The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1939-11-23
SHALL MORE DAMS BE
BUILT is QUESTION OF
RECLAMATION ASSOCIATION

West of the Tooth meridian
are IS states, nearly half OF
the land of the United States,
about one-tenth of the popula-
ton and only five per cent Of
the farmed and cropped area
OF this nation.
In these is states are TOO mil
lion acres of lonely, uninhabited
territory, fit at best only for
grazing herds of cattle and
sheep.
What has been Gone to re-
claim this land, and what can
be guaranteed for the future
of the reclamation movement,
was examined in Denver
Colorado, November IA, IS and
16, when the governors, sena-
tors, and representatives of the
IS western states, and the 1,5O0
other members of the National
Reclamation Association met
in eighth annual convention.
The reclamation area was
mapped by early explorers as
the Great American Desert. Pho
neers hunted and trapped the
territory, mined it for gold and
other metals, fished its streams,
cut into it's fOreStS-and then
pressed onward and westward.
They had to, for permanent
population is based on agricul-
ture, and most OF these TOO mil
lion acres lacked enough rain
fall to grow crops. Even the
Indians realized this. Centuries
ago in the Southwest, they built
their crude little dams and
bitches to divert water for tiny
bean and squash patches.
Since the frontier disappear
ed, the growth of the West has
been keyed to it's irrigation con-
struction. Only three per cent
of this vast area is now irri-
gated, but this small fraction
provides the major support for
IL million Observation-Disclosures
One-tentn of the population.
In recent years, the job of re-
claiming the arid West has
been taken over by the Federal
Government.
Uncle Sam is on a reclama-
ton spending spree, the like Of
which has never before been
seen in the history of the world.
Seventeen reclamation projects
now under construction will
cost, when completed, about
three-quarters of a billion dol
lars. Inc government estimates
that these projects will provide
opportunities for 1926, 1000 people
on 41,600 farms and in cities
and towns not yet located. Nine
of the projects will develop all
new land; six will add supple
mental water to lands already
developed but in need of more
water. The reason for this tire
mendouS construction boom Is
tWo-fold:
/. To provide new farms for
settlers, principally those who
have migrated westward from
the Great Plains drought area;
2. To conserve and utilize the
natural resources of water and
soil.
More than 1852 million dollars
has been expended for recla-
nation in the last eight years,
since the founding of the Ma
tional Reclamation Association,
as compared with 307 million
dollars spent for this purpose
in the previous thirty years.
The Federal Government calls
reclamation a self-liquidating
proposition, and it would seem
to be so. Of the millions spent
on irrigation development, 81
per cent of the amount due
and payable to the government
already has been repaid through
sales of water and power.
Last year, crops grown on re-
claimed land were worth 100
million dollars. And the bene-
fits of reclamation to the en-
tire nation are apparent in the
fact that farmers on irrigated
land in the West last year pur-
chased 200 million dollars worth
of machinery, automobiles,
clothing and proceSSed foods IN
the industrial centers of the
East and Midwest.
Western leaders face the
gravest decisions in years o. S.
Warden of Great Falls, Mon
tana, president of the National
Reclamation Association, said
in his convention announce
ment.
Shall national defense plans
include irrigation and incident
al power development, as part
of our preparation for any
eventuality, or will the Vests
reclamation program be defer
red or curtailed during the
present national and interna-
tional emergency" he asked.
Can the progress made to-
ward water conservation plans
in the Great Plains states be
consolidated and maintained !
in the absence of PWA funds
and the uncertainty of future
PWA funds? Will the platforms
of the two major parties COM
nit the next administration to
a forward looking reclamation
and water conservation program
for the arid, Semi-arid and |