The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1924-05-21
Spanish Springs Hearing
Brings Out New Plans
BOYLE Admits That Upstream Storage Mus
Come Through Power Company Approval

power. OBJ Middle Carson reservoir
for flood control (c) Alkali Flat
and Lahontan reservoirs for final
storage.
Other feasible plans exist.
The breadth of opportunity dis.
closed by these possible plans of de-
gelopment of our resources In the
Truckee and Carson water sheds for
both irrigation and power proved an
entire surprise to those advocating
itorage in Spanish Springs and may
aave drawn out the sensation of the
Meeting IN the statement of ex-Gov-
srnor Boyle that development of up
tream would undoubtedly come In
time but would be by the power COM
anies for power development; that
forage upstream at this time would
OF be permitted and that II any ap
ropriaion from congress for storage
or our project was to be obtained
hen IL would have to be for reser
'oirs below the tailraces of the pres
Mt power plants of the power COM
anies. He went on to suggest that
his expenditure might best be un
iertaken by the power companies a.
he water would come down anyway
Sharp issue was taken with this
aositlon by Mr. Huntington and
members of our delegation who
ointed out that water for power
vould take precedence over use for
rrigation, and that the returns In
'rofits from power development that
lghtfully belong to us under the
lights initiated for us by the recla-
nation service in 1902. was the one
feature that could be deel lnded upon
o assure our project of lands for
Is settlers at cost that would per-
nit of successful building of farms
md homes.
The virtual admission of all the
claims as to the inadvisability of the
exhorbitantly costly Spanish Springs
site and that Its choice was due to
he decision to leave upstream stor-
age ON the Truckee and Carson rivers
for ultimate development of power
by private interests came as a sur
prise. 1t could hardly be grasped by
the project advocates present even
though they themselves had pointed
1ut that the present plan for Spanish
Springs was an entire abandonment
of the two water sheds and a nullifi
cation of the original plans for sdli
development promised to this project
and the state of Nevada on the part
Of the government.
OF course the Journals account of
the meeting seeks to sieze another
victory for the showing for Spanish
Springs which thereby will leave all
the water in the river end permit
upstream storage by the power in
terests. Their extra clever handling
OF the account OF the meeting sur
passes even their usual form. The
only jarring note was tie deliberate
Misrepresentation OF Mr.. Hunting
tons words in replying to ex-Gov-
rnor Boyle's inquiry as to substitu-
tion OF power Of the companies on
he river. The word "confiscation"
vas introduced. II was never men
toned. Exchange was the only word
r position considered. The word
'eonflscation' was purposely intro.
dlced to prejudice the interests of
TT water users and the interests of
he whole state.
The general view seemed to be
that in the light of the disclosures
naada az fo the fnfluencas determfn
ing the selection of the Spanish
Springs site and the physical enei
neering impossbility of getting wat
or for that site except as It is stolen
rom our Lahontan reservoir and our
project area cut In half. that the out
come could be nothing short of full
Investigation and report before de
termining upon any site.
WATER BOARD COMMITTEE.