gation water supply to more than 75,000 acres of fertile, productive lands. The protective works are designed primarily to protect, and assure continuous irrigation to the agricultural lands of the Coachella Valley for the irrigation of which the Coachella Canal of the All-American Canal System has been constructed, and for which the Bureau of Reclamation is negotiating a contract with the Coachella Valley County Water District for the construction of the distribution system to serve these agricultural lands. Hence these works are appurtenant to the distribution system and I recommend that you so find. Such a finding would be compatible with the expression of policy contained in your letter of May 14, 1947, to the Hon. Richard J. Welch, Chairman, House Public Lands Committee, in reporting on H.R. 3348 which became law on June 26, 1947, as Public Law 121, 80th Congress. This finding is also supported by the reports of the House and Senate Public Lands Committees on H. R. 3348. The Senate Committee Report stated that the protective or flood control works are considered appurtenant to the distribution system since they are required and are designed primarily to protect, and assure continuous irrigation service to and protect the agricultural lands of the Coachella Valley and the cities and towns, railroads, highways, and other facilities that are or will be dependent on the irrigation system. Pursuant to the requirements of Section 9 of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939, the following allocations of the estimated total cost of the distribution system works ($18,000,000) of the project as at present authorized by law are made as explained in detail in the report. Irrigation Total allocations $13,500,000 4,500,000 18,000,000 An analysis of repayment ability shows that the cost of distribution works allocated to irrigation can be repaid by the water users within the period provided by law, which repayment will be provided for in the contract now under negotiation. These returnable and repayable costs, together with the allocation to flood control which is nonreimbursable, equal the total estimated cost of the distribution system. I therefore recommend that you approve and adopt the enclosed report1 and the allocations, determinations, and findings made therein, and transmit the same to the President and to the Congress, pursuant to the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Respectfully, 1 Excluded from this publication. (Signed) MICHAEL W. STRAUS, JULY 21, 1947. The enclosed report 2 and all the allocations, determinations, and findings set forth therein are hereby approved and adopted. (Signed) J. A. KRUG, Secretary of the Interior. THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, THE PRESIDENT, The White House. MY DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: Transmitted herewith is a copy of a letter to me from the Commissioner of Reclamation, together with a report, which I have approved and adopted, concerning the Coachella Valley Division of the All-American Canal System, Boulder Canyon Project. The report deals with the estimated total construction or capital costs of the distribution system including the appurtenant flood protective works, and the allocation of those costs to irrigation and flood control pursuant to Sections 7(b) and 9 of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. The Coachella Valley Division is an authorized division of the All-American Canal System, Boulder Canyon Project, for which construction of the Coachella Main Canal is well advanced. Repayment of the cost of the main canal is provided for in a contract dated October 15, 1934, between the United States and the Coachella Valley County Water District. Construction of the distribution system and completion of its appurtenant flood protective works will relieve current serious overdrafts on the rapidly diminishing underground water supply, and will make possible the service of a dependable water supply to more than 75,000 acres of fertile, productive lands. The total estimated cost of the distribution system and appurtenant protective works is found to be $18,000,000. Exhaustive consideration has been given to the allocation of the total estimated costs of $18,000,000 to irrigation and flood control, and the allocation that I have approved and adopted is as follows: Irrigation Flood control Total $13,500,000 4,500,000 18,000,000 2 Excluded from this publication. The Reclamation Project Act of 1939 provides that allocations to the purposes of flood control shall be nonreturnable and nonreimbursable. Public Law 121 of the 80th Congress, approved by you on June 26, 1947, clarifies my authority for making such an allocation for the Coachella Division. As recommended by the Commissioner of Reclamation, I find that the flood protective works are appurtenant to the distribution system, and as such they are subject to the provisions of Sections 7(b) and 9 of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. The basic plan of the distribution system and appurtenant protective works, and the design and construction of the physical features comprising them, have been thoroughly investigated by engineers competent and experienced in such matters. Upon the basis of these investigations, I have found that these works have engineering feasibility. Analysis of repayment ability shows that the project lands can return the costs allocated to irrigation within the repayment period provided by the reclamation laws. Accordingly, I find that all the estimated reimbursable construction costs of the project which are allocated to irrigation probably can be repaid to the United States by the water users. The allocation to flood control has been the subject of consultation with the Secretary of War and the Chief of Engineers. The Secretary of War states, as shown in the enclosed copy of his letter of July 18, 1947, that "the basic plan proposed by the Bureau of Reclamation appears to provide for adequate flood control improvements," and that the allocation of cost to flood control "appears to be in accordance with the intent of Public Law No. 121." Section 9 of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 authorizes the concurrent submission of this report to you and to the Congress. I have deemed it desirable to present the matter to you first. I expect, however, to present it, and a copy of this letter, to the Congress promptly, unless you have objections. Sincerely yours, (Signed) J. A. KRUG, Secretary of the Interior. THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, July 24, 1947. HON. ARTHUR H. VANDENBERG, United States Senate. MY DEAR SENATOR VANDENBERG: Pursuant to the Reclamation Project Act of 1939, there is transmitted herewith a report presented to the Secretary of the Interior by the Bureau of Reclamation of this Department on July 21, 1947, on the Coachella Valley Division of the All-American Canal System, Boulder Canyon Project, California. This report was approved by me on July 21, 1947, and was transmitted to President Truman on July 22, 1947. Copies of Commissioner of Reclamation Straus' letter of July 21, 1947, transmitting the report to me, and my letter of July 22 to President Truman are enclosed. The Bureau of the Budget has advised, on instructions of the President, that there would be no objection to the submission of this report to the Congress. Sincerely yours, (Signed) J. A. KRUG, Secretary of the Interior. Identical letter sent to Speaker of the House of Representatives. BUFFALO RAPIDS PROJECT ΜΟΝΤΑΝΑ The first division of the Buffalo Rapids project (the Glendive unit and Extension constitute the first division) was found feasible by the Acting Secretary on June 16, 1937, under the provisions of section 4 of the Act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 836), and subsection B of section 4 of the Act of December 5, 1924 (43 Stat. 702), and was approved by the President on September 27, 1937. On April 10, 1940, the Secretary recommended that the first division be completed and operated under the terms of the Act of May 10, 1939 (53 Stat. 685, 719). That recommendation which included the enlargement of the division by 3,000 acres was approved by the President on May 15, 1940. Construction of the second division including Fallon, Shirley, and Terry Units, was recommended by the Acting Secretary on October 2, 1939, under the terms of the Act of May 10, 1939 (53 Stat. 685, 719), and approved by the President October 11, 1939. A revised plan was submitted by the Secretary on April 10, 1940 and approved by the President on May 15, 1940. In accordance with section 5 of the act of July 16, 1943 (57 Stat. 567), continuation of construction of the second division was found justified by the Secretary on November 5, 1943 as an aid in the production of needed agricultural products, and the finding was approved by the President on November 30, 1943. The Act of October 10, 1949 (Public Law 336, 81st Congress) authorized the Secretary to complete construction of irrigation facilities including drainage works on the first and second divisions. The third division was authorized as part of the Missouri River Basin Project under the provisions of the Flood Control Acts of 1944 and 1946, but was renamed Sadie Flat, Marsh, and Haley units of the Yellowstone division, Missouri River Basin project. |