Mr. LARSON. Yes. I believe your committee has two copies of each supplemental report. Senator WATKINS. Not only the committee, but I assume that each member has a copy as well. I think you can proceed, if there are no other questions. Senator KUCHEL. Mr. Chairman? Senator WATKINS. Senator Kuchel. Senator KUCHEL. Mr. Larson, referring to your comments on the legal background, on page 12 Senator WATKINS. We arrange to have him finish these projects. Some of this may be covered and you may get it without having to ask questions in advance. Will you proceed with the next project, Mr. Larson, that is covered by this authorization bill? I mean the next unit. I think they ought to be referred to as units of an overall basinwide project. That is actually what they are; are they not? Mr. LARSON. Yes, they are units, but so they will not be confused with the storage units, they are referred to as participating projects. Senator WATKINS. Just so we understand the distinction. You are still in Wyoming. STATEMENT ON THE SEEDSKADEE PROJECT, WYOMING Mr. LARSON. The potential Seedskadee project would divert water from Green River, a principal tributary of the Colorado River, to provide for the irrigation of 60,720 acres of arable dry lands lying along both sides of the river in Lincoln and Sweetwater Counties in southwestern Wyoming. Of the total area, 51,960 acres would be included in family-sized farm units and 9,030 acres would be used for community pasture. Water for domestic and stock watering use in the project area would be obtained from project canals and from shallow wells that would be developed by the water users. Fish and wildlife values in the area would probably suffer minor damage as a result of project development. Recreation values would not be materially affected. With project development, the irrigated lands would be utilized primarily for the support of livestock enterprises, particularly dairy cows and sheep. Climatically adaptable crops, such as grasses for hay and pasture, small grain, alfalfa, and some garden crops would be produced. Analyses made indicate that an average farm of about 200 irrigated acres in the Seedskadee area would be required to provide the farm family with a reasonable standard of living, provide employment for the available family labor, and permit payment of operation, maintenance, and replacement costs of project facilities and some payment toward construction costs of project facilities. Detailed land classification surveys shows the project lands to be suitable for sustained production of crops under irrigation farming. Water supply studies based on records of streamflows as they have occurred in the past indicate that an adequate irrigation supply of 225,800 acre-feet annually would be available from direct flows for the project with permissible shortages in occasionally drought years. A water right for the project can be obtained under Wyoming State law. Principal construction features of the project would include a diversion dam on Green River, a system of main canals and laterals to convey water from the diversion dam and distribute it to project lands, two hydraulic-driven pumps at drops in the distribution canals to lift water to some of the lands, and a few miles of artificial drains. The Seedskadee diversion dam would consist of a low ogee overflow section 400 feet long, canal headworks, a sluiceway, and a dike 1,000 feet long. The Seedskadee diversion canal would extend along the west side of Green River and would convey water from the river to the project lands. It would be 19 miles in length and would have an initial capacity of 1,350 second-feet. The diversion canal would terminate at a bifurcation structure at the headings of the two main canal distribution systems, one serving lands west of the river and the other serving lands east of the river. Main canals in the distribution system would total about 160 miles in length. A lateral system would be constructed to deliver water from the main canals to individual farm tracts. A construction period of about 8 years, including the completion of definite plan investigations, would be required to complete all project facilities except the drains. Drains would not be completed until several years after application of water to the lands so that the actual extent of drainings works required could be determined. This statement is based on the physical plan of project development presented in the Bureau of Reclamtion report on the "Seedskadee project, Wyoming" dated November 1950, a supplement to the Colorado River storage project dated December 1950. Results of current, 1953, Bureau of Reclamation estimates for this project plan are summarized in the attached project summary tabulation. Studies of the upper Green River Basin made subsequent to 1950 indicate that significant modifications in the project plan may be found desirable during the definite planning stage of the investigation. Senator WATKINS. The summary may be received and made a part of the record. (The summary referred to is as follows:) 1 Studies in the upper Green River Basin subsequent to 1950 indicate that enlargement of the project area and addition of some storage may be found desirable during the definite plan investigations of the potential project. PROJECT WORKS Construction features would include a diversion dam on the Green River, a system of main canals and laterals, two hydraulic-driven pumps and a few miles of drains. The diversion canal, 19 miles in length, would have an initial capacity of 1,350 second-feet. Main canals and laterals in the distribution system would total about 160 miles in length. Estimated cost. COST AND REPAYMENT Reimbursable cost allocated to irrigation... Repayment by- Irrigation water users_ Power revenues from Colorado River storage project.... Total_. Annual operation, maintenance and replacement costs. $23, 272, 000 23, 272, 000 None 4,785, 000 18, 487, 000 23, 272, 000 136, 600 1.46 to 1 Senator WATKINS. I note that the benefit-cost ratio for that project is 1.46 to 1. Any questions about this one? If not, we will proceed to the Lyman project. LYMAN PROJECT, WYOMING Mr. LARSON. The potential Lyman project is contemplated as a means of improving the late-season irrigation water supply and thus of bettering agricultural production on 40,600 acres of land near the town of Lyman in Bridger Valley, a part of the upper Colorado River Basin in southwestern Wyoming. The lands are now irrigated with only a partial supply. Because of the semiarid climate in the area, irrigation is necessary for successful crop production. Only grasses for hay and pasture, alfalfa, and some small grains can be produced to any extent as the growth of most other crops is precluded by a short growing season and untimely summer frosts that characterize the high 6,500- to 7,000foot elevations of the project lands. Additional late-season irrigation water is needed to increase yields of the forage and grain crops to bolster the all-important local livestock industry. Principal livestock would be dairy cows and beef cattle. The Lyman project would provide late-season irrigation water through construction of a dam and reservoir with 43,000 acre-feet total capacity at the Bridger site on Willow Creek to store the spring flood flows of Blacks Fork and its tributary, West Fork of Smiths Fork. Surplus flows of these streams, now largely used for excessive irrigation in the spring run-off season, would be conveyed to the reservoirs by two feeder canals, one diverting from each of the streams. The water would be retained in the reservoir until needed and then released to the Willow Creek channel. Enlargement of a few miles of this channel and construction of three canals to divert from this enlarged channel would provide the necessary facilities along with the existing irrigation systems in the area to effect the distribution of the water to project lands. The existing canal systems would be improved and extended as necessary. Drains would be provided where necessary to improve the removal of unavoidable waste and excess surface waters on the irrigated lands and to protect the lands from accumulations of harmful salts. Senator WATKINS. Off the record. (Discussion off the record.) Senator WATKINS. We are going to put into the record your statements that you have prepared on each of these projects. The one you have not finished is the Lyman project, Wyoming. Before I pass on to the next one, is there anything that you want to say in addition about this Lyman project? (The statement is as follows:) LYMAN PROJECT, WYOMING The potential Lyman project is contemplated as a means of improving the lateseason irrigation water supply and thus of bettering agricultural production on 40,600 acres of land near the town of Lyman in Bridger Valley, a part of the upper Colorado River Basin in southwestern Wyoming. The lands are now irrigated with only a partial supply. Because of the semiarid climate in the area, irrigation is necessary for successful crop production. Only grasses for hay and pasture, alfalfa, and some small grains can be produced to any extent as the growth of most other crops is precluded by a short growing season and untimely summer frosts that characterize the high 6,500- to 7,000-foot elevations of the project lands. Additional lateseason irrigation water is needed to increase yields of the forage and grain crops to bolster the all-important local livestock industry. Principal livestock would be dairy cows and beef cattle. The Lyman project would provide late-season irrigation water through construction of a dam and reservoir with 43,000 acre-feet total capacity at the Bridger site on Willow Creek to store the spring flood flows of Blacks Fork and its tributary, West Fork of Smiths Fork. Surplus flows of these streams, now largely used for excessive irrigation in the spring runoff season, would be conveyed to the reservoir by two feeder canals, one diverting from each of the streams. The water would be retained in the reservoir until needed and then released to the Willow Creek channel. Enlargement of a few miles of this channel and construction of three canals to divert from this enlarged channel would provide the necessary facilities along with the existing irrigation systems in the area to effect the distribution of the water to project lands. The existing canal systems would be improved and extended as necessary. Drains would be provided where necessary to improve the removal of unavoidable waste and excess surface waters on the irrigated lands and to protect the lands from accumulations of harmful salts. Preliminary land-classification surveys indicate that project lands would be suitable for sustained irrigation farming although detailed surveys will be necessary to firmly establish their suitability. Some presently irrigated lands that may be found to be nonarable could be abandoned and their water supply transferred to readily accessible arable lands now idle. Water-supply studies, based on records and estimates of streamflows as they have occurred in the past, indicate the project would increase the irrigation supply from storage by an average of 32,500 acre-feet annually and reduce the present average irrigation shortage of 37 percent to an average of 12 percent. A water right for the project can be obtained for the project as planned under Wyoming State law provided the necessary agreements and adjustments in water rights can be negotiated with holders of prior natural flow rights in the project area. A period of 5 or 6 years would be required to complete definite plan investigations and construction of the project facilities excepting the drains. The drains would not be completed until a few years after operation of the project and the actual extent of drainage required could be determined. This statement is based on the physical plan of project development presented in the Bureau of Reclamation report on the Lyman project, Wyoming, dated October 1950, a supplement to the Colorado River storage project report dated December 1950. Results of current (1953) Bureau of Reclamation estimates for this project plan are summarized in the attached project summary tabulation. New lands Total_-_ Summary data, Lyman project, Wyoming IRRIGATED ACREAGE PRINCIPAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION Hay, pasture and small grain-dairy cows and beef cattle. WATER SUPPLY Average annual increase in direct flow diversion_ Stream depletion__ PROJECT WORKS Acres None 40, 600 40, 600 Acre-feet 32, 500 None Construction features would include the Bridger Dam and Reservoir with total of 43,000 acre-feet capacity, enlargement of the Willow Creek channel, construction of three canals and some drainage facilities. 45, 900 Annual operation, maintenance, and replacement costs-- 1.01 to 1 Mr. LARSON. There is one thing I would like to say. Senator WATKINS. We will not require you to read them now. Mr. LARSON. There is one thing I would like to say in addition that pertains to many of these projects. Where I refer to the principal crops being hay, pasture, and small grain, and the stock being dairy cows, beef cattle and sheep, that will be true also of a number of projects in the other States, particularly in Colorado. What I would like to emphasize is the importance of more hay and pasture and grain in these mountainous areas, where it is such an advantage to create a better balance between the farm lands and the vast range lands. Senator WATKINS. As a matter of fact, the rangelands would not be worth very much if you did not have a farm to go with it on which you could produce the supplemental feed for winter. Mr. LARSON. That is correct. The range people cannot afford to ship hay and grain long distances to carry their cattle and sheep over the winter. It is very important to raise more hay and grain, so as to make better use of the millions of acres of rangelands that we have in the upper Colorado River area. Senator WATKINS. And as I have indicated, probably the rangelands would not be worth very much, unless we did have these lands on which to grow the additional supplemental food supply for these animals. Mr. LARSON. That is correct. 49500-54-7 |