WSP05149

• File Number: 8180.800
• Description: Purgatoire River Project
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 9/1/1949
• Author: RJ Tipton
• Title: Engineering Report on Flood Control and Irrigation District with Particular Reference to the Piedmont Bridge Dam and Reservoir Site
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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With respect to construction costs, it is interesting to
point out that costs have doubled within,the past 12-year period.
Even since the C01'PS of Engineers made its estimate of costs of
the Piedmont Bridge Reservoir in 1946, costs have increased al-
most 35 percent. In other words, while it is estimated that the
demand reservoir will cost about $14,500,000 under present-day
costs, it is estimated that under 1946 prices it would have cost
about $10,800,000.

It appears that the present tendency of Congress is to look

favorab).y upon the liberalization of the reclamation law. making

more of the benefits of a multiple-purpose storage project non-

reimbursa,ble and pOSSibly extending the repayment period of the

irrigation feature. Even under the 1939 Reclamation Act and the

so-called Solicitor's Opinion the Bureau of Reclamation is setting

up projects in which the irrigation costs that cannot be repaid
by the Farmers are paid for from power revenues providing the

generation of hydroelectric energy is one of the functions of

the project. One of the criteria is, however, that that part of

the cost of the project allocated to irrigation must show irriga-

tion benefits in excess of the cost, irrigation benefits being

taken essentially ae the value of the increased crop production

resulting from the operation of the project. In its planning the

Bureau of Recle,matlon does not require a physical connection be-

tween the project generating hydroelectric energy and the ir-

rigation project in order to qualify the irrigation project for

subsidy from power revenues.

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