Indian School Reservation, in the State of Oklahoma, within the proposed Lawton reclamation project for the irrigation of not to exceed two thousand five hundred acres of Indian and private lands, upon the same terms and conditions as those prescribed for the acquisition of water rights for other lands to be irrigated by said project: Provided, That operation and maintenance charges shall not be assessed against said Indian land prior to the completion of the lateral system so as to provide for actual delivery of water thereto, and the project shall include lateral construction for the Indian lands down to each legal subdivision thereof equal in area to the size of the farm unit for lands in private ownership within said project. * THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, Hon. A. P. Davis, Director and Chief Engineer, U.S. Reclamation Service. DEAR MR. DAVIS: Mr. Ferris called me up with relation to the matter referred to in this telegram and I told him that we would postpone the construction of the Lawton Project until after the war, provided the right we have to the water was continued until that time and the cost at that time would not be prohibitive. Will you please see that this is done. Cordially yours, RECLAMATION, Denver, Colorado. Directors Lawton Irrigation District request the Secretary of Interior to withhold approval of Lawton irrigation contract as Lawton desires to tender its water supply to War Department so long as War Department needs same. You are instructed to suspend all operations looking to construction Lawton Project until further orders. (Signed) A. P. DAVIS, Director and Chief Engineer. June 4, 1917. From: Director and Chief Engineer. Chief of Construction, Denver, Colo. Subject: Lawton Project, Oklahoma. 1. A few days ago I sent you a telegram about stopping preparation for the construction of the Lawton Project. This was inspired by word from the Office of the Secretary that the officers of the Lawton Irrigation District had requested that the contract be not signed, and that on a suggestion of Representative Scott Ferris the Secretary had agreed to this. 2. It seems that a large army post or training camp is about to be established which will require all of the water supply from the reservoir, and the people of Lawton believe that this is a better use of the water than irrigation. At any rate, it has been decided not to build the Lawton Project until further notice, and the contract is not to be executed. 3. According to my present information, the proper program is to cut off all expenses relating to the Lawton Project so far as the Reclamation Service is concerned until further orders. (Signed) A. P. DAVIS, Director and Chief Engineer. LEWISTON ORCHARDS PROJECT IDAHO The Lewiston Orchards project was found feasible by the Acting Secretary on May 31, 1946, pursuant to the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. However, before the Secretary's report was submitted to Congress, the Congress specifically authorized construction of the project by the act of July 31, 1946 (60 Stat. 717). From: BUREAU OF RECLAMATION, REGION I, Regional Director, Region I, Boise, Idaho The Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation Subject: Lewiston Orchards Project, Idaho. 1. Transmittal. Herein is presented my report describing the contemplated development of the Lewiston Orchards project, Idaho. Additional supporting materials are presented in the appendix report on this project which is being transmitted separately. For urgent reasons developed below, I recommend that you present the report for appropriate departmental action with a view to securing congressional authorization for immediate construction of the project. 38. Conclusions.-Urgent need for the project exists to preserve improvement values in the Lewiston Orchards irrigation district, totaling nearly $2,000,000; to permit continuance of crop production which at normal prices has a value exceeding a quarter of a million dollars annually; and to provide a healthful supply of water for nearly 3,000 people. The project will have numerous other benefits, including a substantial increase in the annual value of crops produced, the creation of new opportunities for parttime farming, and the preservation and increase of wealth contributing to the support of local business, the county, and the State. The plan presented herein has engineering feasibility and full payment of reimbursable costs of the project is in prospect. 39. Recommendations.-It is recommended: (a) That the following principal works and such subsidiary works as may be incidental thereto, which, together with existing works of the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District not requiring reconstruction, constitute the Lewiston Orchards Project, be authorized to be constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation substantially in accordance with the plans set forth in this report and in the supporting Appendix Report on the Lewiston Orchards Project, with such modifications, omissions, or additions as you may find proper for carrying out the project to the end of providing irrigation and domestic water to the 3,430 acres now served by the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District and of providing capacity in mains to permit eventual extension of irrigation and domestic water service by the district to the 348 acres of the project area adjoining the district lands on the northwest, to wit: (1) Concrete bench flume to replace wooden flumes on Sweetwater Creek diversion canal, (2) Concrete pipe siphon on Sweetwater Creek diversion canal to replace chute and siphon of inadequate capacity, (3) Earth and rock-fill diversion dam on Webb Creek to replace timber crib structure, (4) Steel pipe to replace wooden flumes on Webb Creek diversion canal, (5) Steel pipe irrigation distribution system to serve 3,430 acres in Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District, with mains of adequate capacity to permit the eventual extension of service by the district to the 348 acres of the project area adjoining the district on the northwest. (6) Transit pipe, domestic water distribution system to serve the same area, also with mains of adequate capacity to permit extension of service by the district to the adjoining acreage described, and (7) Treating plant and clear water reservoir for domestic water system. (b) That said Lewiston Orchards Project be authorized to be constructed, operated, and maintained in accordance with the Federal Reclamation Laws (Act of June 17, 1902, 32 Stat. 388, and acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto): Provided, (1) That this report shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of the Federal Reclamation Laws governing the submission to the President and the Congress of a finding of engineering feasibility; (2) That water users shall be required to pay not more than the estimated maximum repayable amount of $870,000 of the actual construction costs finally to be allocated to irrigation, such repayment to be made in the maximum repayment period and on the terms and conditions available under the provisions of subsection 9 (d) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939; (3) That water users shall be required to pay not more than the estimated maximum repayable amount of $540,000 of the actual construction costs finally to be allocated to domestic water, such repayment to be made in the maximum repayment period and in the terms and conditions available under the provisions of 9 (c) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939; (4) That the excess, if any, of actual construction costs finally allocated to irrigation and domestic water over the sums stated in (2) and (3) above, respectively, be nonreimbursable; and (5) That the costs allocated to the irrigation system consist of the construction costs for the irrigation distribution system, 94 percent of the construction costs for works above the distribution system, and that part of the $30,000 investigation cost determined by use of the ratio between construction costs for the irrigation system and total construction costs; and that costs allocated to the domestic water system consist of the construction costs of the domestic water distribution system and treating plant, six percent of the construction costs for works above the treating plant and distribution system, and the balance of the $30,000 investigation cost not allocated to the irrigation system. (c) That, inasmuch as the domestic water system is an essential accompaniment to the irrigation system and would utilize the same water supply, reimbursable funds used for construction of the treating plant, clear water reservoir, and distribution system for domestic water shall not carry reimbursable interest charges. (d) That the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District or other water users' organization or organizations having adequate authority under the laws of Idaho to contract with the United States for the operation and maintenance of the project works and for the repayment of construction costs on the terms indicated in this report be recognized as the appropriate representative of the project water users. (e) That the contract between the United States and the district provide, among other things, substantially as follows: (1) That annual charges for irrigatión levied against each benefited owner of land within the district, including charges both for repayment of construction costs and for operation and maintenance of the project, be determined on the basis of two components: a uniform charge per acre, and a service charge for each operating unit; and that the total charges thus determined be as nearly proportional as practicable to the maximum repayment ability of operators of representative sized units established in this report; and (2) That the district, subject to approval by the Government, may extend the irrigation and domestic water systems constructed by the United States to provide service on the 348 acres of the project area adjacent to the present district lands on the northwest at such time and under such terms as may be mutually agreed upon by the district and the owners of land in that adjacent area. (Signed) R. J. NEWELL, Regional Director. |