The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1953-01-02

supplemental irrigation water for al
most 100000 acres now inadequately
served.
Missouri River Basin Project
units in Region 6, started, COM
pleted, or under construction this
| year, together with Shadehill Dam
in South Dakota, Heart Butte and
Dickinson Dams in North Dakota
and the Savage Irrigation Unit in
Montana, which were completed in
the last three years, directly or in
directly will make possible the ir-
rigation of almost one million acres
of land and the production of about
one-half billion kilowatt-hours of
electrical energy annually.
Regional Director Vernon pointed
out that the Bureau of Reclamation
also has under way the construction
of an extensive system of transmits
sion lines and substations to make
possible the widespread use of power
generated at Federal power plants
in the area. AS part of the Missouri
River Basin Project, the Bureau has
completed or placed under construc-
ton more than 1900 miles of lines
and A substations. AS a part of the
Fort Peck, Riverton, and Shoshone
operating projects, the Bureau has
completed construction of about l.
100 miles of transmission lines and
40 substations. The Dawson County
Satisfaction near Glendive, Mont, a
part of the Fort Peck Project, is
nearing completion.
During 1852, the Bureau of
Reclamation awarded about $29
million in construction and supply
contracts for features of the Mis-
souri, Basin Project on which work
was under way in Region 6.
In addition, the Bureau awarded
contracts totaling ST Il million for
work on five of the eleven operating
Reclamation projects in Region au-
thorized and built prior to the passage
of the Flood Control Act which, to-
gether with subsequent legislation,
authorized the basin-wide program.
The eleven projects include $4,000
acres of irrigable land and work is
under way or planned to increase
the irrigable acreage on two of the
projects by almost $4,000 acres.
The Regional Director emphasized
that the Reclamation program is ac-
tive in other phases that are pre-
requisite to construction and that Re
gion has an extensive investigation
q M
ress to make definite detailed stud
les of proposed developments lead
ing to the final preparation of de-
signs and specifications for construc-
ton, the layout of farm unit plans,
and related work. This activity, he
said, is being carried on in either
a preliminary or detailed manner
on all of the units of the BASIN
wide program on which construction
is planned for the future.
AS an indication of the continuing
nature of the development program,
Regional Director Vernon cited the
of contracts in force at the
end of the calendar years since 1948,
when construction activities began on
a large scale on the Missouri River
Basin Project in Region 6. He pointed
out that the value of contracts in
force at the end of the year do not
necessarily include all the contracts
that were awarded during the year,
many of which were awarded and
completed within few months, nor
do the totals include only those con-
tracts awarded during the year be-
cause some of the larger contracts
are in force for several years after
The award is made. The totals in force
at the end of the years, as given by
Vernon, are 1913, $43 million; 1949,
$50 million; 1850, $651a million;
1851, 1914 million; 1882, $50 mil
ion