HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Hon. JAMES G. PATTON. COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS. President, National Farmers Union, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. PATTON: Acknowledgment is made of your telegram of the 21st with respect to the unpublished 308 report on the Columbia River Basin. As requested, your telegram will be made a part of the record of the hearings. I assume that you are aware, for the statement was repeatedly made at the hearings on yesterday, that the 308 report on the Columbia River Basin has not been transmitted to the Congress and that, while there were a number of statements with respect to the 308 report, and particularly with respect to local protective works said to be embraced in the report to prevent a repetition of the flood of 1948, the matters before the committee, as witnesses were advised and as disclosed by the schedule of hearings, was not the approval of the 308 report, inasmuch as it had not been transmitted to Congress, but it was for an authorization of the Albeni Falls project on which a report had been transmitted to Congress, and it embraced hearings on the Green-Duwamish River project inasmuch as this project was before the Budget, and inasmuch as it is expected that the report will be transmitted to Congress before the conclusion of the hearings. Inasmuch as the Albeni Falls project is a part of the Columbia River project, and inasmuch as the hearings embraced the matter of increasing the authorizations for approved projects along the Willamette River Basin and on the Columbia River Basin, including the McNary Dam and the Chief Joseph Dam, the committee was glad to have statements as to the over-all cost of the comprehensive plan during the course of the hearings. While there were descriptions and statements covering the over-all plan, the committee stated that the plan could not be considered in detail until the report had been transmitted to Congress, in which event, of course, there will be comprehensive hearings on all phases of the report. The committee further stated at the hearings on yesterday that if there was any opposition to the increased authorizations on approved projects or to any of the general statements made with respect to the over-all plan, the opponents would be heard on yesterday. Notice of the hearing had been given and published in the Congressional Record on April 14, 1949. The committee is always glad to give careful consideration to the views of the National Farmers Union. Yours very sincerely, WILL M. WHITTINGTON, M. C. Chairman, Committee on Public Works. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will stand in recess until 1:30 and we will be glad at that time to hear these witnesses as their names are called. (Whereupon, at 12:55 p. m., the committee recessed until 1:30 p. m.) AFTER RECESS The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order. We will hear first this afternoon Mr. Earl Lloyd, deputy State engineer of Wyoming. STATEMENT OF EARL LLOYD, DEPUTY STATE ENGINEER, WYOMING Mr. LLOYD. My name is Earl Lloyd, deputy State engineer of Wyoming. The CHAIRMAN. You have heard the statements that have been made here by the representative of the Governor of Montana. Does your State generally concur in those statements or not? Mr. LLOYD. I think they do. I did not hear all of those. I had to step out for a while. The CHAIRMAN. The only thing that impressed me about that statement that I had not heard was that he wanted the private districts that were constructed to have the benefit of proceeds of power. Do you favor or oppose that? Mr. LLOYD. Well, we would be in favor of those having help from the power revenues for those districts or projects. The CHAIRMAN. Do you have anything here that would add anything to the arguments in favor of these two projects that are under consideration in Idaho and the State of Washington? Mr. LLOYD. Not any particular ones. The CHAIRMAN. I am talking about those two projects now. Have you anything that would add to the arguments for increased authorization along the Columbia River and the tributaries. Mr. LLOYD. Along the tributaries of the Columbia, yes, sir. Mr. LLOYD. One of them is authorized. The CHAIRMAN. Which one? Mr. LLOYD. The Jackson Hole flood-control project. Colonel WEAVER. That is not an authorized project at this time, but it is an emergency work we are doing on levee work in the Jackson Hole area. The CHAIRMAN. I thought it was. What was that authorized by? Colonel WEAVER. That emergency flood-control work; and there is a report coming in on that. The CHAIRMAN. The emergency flood control is done out of emergency funds. You have no authorized project, have you? Colonel WEAVER. No authorized project at the present time. The CHAIRMAN. And we have none pending before the committee? Colonel WEAVER. No, sir. The CHAIRMAN. We will be glad to keep in mind what you say about that. What else is there? Mr. LLOYD. The only other project which we wish to have authorized is the Upper Star Valley project, which is one of the Bureau projects. The CHAIRMAN. That is the Bureau of Reclamation. Mr. LLOYD. Which the Army recommends in their report for authorization. The CHAIRMAN. We have that matter, so far as we know. You understand, that would have to be authorized by the Public Lands Committee. We will keep that in mind. Is there anything else you wish to say, Mr. Lloyd? Mr. LLOYD. I don't know that there is. The CHAIRMAN. All right. Thank you so very much for your statement. It will be made a part of the record at this point. (Mr. Lloyd's prepared statement follows:) STATEMENT OF EARL LLOYD, DEPUTY STATE ENGINEER OF WYOMING My name is Earl Lloyd, and I reside at Cheyenne, Wyo. I hold the position of deputy State engineer and I am appearing for Gov. A. G. Crane and L. C. Bishop, State engineer of Wyoming. (I have represented the Governor and Mr. Bishop who is his alternate at several meeting of the Columbia Basin InterAgency Committee.) The review report of the Corps of Engineers on the Columbia River and tributaries proposed a program for development of the natural resources, particularly the water resources of this great river system. They have prepared a very comprehensive report and it is now well integrated with the report of the Bureau of Reclamation. There is an urgent need to develop those resources to meet the requirements of the increase in population in this area which has been very rapid during the past decade. Development of the great natural resources of this region will provide new industries, new jobs and new opportunities. Agriculture and stock raising is the base of the economy in all of the upper Columbia Basin States. The development of irrigation and reclamation is of the utmost importance to Wyoming and to the entire upper basin. It will provide a balanced economy for the region. The plans proposed in this report together with the projects of the Bureau of Reclamation which it recommends for authorization will provide much needed flood protection, hydroelectric power development, navigation benefits, and for reclamation of large acreages of our arid lands and for the furnishing of a supplemental supply of stored water to large areas that now have an insufficient water supply during part of the irrigation season. The report suggests a plan for "aid to irrigation" by which power revenues would in part be used to pay irrigation and reclamation costs on reclamation projects which are beyond the ability of the water users to repay. We think this plan is commendable. We believe that all of the waters of the Columbia River watershed which may in the future be used for irrigation, should be protected against power development and other conflicting uses by some such protection as was given against navigation in the so-called O'Mahoney-Millikin amendments to the 1944 Flood Control Act and the 1945 River and Harbor Act. The waters of the Columbia River and its tributaries belong to the several States. The State of Wyoming contributes about 5,000,000 acre-feet per year. The right of the States in the jurisdiction and control over these waters should be protected and maintained. The existing agencies of the Federal and State Government should be entrusted with the responsibility for developing the resources of the Columbia River Basin. Wyoming is particularly interested in securing the authorization and construction of the Jackson Hole flood-control project at the earliest possible date. The need for flood protection of the area near and above the town of Wilson is immediate and urgent to prevent further flood damage. Emergency work is necessary on this project at the present time. Better regulation of releases of storage water from Jackson Lake by the Bureau of Reclamation may in the future prevent some of the damage. The area in Star Valley is very badly in need of a supplemental water supply to stabilize the agriculture in this valley. Wyoming desires authorization and provision for construction at an early date of the Upper Star Valley project as proposed by the Bureau of Reclamation. The construction of the proposed Elk Valley, Spring Creek, and Crow Creek Reservoirs in connection with this project will provide considerable flood control benefits and we urge that the project be given an early priority. The construction of the Palisades Reservoir on Snake River under the plans of the Bureau of Reclamation presents a problem between the States of Idaho and Wyoming. Unless there is an agreement between the two States for an eqiutable division of the waters of Snake River we are fearful that it might establish a priority which would prevent our future development, and we desire that construction be delayed until this can be accomplished. Because of physical conditions our needs in this area are comparatively small in proportion to the amount of water we contribute and we feel this situation will be taken care of in the near future by an interstate compact. We wish to recommend approval to the Review Report of the Corps of Engineers on the Columbia River and tributaries. The CHAIRMAN. We will next hear from Mr. William E. Welsh. Where do you live and what interests do you represent, Mr. Welsh? STATEMENT OF WILLIAM E. WELSH, CHAIRMAN, COLUMBIA RIVER RESOURCES COMMITTEE Mr. WELSH. Mr. Chairman, my home is Boise, Idaho, and I am chairman of the Columbia River Resources Committee. If I may do so, Mr. Chairman, I would appreciate filing the statement and making a very brief comment concerning this matter. The CHAIRMAN. When you speak about filing the statement, I want to ask you if you are in favor of this project in Idaho. Mr. WELSH. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Do you have any suggested changes to make? Mr. WELSH. We have no particular changes to suggest. We recognize that perhaps further consideration will have to be given to some of the provisions, particularly pertaining to transmission lines, and as to further aid to irrigation and reclamation. But the plan as a whole, we believe, should be given immediate consideration as a blueprint for the development of the resources of the entire Columbia River Basin. The CHAIRMAN. That is your point number one; what is point number two? What is the next point you want to emphasize in your statement? Mr. WELSH. Well, we have that feeling with respect to both the 308 report of the Corps of Engineers and the report of the Bureau of Reclamation, or the coordinated plan. The CHAIRMAN. Anything further now that you want to emphasize? Mr. WELSH. I would just like to say this, Mr. Chairman: As chairman of the Columbia River Resources Committee, a committee representing the four States comprising the principal area of the Columbia Basin States, I have traveled over that region a great deal and attended a good many meetings. The plan of both of these two agencies is very well known and very well understood by the people of the entire region; they are for it. They are in favor of development along the lines proposed in these two reports. The CHAIRMAN. What about you; are you in favor? Mr. WELSH. I am, very much so. And we hope that this matter may be given immediate consideration by the Congress. The CHAIRMAN. There is no chance unless it is transmitted to us in due course. The only things we can consider are the matters before us: these two projects. Thank you, very much, for your statement. Mr. WELSH. I will file the statement and two resolutions. I also have a telegram which just came this morning from the Director of the National Reclamation Association from the State of Washington, that I would like to file for the record. The CHAIRMAN. Is he in favor? Mr. WELSH. He is in favor of development as proposed in these plans. The CHAIRMAN. You may pass it to the reporter, and it will be received and inserted at this point in the record. (Mr. Welsh's prepared statement and the telegram and resolutions referred to follow :) RESOLUTION UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED BY THE COLUMBIA RIVER RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEETING, MULTNOMAH HOTEL, PORTLAND, OREG., MAY 9, 1949 Whereas, the Corps of Engineers' Revised 308 Report and the Columbia River Basin Report of the Bureau of Reclamation, as coordinated, are the product of years of careful research into the water development project needs of the Columbia River Basin, and Whereas, these coordinated plans have been and are being given careful scrutiny by the governors of the respective States and by interested organizations and persons through public hearings in the area, and Whereas, these coordinated plans have the endorsement and approval of the Department of the Interior, the Commissioner of Reclamation, the Corps of Engineers and the Secretary of the Army, and these agencies have jointly agreed in a letter to President Truman, dated April 11, 1949, that all differences between departments have been resolved in these coordinated plans, and Whereas, it is our firm belief that these coordinated plans represent orderly and proved processes for the long-range development of the Columbia River Basin with the full support of the Federal agencies involved and the overwhelming public support of the people of the Columbia River Basin; be it Resolved, That the Columbia River Resources Committee urge the Congress of the United States, and particularly the House Committees on Public Works and Public Lands, that with such qualifications regarding use of the Columbia River Basin water and power resources, regarding potential expense of irrigation, regarding financial assistance and irrigation from power revenues and other power policy questions as are appropriate and in the interest of States drained by the Columbia River, accept these coordinated plans as the official blueprint of the over-all water development project for the Columbia River Basin; and be it further Resolved, That the Congress be urged to oppose and reject any substitute plans for the development of the Columbia River Basin such as contained in various CVA measures now before Congress, and particularly S. 1645, now before the Senate, and H. R. 4286, now in Committee in the House of Representatives. RESOLUTION No. 5-COMMENDING BUREAU OF RECLAMATION AND CORPS OF ENGINEERS ON THEIR REPORTS AND URGING SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS OF COORDINATED REPORTS AT EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE Whereas the Idaho State Reclamation Association recognizes the necessity for the conservation and development of the land and water resources of the State and region; and Whereas the existing agencies of the Federal Government have made much progress in coordinating their respective programs and activities: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the association commend the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation for their reports and for the program which they have made in coordination, and we urge that these reports be submitted to the Congress at the earliest possible date for its consideration. STATEMENT BY W'M. E. WELSH, CHAIRMAN, COLUMBIA RIVER RESOURCES COMMITTEE My name is William E. Welsh, and I am from Boise, Idaho. I am chairman of the Columbia River Resources Committee. This committee is made up of five members from each of the four States constituting the major portion of the area of the Columbia River watershed, namely, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The committee was organized in August 1948. Its membership was selected from within each of the States mentioned and represents business, industry, and agriculture. The primary objective in organizing this committee was to foster and promote the development of the natural resources of the Columbia River Basin. At the time the committee was organized the Bureau of Reclamation had already submitted a Columbia Basin report, and it was generally known that the so-called 308 Report by the Corps of Army Engineers would be published shortly. In organizing this committee, it was our purpose to assist in the promotion and coordination of these reports. The Corps of Engineers' 308 Report made public in November 1948 embodies a splendid and comprehensive coverage for water resources development. The main control plan proposed in the report will provide much needed flood protection to those areas where the flood situation is now critical. It will provide hydroelectric power where the shortage is now acute, particularly in the western part of the region, and it will provide navigation benefits which are most urgent. and important. The report of the Corps of Engineers also includes and recommends for authorization 13 reclamation projects which had been previously recommended by the Bureau of Reclamation, said projects to be constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation. Within the last few weeks announcements have been made that the two reports above referred to have been fully coordinated and are now presented as a unified and coordinated plan for the development of the resources of the entire region. |