Arizona republican., 1922-06-22

Congress should act promptly to
meet the emergency situation exist
ing in the Imperial valley" the sec
retary stated. land take action for the
control of the river Congressional
action on this project should be taken
separately of all other questions in
volved in the various other problems.
Arizona Would Benefit
~ am confident the states of
Wyoming, Utah, Colorado. Me-
vada and New Mexico would in
terpose no objection to this i'm
portant work so essential to Cali
fornia in protecting the Imperial
valley against floods, and to that
purposes, and the latter state for
electric power.
"The objection of the states in the
upper Colorado basin would be re-
moved, / am confident. should con-
gress in the act provide that the erec-
ton of the dam at Boulder Canyon
would create no prior rights to take
the use Of the water. That would leave
priority of water rights TO be later ar
ranged when the needs of the differ
ent states are known. The danger OF
destruction by floods in the Imperial
valley is affecting the finauciE4 oe
projects there and should have inn
mediate attention.
The rights of the seven states in the
Colorado basin to the use of the water
for irrigation and power purposes are
being given careful consideration.
Secretary Hoover stated. explaining
that the questions must, in his judg
ment. be based upon storage
The secretary declared the commis-
rfT 1,cd n nn IF q hr
river was adequate to meet all poss-
ible demands for irrigation and power
purposes, with a surplus of unused
water. AS soon as the commission
obtains an agreement among the
states the plan will be submitted TO
congress for approval. The work of
the commission at its next meeting
TO be held at Santa Fe. n. NJ. August
/, Mr.. Hoover said, would be much
simplified by the recent decision OF
the supreme court in the Wyoming
Colorado case. which established the
rights of the states generally in the
use OF water.
Aside from the other irrigation and
power projects, the Colorado river
must be controlled. the secretary stat
ed, preferably at Boulder Canyon, as
governmental duty TO the people
and property in Imperial valley. The
Boulder Canyon dam and reservoir
would not interfere in any way. he
said. with other projects on the river.
Irrigation Primary Importance
The commission. the secretary said.
favored the construction of the Boul-
der Canyon dam.
Discussing at the request of the
committee, his general views on
projects aIonq the entire river,
Secretary Hoover said that con-
oress IN leuislatno on the subject
should give first consideration to
the needs of irrigation and make
the development of power secon.
dary. Congress. he added, should
not Grant any absolute power
riohts to individuals or private
corporations in any OF the states.
The emergency situation in the I'm
perial valley can be removed. the VII
ness said, within three or four years
after congress has legalized and work
has actually been commenced
Along the course of the river daln
sites have been located sufficient 10
develop between 100000 ana e,oVo'oVo
horsepower but the demand. the Sec
retary said will exceed the supply.
which the federal government VIII
generate. and for that reason congress
should give consideration TO plans by
which private power construction
might be provided to meet the excess
demands.
While not prepared to give the COM
nnittee figures the secretary expressed
confidence that the Boulder Canyon
dam would reimburse the government
the entire cost Of it's construction,
which he placed at s40,0oO,00o. With