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Last modified
8/11/2009 11:39:59 AM
Creation date
9/30/2006 10:07:09 PM
Metadata
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Publications
Year
1978
Title
Report on the Water Conservation Opportunities Study
CWCB Section
Water Conservation & Drought Planning
Author
U. S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation & Bureau of Indian Affairs
Description
Results of a study by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to identify projects having potentially attractive opportunities for conserving irrigation water supplies in the West
Publications - Doc Type
Brochure
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<br /> <br />. <br /> <br />long after the storm had ceased, <br />and it was here that the <br />inhabitants planted corn, beans, <br />and squash. Exploration of the <br />ruins has disclosed granaries of <br />stone in which these crops were <br />stored. Large baskets and <br />earthenware jars of unshelled corn <br />have been found buried deep <br />beneath the ever-shifting sands <br />of the adjacent desert. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Prehistoric farm irrigation on an <br />extensive scale occurred in the <br />valleys of the Salt and Gila <br />Rivers in southern Arizona and New <br />Mexi co. Here was found evi dence <br />of canal systems capable of <br />i rri gati ng many thousands of <br />acres. Archeologists estimate <br />that upward of 100,000 acres were <br />under cultivation at one time. <br />Some of the ancient canals were <br />found to be 7 feet deep and had a <br />width of at least 30 feet at the <br />surface. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The first financial assistance <br />rendered by the Federal Government <br />toward helping the Indian to <br />irrigate his land was in 1867 when <br />Congress appropri ated $50,000 for <br />constructing an irrigation canal <br />on the present Colorado River <br />Indian Reservation to enable the <br />Indians to become self-supporting <br />by agricultural means. <br /> <br />In 1885, a general appropri at ion <br />was made by Congress to be used on <br />various Indian reservations at the <br />discretion of the Secretary of the <br />Interior, "for the purpose of <br />constructing irrigation ditches <br />on Indian reservations and <br />instructing Indians in farming in <br />connecti on therewi th. " The next <br />appropriation for similar work was <br />made for fiscal year 1892. <br />Following this, Congress made <br /> <br />appropriations annually under the <br />caption "Irrigation, Indian <br />Reservations" for use on such <br />i rri gati on systems or projects as <br />were not provi ded for by specifi c <br />appropriations. <br /> <br />Congress originally appropriated <br />funds for the construction, <br />enlargement, and operation and <br />maintenance of irrigation <br />systems on Indian reservations to <br />assist the Indians in pursuing a <br />viable agricultural economy. <br />Responsibility for this program <br />was placed in the Department of <br />the Interior to be conducted by <br />the Indian Affairs. To this day, <br />Congress continues to appropriate <br />funds for the same purposes, <br />and Indian Affairs remains <br />respons i b 1 e for executi on of the <br />program. <br /> <br />No specific policy was established <br />for transfer of irrigation systems <br />to water user organi zati ons in <br />those earlier times. However, in <br />recent years, several irrigation <br />systems on Indian reservations <br />have been transferred to Indian <br />organizati ons, under speci al <br />authorizing legislation for each <br />sys tem transferred. <br /> <br />The Act of July 1, 1932, which <br />applies to irrigation projects <br />on Indian reservations, defers <br />assessment of irrigation <br />construction costs against Indian <br />lands until the Indian title is <br />extinguished. This Act is not <br />appl i cabl e to non-I ndi ans; <br />consequently, they are required <br />to pay thei r share of the <br />construction, rehabil itation, <br />betterment, and operation and <br />maintenance costs relating to the <br />project within which such lands <br />are located. <br /> <br />7 <br />
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