The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-01-11
OUR RESERVOIR ELECTION

The election to be hold on January
16 to authorize the creation of the
super irrigation district to open to
all voters in the district, and merely
authorizes the appointment of the
commission to keep the project alive
while they in company with the Of
ficials of the United States reclama-
ton service figure out what is de-
sired, what it will cost, how the
contract shall read If work is car
ried forward, and then when all de-
tails are agreed upon by them, it
will be submitted to the people living
in the district and owning the lands
on which the proposed stored water
shall be used, and they alone will be
permitted to vote upon the question
of whether or not the enterprise
shall be undertaken. That question
will be voted on at some time in the
future when we may know a great
deal more than we do now about
what we can accomplish.
Many reasons why the American
Falls Reservoir District should be
formed, are cited by the committee
chosen to place all available infor-
maton regarding the issue, before
the citizens of the district.
The committee is composed of
reclamation service engineers, gov
eminent attorneys, and state Of
ficials familiar with the irrigation
history of the state. Data for the
report is taken from the reports of
canal company boards of the Snake
river valley, official statistics re-
garding shortages and purchases OF
past years, and from official data
gathered by the United States recla-
maton service.
While it is recognized that there
may be a difference in some minds
as to the proper policy to pursue,
there is a general agreement as to
the facts involved. Some of these
facts are set forth in the report of
the impartial committee, as follows
The Cost
The present plans call for the
construction of a reservoir of 1901
900 acre feet capacity, the estimated
cost of which Is Sc per acre foot. If
the Aberdeen-Springfeld tract pur-
chases One-half an acre foot per
acre as now contemplated the cost
to this tract will be SO per acre. As
Stunning that per cent bonds can be
sold at par, the standard irrigation
district bond would require a pay
ment of about Is cents per acre for
the first ten years and about AZ cents |
per acre for the next ten years. If
desired the first five years interest |
can be funded into the principal and !
bonds issued to extend
the payments over forty instead OF /
twenty years.
Both the Arrow Rock and Jack
son Lake Reservoirs were con-
by the reclamation service
for less than the estimated cost.
Immediate Benefits
Each dollar of outside money put
into circulation in this community
1ebts and improve conditions gen.
orally.
Any section tied in with this
nationally advertised reservoir Is
pound to benefit immensely by it's
and any section having
| periodical water shortage will suf-
er a handicap continuously unless
teps are taken to provide against it.
An increase in population and
wealth will assist in reducing taxa
ion.
Freight rate reductions can be !
nore easily secured; for competi- :
ion in transportation will seek COM !,
nunities where production and gen. ,
raj activities justify it. 1t is
rave question in many minds 7
yhether any additional transporta- ,
ion will be provided for this sec :
ion unless additional population 8
nd unfailing production is assured. .
Water insurance enters prominently y
ito this phase of the subject. +
The Time is Opportune t
We find from official sources that, {
the present time, there is pending
sfore the federal power commission
n application by Pacific coast !.
over company for permit to de- II
slop over 100000 horse power on g
lie lower Snake river. The con- II
of this plan would p
rtually prevent further irrigation d
svelopment on Snake river or any II
its tributaries unless the Ameri- II
n Falls reservoir is constructed in o
e very near future.
Irrigation district bonds are now :,
liable at very reasonable rate of -
terest. The market, however,
ay be very seriously affected if, >,
fore the bonds are issued, the con- \, \.
tuition is amended, as now pro- .;
sed, to make these bonds taxable. u
1-2 "