The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-10-05


division, an organization consisting I
farm operators in Montana l am
member of the National Farmer
Union Regional Resources Develop
ment Committee; also member {
the Montana MVA association, grou
of business and professional men, l;
boring men and farmers who hav
organized an association to promot
interest in, and understanding of tn
problem of development and conserve
ton of resources in our region.
Today, l am speaking for the Farm
ers union membership in the state o
Montana
Our organization, as the name i'm
plies, devotes considerable time ant
effort to carrying on an educationa
program to inform our members OF
questions of public interest we know
that these questions effect our inter
ests as farmers.
I am not an expert on irrigation o.
reclamation, I am not an engineer, bu
as a layman, will try to present thu
viewpoint of the farmer who has tt
make living on the farms in m,
area
The Missouri Basin is a large ares
comprising roughly seventeen percen
of the total area of the United States
In this area are located vast poten
tial resources of land, water, minerals
forests, low-cost public power ant
many more, some undeveloped anG
many not properly conserved. In al
of the area and especially in Montana
we have wide variety of conditions
and interests, which involve many
problems.
These problems are usually interre
lated, the solution of one being de-
pendent upon the proper solution OF
another, and so on. We feel sure that
the proper method of attacking any
of our problems in the Missouri Basin
is through the overall co-ordinated
regional approach as proposed in
S555, the Murray bill.
Because of the variety of condi-
lions and interests in the Missouri
valley, we know there will be some
conflict of interests and, therefore,
considerable difference of opinion of
how congress should legislate to pro-
mote the best interests of our region
as we'll as the rest of the nation.
I appreciate, therefore, this oppor-
tunity to appear before your commit
tee to present the viewpoint of some
of the farmers in the area.
Rainfall in the Missouri Basin var
in the extremely arid regions to a
rather heavy fall normally in the hui
mid area in the southeastern part of
the valley. Our problem in the arid
region is one of conservation and
proper use of all precipitation by the
construction of dams and storage res
esrvoirs. In the lower reaches of the
basin the problem is one of the con-
troll of devastating floods. The answer
to these two problems would seem to
be large dams and storage reservoirs
in the upper basin to control the
flood waters and regulate run-off.
We are convinced that Congress will
not allow the destructive floods to
continue in the lower valley. The solu-
ton to the problem of too little water
in the upper basin and too much Pc
in the lower basin would
seem obviously to be a Regional Au
thority to develop plans for the neces-
sary dams and reservoirs and to adj
their construction and opera
ion in the best interests of the valley.
In addition to the problems of
Drought and floods we have many
other related questions that should
De- considered in their proper order
md. relationship to the problems so
ar enumerated. Erosion control is
lirectly related to both of the above.
Water either in the form of rainfall
u snow should be retained in the soil |
where it falls to the greatest degree
possible. This can be accomplished |
~ various methods by forestation, |
,rass seeding, terracing, small dams,
controlled grazing, etc.
Low-cost public power is extremely |
in developing an irrigation
program as well as in developing in
Iustry so badly needed in the region
This logically becomes part of the |
Program of the release of water i'm
bounded in the storage reservoirs.
Reclamation is a term that covers
very large field. Large areas of land |
n Montana have very fertile soil, but |
BECAUSE of lack of rainfall are of very
Ow value unless irrigation water can
e obtained. Other sections have too
much water and must be drained to be
eclaimed Still other sections of low
ertility have considerable value as
rejects for reforestation or may be
ebuilt by use of fertilizers Within
he Missouri Basin and to greater
egree in other sections of our coun-
ry, land has been cropped continu-
usly for number of years and is in
ire need of different types of fer
lizer. The job of furnishing low-cost
to these lands is, to my
lind a reclamation job.
We are told that ninety-fiye percent
f the known phosphate deposits in
he United States are located princi-
ally in the area, all within reach Of
ne low-cost hydro-electric power pos
ible of development within the area.
These phosphate deposits are To-
ated in northwestern Wyoming,
Montana and an ada
emit area in Idaho. The need for the
sduction of this ore into fertilizer
roducts for use in various parts of
lie country is great now and will be-