Expressed in terms of conservation of energy every 0.6 of a kilowatt-hour, or 0.8 of a horsepower hour of Colorado River energy used will do a day's work of one man and save 11⁄2 pounds of coal or 1 pound of fuel oil.

The Colorado River is now a local menace. It may be converted into a public utility of first importance, particularly to southwestern United States. Its possibilities rank with those of the Panama Canal, the St. Lawrence waterways, or the Territory of Alaska.

There enter into this subject many features which have been treated separately in this report. Some of them joined and discussed as one.

The Colorado River Basin contains about 244,000 square miles, and studies of tributaries and contributing streams are included in the report of engineers herewith presented.

The Fall-Davis report of two years ago has been before Congress since then and no doubt has been analyzed by it. Its recommendations stress the Boulder Canyon Dam, which is the paramount feature of it.

The proposed Boulder Canyon dam treated in these studies will raise the water surface 605 feet, a height greater than that of the Washington Monument, and more than two and one-fourth times as much as the Don Pedro Dam in California, which has the highest lift of any in this country and probably in the world.

The dam would contain over three and three-fourths million cubic yards of concrete, which is more than three times as much as the Assuan Dam in Egypt containing the greatest amount of masonry of any dam heretofore built. The cost of the Boulder Canyon dam will be about $50,000,000, two and twothirds times as much as that of the Assuan dam.

The reservoir formed by the dam will be 120 miles long and will have an area of 157,000 acres, which is one and one-half times as much as that of Gatun Lake on the Panama Canal. The proposed reservoir will have a capacity of 34,000,000 acre-feet, eight times as great as that at Gatun Lake and nearly 13 times as great as that of the Elephant Butte reservoir in New Mexico, the largest in this country.

The total cost of the enterprise, including the building of the dam, power plant and transmission lines, will be about $130,000,000 (estimated), which is about one-third of the cost of the Panama Canal. The cost given does not, however, include that of the all-American canal, which would add $31,000,000. The total cost of the three features, the dam, transmission lines and allAmerican canal, should be estimated at $200,000,000.

The Boulder Canyon dam recommended in the Fall-Davis report is described as beginning 150 feet below the bed of the river; to be 605 feet high, 1,350 feet long, and 650 feet thick at its base; estimated to cost $50,000,000. It must be built in a normal current 20 to 30 feet deep ordinarily, with a flood crest in the canyon of 30 feet, having a velocity of 15 feet per second of time. All of which indicate engineering difficulties attractive to ambitious engineers if not to Government or private capital.

An opinion is no better than the reasons for it. Whether or not it is practical at any cost to divert through tunnels in the canyon walls, such a body of water from the river long enough to build this substructure; whether a mass of masonry unapproached in size in the history of engineering, is practicable; or whether it is possible to give more than an intelligent guess of its cost, are problems not to be passed upon by one man alone, but should challenge the judgment of the country's ablest engineers and be subject to deliberate review by the Congress. Congress should itself appraise the necessity of an outlay of such magnitude and justify the financial obligation to be assumed by the Government before beginning this project.

The reports herewith submitted, are intended to cover investigations and analyses largely made in the past two years by the Chief Engineer of the Reclamation Service and his assistants. Three outstanding engineers from the War Department, Federal Power Commission, and the Geological Survey, respectively, all except one having had long service on the Colorado River, have been contributing their knowledge and time to its preparation. These engineering reports and findings contain all the late technical information in possession of the Government.

Before further appropriation of Government funds is made for an undertaking of such magnitude several separate and distinct features should be studied separately by Congress :

(a) Flood control."

(b) Impounding water for farming.

(c) The use of stored water for generating electric power to be sold on the open market to points two or three hundreds of miles distant.

(d) An all-American canal for better service to the people in the Imperial Valley.

(e) A possible future necessity for domestic water for growing California cities 250 miles distant.

Flood control is separately treated in these reports because it has long, by common consent, been regarded as an obligation of the Government to guard life and property of its people against recurring forces of nature beyond their ability to resist.

Flood control of the Colorado River appears to be practicable, considered for that purpose alone, and would invite the minimum expenditure to effect, approximately $28,000,000.

Flood control, considered alone, promises no direct return of expenditure to the Government. Irrigation of farm lands has been a recognized practice of the Government for more than twenty years but reclamation has not made adequate, direct returns to the Government in dollars, although it has invited agricultural development not otherwise possible, and is a policy that should be fostered.

Experience has demonstrated that absentee ownership of private irrigation projects fails. To be permanently successful, irrigation projects must be owned, repaired, and operated by the farmers on the land. Agricultural features under the Boulder dam project should be disregarded as an investment asset to the Government in the near future in computing income from this project.

If reclamation water rights are associated with those for municipalities for domestic use or power production, the rights of the farmer would become subservient to the organized influence of greater numbers, with conflicting necessities, should a seasonal or temporary shortage of water occur, always a contingency to be guarded against in the semiarid West.

A dam only high enough to raise water for gravity irrigation of mesas, or to give fall for power production, ceases to offer flood control unless constructed above these determined levels.

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The generation of electric power by the Government under any conditions is precarious financial practice. The manufacture of it primarily for sale on the open market, in competition, invites subsidies and is without congressional sanction at this time. The Government, instead, may exercise its authority to fix rates to consumers, for their protection. However, no intimations have come to me that private enterprise is interested in developing the resources of the Colorado River, with one exception in a small way, which was denied by the Federal Power Commission; nor has expressed opposition to the Government proceeding in this direction on its own motion come to me. In view of the urgent need for flood control and the growing market for power, Congress should decide at this time whether the Government will proceed with the development of the Colorado River.

GILA RIVER

The Gila River enters the Colorado River below all proposed dams and presents problems independently. The State of Arizona can, it is believed, and doubtless will in time, utilize its waters, removing it as a flood menace, and relieve the Government from the necessity of its consideration.

ALL-AMERICAN CANAL

Water for irrigation is now carried to Imperial Vaney through Mexico. For obvious reasons, this is open to many and substantial objections-tampering, excessive cost of repairs, beyond control by our laws and customs; no right of way, and an possible source of international dispute. The rights granted to Mexico to the use of half the capacity of this canal if taken up now would cut off half the water from the Imperial Valley at low water and limit further expansion of irrigated area and increased shortages on the present area.

The estimated cost of an all-American canal is $31,000,000; 400,000 acres are now irrigated in the Imperial Valley; 100,000 acres in the irrigation district are not irrigated, and 200,000 acres could be brought into the districtmaking a total ultimate irrigable area in the Imperial Valley in California

of about 700,000 acres. The reclaiming of this valley was not undertaken by the Government but its people are appealing for protection. They feel insecure and are restive. Their fears are justified from previous experiences and they should be sympathetically heard.

PASQUADERA CUT-OFF

It is believed by those familiar with the behavior of the Colorado River that the Pasquadera Cut-Off, an artificial deflection of the Colorado River, completed two years ago and now obviating the danger from floods, may not serve for more than 15 years, after which this basin may become silted and filled. One hundred thousand acre-feet of silt is deposited annually. This river will then return to its old channel and again threaten life and property. This temporary protection should not be permitted to delay permanent structures for flood control at least.

COLORADO RIVER COMPACT

A compact has been formulated, and approved by the Leigslatures of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and California, intended to regulate, control, and protect the rights of the several States named, including Ar.zona, to the distribution and use of the water of the Colorado and its tributaries for domestic and agricultural purposes. It will be necessary to have the State of Arizona join in this compact before it becomes binding on any of the signatories or before further appropriation of water for any purpose on the lower basin may be undertaken by common consent.

The wisdom is doubted of the Government consenting to private enterprise, or itself, proceeding with any structure on the Colorado River that contemplates a claim on a volume of stored water, before this pact has been signed. All of the States above such reservoir may confidently be expected to protest in the courts and in Congress because of a fear that their previously established rights to their use of its water may be jeopardized.

Litigation over the appropriation of water for any purpose in the arid region has often proven to be without recognized precedents and interminable of adjustments.

It has been demonstrated that estimated construction costs in Government reclamation have been below final expenditures on engineers' estimates. To protect the Government a margin of safety should be added to the estimated costs herewith submitted.

The Boulder Canyon Dam is the outstanding suggestion among the engineering possibilities described for this river in this report. It combines in its purposes flood control, irrigation, and power production. The estimated cost for the dam alone is $50,000,000.

The different sites, their structures, and their purposes, described in the submitted reports, suggest a total estimated expenditure of $700,000,000, and are the most detailed and comprehensive reports ever submitted on the subject.

I have attempted to collate all possible new data bearing on the subject of the Colorado River Basin. Appendixes to these reports have been pre pared which are thought to contain briefed findings of interest to Congress, and intended to high light the subject from the viewpoint of the Government, only.

I am concerned for the future of people menaced by temporarily controlled floods and entertain a lively sense of the magnitude, the necessity, and the importance of conserving to the United States as a whole the use of this potential natural force for the great waiting territory to be directly benefited. I would recommend that the Congress promptly initiate such commensurate measures as it may determine the Government's financial status will warrant and probable commercial returns justify, from a point of view 50 or 100 years hence, rather than now. The whole subject if of national moment, should be surveyed in a broad way, and is well worthy the serious consideration and action of Congress.

The Rocky Mountain Range physically divides the United States. The two extremes of the East and West are rapidly becoming less dependent on each other commercially. The cost of covering the distances between the two oceans compels this semi-independence. The Colorado River and its

possibilities for contributing its forces to a territory greater in area than many nations, should be appraised by the Congress representing every State. Very truly yours,

HUBERT WORK.

The CHAIRMAN. I observe the presence of the senior Senator from California, Mr. Johnson, and the junior Senator, Mr. Shortridge, is a member of the committee. Senator Johnson, as a matter of courtesy to you, the committee will be glad to hear any statement you desire to make.

STATEMENT OF HON. HIRAM W. JOHNSON, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Senator JOHNSON. Mr. Chairman, I first wish to express to the committee my appreciation of the presence of these gentlemen who have come here from California, who are interested in this project in a measure on behalf of the communities that they represent, for those who come here represent nearly all the communities of southern California. I wish as well to express my thanks for the opportunity you have accorded us for a hearing at this time. We shall endeavor to observe the injunction suggested by the chairman to the committee. We will have prepared for you, from our standpoint, the testimony that has been presented before the House committee, in abstract form, so that it may be readily referred to, and each member of the committee may have that abstract or synopsis from the standpoint of the proponents of this measure.

I did not quite understand the suggestion of the chairman that the bill that was introduced on Saturday last is under consideration at this time too. Yet I have no objection to the consideraion of any bill for any project

The CHAIRMAN. Pardon the interruption, Senator. My attention was called to that bill, and it is here only for reference; not for any particular study, but as a part of the whole general scheme.

Senator JOHNSON. Yes. It is not unlikely that before this hearing shall close, if they do accord sufficient time for it, two different ideas may be presented-the one embodied in the bill that is before the committee; the other embodied in the bill that was presented on Saturday last. If those two views are presented to the commitee, I assume that evidence will be adduced in behalf of both.

Let me, if I may, in a very few words-because I do not propose either technically to discuss the bill with you nor to attempt to go into its engineering features-simply present the picture as we understand it to be in this measure. Thereafter the original proponent of the measure, Congressman Swing of California, who resides in that particular neighborhood and who is familiar not only with the topography of the country but with the case of the residents in the Southwestern United States, will present to you in detail and as expertly as you may desire, the reasons for the legislation asked.

This measure proposes, apparently, the authorization of an appropriation of $70,000,000 for the purpose of constructing a dam at Boulder Canyon on the Colorado River. I hope that the suggestion of an appropriation of $70,000,000 will not disturb any member of the committee, because-and this I wish to emphasize just as

forcefully as I am able to emphasize it-the entire cost of this project will be paid by the project itself, and ultimately the United States Government will not have expended a single penny for the proposal that is embodied in the measure that was introduced in the House, and that which I advocate before the Senate.

I emphasize this at the beginning of the discussion, so that it may not be thought that we run counter to any program of economywith which all of us are in sympathy, of course-or that we are seeking to take from the United States Treasury an unduly large sum, or any sum at all.

With that in view, let me call your attention to the purposes of the bill. They are: First, the regulation of the lower Colorado River and controlling the floods therein. The necessity for the regulation of the river and the control of the floods, no one familiar with the situation in that locality will for an instant question. The particular part of the State which I have the honor to represent, the Imperial Valley, is at the mercy, as it were, of the Colorado River, that torrential river which has in times past made its own channel and now flows above the very basin of the valley itself, the levees that are constructed there necessarily being constructed of material that is upon the ground, and scarcely able to hold that river. In times past there have been disastrous floods in the Colorado River, disastrous from every standpoint, not only from the loss of property, which has run into millions upon millions, but from the menace to the public safety and the lives of those who reside in that vicinity.

The Imperial Valley has become a very remarkable part of the United States at present. It contains some 65,000 or 70,000 inhabitants, and the value of the property embraced therein is something that is scarcely conceivable when you recall what the Imperial Valley was a few years ago.

That valley is at the mercy of the Colorado River. I speak not of contiguous territory or of other States; those who represent those States can better speak of them than I can.

That the control of the Colorado River is a problem to which our engineers have devoted themselves in times past will be demonstarted as we proceed. Ultimately the United States Government itself determined that its control was a national problem; and I contradistinguished what may be a State policy from a national policy by the insistence at the beginning of the hearing that we are not dealing with a matter that should be dealt with by a State or a particular locality at all, but that we are here because the United States Government has decreed officially-and the reports will be placed before this committee that the control of the Colorado River is a national problem that the United States Government should deal with.

So we begin, then, with a national problem, a national problem which has to do not only with the protection of property, but has to do as well with the protection of life itself. The bill before you seeks, by the construction of a dam at Boulder Canyon, in the Colorado River, the regulation of the lower Colorado River, and the control of floods therein.

Secondly, it seeks to provide storage of water for irrigation and other beneficial purposes.