American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-12-16
GOVT W|THOLDS
DECISION ABOUT
FALLS PROJECT
FAILURE OF IRRIGATION COM
PANIES TO FULFILL CON-
TRACTS WITH RECLAMATION
SERVICE MAY CAUSE CHANGE
IN POLICY OF LATTER.
CRITICAL STAGE REACHED
Bonafide Cooperation Offered on Part
of Other Projects May Mean Money
Away From Snake River Valley
Engineers Not 0%ptOmistic.

Reclamation activity at American
Fall has reached a critical stage. The
failure of Canal and Irrigation Com
panies of the Snake River Valley, TO
fulfil their contracts with the United
States Reclamation Service, has SER
iously ~jeojardized irrigation in the en-
tire valley. The seeming lack of abil-
ity to cooperate with the Reclamation
Service here, contrasted to the oppo-
site condition that exists in other pro-
jects of the country, notably the Boul-
der Canyon project OF the Colorado
River, is likely to take government
money and into easier chan
nels of activity.
Status Undetermined.
Such in brief are the conclusions
and fears of the reclamation engineers
at American Falls as expressed We'd
nesday in am interview for the Press.
Without undue pessimism n with
no desire to discourage those people
who have been depending so strongly
on development work in the imme-
diate future the engineers in charge
of the project feel that they have
reached a crisis in local development
that may effect the entire Snake River
Valley for years to come. The Rec
ldIIldl1OH otINlC6 uullhS II iaob WV
months has not committed itself to
any definite policy regarding m pro-
ject. In the case of the American Falls
dam, policy can be determined in some
degree, by the treatment of the con-
tract with the Idaho Power Company
by Secretary of the Interior Fall; by
the attention given the bids received
for drilling the wells for the proposed
new city's water supply; and by the
reluctance of higher reclamation Of
ficials to state anything definite re-
garding the project. None of these
matters has yet received final consid-
GRAFTON with the result that the status
of the whole project is problematical.
Companies Fall Down.
Secretary Fall has ninety days in
which to pass on the contract with the
Idaho Power Company. That time
limit will expire January 18th. Recla-
nation officials believe that the fail
ure of the Irrigation Companies to
fulfill their contracts is the weak
spoke in the wheel. They point out
that the American Falls dam was un'
dertaken at the specific request of the
Irrigation Companies of the Valley, OF
the promise that they would assist il
the financing. They need the water
whereas the government can get alont
very we'll without water for many
years to come as far as its Minidoki
extension is concerned. Then con
siderfng the contrasted condition II
other sections of the west, Californi;
for instance, where actual money 4
advanced and waiting for government
cooperation, and the situation become
still less encouraging. The govern
ment likes to spend its money wher
il is easiest and least expensive.
There is still available for the Amer
lean Falls project, according to the en-
gineers in charge, about 100000 I'm
der the terms of the contract with tn
Idaho Power Company, half of this
to be a part payment on the Powe
Company contract and the remainin
$3.50, 900 is for immediate develop
ment work on the new townsite {
American Falls. This money will nc
be released until the policy of the De
partment is definitely announced an
then it may be diverted to projects re
ceiving better cooperation from pros
pective water users.
Appropriation Explained.
The reclamation fund recently pre-
posed for the Minidoka project, whic
includes American Falls, specific
sy,25O, 900, a decrease of half a millio
over last year. This is not a matt
for important consideration, say II
engineers. Available funds are the r
suit of none collected and not mons
appropriated. Last year the Servit
obtained $4,000 OF it's million and
half. II it obtains its appropriate
this year il will still be far ahead
last year. The engineers point out tn
appropriations mean nothing unle
there is money in the treasury to me
them.
Activity at American Falls is T
stricted, as it has been for the pa
month, to the main office force, the u
parties on right of way survey ON d
flow line and n party on the tow
site