Laserfiche WebLink
<br />294C~ <br /> <br />-9- <br /> <br />Brief outlining views of Heldon VallEw Ditch Co. position in regard to Narrows Reser- <br />voir: <br /> <br />, Disregarding all emotional appeals to discuss the loss of homes and means of <br />livelihood, the facts must be faced that the farmers that are served by the Weldon <br />Valley Ditch must find new fanns under some other system if they are to continue in <br />the farming business. A great deal of searching and bargaining must go on before a <br />new location can be found. It would be an ideal situation 1f another location, with <br />comparable water rights, improvements, community, and soils could be found by the <br />condeming agency to replace the farms that are to be inundated as a trade. Since <br />this cannot be so, the U. S. 3ureau of ;leclamation should be prepared to say what <br />yalue they place on this land and the water rights that go with it. This value should <br />qe high enough so that the owners can find a comparable farm to the one they would be <br />forced to give up, as well as to compensate in a measure the time that must be spent <br />~ searching, making a deal and finally moving. ' <br /> <br />Maximum farm values today range from a minimum value of $300 to as high as $750 <br />ljll acre for lands of comparable fertility and improvements that are served by irri- <br />gation systems with less than adequate water supplies. The high values going with <br />f:armsthat have supplemental water supplies from irrigation wells.liith all of these <br />tarms there is a perpetual added cost for the additional 1:ater supplies that the farms <br />upder the Weldon Va1Jeyhave and enjoy as a matter of course. <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />The Weldon Valley Ditch Co. can supply an adequate volume of water at the time it <br />is needed even in the dryest seasons. The decree is for a diversion rate of 165 cubic <br />(tet per second of time of date October 26, 1881. Very seldom in past history has it <br />e~er became junior to any other calls from appropriators that are ahead of time. <br />t1qst of the time it is not necessary to divert the full appropriation of 165 second <br />t~et to adequately sup::>ly the lands irrigated by the system. Most seasons the average <br />diversion rate will not exceed 120 second feet over a 180 day period. Only when extre- <br />fuely hot, dry weather occurs does the requirements call for the full 'diversion rate. <br />the 640 shares that comprise the outstanding stock of the Weldon Valley Ditch Co. <br />i~e 5upposed to irrigate 10 acres each. It is possible to divert approximately 1 <br />foot per second of time for each and every 40 acres of land. Delivery to the "land is <br />reduced by canal oarriage losses, but the fact remains that the ultimate goal of every <br />ditch management is reached, namely, that adequate water can be supplied not only in <br />volume but in timeliness as well. <br /> <br />, The annual charges for operation and maintenance are very low, amounting to <br />~prroximately 50 cents per acre. <br />," <br /> <br />To arrive at a monetary value of the Weldon Valley Ditch as applied to the land, <br /><py one of several methods can be used. <br /> <br />It is believed that the value that should be used is the same as the value that <br />~he U. S. Bureau of Reclamation uses to justify its projects. There should be no <br />jouble standards employed. I'll acre foot of water on Weldon Val~ lands should con- <br />~ribute just as much to the national econo~ as an acre foot of water will on any <br />)ther land of comparable fertility. This dollar figure, of course, becomes fantaetic- <br />,U~.high when extended out with U. S. Bureroof Reclamation values. <br />