The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-07-25

In three issues of The Silver
State, commencing with the issue
of July "a and ending with the is
sue of July 80, will be printed ap-
proximately ten columns Of testi-
mony of Herbert C. Hoover, secre-
tary of commerce, taken before the
House of Representatives committee
on irrigation of arid lands, in con-
nection with consideration Of the
Swing bill to provide for the pro-
lection and development of the
lower Colorado river basin. This
includes the great Boulder Canyon
dam project, which would irrigate
an immense area in southern Me-
vada and furnish electricity for a
portion of Nevada and southern
California, Arizona, and other states
adjacent to the dam site. The sub
ject is timely because of the great
amount of discussion being carried
on concerning the project and its
Importance to Nevada. Hoover's
words will also serve to enlighten
large number of people who have
little conception of what the project
consists.
Committee on Irrigation of Arid
Lands, House of Representatives,
| Wednesday, June 81, 1922.
The committee met at 1890
o'clock a. M, Hon J. Sinnott pre-
siding.
Mr.. Sinnott. This meeting was
called this morning for the purpose
Of hearing Mr.. Hoover, who is chair
man of the Colorado River Com
mission that examined into the mat
ter We are now considering. We
will be glad to hear you, Mr.. Sec
rotary.
Statement of Hon. Herbert c.
Hoover, Secretary of Commerce.
Secretary Hoover. Mr.. Chair
man, / assume the committee is
quite familiar with the physio-
graphic character of the river, the
topography, and the problems that
are presented.
| Mr.. Sinnott. We have had con-
siderable testimony on those points.
Secretary Hoover. 1t can be ex-
pressed in very few words, that the
Colorado River drains portions of
seven states; that the volume of
dow of the river varies seasonally
during the year from somewhere
between five to six thousand Sec
ond-feet up to 100000 second
feet, while it varies in total guam
tity Of discharge from 5000, 900
acre-feet per annum up to &c.
100000 acre-feet in different years.
The irrigation work now in pro-
| yress in the lower river has abb
,orbed the whole flow of the river
1t low water, and therefore further
extension of irrigation is estopped,
unless storage of the flood flow Is
undertaken. From the storage
point of view the river is unique.
rhe amount of additional acreage
the United States that can be
brought under irrigation in the
| upper and lower river can be ex-
ended by between four and six
million acres, as against perhaps
| under 100000 acres now under
{, irrigation. Further, the spring
! loods now endanger the land under
irrigation, and the problem is also
me of storage for control pur-
poses.
The Colorado River Commission,
II hich | am the chairman, and on
With | represent the feredal gov
eminent, was established by legis-
lation in the seven states and by
the federal government looking In
the first instance to an agreement
chat would prevent legal conflict
between the different states In the
basin over the use Of water. The
legislation establishing the commits
sion in some of the states also i'm
i plies that the commission should
1--WE consideration to a definite plan
sor the development of the river
as whole, both from the legal and
economic phases and also from
the engineering point of view. But
whether that is expressed or moi
4 is implied, because there can be
no settlement Of the legal rights
4 Of the different state that did not
embrace the contemplation of stor,
age along the river. The only hope
OF securing further development,
and the application of the waters
to their maximum use is through
storage. Therefore it is impossible
to discuss the question of inter.
ktate water rights without Discus