BOARD01744

• Board Meeting Date: 4/18/1958
• Description: Minutes and Resolution
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

J

I

889

for qoinq reclamation construction projects for the coming year.
The feeling is that expenditures will be more effective, in
creating immediate employment, if the appropriations are concen-
trated on projects already going forward rather than on new
starts which will take some time to get under way. Secretary
of the Interior Seaton recently told the Senate Interior Irriga-
tion and Reclamation Subcommittee that the present reclamation
program for F. Y. 1961--two years in the future--is $245,000,000,
but that it would have to be increased to $430,000,000 if con-
struction is started on presently authorized projects. He said
that the Administration does not feel that Congress would sup-
port this large reclamation program, and there seemed to be no
equitable way of permitting new starts in F. Y. 1959 without in-
viting an excess of them.

Curecanti Unit

The supplemental report called for in Public Law 485
show economic justification for the unit is scheduled for com-
pletion by February 1959. This is a tight schedule in view of
the delays caused by early snows last fall and late melting of
the heavy snow cover this spring. Colorado's willingness to
come forward with a $35,000 contribution, when our funds were
exhausted in January, has been a big help and we are hopeful
of meeting the February date.

To make a definite selection between the two or three
dam plans, it will be necessary to complete the Morrow Point
and Narrow Gauge topography. Both of these dam sites are being
mapped by a private contractor who is presently behind schedule.
The Narrow Gauge topography is scheduled for completion in May
1958; however, weather conditions may delay the aerial photo-
graphy and field control on this dam even beyond that date. As
an interim measure to assure that plan selection can be made
early enough to complete detailed field work on the selected
sites, we have arranged with the U.S.G.S to prepare reconnais-
sance topographic maps expanded from their existing photography
for the Narrow Gauge site. Assuming that the interim mapping
for the Narrow Gauge site and the final mapping of the Morrow
Point site are available by May 1, we will be able to secure
estimates and make a plan selection by July 31, 1958,

Materials exploration at all sites and foundation
drilling of the Narrow Gauge and Crystal sites are to begin as
soon as weather permits. The program provides that all field
data will be in the hands of the Chief Engineer by September 1
so that he may prepare feasibility designs and estimates by
December 1. The Chief Engineer's office is now preparing de-
sign storm studies and design flood studies to meet these dead-
lines. Power production and water supply studies are now being
made by the Upper Colorado River office in Salt Lake City.