which I know you will be glad to hear. This letter is as follows [reading]: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE, Mr. W. B. MATHEWS, Hotel Raleigh, Washington, D. C.. DEAR SIR: The present water supply of the city of Los Angeles, due to recent dry years, has been the subject of close scrutiny and appraisement as to quantity, within the last year or two. The conclusion of the investigations just completed is that under normal conditions of rainfall there is available to the city of Los Angeles from its present sources, water for an approximate population of 2,000,000 people on the basis of our present rate of consumption, which is about 125 gallons per capita, which by the way is somewhat less than the average rate of cities of this size. The dry period which still persist below the normal revealed the fact that for the past summer the city was dangerously close to the limits of our water supply. In fact, it can be stated with certainty and conclusively that it was only by the most extraordinary care and the curtailment of water for crop purposes in the San Fernando Valley that we were able to get through the season. With these conditions present, the engineering department of the city of Los Angeles quite naturally directed its attention to new or supplemental sources of supply, and for the last year and a half has been investigating the possibility of securing water from the Colorado River. It was found that if there were a full regulation of the waters of the Colorado River, there was still abundant water wasting into the sea, but availability of this extra water had to be predicted on flood regulation, otherwise the records show that demands on those waters are greater than the supply through periods as disclosed by the stream-flow records for as long as three successive years. In other words, Los Angeles would not be allowed to take water now because there is not enough water there at low water. [Continuing reading:] Hence the conclusion has been reached that without regulation the Colorado River would afford us no relief, due to the fact that the low periods of flow of the Colorado River are nearly concurrent with the low periods of precipitation at the sources of our present water supply. It is, hence, vitally important that the conservation through periods of surplus flow in the river be developed to its fullest extent before southwestern California would be entitled to take any of the waters of the Colorado River. The fact is that there is a shortage in that river, apparent for the past two years. Surveys of the proposed line from the Colorado River to Los Angeles are now sufficiently complete to determine its feasibility and an examination of the cost of pumping water absolutely assures us that it can be delivered over the summit at a cost such that the rates to be charged for the water will not be above that in most American cities. Indeed no city surpasses us in the knowledge of the cost of pumped water, some of our water now being pumped over 900 feet. It is to be emphatically borne in mind that the Colorado River is the only remaining source of water for the southwest country, and failure to secure water from this source means the termination of our growth and prosperity. In brief it may be stated that the Colorado River unregulated to the fullest extent possible would be virtually worthless as a source of supply to the whole Southwest. Very truly yours, WM. MULHOLLAND, Chief Engineer. The CHAIRMAN. Where is the place that water is pumped 900 feet? Mr. DAVIS. In the city. The city of Oakland pumps it even higher than that. That is, the settlement has grown up on the hillside. The CHAIRMAN. I thought you were speaking of irrigation pur poses. Mr. DAVIS. No; this is just for city supply. Senator JONES of Washington. Does this bill contemplate any contribution by these localities toward making available water to make up their deficiency? Mr. DAVIS. The bill does not contemplate it, excepting the provision that permits anybody who will and can to subscribe to this, and the Secretary presumably will, and under the bill it is his duty to get the best terms he can. And one bidder for water for domestic purposes to contribute to this will be the city of Los Angeles, I assume, and for power and everything else. They are not supposed to pay for domestic supplies, as I understand the provisions of the bill. Senator JONES of Washington. I got the impression that it was the idea that these localities would take water out below the dam for city purposes without any contribution. Mr. DAVIS. I think you are correct in that. Senator JONES of Washington. If one of the main purposes of this is to make available water for city supply, it seems to me they should be put upon a basis of contributing in some way. Senator KENDRICK. What distance would it be necessary to convey the water? Mr. DAVIS. About 300 miles. Senator KENDRICK. The present system has a length of 224 miles? Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir; and they would have to pump it over 1,300 feet in addition to that, and there is a situation involved which will require a large quantity of power, and the development of a large quantity of power at Boulder Canyon is one of the conditions which would make it possible for Los Angeles to carry out that scheme, because we could get power at cost, much cheaper than anywhere else. The CHAIRMAN. Have you made an estimate what horsepower a year costs? Mr. DAVIS. Not expressed in that term. The estimate of cost varies with the height of the dam, but the power can be transmitted to Los Angeles or other California points, or to a point in Arizona, Nevada, or Utah, where a large enough quantity is needed, at about 4 mills per kilowatt-hour. That, of course, includes the whole thing, and the United States does not propose to build the power plants nor the transmission lines, and what the United States would charge would be much less, because the transportation lines and power plants would cost more than the dam. The CHAIRMAN. That is, 4 mills per kilowatt-hour? Mr. DAVIS. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. There is cheaper power than that in the country. Mr. DAVIS. I do not know where. The CHAIRMAN. I think an estimate was made here some time ago that the cost was about twelve ten-thousandths of a cent. Mr. DAVIS. I am not acquainted with that estimate, but the estimates on this matter are given in detail in the report recently made by Mr. Weymouth, who will follow me on the floor and who can give you more detail about that. The CHAIRMAN. If the irrigators, consistent with present custom under the act of 1902 and the amendatory acts, would pay their share of the benefits in the construction of the dam, it would lessen the cost to the consumer? Mr. DAVIS. The cost of the power? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Mr. DAVIS. Yes. Senator ODDIE. What proportion of silt that this river carries is picked up above the proposed dam and what proportion between the dam and the outlet into the Imperial Valley? Mr. DAVIS. I would have to answer that in a way that may sound facetious, but it is not. More than 100 per cent is picked up above. I mean by that that below the Boulder Canyon the river deposits more than it picks up, and it is constantly building up its bed by the deposit of sediment. In other words, there is less sediment as you go down until the tributaries come in. Senator ODDIE. How about pollution? What percentage of pollution is estimated to come from above the dam and what percentage comes from below it? Mr. DAVIS. You mean by that, organic matter of some kind? Senator ODDIE. I mean, detrimental to the water that is used for drinking purposes. Mr. DAVIS. Above Boulder Canyon there is no pollution from the cities until you get up above the canyon region. Such polution as there is comes from decaying carcasses of cattle that were stuck in the mud and the decaying vegetation that is washed in. The water is muddy and carries a large percentage of organic matter, but it is not of the kind that is considered highly dangerous because it does not contain human pollution. Senator JOHNSON of California. What would you say as to the feasibility of the all-American canal as proposed? Mr. DAVIS. There is no question about the feasibility of it. The matter has been very thoroughly investigated by the board that was designated for that purpose. After surveys were made, their estimates of cost were published in a pamphlet entitled "The all-American Canal Problem," or something like that, and I have no doubt of the feasibility, both in construction and operation, of the all-American canal. Senator JOHNSON of California. What board was it that made this report? Mr. DAVIS. This board consisted of Doctor Mead, of the University of California; Mr. Grunsky, of San Francisco, representing the Imperial Valley; and Mr. Schlecht, representing the Reclamation Service. After the surveys had been made they digested them and made this estimate, which was published as a public document. The CHAIRMAN. Are you in the employ of any one particular city interested in the development of the Boulder Canyon Dam? Mr. DAVIS. I am employed as consulting engineer for the city of Los Angeles. The CHAIRMAN. We are very much obliged to you. Does any member of the committee desire to ask any questions of Mr. Davis? (No response.) Mr. MATHEWS. May I make just a brief statement? In regard to the participation in cost and expense, the domestic water supply has come to be a major consideration since this project was started. The handling of this domestic water supply as contemplated by Los Angeles and the other cities of that general territory will require from 150,000 to 200,000 horsepower. So that the water supply for domestic use, on the theory that the dam is to be paid for by power, will have to take care of the investment on the basis of approximately, I should say, from one-fourth to one-third of the total cost of the dam, that is, 150,000 to 200,000 horsepower would be from one-third to one-fourth of the horsepower possible of production. The domestic water, would have to take care of that portion of the cost of the dam by taking care of that large power required for handling the water, to put it over the divide from 1,200 or 1,300 feet. That will run into, I suppose $10,000,000 or $15,000,000 that they will have to take care of. STATEMENT OF MR. FRANK E. WEYMOUTH Senator JOHNSON. Please state your name, occupation and residence. Mr. WEYMOUTH. Frank E. Weymouth. I am president of the Brock & Weymouth Engineering Corporation, of Philadelphia. I was connected with the Reclamation Service for about 22 years, and for about four years of that time I was chief of construction in charge of all the construction work in the West. During the last four years I was chief engineer of the Reclamation Service. I resigned at the end of October, and since that time, as stated before, I have been president of the Brock & Weymouth Engineering Corporation. A great deal of discussion has taken place in the last couple of years as to the best place to start the development on the Colorado River, and also to so developing the stream that no power will be wasted. In other words, no dam should be permitted to be built anywhere that would interfere with the best development of the stream as a whole, and I will devote my time, with your permission, to that phase of the problem, and, in order to save the time of the committee, I will read what I have to state. The previous witnesses have pointed out the need of flood control on the Colorado River, the requirements of storage for irrigation and domestic water supply, also the requirement for power. They have also pointed out the needs of the upper section of the river which lies above the Grand Canyon and have described the middle section of the river exteding from the mouth of the Green to a point near Needles, and also the conditions which prevail on the lower river, which extends from about Needles to the Gulf of Mexico. It is evident that the development of the river in either section should, if possible, be made in such a manner as not to interfere with any other section of the river. Fortunately this is possible. In considering the development of the Colorado River consideration should be given first, to river regulation and flood control; second, to storage for irrigation; third, to power development. Any dam constructed on the river should fit into a general scheme of maximum practical development for the purposes of flood control, irrigation, and power. To this end sufficient storage should be provided to adequately control the floods, at first largely for the prevention of avoidable damage, and later to obtain the maximum benefits from the use of such waters for irrigation and the pro duction of power. Other considerations permitting, deep reservoirs should be chosen in preference to shallow ones as the exposed area and consequent evaporation losses are less. Head should not needlessly be sacrificed. In considering the development it is necessary to take into consideration present developments, not only in the Colorado River Basin but in adjacent territory, and the likelihood of early additional development because storage should be built at such a point as to permit power that can be developed at the storage dam to be within practical transmission distance of the large power markets. This phase of the problem should not be lost sight of in considering the best way to develop the river as a whole. Taking up for discussion first, river regulation and flood control, two principal methods of flood control should be considered for the delta region of the lower basin; that is, whether the floods should be controlled by means of levees or by flood-control reservoirs, or by a combination of the two. Previous witnesses have explained to you how the river has built up a delta cone in the delta region of the lower river, and how the river now flows on this ridge at a higher elevation than the Imperial Valley. They have explained the fact that the river has in the past broken into the Imperial Valley and caused large damage, and also pointed out the liklihood of that occurring again. Just at present the river is flowing through the Pescadero cut-off and is discharging about 105,000 acre-feet, or 170,000,000 cubic yards, of silt each year into a relatively small area which will be filled in a period of between 7 and 15 years, probably 8 or 10 years. When that area is filled the river will again be flowing on a higher ridge, and the Imperial Valley will be in jeopardy during the flood period each year. A total of $7,500,000 has already been spent for levees and river protection for the Yuma project and the Imperial Valley. The above-named amount does not include expenditures by the Southern Pacific Railroad for the closing of the 1905 and 1907 breaks. It would probably be possible to completely control the floods of the Colorado River by building a comparatively straight channel from Yuma to the Gulf and by protecting the banks with levees But the cost of such a method would be much greater than by controlling the floods by means of storage reservoirs. There has been a flood of more than 180,000 second-feet down the Colorado River itself, and another of about 200,000 second-feet down the Gila, and' the engineers of the Santa Fe Railway estimated the flood in 1884 to be 384,000 second-feet, and from high water marks that they found at that time they estimated there had been a flood down the Colorado River of 500,000 second-feet. From It is not practicable, at the present time at least, to completely equate the flow of the river. If this could be accomplished, the average flow would be something like 20,000 second-feet. Yuma to the gulf the river does not overflow its natural banks on the rising river until it reaches a stage of 30,000 to 50,000, varying somewhat due to local conditions. The engineers of the Reclamation Service have found that while the river meanders and cuts unprotected banks at practically all stages, levees protected with rock revetment are not endangered until a flow of 45,000 or 50,000 second |