The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1947-02-20
Dam Prospects
Said Hopeful
Construction MdY
Begin In l949.
Engineer Says

1.-THE Yellowtail dam is the
key to power development and
irrigation in this section of the
Missouri basfn," said Carl Mey-
erS, engineer for the Yellow
stone basin in this district of
the Reclamation department in
an address before the Big Horn
County Chamber of Commerce
Wednesday night
Mr.. Meyers said he felt sure
Congress will appropriate the
funds for the construction of
the dam when it is needed be-
cause of its Importance in a
whole system of power develop
ment and irrigation in Wyom-
ing and Montana. He qualified
this optimistic statement, how
ever, by saying that it is, of
course, impossible to predict ex-
actly what Congress will do.
The Reclamation department,
however, will strongly recon-
mend that the necessary money
be appropriated to complete the
surveys and planning and to be-
gin construction as soon as all
plans and Specifications are
complete.
In answer to a question, Mr..
Meyers explained that it takes
at least two years to gather all
the necessary data and conf
plete plans for a project as
large as the YelloWtail dam
with its huge power plant and
extensive irrigation system.
This year and next should see
this work finished to the last
detail, he said, 80 that actual
construction can begin in 1919.
Afer being introduced by Dan
w. Maddox, Mr.. Meyers briefly
summarized the Missouri river
project and the adoption of the
plan under which the Yellowtail
dam will be built. The Pick
Sloan plan, also called the Mis-
souri, basin report, was adopted
by Congress in 1914, but no
funds were appropriated. The
money to be used in the entire
project is to be allocated as
needed.
He pointed out that the army
engineers are responsible for
the flood control and traffic
problems in the Missouri basin
and that the Reclamation de-
partment is to concentrate on
irrigation and power develop
ment.
The Missouri basin report
was based on surveys begun in
1898, in which all lands drained
by the Missouri and its terri
tories (about~ one sixth of the
United States) were carefully
investigated. The report covers
parts or all of IA states and in
it the sometimes conflicting
needs of navigation, flood con-
troll, irrigation and power de-
velopment are all considered
and reconciled. Every project,
in the report is only a part of
the single, huge Missouri basin
project, Mr. Meyers pointed out.
All units are interdependent.
The Yellowtail dam will store
more than a million acre-feet
VI "dCCA. 3NSo4Ay wv 4SSo AAA0A-'
it will cause water to rise to
such an extent that a bridge al
Kane, Wyo., will have to be re-
located, according to Mr.. Mey-
ers. It will be in a class with
the largest dams in the world.
The power plant will develop
100 kilowatt hours of power
and will be the second largest
in the northwest. From it pow
er lines will radiate in all di-
rections. One line will join
with others in Wyoming, carry
ing power as far south as Colo
RADIO. Another will go through
Hardin to meet Fl. Peck power
lines and run through eastern
Montana, the Dakotas and into
Iowa. A third will 60 west
through Livingston and a
fourth will furnish power for
pumping irrigation water from
the Yellowstone between Bill
lings and Miles City.
Continued on Page 81