ALAMO RESERVOIR, ARIZONA

(Continuation of Planning)

This project is approximately 70 miles southeast of Kingman, Arizona,
In a narrow gorge at river mile 38 on the Bill Williams River, Arizona, a tributary of the Colorado
The plan of Improvement provides for a flood-control dam and reservoir which can later be
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION:
modified to meet the requirements of flood control, Irrigation and power development.
River.

AUTHORIZATION: 1944 Flood Control Act

BENEFIT-COST RATIO:

1.3 to l

SUMMARIZED FINANCIAL DATA

Preconstruction Planning Estimate
Appropriations to 30 June 1961

Cash Contribution

Other Costs

Total Estimated Project Cost

$11,300,000

Planning Allocation for FY 1962
Balance to Complete Preconstruction
Planning After FY 1962

100,000

JUSTIFICATION: Construction of the project will provide one of the Improvements proposed under the water treaty with Mexico and is recommended by the Bureau of Reclamation In conjunction with regulation The need for flood storage on the Bill Williams River for flood control of the lower Colorado River below Parker Dam is also recognized by of Parker Dam and development along the lower Colorado River. The Bureau assumed early construction of this Large flood control the International Boundary and Water Commission. project in its levee construction program near Yuma, Arizona (population 24,000). benefits will result through prevention of overflow and prevention of damages to lands, improvements, levees and extensive irrigation works in the agricultural and urban areas along the lower Colorado Projection of the 1927 storm discharge against known flood-plain conditions shows that damages Average annual flood estimated at $1,800,000 would be prevented by construction of this project. control benefits are estimated at $605,000. Although not assigned a monetary value, additional benefits will result from reduction of the rate of siltation at Parker Dam, and from bank stabilization River. through better control of channel flow in the lower Colorado River.

NON-FEDERAL COST: None

Mr. PILLION. What will be the storage capacity of the Alamo Reservoir, General MacDonnell?

General MACDONNELL. 1,077,000 acre-feet at full pool.

Mr. PILLION. How much of that will be used for irrigation?

General MACDONNELL. That is a question that has not been resolved. The Bureau of Reclamation expects to complete their study in about a month. They are studying both yield and use of irrigational water. It will be resolved this year, but it has not yet been. At the present time it is set up purely as a flood control project. Mr. PILLION. How much will the local contributions be, in your estimation?

General MACDONNELL. As purely a flood control structure, as presently shown in the justification sheet, there would be none. As a multiple-purpose structure, they would pay in accordance with any costs allocated to the municipal, industrial, or irrigational

Mr. PILLION. Does this not make it very difficult for the Federal Government to get its proper and appropriate reimbursement for this type of construction? We build it first, then you have the water there that is available for irrigation, but you have not completed any contracts for that, so there you are sitting with this immense amount of water storage. The users then have all the bargaining strength and you do not have any. You practically have to give away this irrigational water. They can say, "Well, you just try to sell it." You have your water there, you cannot use it to any advantage other than to flood control so the bargaining position of the Federal Government is a very poor one because of lack of advance commitments as to the water sale. I think it is a very poor way of doing it.

General MACDONNELL. As you know, sir, these are planning funds and not construction funds. By the time the planning is completed I would expect that we would then know how much of the benefits should be, if any, to irrigation, and under the rules set forth by the committee, if there is an allocation to irrigation, then we should have firm assurances before we go further.

TUCSON DIVERSION CHANNEL

Mr. RABAUT. The Tucson diversion channel. We will insert pages 19 and 20 in the record.

(The justification follows:)

LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION:

TUCSON DIVERSION CHANNEL, ARIZONA

(Continuation of Planning)

This project is located on the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona, and is tribu-
tary to Santa Cruz River (Gila River Basin). The plan of improvement provides a detention basin,
levees, and channels which intercept the flows of Tucson Arroyo, Railroad Wash and Julian Wash and
diverts them around the City of Tucson to Santa Cruz River.

AUTHORIZATION: 1948 Flood Control Act

BENEFIT-COST RATIO: 2.3 to 1

JUSTIFICATION:

The project will provide flood protection to a major portion of the Cities of Tucson and South Tucson and surrounding developed urban areas including U. S. Highways Nos. 80 and 89, SPRR Mainline, SPRR Nogales Branch, U. S. Veterans Hospital, various industrial plants and essential Tucson and its urban area (population more than 240,000) has more than tripled since utilities. 1950 and all forecasts indicate that the growth will continue. Large benefits would accrue to more than 3,300 acres of residential, business, and industrial lands; and benefits would increase in future years because of continued extensive development in the area. Flood history prior to 1940 has not been reliably documented, but measurable damages (about $680,000) resulted from five storms During the 1945 flood, 10 lives were lost. The latest flood (1953) produced since that time. estimated damages amounting to $200,000. A recurrence of that flood under present conditions of development in the flood plain would cause damages estimated at $650,000, of which $520,000 would be preventable with the project.

70856 0-61-pt. 1-8

Project: TUCSON DIVERSION CHANNEL

ARIZONA (Cont'd)

Total Additional Costs

670,000

40,000

$1,210,000