The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-07-27

III years.
Mr.. Smith. In view of the emer-
gency of the Imperial Valley is
there any other relief that could
be more speedily applied than the
holding back of the water?
Secretary Hoover. 1t is possible
to get relief to the people of the
Imperial Valley at some immediate
stage of the construction of the
dam at Boulder Canyon. | think
it ought to be possible to get re-
lief in there in three or perhaps
four years.
Mr.. Smith. Has any other plan
been contemplated that would OBJ
viate the possibility of danger to
the property interests there?
Secretary Hoover. There are a
number of engineering suggestions
that have been made. | doubt
whether most of them will hold
water, however, when put to the
test. One of those suggestions is
to blast in the canyon and make
a dump in the river that would
create sufficient holdback to give
some relief. But | doubt whether
any serious engineer would con-
template placing the lives of ulti-
mately from three to four hundred
thousand people under the dangers
of such construction.
Mr.. Smith. A couple of years ago
We had under consideration a
proposition to build an all-American
canal Could that work go on more
speedily than the plan of impound-
ing the water?
Secretary Hoover. That work
could go on coincidentally with the
work on the dam if it were desired.
Mr.. Little. Does your commits
sion favor that all-American canal?
Secretary Hoover. We have
never discussed that subject be-
cause it was one purely local to
California.
Mr.. Little. Have you an opinion
on it personally?
Secretary Hoover | think it
ought ultimately to be done. There
are many reasons why the United
States should be Independent of
Mexico in the distribution of the
| Colorado River. At the present
moment the Imperial Valley is de-
pendent on the flow through Mex
leo, and it means constant con-
cessions must be given to Mexico in
respect to these waters.
Mr.. Hayden. Is the Colorado
River Commission giving any con-
sideration to water rights in Mex
leo in making the proposed APP
portionment?
Secretary Hoover. | have as
sumed that whatever rights Mexico
may have in the matter win be
amply satisfied by the residue of
the flow after everybody else is
finished
Mr.. Hayden. That view is en-
tirely satisfactory to me because |
do not believe that Mexico has a
legal right to any part of the flow
of the Colorado River. With re-
spect to the matter of power, ]
understand that there are a num-
Der of applications pending before
the Federal Power Commission. one
in particular at Diamond Creel,
above Boulder Canyon. The APP
| plicant, Mr.. James B. Grand, of
Phoenix, initiated a claim to this
power site some years prior to the
passage of the federal water power
act and is very insistent that this
right be accorded to him. Mr.. Cir
and claims that he has fully COM
piled with the terms of the fed
eral water power act and is ready
to proceed with the construction.
understand, however, that some
representation was made by the
Colorado River Commission to the
Federal Power Commission by
which the approval of his applica-
ton has been withheld. Do you
know anything about the facts in
the matter?
Secretary Hoover. The Colorado
River Commission made only the
suggestion to the Federal Power
| Commission that none of the rights
on the river should be given away
that did not fall into mesh with
a properly considered national plan
for this development and did not
protect the irrigation rights. We
might conceivably have the power
rights given all along the river
that would jeopardize its agricul-
tural development. We must give
agriculture priority. So far as that
particular power site is concerned
on investigation, do not believe
t would be found that it would
affect the agricultural question
more than reservation that is
established no right of continuous
flow. 1t has no storage Importance
The governors of some of the states
and the Department of the interior
did not protest against this permit