The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1924-05-02
Club OPPOSES
PLAN To Make
BASIN RESERVE
K;wanis Investigation
Indicates Boise Valley
Interest Opposed to
Bill in Senate

Three thousand acres VI
p,s;n lands. largely logged OH and
-,.d bv the Boise Payette Lumber
company, will not be included in the
p.;se rational forest If objections
;,,.roosed by the Caldwell kiwanis
,,rb can have any influence with
sorgress. Recently a measure was
;,,roduced in congress providing Tor
;nc,udiup OF Boise Basin land within
the reserve.
Following an intensive investigation
of the subject, a special committee
b,oueh, in the following report
Thursday which was promptly ratified
by the club; !,
ave. your committee. appointed
On April 7, 1922, to investigate the
,dv;sability of an endorsement by
this club of senate bill no. 2789, beg
leave to report:
1 This bill contemplates enlarg-
ing the Boise forest reserve by taking
into its area about three hundred and
twenty thousand acres, the greater
part of which is cut over timber land
now lying outside of the boundary
Of the reserve, and principally within
the area known as Boise basin.
2. at appears to your committee
as extremely inadvisable and unwise
to place more of the resources of the
state under federal control unless there
are very definite, we'll defined, clear
and unmistakable reasons why such
1 transfes Of control should be made
s. The proposal of the measure
in question raises an issue which is
Of vital interest and importance both
directly and indirectly to the whole
territory embraced within the Boise
valley. 1t is the utmost Importance
to this valley that tho water shed OF
the Boise river have every possible
protection. The snowfall should be
shielded from early thaws in order
TO conserve the run off for late sea-
son. In this connection your COM
mittee wishes to go on record as
opposing not alone the logging OF
timber on the high lands of the water
shed OF the Boise river but to protest
the cutting of timber on the head
waters OF any and all streams which
supply water to irrigation projects.
They recommend careful considera-
ton of the effect on the water supply
in every transfer of timber to pri-
vate ownership, whether such trans
fer is made by state or federal gov
eminent, and whether the transfer is
made by sale or exchange of timber
for cut over land.
at is our opinion that supervision
Of the territory covered in this bill
would allow the accumulation OF
accumulation and underground and
thus increase to some extent the late
flow of water that is badly needed by
our land. To this extent it would
benefit this section; unless, after the
boundaries of the forest reserve have
been extended 20 include the proposed
Boise basin. the privately owned land
(which is about two thirds of Me
proposed area to be taken in) should
be exchanged in accordance with an
act of congress of March, 1922, tor
timber now in the forest reserve that
is on or near the hcadwatcrs OF the
streams which supply water for the
irrigation of this valley. The pro-
lection of the latter location IS OF tar
more importance to our water shed
than the new area could possibly be
made to be. The committee secs very
clearly the possibility Of this danger
and can understand how an attempt
to increase our water supply by re-
commencing this bill might possibly
work to our great disadvantage.
4. "Our investigation has disclosed
very large per ccntage of the resi-
dents Of the Boise basin opposed to
the masure. One OF their contentious
is that should the measure be enacted
and privately owned cut-over land be
afterwards exchanged for government
timber. the taxable area within the
county will be materially reduced, re-
sulting in an increased lsvy on the
remaining asscssablc land thus making
II extremely difficult for the county to
finance its local government. This
contention on their part is sound and
presents the possibility Of grave con-
scqncnccx IL ia aixo commended that