a. That formal agreements defining the water rights for at least 90% of the 1,350 acres now irrigated be duly executed and that in connection therewith the perpetual use of Salmon Lake reservoir be granted to the United States by its present owners. b. That a Water Users' Association be organized and that at least 90% of the 8,650 acres of the irrigable land be subscribed. c. That contracts for the disposal of excess land be executed for at least 90% of the excess area.

Third, That the farm unit for the project be fixed at 40 acres of irrigable land.

Fourth, That in order that the work may be completed in time for the irrigation season of 1907 prompt action be taken for the authorization of this project.

You recommended that these recommendations of the Board of Engineers be approved; that $500,000 be set aside for the construction of said project, and that suitable authority be given to push the work to the point of letting contracts at the earliest practicable date.

On November 8, 1905, you were advised that your recommendations were not approved, and on November 15th you were further advised that the purpose of the Department in taking the action of November 8 was "simply to suspend action on your recommendation pending further investigation and consideration of said project."

The further investigation and consideration mentioned have now been had and in view thereof, and as the result of a conference this morning with the entire Congressional delegation from the State of Washington at which information was submitted to the Department in relation to this project of which it has never heretofore been apprised, the report and recommendations of the Board of Engineers in reference to said project dated October 9, 1905, are hereby approved. $500,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby set aside from the reclamation fund for the construction of said project and authority is hereby given to push the work to the point of letting contracts at the earliest practicable date.

Very respectfully,

(Signed) E. A. HITCHCOCK,

Secretary.

ORLAND PROJECT

CALIFORNIA

The Orland project was authorized by the Secretary on October 5, 1907, under the Reclamation Act of 1902; examined and reported upon by a Board of Army Engineers and approved by the President on January 5, 1911, pursuant to the act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 835).

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

RECLAMATION SERVICE, Portland, Oregon, November 12, 1906.

CHIEF ENGINEER,

Washington, D. C.

DEAR SIR: In accordance with your instructions the preliminary investigations instituted in connection with the Orland Unit of the Sacramento Project have been reviewed by a board of engineers consisting of D. C. Henny, E. G. Hopson and S. G. Bennett. This board held its sessions in Portland, Oregon, November 11 and 12, 1906, and has the honor to report as follows:

There are about 2 million acres of land in the Valley that is likely to be suitable for irrigation. The run-off of the Sacramento River is sufficient to supply three times the amount of water that might be required for the irrigation of the entire Valley.

The natural unregulated flow of the Sacramento River system is such that three-fourths of the entire run-off is discharged during the winter and early spring months. The remaining onefourth, which flows down during the irrigation season, reaches a minimum during the midsummer months when irrigation demands a maximum supply.

While the natural flow, therefore, would permit of the full irrigation of but a relatively small portion of the Sacramento Valley, it is nevertheless very important, as may be noted from the following schedule:

MINIMUM DISCHARGES OF THE SACRAMENTO, FEATHER

Disregarding streams farther to the South, the above minimum flow would be sufficient to irrigate five hundred thousand acres of land in the Valley.

The lower reaches of the stream, however, remain navigable even during low water flow, and the diversion of large quantities of water at such times would cause interference with navigation. Large irrigation development must therefore depend upon storing of flood waters, and a study was commenced by the Reclamation Service of available storage reservoirs supplementary to previous investigations by the Hydrographic Branch of the Geological Survey.

Numerous possibilities exist as indicated in the report of Mr. S. G. Bennett dated June 30, 1906, and it was found that a commencement with irrigation might be made at almost any desired point in the Valley so far as water supply is concerned.

The selection of a first unit was largely influenced by two important facts:

First, that in accordance with your instructions a first unit should be self-contained and its estimated cost should be well below one million dollars.

Second, that the land in the Valley has been devoted to wheat raising; that it is held in large areas by single owners; that the gradual exhaustion of the soil for wheat raising purposes has tended to enlarge the average holding and cause absent landlordism, and that the land owners not only do not appreciate irrigation possibilities but generally oppose a forced subdivision such as must be an essential condition attached to any reclamation project.

The latter consideration led to investigating the feasibility of a project for the irrigation of lands in the vicinity of Orland in Glenn County, where landowners had voluntarily formed a water users' association, where large bodies of land had been subscribed and where consequently the best prospect existed of successfully solving this phase of the situation.

The land in the vicinity of Orland can be watered from Stony Creek, one of the tributaries of the Sacramento River entering from the west. The small low water flow of this stream had been appropriated, and irrigation must therefore be dependent upon storage.

There are four feasible storage reservoir sites on this creek, as follows:

The first three were reported and estimated on by Mr. Burt Cole in 1903. The East Park reservoir was found by him to be relatively the cheapest, and recent investigations therefore were started at this point, and bed rock was located at reasonable

depth. The fourth site was located during recent investigations and is second in order of probable cost per acre foot stored.

A study of available hydrographic data shows that each of the above reservoirs would be filled each year with the exception of those of extreme low rainfall, of which there has been only one during the last twenty years that records are available. During such low year the two most economical reservoirs considered, namely, the East Park and the Stony Ford reservoirs, would probably fill to the extent of 75% or more.

The land that can be most economically irrigated from the water stored in these reservoirs lies on both sides of Stony Creek below the point where it emerges upon the valley proper, about five miles above Orland. This land was investigated by Mr. W. H. Heileman, Soil Expert of the Reclamation Service, who reports that it is uniformly capable of producing all varieties of crops, including citrus fruits as grown in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys and in Southern California.

A very small amount of this land is now under irrigation and is supplied by means of two canal systems, one owned by the Stony Creek Irrigation Company, whose canal lies to the south of Stony Creek, and by the Lemon Home Power and Light Company, irrigating lands to the north side. The latter company has been in operation about nine years and the former for double that time. The present irrigation is confined to about 400 acres on the south side and 40 acres on the north side. The small extent of irrigation after such a long time of operation may be explained by the extremely small summer flow of Stony Creek, thereby not permitting full irrigation except for a small area of land. Where full irrigation has been practiced the opinion expressed by Mr. Heileman is in every way confirmed.

The above two canal companies occupy with their canals strategic rights of way and have early water rights which will render it necessary to arrive at a distinct understanding with them either through agreement or more probably through purchase. In the estimates upon which the subsequent portion of this report is based certain valuations have been assumed contemplating the purchase of these canal properties.

There are small amounts of lands irrigated along Stony Creek in the narrow valley on the upper reaches of the stream. It is not expected that serious misunderstanding or litigation can result from conflict in regard to the use of water.

A flood irrigation appropriation has been made by the owners of the Central Irrigation Canal which crosses Stony Creek about nine miles below Orland. No serious complication is feared from this source, the total amount of acres irrigated with Stony Creek flood waters having been confined so far to about 400, and during the time that Stony Creek is in flood the Sacramento River, from which the Central Irrigation Company's canal is intended to derive its supply, is also in flood and would give ample water supply.

It has not been deemed advisable that investigation, the results of which must largely depend upon action of landowners, should

be carried to a great degree of refinement until after a conditional allotment is available. This board is, however, of the opinion that the data at hand justify the following conclusions:

That the East Park reservoir in connection with the spring flow from Stony Creek will be sufficient for the irrigation of 11,000 acres.

That if instead of the East Park reservoir the Stony Ford reservoir be built there will be a sufficient supply for 14,000 acres.

That the most economical selection of lands upon which to use these waters would be in a solid body on the south side of Stony Creek.

That the general feeling among the people in the vicinity of Orland favors the irrigation of lands on both sides of Stony Creek. That in view of private rights involved the canal properties may be purchased at a considerably reduced cost if some of the land on the north side of Stony Creek be included in the present unit.

That in any event from 1,000 to 3,000 acres may be added to the project by pumping from wells located at the lower edge of the lands to be irrigated, the supply for such wells to be obtained from underground water now existing in the gravel strata south of Stony Creek which will be added to through irrigation of the upper lands as herein proposed.

That the cost per acre, omitting lands to be irrigated by pumping, will lie between $40.00 and $50.00, with the probability that it will be close to $42.00.

That such cost may be reduced by including as much land upon which to pump water from wells as subsequent experience may warrant.

That the climatic condition and the character of the soil indicate that the lands themselves will be abundant security for any possible cost of the project.

That it may be deemed advisable not to decide between the East Park and Stony Ford reservoirs until options on lands have been obtained in both.

That the maximum area of the project be considered as 14,000 acres covered by gravity and 3,000 acres covered by pumping, total 17,000 acres.

That this maximum would be reduced to 11,000 acres by gravity and 3,000 by pumping in case the East Park reservoir be selected, and

That the construction cost on the basis of maximum area may be estimated at $650,000.

In view of the above we therefore recommend:

That the Orland Unit of the Sacramento Valley Project be approved and $650,000 be now set aside for its construction, but that no money be made available for construction until after the following conditions shall have been complied with:

1. That a percentage of land, satisfactory to the Department, lying economically under the project shall have been pledged.

2. That satisfactory agreements for adjustment of water rights or for purchase shall have been concluded with the Stony Creek