The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-04-07
COLE OUTLINES ADVANTAGE
BY CHANGING SYSTEM
Under the Water Users Association
Thousands of Acres Cannot be
Made to Paw their Share.

Under the Water Users Association
Thousands of Acres Cannot be
Made to Pay their Share.
The Reclamation Service is ex-
tremely busy arousing the settlers on
the Boise project to a realization of
the necessity of organizing the pro-
ject under the irrigation district laws
Of the state. Manager Cole has writ
ten letter TO H. d. Bowker of Nam
pa setting forth the reasons for the
irrigation district. As this letter COW
ers the ground fully it is published in
this issue of The Tribune.
The letter and the reason for it are
thus set forth in the Nampa Leader
Herald:
In reply to the question being asked
by many settlers on the Boise project,
"Why the Boise Project Should Form
Into an Irrigation District% D. W..
Cole, project manager, has written
the following letter to H. d. Bowker
of Nampa:
The area under the present project
not having a vested water right is
approximately 10000 acres, made up
as follows:
Approximately 10000 acres in the
Nampa & Meridian Irrigation district,
which are obligated to pay their por-
ton of the construction and operation
and maintenance through the contract
between the district and the United
States; Approximately 1900 acres
which are obligated to take water
right, through stock subscription con-
tracts, or through homestead filing
under the reclamation act; approxi-
mately 1900 acres of unsold state
lands outside of the Nampa & Meri-
dian district which are at least doubt
full, and probably not obliged to take
q water right; and approximately TO-
400 acres of private lands that are
not obligated to take water right.
Adding the above state and private
land. makes $4,000 acres of land not
obligated to take water right, or SO
per cent Of the 10000 acres outside
of the Nampa & Meridian district.
Good Lands Idle.
bitches have been constructed, and
water has been available for this 49,
GOO acres for six years; and yet the
land is still in sagebrush; and the fact
that these lands have not taken water
has materially increased the cost of
operation and maintenance to the
lands under cultivation.
The project has been constructed
to include these $4,000 acres as it
would have been improbable to ex-
clude them.
These 5000 will not all take a
water right from the government, as
some have already built waste water
bitches, and Others are waiting for
the lands above them to come under
S~xsIN IL. a. 4.
water supply.
Parasites on Project.
A waste water property is para
site on the project; it derives the ben
efit and pays nothing towards the con-
struction or operation and mainten-
II these $1,000 acres do not become
a part of the project, the cost will be
both in construction and operation
maintenance.
The only way these lands can be
brought into the project is through
the formation of an irrigation district.
Aside from the 10000 acres above
mentioned, there are approximately
Fl 900 acres having New York water
right. which lands are trying to get
an additional stored water right from
the government. In order for them to |
enter into contract for this water,
they must form into ar. irrigation dis |
trict.
Can Reduce Cost.
Under the district plan, the terms
of payment for construction and oper,
alton and maintenance. will be the |
same as that under the water users |
association and will be in accordance |
with the reclamation act or August |
Is. 1914. but the charge per acre will
be reduced by the inclusion of addi-
tional land not now subscribed.
Under the district plan the govern
ment will continue to operate the pro-
ject until payment of the construction
charges for the major portion OF the
land has been completed, or until re-
Quested by the district to have the
management transferred in accord
ance with section S of the reclamation
extension act
District IL Needed.
If district is formed every acre
OF irrigable land in the district will
help pay the operation and mainten-
ance charge whether it is being culti-
waited or not. See section FIVE of the
reclamation extension act. This will
materially reduce the operation and
maintenance cost to the lands now
taking water.
Section of the reclamation extern
sion act reads as follows:
That in addition to the construc-
ton charge, every water right appli-
cant, entryman, or landowner under
or upon reclamation project shall
also pay, whenever water Is available
for the irrigation of his land, an oper-
alton and maintenance charge based
upon the total cost of operation and
of the project. or such
separate unit thereof. and such charge
shall be made for each acre-foot Of
water delivered; but each acre of ir-
rigable land. whether irrigated or not,
shall be charged with minimum OPP