to cost-share the project's recreation enhancement facilities in accordance with the Federal Water Projects Recreation Act. Old controversies have been resolved. The project has support throughout the basin. It is included as an integral part of Nebraska's State water plan, supported by the Governor and by all the State resource agencies. It was reevaluated by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1971, and found to meet all Federal requirements for authorization and construction. Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, I urge your favorable action towards authorization of this worthwhile project. We in Nebraska believe that this is a sound investment in the future of our State and of our country. Mr. JOHNSON. We want to thank you for your statement on behalf of the agency that you represent. Also we will make a part of the record the resolutions you discussed. They will be made a part of the record at this point. (The resolutions follow:) LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA, EIGHTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, SECOND SESSION LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION 44 [Introduced by the Interim Study Committee on State Water Planning, Maurice A. Kremer, 34th District; Irving F. Wiltse, 1st District; Otho G. Kime, 43d District; Rudolf C Kokes, 41st District; Ellen E. Craft, 45th District; Wayne W. Ziebarth, 37th District; E. Thome Johnson, 15th District] Whereas, the Bureau of Reclamation and collaborating agencies have investigated in varying degrees of refinement a number of potential multiple-purpose water and related land resource development projects in Nebraska; and Whereas, one of these proposed developments, the Nebraska Mid-State Division, has been authorized for construction and the advance planning work is underway but it has not been funded for construction; and Whereas, five others, the North Loup Division, the O'Neill Unit, the Mirage Flats Project (Supplemental Water), the Little Blue Unit, and the Cedar Rapids Division have met the required tests of engineering and economic feasibility; and Whereas, the North Loup Division, the O'Neill Unit, and the Mirage Flats Project are presently before the Congress; and Whereas, four others, the Logan Unit, the Highland Unit, the Norfolk Unit, and the Sunbeam Unit have been investigated to less than feasibility standards and appear to be economically and engineeringly feasible; and Whereas, all of these proposed developments appear to be compatible with Nebraska's long-range planning for development of water and related land resources and have been included in the Basic Framework: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the members of the Eighty-second Legislature of Nebraska, second session: 1. That the Legislature memorializes the Congress of the United States and the respective committees thereof, to support the proposals of the Bureau of Reclamation for these developments, and a. Provide funds to initiate construction of the authorized Nebraska MidState Division as soon as all advance planning requirements of the authorizing legislation are met. b. Provide early authorization and funding for construction of the North Loup Division, the O'Neill Unit, the Mirage Flats Project (Supplemental Water), the Little Blue Unit, and the Cedar Rapids Division, all of which have been found feasible and have local sponsoring districts. c. Provide necessary funds for continuation of the Bureau of Reclamation's Nebraska State Water Plan studies and for feasibility studies for the Logan Unit, the Highland Unit, the Norfolk Unit, and the Sunbeam Unit. 2. That copies of this resolution be transmitted by the Clerk of the Legislature to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, to the Honorable Henry Jackson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, the Honorable Wayne Aspinall, Chairman of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, and to each member from Nebraska in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States. FRANK MARSH, President of the Legislature. I, Vincent D. Brown, hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Legislative Resolution 44, which was passed by the Legislature of Nebraska in Eight-second Legislature, Second Session, on the twenty-second day of February, 1972. VINCENT D. BROWN, Clerk of the Legislature. LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA, EIGHTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, FIRST SESSION LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION 51 [Introduced by Rudolf C. Kokes, 41st District: Herb Nore, 27th District; Whereas, investigation by the United States Bureau of Reclamation has shown that a multipurpose water development project in Loup, Garfield, Valley, Greeley, Howard, Merrick and Nance Counties, Nebraska would provide large benefits for irrigation, recreation and fish and wildlife to the people of the State of Nebraska; and Whereas, studies completed by the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Commission for the Nebraska Water Plan show that the project would be desirable and compatible with total State Water Resources Development; and Whereas, House Bill, H.R. 869 and Senate Bill, S. 352, for authorization and construction of this Project were introduced by Congressman Dave Martin and Senators Roman L. Hruska and Carl T. Curtis and are presently being considered by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United States; and Whereas, in 1968 the University of Nebraska released a study of the economic impact that irrigation crop production has on the economy of the entire State of Nebraska, and applying the results of this study to the North Loup Division shows the development would add about $36,000,000.00 annually to business in Nebraska; and Whereas, local support for the North Loup Project has always been strong and the owners and operators of the irrigable land are highly in favor of the Project: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the members the Eighty-second Legislature of Nebraska, first session: 1. That the Legislature memorializes the 92nd Congress of the United States and the respective Interior Committees thereof, to support the proposals of the Bureau of Reclamation for the North Loup Division and approve the above legislation for its authorization and construction. 2. That funds be provided to the United States Bureau of Reclamation in Fiscal Year 1971-72 for preconstruction planning of the North Loup Division. 3. That copies of this resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted by the Clerk of the Legislature, to the United States Senate and House of Representatives of the 92nd Congress, to Honorable Henry Jackson, Chairman of the Senate Interior Committee, and Honorable Wayne Aspinall, Chairman of the House Interior Committee, and to each member from Nebraska in the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States. FRANK MARSH, President of the Legislature. I, Vincent D. Brown, hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Legislative Resolution 51, which was passed by the Legislature of Nebraska in Eighty-second Legislature, First Session, on the twenty-fourth day of April, 1971. VINCENT D. BROWN, POLICY STATEMENT IV-NORTH LOUP DIVISION, NEBRASKA, Responsibility for comprehensive land and water resources planning in Nebraska has been assigned by the Legislature to the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Commission. The Commission, as a part of this responsibility, is developing a State Water Plan to achieve full development and maximum use of Nebraska's water resources. A feasibility report on the North Loup Division has been completed and printed as House Document 491. The plan includes development of Calamus Dam and Reservoir near Burwell, Nebraska and Davis Creek Dam and Reservoir near North Loup, Nebraska as well as the provision of project irrigation water to 52,570 acres of land. The Commission endorses the current plan for the North Loup Division as a principal element of the State Water Plan. The North Loup Division will stabilize and enhance the agricultural economy of a significant portion of Nebraska. The effect of such a project in stabilizing and in stimulating additional economic development in the surrounding area has been demonstrated both in Nebraska and elsewhere. To this end, the 52,570 acres of the North Loup and Loup River Valley lands to be irrigated in this Division are capable of sustained high yields of a wide variety of crops to be used in part in stabilizing and augmenting feed supplies for livestock. This project lies entirely within a ten county area of central Nebraska which until recently was designated as a "Rural Redevelopment Area." The impetus given to the local economy by the use of local labor and services for construction, operation and maintenance of this project would be an important benefit in addition to those used in the current economic analysis. Central Nebraska has only limited recreational facilities. This project would provide not only an opportunity for local residents to enjoy water based activities but, in addition, would provide a base for the development of a local tourism industry. Economic feasibility for this project has been well established and, even in view of increasing costs, well justifies development. Based on 1964 conditions, the project is estimated to produce over $2.40 of benefits for each $1 invested and 96 percent of the project cost is reimbursable. Of the costs allocated to irrigation, over 30 percent will be repaid by the local districts. This proposed development has broad support in Nebraska. The local residents in 1954 voted by a two-to-one majority to permit the Twin Loups Reclamation District to levy an ad valorem tax on all tangible property in the district. In 1958, again by a two-to-one majority, residents over the general area voted and formed the Twin Loups Irrigation District with taxing authority over the affected district lands. These districts have made application for the required water rights and have stated their willingness to do all other things necessary to obtain development. The Nebraska Reclamation Association and the Nebraska Irrigation Association, as well as many groups in the area, have strongly supported this project. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has agreed to meet the non-federal obligations associated with fish and wildlife enhancement and recreation development in accordance with the "Federal Water Project Recreation Act." The Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Commission recognizes the need for early development on the North Loup Division as part of the State Water Plan. In view of the extensive and continuous support of the local residents over the past 23 years, together with state-wide expressions of support, the sound economic justification, and the engineering feasibility of this Division, the Commission strongly endorses development and urges the Congress of the United States to take early action to authorize its construction and operation as a part of the Missouri River Basin Project. Approved by Unanimous Action of the Commission Members on November 2, Mr. JOHNSON. Your commission stated approval yesterday on behalf of the O'Neill project; also, without qualification, you support this one today? Mr. TED JOHNSON. Yes, sir; that is correct. Mr. JOHNSON. The gentleman from Idaho, Mr. McClure. Mr. MCCLURE. Mr. Chairman, I have no questions. Mr. JOHNSON. Thank you, gentlemen, for appearing here today. Do you have anything further you would like to add? Mr. HAMMOND. No, sir. Mr. JOHNSON. Our next witness will be Vincent H. Dreeszen, director, survey and conservation division, University of Nebraska, and State geologist. STATEMENT OF VINCENT H. DREESZEN, DIRECTOR, SURVEY AND CONSERVATION DIVISION, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, AND STATE GEOLOGIST Mr. DREESZEN. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, I am Vincent Dreeszen, director of the survey and conservation division, University of Nebraska; and State geologist. I have a letter to your committee I would like to request be made a part of the record. Mr. JOHNSON. It will be made a part of the record at this point, and you may summarize it. Mr. DREESZEN. In this statement I indicate strong support for the North Loup Division project based on the premise that it is a major component of the water management scheme in the Loup River Basin and in Nebraska. It is an opportunity to utilize water stored in surface water reservoirs and in ground water reservoirs in an integrated use system for long-term sustained yield. As you have heard from previous testimony, a large portion of the acreage proposed for irrigation in the unit that is now being irrigated by pumps is principally from ground water. I would like to describe to you the geologic and ground water conditions in the area and these are variable as shown by tests we have done in cooperation with the U. S. Geological Survey and by well records that have been registered with the Department of Water Resources. In the Valley County portion of the area, the project is in an abandoned river valley of late Pleistocene age, locally known as Mira Valley. There are relatively thin, coarse sands and gravels or in places these are absent in this part of the project. There are fairly thick fine grained sands and sandstones interspersed with silts and clays, the Ogallala Formation. This formation averages probably about 300 feet with a range between 400 and 100 feet in thickness. Underlying this formation are thick beds of marine clays, limestone, and sandstones that have almost no potential for largescale water utilization. Water levels are currently shallow, ranging from a very few feet to about 70 feet. However, well yields are good, ranging from 600 to 1,200 gallons per minute. Drawdowns can be described, however, as excessive in many of the wells, ranging from 75 feet up to about 180 feet with average drawdowns being as much -about 100 feet. The specific capacities range from about 4 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown up to about 30 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown with an average specific capacity of around 10. This would compare with many of the wells in the State where we have specific capacities greater than 30 gallons per minute per foot of drawdown. The number of wells in this area are reported to be about 125 in the Mira Valley portion of the project and many of these have been drilled in just the last few years. Based on our experience elsewhere in the State, we can predict that much of the land that can be irrigated by any of these rapidly advancing technical means will be irrigated in this area within the next decade or two. When this happens, water levels will decline at a rate that we can guess to be about a foot per year. Drawdowns and wells will increase if interference takes place between wells and the well yields will decrease. Downstream conditions are a bit more variable than this and range from areas where you cannot get wells or wells that have very, very small capacity, to wells that will yield about the same on the Mira Valley portion of the project. I would urge your committee to take favorable action on the authorization of this project. The North Loup project is a major component of a water management scheme in the State. Mr. JOHNSON. We want to thank you, Mr. Dreeszen, for your statement and for your summary. You have a lot of experience there. You participated with the U.S. Geological Survey in studying the geological problems in the State of Nebraska. How do you look at the two dam sites here as proposed? Geologically, do you agree that they are sound? Mr. DREESZEN. Yes. Mr. JOHNSON. Good dam sites, reservoir sites? Mr. DREESZEN. Yes, I think so. We have so very few favorable dam sites in the State that we will have to take advantage of those that are available to us to store water for sustained yields. Mr. JOHNSON. The gentleman from Idaho, Mr. McClure. Mr. MCCLURE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does the State of Nebraska have a ground water law? Mr. DREESZEN. We have a law that requires registration of wells. and two laws that limit the spacing between irrigation wells or other types of wells. We have ground conservation districts and now natural resources districts who can impose regulations. I just met last week with several of the ground water conservation districts who are very seriously considering some regulations to limit runoff on farms. In looking at the eliminating undue waste of irrigation water. But these are the only regulations we have. Mr. MCCLURE. There is nothing in the law that regulates the overdraft on the ground water basin such as we are encountering in this area? Mr. DREESZEN. No. there is not. Mr. McCLURE. The competition for that water and the adverse effects upon other wells will become more pronounced as time goes by, I assume. Mr. DREESZEN. Yes, although the damage, if you can call it that. will be to that area and to each other. We are not talking about depleting ground water reservoir. We are not talking about in any |