Arizona republican., 1922-03-17


-
expressed the personal opinion that
/ its feasibility was doubtful"
rs there any reason that YOU know
of at this time why the Boulder Can
yon project should be held up pend
ing a determination Of the facts con-
cerning the highline canal| Secre-
tary Hoover asked
Il can see no reason at all. If. later,
the highline canal is found feasible,
the Boulder Canyon project can be
modified to include it." he replied,
'.but under existing conditions / GER
tainly do not consider it feasible.
Would you give priority to agri-
! cultural over power" the chairman
| asked.
High Line Problem is Distinct.
"Unqualifiedly," was the answer
Agriculture, so far as feasible. should
be given preference to power" he
added.
1T is your opinion that the highline
/ canal project is the work of this COM
mission or belongs to the state it
self?" Commissioners Norviel inquired
of the witness.
"The problem belongs to California
| and Arizona and it cannot be properly
4 Asked concerning the proposed 65-
80 division of waters between the low
er and upper reaches, Mr.. Davis re-
! piled:
Il do not believe that there is any
logic in percentage division OF
water" l would place each state on
its own responsibility for the econ
omy of water.
Later Director Davis took exception
] to the Hoyt memorandum, as sub
mitted in the morning deliberations,
in which the agent declared that the
waters of the lower river would not
be perceptibly affected through the
use of water for irrigation purposes
on the upper reaches.
THE Colorado is a variable stream.
There are so many things we do not
know about it's flow. | don't know
how Mr.. Hoyt can tell what is the
/ river discharge in any one season as
compared with another. l don't know
| how he can tell that the discharge
last year was no less than il there
/ had been no irrigation above. But
| do know that you cannot irrigate
without using water. How much the
| irrigation on the upper reaches
would deplete the supply I do not
pretend to know"
George NJ. Bridges. representing
the Yuma county farm bureau, urged
| immediate construction of the Boul-
/ der Canyon dam to the end that
much needed flood control be as
| sured the valleys Of Yuma and I'M
perial. William Wisner president of
! the Water Users association at
| Yuma, took like position.
| California Endorses Davis Report
! Joe Nickerson, president of the Inn
perial Valley Improvement associa-
| ton. was the first California speaker
| to appear before the commission.
| We're behind the report of A. p,
/ Davis, man whose practicability is
1 attested by monuments all over the
| Southwest" Mr.. Nickerson declared.
I'VE can't follow them ALL so we of
the Imperial valley have cast our lot
| with Mr.. Davis.
Already this year we have expend-
| ed $350,000 in the protection of our
| levees on the Mexican SIDE" he de-
clared.
Il can't see where anyone viii be
| injured through the construction of
the Boulder Canyon dam"
Mark Ross, another Imperial valley
representative, likewise declared his
| approval of the Boulder Canyon dam
and the Davis plan.
"An immediate effort should be
made to get water stored for flood
control" he asserted.
Other speakers during the after
noon were f. w. Cuff of Brawley;
Thomas c. Akers Of the upper I'M
perial valley; r. w. Blackburne,
also of the upper Imperial valley,
and John l.. Bacon, mayor of San
Diego.
San Diego is unreservedly behind
the Davis plan" Mr.. Bacon told the
commission. 1--WE are behind any
plan that viii protect the Imperial
valley against the flood menace, but
we are behind the Davis plan because
we believe it holds the quickest solu-
ton Of the problem"
The final hearing will be held this
! morning in the federal court rooms
at the federal building. Commissioner
| Norviel announced prior to adjourn
ment The commission will convene
at 3 o'clock, 1t was announced.
Because of g re arrangement of the
! itinerary of the Hoover party, IL will
! be necessary to take adjournment
promptly at noon, Commissioner
| Norviel said Among speakers to be
| heard today are Judge o. j. Baughn
OF Florence and California and Utah
witnesses.
The commission will leave for Las
Vegas, N. NJ. by way of Boulder
Canyon this afternoon. this change
having been announced late yester-
day. The commission will go to the
Imperial valley Sunday, proceeding
to Los Angeles Monday, arriving
there about noon. Chairman Hoover
announced that the first hearing al
Los Angeles would probably be held
Monday afternoon.