CONTRACTS

During the past fiscal year the Bureau entered into a total of 3,673 contracts, their nature and the amounts involved being summarized as follows:

1 Contract with the Utah Power & Light Co. for the construction of 75-inch wood-stave pipe and repayment to the United States of 125/280 of the cost therefor ($690,000). Contract with Ogden City for construction of artesian wells water works at a cost of $225,000 and repayment to the United States of $350,000. Estimated in part.

SALT RIVER PROJECT, ARIZONA

Agricultural results showed better returns than last year, improving the economic situation materially. Gross crop values on the project increased from $9,660,000 in 1932 to $16,500,000 in 1934, and bank deposits from $18,212,000 to $36,091,350. There has been a small increase in building activity locally, almost entirely, however, being confined to projects under P. W. A. or other Federal relief agencies.

The water-supply situation was temporarily relieved by spring rains in 1935. Storage, which had been depleted to 100,000 acre-feet in November 1934, was brought up to 800,000 acre-feet in May 1935. Lands with inferior water rights (about two-thirds of the project) which in some dry years have had their allotment cut to 211⁄2 acrefeet per acre, could get 4 acre-feet. Outlook for next season is fair, 740,000 acre-feet being in storage June 30. A change has been made in the project irrigation and fiscal year to correspond with the calendar year which is expected to effect a saving in water as the old

year ending September 30, resulted in a high-peak use in that month to get water paid for but not theretofore used. Redesign of spillways at Roosevelt, Horse Mesa, Mormon Flat, and Stewart Mountain Dams, of the diversion dam at the intake of the Roosevelt power canal and of a dam on the Verde River at the Bartlett site was in progress by the Denver office of the Reclamation Bureau and the construction, estimated at $6,800,000 will be done by the Bureau. The Indian Office is to have an $800,000 interest in the Bartlett Dam for the development of a water supply for 610 Indian allottees. This project is expected to make available a large percentage of Verde River flood water now wasted and greatly needed for project lands.

YUMA PROJECT, ARIZONA-CALIFORNIA

Crop values on the Yuma project during 1934 were nearly double those for 1933. On the Auxiliary project the returns also showed improvement. The total value of crops, amounting to $2,500,000, as compared with $1,335,000 for the previous year, showed a similar trend in improvement in economic conditions, responsible factors for which were better prices in general for farm commodities, favorable weather conditions, an ample water supply, and low operation and maintenance costs. An increase in bank deposits from $390,000 to $618,000 during 1934 also reflects a change for the better in local economic conditions. The rise in crop values was effected by the severe drought which prevailed during the summer of 1934 over the greater part of the arid West and the Mississippi Valley. The Yuma County Farm Bureau Marketing Association handled alfalfa hay and seed, and made individual loans to its constituent members for financing growing operations. The Yuma County Water Users' Association has complied with the terms of its contract of February 5, 1931, relative to advance payment of operation and maintenance charges, and at the close of June 30, 1935, its payments were about $30,000 in excess of the amount then due.

The excavation of 91⁄2 miles of drainage canals in the valley division was finished in June and completes the division's drainage system to the extent of present requirements. Low flow in the Colorado River made extensive repair work unnecessary, either at Laguna Dam or on the levee system in California and Arizona.

BOULDER CANYON PROJECT, ARIZONA-NEVADA Construction continued in progress for practically all the major features of the project, and on June 30, 1935, many of these were nearing completion. The forces of the Bureau of Reclamation and contractors were reduced gradually from 5,218 employees to 3,334 at the end of the current fiscal year.

Six Companies, Inc., contractor for construction of the dam, power plant, and appurtenant works, made steady progress toward completion of its contract. Practically all concrete was placed for the dam and superstructure, except in the galleries. The first block (K-3) reached crest elevation, 726 feet above bedrock, on February 6, all blocks on March 23, and the slot May 29. Concrete placed amounted to 3,249,773 cubic yards, of which 3,000,000 had been poured on December 5, 1934, only 18 months after the first bucket was dumped in the structure. Cooling was finished on May 20, 21 months after it was started, and grouting of contraction joints was completed on June 7, 13 months after this work was initiated. Drilling of grout holes grouting abutments progressed from the base upward to approximately 60 feet from the crest and drilling of alternate drainage holes to 280 feet from the crest.

With the exception of a small amount of miscellaneous work, both spillways were completed, the gates installed, and the bridge built across the Arizona Channel.

All concrete was placed for the intake towers up to the roof shingles, the four bridges were erected, all gates installed, and trash racks placed. Work was in progress at the end of the year for the installation of hoists and stems.

Lining was finished for all the tunnels of the penstock and outlet systems and their related shafts, passageways, and adits. The canyon wall valve houses were raised to the lower roof slab, excavations were completed for the downstram plugs in inner diversion tunnels, and the upstream plugs were poured, cooled, and grouted.

Remote-control equipment was installed for the 50-by-50-foot steel bulkhead gate at the inlet of no. 1 diversion tunnel, and the upstream section of the plug in this tunnel was poured, in which were installed four sets of 6-by-712-foot slide gates.

The 50-by-50 foot steel bulkhead was lowered at the inlet of no. 4 diversion tunnel on February 1, turning the entire flow of the river through tunnel no. 1, under control of the slide gates, and commencing storage in the reservoir. At the end of the fiscal year the reservoir was approximately 78 miles long, contained 3,875,000 acre-feet of water, covered an area of approximately 37,700 acres, and its water surface elevation was at 910.0, 15 feet above the lower gate sills of the intake towers. The flow at Bright Angel gaging station (Grand Canyon) was 50,300 cubic feet per second on June 30, and the outflow through the plug gates 14,900 cubic feet per second.

Construction of the powerhouse building drew gradually toward its close. The walls had been raised nearly to their full heights and most of the structural steel for the roof had been placed. The

control circuit tunnel was lined, the cut and cover conduit was poured, and excavation commenced for the switchyard.

Installation of power plant machinery by Government forces was started in February 1935, and the draft tube liners for the first four of the 115,000 horsepower units were installed ready for the turbines.

The Babcock & Wilcox Co. continued its efficient fabrication of steel penstock and outlet pipe and at the end of the year had produced 30,957.7 tons of pipe sections. Erection of 30-foot penstock header sections was started in the upper Nevada tunnel on July 10, and of 13-foot diameter penstocks in the upper Nevada penstocks on September 5. At the end of the fiscal year, erection of pipe was approximately 69 percent completed for the upper Nevada system, 17 percent for the lower Nevada, 40 percent for the upper Arizona, and 15 percent for the lower Arizona.

Visitors to the project increased from 191,788 for the previous fiscal year to 328,429 for the period of this report. A monthly peak of 39,884 occurred in February and a week-end record of 9,296 on November 9 and 10.

The Bureau of Power and Light of the city of Los Angeles had erected all towers for its two 287,500 and 275,000 volt lines from the switchyard to Cajon Pass near San Bernardino, and was engaged in stringing the 1.4 inch diameter hollow copper conductors from the switchyard to Victorville.

ALL-AMERICAN CANAL, ARIZONA-CALIFORNIA

Actual construction work on the all-American canal began on August 8, 1934, when the Griffith Co. commenced excavation on rock cuts. At the end of the fiscal year this company had excavated approximately 497,000 cubic yards and their contract was nearly completed. The W. E. Callahan Construction Co. and Gunther & Shirley, whose contract covers the excavation of approximately 30 miles of the main canal involving about 39,400,000 cubic yards of excavation, began work on December 8, 1934. By the end of the fiscal year this company had completed 9 miles of the canal, involving the removal of about 9,200,000 cubic yards. As a relief measure for the farmers of Imperial Valley, who suffered severely from the unprecedented drought during 1934 when the Colorado River was at its lowest point in history, team excavation by Government forces was authorized for several miles of canal in the vicinity of Calexico. Farmers and farmer stock were employed insofar as possible. At its peak nearly 1,000 head of stock were engaged on this work. By the end of the fiscal year 9 miles of canal

excavation, involving the removal of approximately 1,487,000 cubic yards, had been completed by these methods.

Bids were opened on April 25, 1935, for the excavation of about 25 miles of the all-American canal across the East Mesa, involving the excavation of about 11,300,000 cubic yards, and contracts were awarded to Lewis-Chambers Construction Co., of New Orleans, La., and Mittry Bros., of Los Angeles. Although preparatory work was under way actual excavation had not commenced under either of these contracts by the end of the fiscal year. Designs and specifications for Imperial Dam and desilting works and other major structures along the canal were in course of preparation on June 30 and call for bids will be issued on these features as rapidly as they can be made ready.

ORLAND PROJECT, CALIFORNIA

Economic conditions showed an improvement over the previous year. A slight increase in prices afforded some relief. Butterfat, one of the project's major commodities, advanced in price to 37 cents a pound in the fall and winter months but declined again in the spring. Crop yields were fairly satisfactory and in one case quite surprising. The citrus-fruit yield was the greatest in the history of the project. For the first time in some years a market existed for low-grade figs and a large tonnage of fruit, which had formerly gone to waste, was marketed. The olive crop was very satisfactory both from the standpoint of yield and prices received.

Actual collections of reclamation charges showed a gain over those of the previous year, but were still rather light on account of the deferment of the payment of construction charges under the acts of April 1, 1932, and later acts. Relief under these acts has been of great aid to the water users. For the fiscal year 1935 the collections totaled $36,858.67 as against $32,330.77 for the previous year. Loans from the Federal land bank were of material assistance to the water users in enabling them to pay their operation and maintenance charges. The crop value per acre was $33.64. Values of project farm and motor equipment showed a slight increase over 1934, but there was no general replacement of obsolete equipment. Livestock values showed a small net increase, although the value for sheep and hogs declined slightly. Population on the farms remained practically the same and bank deposits increased $97,128. Oranges, almonds, olives, prunes, apricots, and turkeys were marketed largely through local cooperative marketing organizations.

Reduction in funds available prevented the carrying forward of the concrete lining program on laterals subject to excessive loss of water and high maintenance cost.