Imperial Valley press., 1941-01-16
REPORT AND
WARNING

President Evan T. Hewes' annual re-
bort on the condition of the Imperial Irri-
cation Districts progress during 1910 is
mirror held up to the public agency
Upon which rests the major part of the
ask of improving Imperial Valley.
1t reflects much that is deserving of
eommendation. Internal efficiency has
been materially improved, economies af-
Fected, the water departments big job
lone well and economically, if our inter
probation Of the figures is correct. The
catastrophe earthquake damage was
handled in a manner hardly less than
miraculous, and the daily routine of the
district would appear to vie with the
most efficient private operation in effl-
eient business management.
In the most important phases of the
feport-dealing with refunding, the
need for speed in completing the All
American canal, developing drainage,
speeding the power program and open
ing the Eastside Mesa-are comments
that are warning also, actual or implied.
Much is made of the fact that for the
first time in II years the district has a
cash balance after meeting all obliga
lions. For that we have many people to
fhank-the people who helped put over
The refunding program. There is
warming, however, in the fact that the
legal battle over refunding is not yet
Finished We would hate to have this
taste of stability, only to have it later
withdrawn because of some legal tech
nicality.
While Mr. Hewes deals lightly with
progress on the All American canal dur
ing 1910, he is compelled by circum-
stances to do so. He could not diplomat
fcally comment on the districts constant
effort to obtain from the u. S. reclama-
lion bureau more speed in completing the
project.
The effects of the delay are really
shown in the report on the power divi-
sion. 1t is immaterial that the profits
were smaller than in the previus year.
1t is of minor Importance whether were
making any profit at all. What is i'm
portant is that we cannot expect the
profits we need to pay for the All Amer
ican canal until the canal itself is in full
operation, and with it the canal power
plants that will furnish cheap hydro,
electric energy.
The drainage progress report = 70
miles of new drains and SIC miles of
.rehabilitated drains-is not vastly i'm
portant, except that it sounds a warning,
.unworded, that all this is only a small
part of what must be accomplished.
FOREARMED
Particularly encouraging to those an
|xious for maximum development of I'M
|perial county as fast as possible is Presi-
|dent Hewes' notation on efforts to hasten
|opening of Eastside Mesa lands to agri-
culture. Encouraging, and challenging,
too, because it points out the threat of
new delay for which there should be no
|earthly reason.
The threatened delay lies in the recon-
|mendation of two Bureau of Reclamation
|officials, noted in Hewes' report, for de
tailed soil and drainage studies on the
Eastside Mesa before it is developed.
AS Hewes also notes, such studies have
|already been made, and should be suffi-
cient when coupled with studies that
will naturally proceed during develop
|ment.
The district naturally will have to
take the leadership in overcoming such
threatened delays, but in this instance
we believe great help could be rendered
ed by chambers of commerce and other
civic organizations, upon which it is to
be hoped the district calls for coopera-
ton.
Hewes' own words offer a caution the
valley should take to heart: :" the haz-
ards and dangers of neglecting to do
anything that can be done are very real.