Laserfiche WebLink
<br />... <br /> <br />Or, ., OJ. ": <br />v" ,",.,J t <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />You will note that in any plan for the development of new irrigated lands in <br />southwestern Idaho, there are two major factors. Construction will be costly and the <br />projects will require a good supply of power for pumping ptlrposes. These are princi- <br /> <br />pal reasons why it ia essential that we also consider the downstream storage and <br /> <br />hydroelectric development of the Snake River even though there is no possibility of <br /> <br />the water stored in reservoirs there being used for upstream irrigation purposes. <br /> <br />Basic in the proposed diversion of the Payette River is the operation of hydro- <br />electric plants at favorable sites on the Scriver Creek through whiCh surplus water <br />from the North Fork of the Payette River would be diverted to the Middle Fork. The <br />Bureau of the Budget has already put its stamp of approval on the plan that the <br />Scriver Creek plants be authorized even while further investigation of the Mountain <br /> <br />Home irrigation development is underway. <br /> <br />We have also completed and forwarded to the Columbia River Basin states for com- <br /> <br />ment a plan for development of the lower Snake River by the construction of dams at <br /> <br />the Mountain Sheep and Pleasant Valley sites. These sites are a short distance <br /> <br />upstream on the Snake from its confluence ~d th the Salmon. This development would <br /> <br />have major multipurpose benefits ,and would be in accordance with the best integrated <br /> <br />operation of the river system. The plan was developed in close collaborstion with <br /> <br />the Army Corps of Engineers and is a part of a joint report to the Congress for the <br /> <br />development of the Snake Hi ver basin. <br /> <br />The technical data and plans for these structures have been fairly well <br /> <br />reported, and I will not repeat them. However, I want to emphasize two principal <br /> <br />factors. First, in addition to providing multiple downstream benefits by river <br /> <br />regulation and power production, the Lower Snake River project plan provides a new <br /> <br />source of revenue for future upstream irrigation development by use of power inoome <br /> <br />over and above that needed for retirement of power costs. Secondly, the plan <br /> <br />provides for future upstream depletion for irrigation needs. <br /> <br />9 <br />