The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-05-15

A $47,OO,OOO water conservation
project for Montana and possibly
Idaho advanced a step a few days
ago when delegations from the two
states, headed by the governor Of
each, agreed to request the bureau
of reclamation for a survey of the
upper Yellowstone and Missouri
rivers, including the feasibility of
diversion of water by a tunnel
through the mountains to the
Snake river valley in Idaho.
Behind the movement is an open
break in the northwest regional plan
ming board, of which Marshall N. Dana
of Portland is the chairman, and which
involves the future development of the
four northwestern states, Montana,
Idaho, Washington and Oregon.
Walter Clark of Wallace, Idaho, in
briefing the situation to Governor Holt,
the members of the state water con-
servation and planning boards and fed
eral officials at Helena recently, said
that Mr.. Dana's report and memoran-
dunn on Columbia river development did
not represent the true picture as gained
through a series OF planning meetings,
over which Mr.. Dana presided. Mr..
Clark is a member of the Idaho plan
ming board.
James Mccarthy Jr., Of MiSSoula,
but resident of Idaho, said:
"Mr. Dana's report said there was a
divergence of opinion between the
states. The only divergence of opinion
is over Mr.. Dana'S report, which did
not depict the attitude evidenced at
the various planning conferences in
the northwest.
D. P. Fabrick, member of the state
water and planning, substantiated
the remarks of the Idaho delegates He
explained that the report favored Ore
gon and Washington, leaving Mon
tana and Idaho on the sidelines. 1T
gives Washington and Oregon control
of the runoff Of the Columbia and in no
way contemplates control Of the head
waters" Mr.. Fabrick stated.
The two states agreed to send dele
cations to Washington to oppose legis-
authority, the foundation for which
apparently is found in Mr.. Dana's re-
port.
Agreement also was reached between
the two states relative to the 47O0O,-
900 project of the lower Yellowstone.
application for which already has been
filed with the PWA. The project is
based on the report Of John T. Tucker
of the PWA, formally with the state
water conservation board
It contemplates seven features:
l. To regulate flow of the Yellow
stone river.
2. To assist irrigation of the districts
now diverting from Yellowstone river.
8. To divert water into the upper
Missouri river basin for irrigation and
power.
4. To increase storage behind the
Fort Peck dam.
S. To enable Idaho to divert water
from the Hebgen reservoir for irriga-
ton and power use in Snake river
valley.
6. To increase the area of Yellow
stone park and provide for migratory
bird refugees and game preserves ad-
joining the park.
7. TO provide for national park at
the Gates of the Mountains near Hell
ena.
In the gigantic project, Idaho prin-
cipally is interested in the diversion of
water from the upper Missouri basin
to the Snake river by means of a
great tunnel from Henry's lake in
Idaho to tap the Hebgen reservoir on
the Madison.
Other features of the big proposal
would include a dam in the Yellow
stone river four miles above Livingston,
installation of power plant below the
dam with a capacity of 10000 kilowatts,
a tunnel through the mountains to con-
duct water to the Gallatin river basin
and irrigation bitches from the mouth
of this tunnel to Crow creek bench,
Townsend bench and Helena valley.