The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1940-09-05
Recommendations Seem
Threat To Big Horn
Voter Supply

Ille DIX dOlIl Ddut CUIIlti1ItGc VI
the Big Horn County Chamber
of Commerce issued q state
ment today on the recommen-
dations of the War department
to Congress concerning the Vel
lowStone watershed area.
MI. Funston, who has made a
thorough study of water condi-
tons in southeastern Montana
and northern Wyoming, and
who is well-qualified to discuss
the subject, feels that If these
recommendations are carried
out, the water supply for irri-
cation in this section will be
seriously curtailed. Mr.. Bum
ston's statement is as follows:
"On August 80 the War de-
partment announced its recon-
mendation to Congress concern
ing the Yellowstone watershed
area. It called attention to the
right granted for appeal to the
Rivers and Harbors engineers
within Is days and the oppor-
tunity to examine the full re-
port at Kansas City or Omaha.
1.-The report IS favorable to
the construction of a reservoir
on the Big Horn in wyoming to
meet what is considered to be
the most urgent and immediate
needs of the Yellowstone and
Missouri river basins, the site
to be selected by the chief of
engineers. The report is unfav-
orable to the construction at
this time of the lower canyon
Livingston, Mont.) Big Horn
canyon, Mont, and the Moore
head Powder River) Mont. res
ervoirS in the interest of flood
control, water conservation and
allied purposes. However, the
lower canyon project is consid-
cred q necessary item in the
continued development of the
Missouri river basin for all pur-
poses and is to be constructed
later, when the need arises in
the interest of general water
developmnt. It is not clear what
place is intended when the wa
ter DEPARTMENT refers to Clover
canyon" as to it being the Big
Horn or the Yellowstone and
a wire has been sent requesting
Qualification.
"On October Is, 1897, Wyom-
ing reported it had under IT.
rigatton on the Big Horn water
shed 400, 900 acres of land with
100000 acres still irrigable. It
was stated that the yearly run
off Of the Big Horn in Wyom-
ing was 3,743 900 acre feet.
About three acre feet per acre
per year for all land irrigated
and capable of irrigation. This
is about one half foot per acre
less than the turnout for ir-
rigation purposes in those areas.
"The carrying out of the rec
concentrations of the War de-
partment for storage in Wyom-
ing, if made at the head of the
Wind River canyon, which
seems to be the favored place,
coupled with the storage facil-
tiles now available in the Du-
bois area, together with the
Shoshone, Greybull and other
storage facilities will make
probable the bringing under
irrigation of the remaining
zoo, 900 acres, thereby putting
to use all the runoff of the Big
Horn river in Wyoming and
particularly during the late ir-
rigation season. It would leave
for us the runoff of the Mon
tana area, which is an earlier
runoff and of little benefit for
late irrigation purposes.
"On August 20 of this year
the flow of the Big Horn in
Montana was measured, and
above all diversions in Montana
it was ITO second feet, while
one year ago it was 1870 second
feet. When one considers that
there was being released at that
time from the ShoShone lake
1000 acre feet per day, we can
readily see that the normal flow
of the Big Horn is now negM-
gible. This reduced water flow
is influenced by the fact that
about 10000 acres per year are
being brought under irrigation
in the Riverton area. It will be
further influenced by the bring
ing in of the 43 ,00O-acre project
next year known as the Heart
Mountain project.
"The carrying out of the War
departments recommendations
would necessarily result in our
being dependent on storage in
Wyoming under national regu-
lations for our late stream flow,
and subject to purchasing wa
ter the same as has been pre-
viously done.
"a letter from the reclama-
ton branch of the Interior de-
partment is Illuminating along
this line. Addressed to Senator
Murray on date of August S,
1910, the letter states that the
reclamation department, in Or
der to lower the lake to permit
putting in the Heart Mountain
diversion will release up to g.
Continued on Back Pape)