location for such a dam; the site is more accessible; it would cost less money to construct; would be nearer the greater power market; would serve irrigation and reclamation in the United States as well, and would accomplish better flood control, for the reason that there is an inflow to the river below Glen Canyon and above Topock or Needles of approximately 1,500,000 acrefeet of water per annum, most all of which would be above Black Canyon and would be held by a dam at that place and made available for use, whereas now, and without storage at the place mentioned, owing to the wide spread of the river in flood time that amount of water is lost between Topock and Yuma. I do not believe it is feasible now, nor will it be for two or three generations, if ever, to take any large quantity of water from the river above Boulder Canyon Reservoir site for irrigation in Arizona. Certainly not unless practically all of the present unappropriated water would be available for the purpose. Many good people in Arizona believe a diversion of water at Bridge Canyon for irrigation in Arizona is not only possible but feasible now, but I do not. I believe the license for the so-called Diamond Creek project should be granted without delay. That project is small, as the lower Colorado River goes, though large in comparison with others on other streams of less importance. It is the most accessible site on the lower river. Bedrock is near the surface of the river. It would not interfere with any other feasible project and would greatly help to desilt the river, and to a small degree in regulating the flood. It is purely an Arizona project, by Arizona people, wholly within Arizona, and for the use and development of Arizona. It would not deplete the water in the river to any extent. It could be quickly completed and power developed which would be of very great help in the construction of other larger projects by furnishing power. It is purely a power project. By all means the San Carlos or Coolidge Dam on the Gila should be hastened to completion. That will greatly decrease the flood menace to the Yuma and Imperial Valleys. While the Gila floods are rare, and rarely, if ever, have heretofore coincided with the flood of the Colorado, yet it sometimes runs a wicked flood, and if it should so run coincident with the Colorado River flood the result would doubtless be very serious, indeed. I agree with Colonel Kelly's plan of development of the lower Colorado, except I do not agree with him nor anyone else in the construction of a low dam at Black, Boulder, or Glen Canyons for partial control of the floods, nor at Diamond Creek. If it were a matter of necessity, as so often happens in private life, that "poor folks have poor ways," then half a flood control would be better than none, for "half a loaf is better than no loaf," but it is mighty poor economy if it can be avoided, and the United States, with all the money due from Italy and Ireland, a few paltry millions advanced or given by the United States Government to save the lives of thousands of American citizens, perhaps, and many millions of dollars of property, would be money well spent. It seems to me that the Congress will be derelict in its duty if it does not make the money available for complete flood control for the protection of these valleys and order the work done at once. Inasmuch as the larger part of the expense of the construction of any dam in the lower Colorado is the preparation with roads and equipment, the cofferdam, tunnels for by-passing the water, the clearing and laying the foundation of the dam to the surface of the river bed, it would not be economy to build in Black or Boulder or Glen Canyon a dam 310 or 360 feet high, in either case less than half flood control, and such a dam would likely cost from 80 to 90 per cent of that of a high dam for complete flood control, and leaving a good job half finished with the easiest and cheapest part undone, with the equipment and organization on the job to finish it. That would appear to me to be poor economy. The same reason exists with respect to the Diamond Creek project. Girand and his associates will not want to be limited to a 250-foot dam. It is the drop of the water they want, and every extra foot of drop will be worth thousands of dollars to them. I can see no good reason for a partial flood-control dam at Topock. Besides the interference with the railroad and bridge, the highway and bridge, and the town of Needles, all of which would be submerged, it would spread out many miles in a thin sheet of water over the sands of the hottest part of the United States. A veritable evaporating pan. The upper States of the Colorado River Basin are fearful if a flood-control dam is constructed in the lower river and the water applied to the production of electric power that there will be thereby created a priority of right against any further extension of use of the water above that point. Hence the agreement or compact. Should the compact fail because of the refusal of Arizona to ratify it, it seems to me that each individual permit for any construction may contain stipulations safeguarding the rights of upper States that would be legal and binding. We in the lower basin, particularly in Arizona, demand an agreement on the division of the waters among the States of the lower basin before ratifying the compact in Arizona. That will not be a difficult problem when the three States Arizona, California, and Nevada-earnestly desire to meet openmindedly. There has been no proposition of that kind made yet. There have been two or three gestures or pretended attempts at a conference. The compact itself contemplates and provides for such agreements among the States, and the contemplated agreement among the southern basin States on the division of the waters, or any other agreement in anywise pertaining to the Colorado River, would be in harmony with the purpose and intent as well as the provisions of the Colorado River compact. Respectfully submitted. W. S. NORVIEL. The committee will stand adjourned until 8 o'clock in the morning. (Whereupon, at 6 o'clock p. m., the committee adjourned until 8 o'clock a. m. on Tuesday, November 3, 1925.) DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON IRRIGATION AND LAS VEGAS, NEV. PART 4 Printed for the use of the Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation |