther summarized The project is In one of the hottest parts of oC Utah with an a average annual annual annual an an- nual precipitation of inches an early season and railway transportation transportation transportation tation facilities east and west nest ith ah markets in neighboring coal camps About 2300 acres of river bottom bottomland bottomland bottomland land are at present irrigated largely large large- ly dependent for water supply on a crib dam six miles above e Green Riv RIT- er Long tunnels will be necessary if ifa ifa ifa a canal is to be built in Gray canyon canyon canyon can can- yon long discharge pipes will be required required required re re- re- re from a direct pump to the contour canals in the valley and the canals will be of very difficult construction until well out on the desert Soil Survey Made Soil survey conducted by A. A T. T of the United States bureau bureau bureau bu bu- bu- bu reau of soils Indicates that und under r the foot grade contour acres are Irrigable on the east side bide of the Green river and acres on the west side that the irrigable land is badly scattered over the project that the irrigable land on the west side is on flood plains of the washes that unfavorable conditions conditions conditions condi condi- within the project are torrential torrential torrential torren torren- summer floods upon soils solIs adjacent adjacent adja adja- ada- ada cent to wash courses and the changes chang chang- es in location of the channels of the washes Water supply studies indicate atS that water is available at the crest that water shortages occur at about year eight-year intervals that a acre project will have no effect on n water supply studies for the lower Colorado river and mat silt in the river water might increase operation operation operation opera opera- tion and maintenance expense Under power powE r pumping plans estimated estimated estimated esti esti- mated costs run from per ller acre for a acre project at the foot crest to per acre on a acre project at me the foot crest The United States nas an approved ed water water- filing on second feet of Green river water T The e lands lancis cannot be supplied by bye gravity canals and the most economIcal economical economical econom econom- ical means of pumping IS a with direct connected units |