|
<br />"'"" (1) A pumping plant to cost $900,000;
<br />
<br />N (2) An East Side Canal from Headgate Rock Dam through the Indian Reservation with si-
<br />00 phon under the river at Palo V erde Valley Intake, to cost $8,000,000, and to be used joint-
<br />N ly with the Indian Reservation.
<br />c
<br />c:: (3) A permanent dam, with corrective levees and drains on the Indian Reservation, to cost
<br />$10,000,000;
<br />
<br />(4) A West Side Canal on the California side from Headgate Rock Dam, to cost $17,000,000.
<br />On the basis of the report, the Commissioner of Reclamation recommended, and the Secretary of
<br />Interior approved on September 13, 1947, that:
<br />
<br />"Notwithstanding the absence of legal liability on the part of the United States to provide a so-
<br />lution to the Palo Verde Diversion problem, I am of the opinion that the United States has a moral
<br />responsibility toward the Palo Verde Irrigation District in that the diversion problem has been cre-
<br />ated by retrogression of the bed of the Colorado River probably caused by the closure of Boulder,
<br />Parker, and Headgate Rock Dams. In view of this moral obligation, I recommend that I be auth-
<br />orized to inform the Palo Verde Irrigation District that this Department, while unwilling to estab-
<br />lish a precedent by seeking legislation on the subject, will interpose no objection to the enactment
<br />of legislation authorizing the construction by the Bureau of Reclamation of a pumping plant,-"
<br />
<br />This plant would be operated by the District. Since the operating cost of a pumping plant with
<br />commercial power would be considerably greater than past diversion costs, the Board of Trustees
<br />was reluctant to accept such a plan for the district. Negotiations were carried on with the Depart-
<br />ment of Interior for some form of gravity diversion. As a result of these negotiations, the Secre-
<br />tary of Interior in May, 1950 instructed the two Bureaus to review the joint report of 1947 and
<br />bring costs up to date. This report was completed in September 1951, and covered two plans:
<br />
<br />(1) A pumping plant to cost $2,300,000;
<br />
<br />(2) An East Side Canal and siphon to cost $10,000,000. Further studies were not made on a
<br />permanent dam because of the damages that a dam right cause to the Indian Reservation;
<br />there was no consideration at that time given to a dam that would provide an intake canal
<br />elevation lower than 286.3. Further studie s were not made on a West Side Canal due to the
<br />obvious excessive cost.
<br />
<br />Bills (S. 3055, H. R. 6591, H. R. 8094) were introduced in the 82nd Congress, calling for the con-
<br />struction of an East Side Canal at federal expense. Hearings were held before a Senate and
<br />House Joint SubcoIllJllittee on Irrigation and Reclamation in Washington on June 12 and 13, 1952.
<br />Due to the lateness of the hearings, the bill was not reported out of committee. This bill did not
<br />receive the support or the Department of Interior.
<br />
<br />Bills (S. 646, H. R. 555, H. R. 1595) were introduced again in the 83rd Congress, 1953, 1st Ses-
<br />sion, for the same purpose,
<br />
<br />After a conference with Department of Interior officials in July 1953, Assistant Secretary
<br />Fred G. Aandahl instructed the Bureau of Reclamation to review the costs of a permanent dam
<br />which would provide an intake canal elevation of 282.3, an elevation which would require pumping
<br />within the district to high ground. A report on this feature was completed in January 1954 and
<br />showed the following:
<br />
<br />Low level dam and appurtenant structures ...................................................................................................... $4,490,000
<br />Levees and drains for Indian Lands ....................................__......_.............................._............_._.......__......._............ 2,060,000
<br />Palo Verde Irrigation District canal reconstruction and pump installation ............ 550,000
<br />
<br />$7,100,000
<br />
<br />It is repeated that the Palo Verde Irrigation District recommends the adoption of this plan and
<br />offers to pay $1,175,000 of the cost under terms as spelled out in the bill. We believe that $1,175,-
<br />000 represents the maximum financial obligation on the part of the district. This amount has been
<br />approved by the farmers of the district by a special vote on April 6, 1954.
<br />
<br />P~rticular attention is called to the temporary nature of the existing weir and the importance
<br />of arrIving at a permanent solution of Palo Vlerde's diversion problem. It is the opinion of men
<br />who know the river that a flood of 35,000 to 40,000 second feet would go over the east bank of the
<br />
|