CONTENTS GON Page 6 H. G. Hammer, secretary, Juniper Flat District Improvement Co.. Robert Holman, president, Juniper Flat District Improvement Co. Lee McAllister, planning engineer, United States Bureau of Reclama- 21 III WAPINITIA RECLAMATION PROJECT, OREGON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1955 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, The subcommittee met at The Dalles, Oregon, Hon. Wayne Aspinall (chairman) presiding. Present: Hon. Wayne Aspinall, Hon. Gracie Pfost, and Hon. Sam Coon. Also present: Mr. Sidney McFarland, professional staff member. Chairman ASPINALL. The Subcommittee on Irrigation and Reclamation of the full committee on Interior and Insular Affairs will now be in session at the courthouse in The Dalles, Oreg., for the consideration of House bill No. 1779, a bill introduced into the Congress of the United States on January 10, 1955, by our colleague, Mr. Sam Coon, Congressman from the Second Congressional District of the State of Oregon. Such bill having for its purpose the authorization by the Secretary of the Interior to construct, operate, and maintain the Juniper division of the Wapinitia Federal reclamation project, Oregon. Unless there is an objection House bill No. 1779 will be made a part of the record of the hearings at this point. Hearing no objection it is so ordered. Unless there is an objection the report of the Secretary of the Interior dated July 6, 1955, and signed by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior, the Hon. Fred G. Aandahl, relating to the legislation will be made a part of the record. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. Unless there is an objection the letters under dates of October 6, 1954, and March 31, 1955, and signed by W. A. Dexheimer, Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, transmitting the proposed and final planning reports on the Wapinitia project will be made a part of the record. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. Unless there is an objection the letter under date of May 20, 1955, signed by Donald R. Belcher, Assistant Director of the Bureau of the Budget, and referring to the views of the Bureau of the Budget on such legislation will be made a part of the record. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. (The material referred to above follows:) [H. R. 1779, 84th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct, operate, and maintain the Juniper division of the Wapinitia Federal reclamation project, Oregon Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, for the purpose of furnishing water for the irrigation of approximately two thousand and one hundred acres of arid land in Wasco County, Oregon, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to construct, operate, and maintain the Juniper division of the Wapinitia Federal reclamation project in accordance with the provisions of the Federal reclamation laws (Act of June 17, 1902, 32 Stat. 388, and Acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto). SEC. 2. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated for construction of the Juniper division $550,000, plus such amounts, if any, as may be required by reason of changes in the cost of construction of the types involved therein as shown by engineering cost indices and, in addition thereto, such sums as are required to operate and maintain the division. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Hon. CLAIR ENGLE, Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. ENGLE: This responds to your request for a report from this Department on H. R. 1779, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct, operate, and maintain the Juniper division of the Wapinitia Federal reclamation project, Oregon. We recommend that H. R. 1779 be enacted. The principal purpose of this bill is to authorize construction of reclamation works which will furnish water for the irrigation of approximately 2,100 acres of land in Wasco County, Oreg. The estimated cost of the irrigation works is approximately $518,000. Our studies indicate that this amount, together with operation and maintenance costs, can be returned by the water users over a 40year repayment period. The total benefit-cost ratio of the project is 1.8 to 1.0 and the ratio of direct benefits to costs is estimated at 1.6 to 1.0. We request that the attached planning report on the Juniper division of the Wapinitia project, approved and adopted April 14, 1955, be considered an integral part of this report on H. R. 1779. It contains a full description of the works proposed to be constructed and the bases upon which the findings with respect to construction costs, benefit-cost ratios, and repayment prospects given above were made. Included with the planning report are copies of the comments we have received from the States and Federal agencies to which it was sent for review under the Flood Control Act of 1944, the act of August 14, 1946 (60 Stat. 1080), and interagency agreements. The Juniper division plan does not include any hydroelectric power facilities and does not contemplate the development of water for domestic and municipal purposes. The project will, however, provide potential fishery and recreational benefits. We recommend that provision be made for realization of the latter by adding to section 1 of the bill a sentence reading along these lines: "The Secretary is further authorized to investigate, plan, and construct the minimum basic facilities required for access by the visiting public to, and for the protection of its health and safety and of public property on, lands withdrawn or acquired for the Juniper division. The costs thereof, in the amount of not more than $34,870, shall be nonreimbursable and nonreturnable.' The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there would be no objection to the submission of this report to your committee. Its views with respect to the Juniper division are expressed in its letter of May 20 to which we have been requested to invite your attention. A copy of this letter is attached. Sincerely yours, FRED G. AANDAHL, Assistant Secretary of the Interior. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION, Washington, D. C., October 6, 1954. SIR: This is my proposed report on the potential Wapinitia project, Juniper division, Oregon. It is based on and includes the accompanying report of the regional director, Bureau of Reclamation, Boise, Idaho. The project area is in the White River Basin of Wasco County in north central Oregon. The works proposed for construction consist of a dam and reservoir located on the head waters of Clear Creek, a tributary of the White River, which, in turn, is a tributary of the Deschutes River. The irrigable lands lie on Juniper Flat, a plateau between the Deschutes and White Rivers. The project lands, consisting of 2,108 rather widely separated irrigable acres, are currently inadequately watered." Present water supply consists of diverted natural streamflows which, in this semiarid area, are insufficient after July 1, to provide for irrigation needs. Actually in any year only about half of the irrigable acreage is supplied with water. By storage and stream regulation the proposed project would provide a full water supply for the lands. Important benefits would accrue as a result of irrigating additional land as well as from increased production on lands presently irrigated but inadequately watered. This would add significantly to the economic welfare of the general project area in which agriculture is the basic industry. The project is economically justified with estimated irrigation benefits exceeding estimated costs in the ratio of 1.8 to 1.0. Considering direct or primary benefits only the ratio is 1.6 to 1.0. Significant recreation benefits would also accrue if recreational facilities are developed in accordance with plans set forth in the report of the National Park Service. In addition to the irrigation and recreation benefits there would be incidental fish benefits which have not been evaluated. The farmers who are members of the Juniper Flat District Improvement Co. and who would benefit have gone on record as being overwhelmingly in favor of the project. The plan provides for the enlargement of the existing Clear Lake by the construction of Wasco Dam at a site about one-half mile below the outlet of the lake. The existing diversion works, canals, laterals, and other facilities necessary to put the water on the land are adequate and will be maintained by the Juniper Flat District Improvement Co. These works would be utilized without Federal rehabilitation or extension. The estimated cost based on July 1953 prices which are essentially comparable with current prices is $518,000. It is all allocated to irrigation and is reimbursable. If certain minimum basic recreational facilities, as discussed subsequently, are included in the project an additional $34,870 should be included in the cost. Studies indicate that the water users would be able to repay the $518,000 within a 40-year period after water is made available to the lands. In addition, payment capacity would be adequate to meet necessary annual operation, maintenance, and replacement costs. The cost of the recreation facilities would be nonreimbursable. In any The Juniper Flat District Improvement Co. has held water rights necessary for this project for many years. The Pacific Power & Light Co. holds a prior right for its hydro plant located near the mouth of the White River. Natural streamflow during the dry summer months has not been adequate to satisfy these prior rights; however, the company has never requested a shut down of the irrigation diversion works. With the proposed development, during these same months streamflow would continue to be inadequate to satisfy the prior power water right. Studies indicate that regulation afforded by Wasco Dam and return flow from the project lands would be beneficial to the power company. case, before start of construction on the proposed project I recommend that the irrigation district obtain an agreement from the power company that the proposed plan of operation of the irrigation project will be satisfactory to the company. Appended to the substantiating materials of our regional director's report are preliminary regional reports of the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service. Subsequent to preparation of our regional director's report a more complete report was received from the regional director of the National Park Service. This report is also appended to our regional director's report and supersedes the Park Service's preliminary report. The National Park Service report recommends the construction by the Federal Government on a nonreimbursable basis of certain minimum basic recreation facilities at an estimated cost of $34,870, even though recreation at the Wasco Reservoir would not be of national significance. I concur in this recommendation subject to assumption by local interests of responsibility for operation and maintenance. I also concur in the Fish and Wildlife Service recommendation that all project lands retained in Federal ownership be opened to free public use except for such portions as may be reserved by the sponsoring agency for purposes of safe, efficient operation, or protection of public property. In addition to the recommendations concerning the Pacific Power & Light Co. prior to water right, minimum recreational facilities, and free access to publicly |