PARKER DAM PROJECT, ARIZONA-CALIFORNIA Contract for construction of Parker Dam was let to Six Companies, Inc., September 4, 1934, on their bid of $4,239,834. The entire cost of this construction will be repaid by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California under a contract with the Bureau. Work was started October 11, but was interrupted November 13 by the declaration of martial law by the Governor of Arizona in the area adjacent to the Arizona abutment of the dam. Work was resumed after the United States Supreme Court on February 11, 1935, issued a restraining order preventing interference by Arizona, but was again halted on April 29, when the Court rendered a decision holding that construction had not been authorized by Congress. No additional work was done on the dam itself to July 1, 1935. The contractor, however, completed his construction camp and the Bureau built a camp nearby for its employees.

GRAND VALLEY PROJECT, COLORADO

Crop values increased to $37.35 per acre during 1934 from the 1933 average of $21.75 on this project. Local showers prevented a water shortage that might have developed in the late summer owing to acute drought conditions on the watershed. There were 512 farms irrigated during the season, an increase of 42 over 1933 due principally to subdivision. The acreage planted to beans increased, and good prices for this crop were received. Water charges during the season were $1.40 for 4 acre-feet, a reduction in 2 years of $2.10 for this unit. The reduction resulted from economy in operation and lower labor and material costs on maintenance work. The Federal land bank made commissioner's loans on lands within the project for the first time in 1934. About 30 farms received such loans. All project banks were operating, except one at Fruita, Colo., which was merged with a Grand Junction, Colo., bank. They were operating in a more normal manner than during the previous year although a large part of the farm credit still was being provided by Government loan agencies. The beet-sugar factory at Grand Junction did not operate owing to reduced acreage. Cooperatives handled a large part of the project's potatoes and beans.

UNCOMPAHGRE PROJECT, COLORADO

During the 1934 irrigation season 1,578 farms were irrigated, 714 by owners, and the average crop value was $21.94 an acre. This comparatively low per-acre crop value resulted from a shortage of water, recurrence of which will be prevented with completion of Taylor Park Dam. The price paid to farmers for their produce was up sharply

over 1933, reaching a peak of 130 percent in some cases. Project sugar beets were handled by the sugar factory at Delta, while most of the potatoes and onions, poultry and dairy products were marketed through cooperatives. Three cooperative gasoline stations did a thriving business throughout the year. Construction of Taylor Park Dam, an earth-and-rock fill structure, which will supply supplemental water for the project, began on May 1, 1935, after the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users' Association entered a contract to repay its cost. The Water Users' Association also entered repayment contracts for rehabilitation of the South Canal and for drainage works.

BOISE PROJECT, IDAHO

The Arrowrock division is completely settled with a less percentage of uncultivated land than for many years. The proportion of tenantry is about stationary. The agricultural industries, such as creameries, condensaries, packing and canning plants, etc., continue as usual. Most of the agricultural industries are operated by cooperative organizations of water users. Associations of dairymen, poultry and egg producers, etc., operate widely and are prosperous with moderate competition by corporations. There is a gradual expansion of associations of users to deal in gas and oil, coal, groceries, etc.

No work has been under way on the Boise project except the enlargement of the Mora High Line culvert under the Oregon Short Line near Mora and certain small drain extensions, all of which has been done by the water users.

Supplemental storage, repairs on the Arrowrock dam and Deer Flat embankments and cleaning of drain ditches are needed.

A power plant and the Deadwood reservoir have been constructed but are being used for the Owyhee project. The Hillcrest division has contracted for Arrowrock storage and the diversion power plant.

MINIDOKA PROJECT, IDAHO

The total value of crops grown in 1934 was $1,649,000. Less than 85,000 acres were cropped as compared with nearly 99,000 acres in 1933. There were 1,533 farms irrigated on the Gravity division and 843 on the South Side pumping division. About 60 percent of the farms of the pumping division were operated by owners, and 40 percent by tenants. Operation and maintenance charges, on both Gravity and Pumping divisions were well paid up. There was a heavy snowfall over the Upper Snake River drainage area during the winter of 1934-35, and the run-off in the spring was well maintained. In Jackson Lake, the maximum storage in 1935 was 713,460

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acre-feet, and some 95,000 acre-feet of stored normal flow, including a small amount of holdover, were impounded. The supply of normal flow water was sufficient for all project demands, practically to the end of the fiscal year. The season of 1934, however, was the driest ever known, and all crops suffered severely. The Civilian Conservation Corps cleared the timber around Jackson Lake.

There is need for a more adequate water supply for the project, especially in years of low stream-flow. One plan under consideration is to increase the height of the dam at American Falls to permit the storage of water in years of high run-off for use in years of shortage. Conservation in the use of winter water heretofore demanded for power and irrigation purposes is needed to increase the available supply for irrigation. A number of transfers of real estate were made. No new industries were established during the year, but a sugar factory, flour mills, and potato meal mill, two alfalfa meal mills, and a casein manufacturing plant were operated.

A contract completed with the Idaho Power Co. provided a means of conserving winter water for storage at American Falls reservoir.

A contract with the Minidoka Irrigation District provided that all power used in the district should be obtained from the Government plant at Black Canyon through exchange with the Idaho Power Co., the district agreeing to pay $40,000 to $50,000 yearly toward the construction cost of the plant, and in return to be credited with all receipts for power sold in the district.

UPPER SNAKE RIVER PROJECT, IDAHO

Island Park dam site was selected as the most feasible location to be found on Henrys Fork, and after extensive investigation of foundations plans were prepared and the work advertised for bids at the close of the fiscal year. In connection with this reservoir it is proposed to carry water through a crosscut canal from Henrys Fork to the Teton River to make stored water available to lands in that district, which canal will head at a low diversion dam about 6 miles above St. Anthony.

Investigations were continued at Ashton reservoir site on Henrys Fork near Ashton, but were abandoned in favor of cheaper storage at Island Park. A satisfactory reservoir site of about 50,000 acrefeet capacity was found on the Teton River, about 4 miles west of Driggs. Topographic surveys were completed and the dam site tested by diamond drilling and wash borings. Topographic surveys were made of Lake of the Woods and Grassy Lake reservoir sites just south of Yellowstone National Park, where it is hoped a combined storage capacity of 25,000 acre-feet may be obtained. Further diamond drilling is necessary to determine the feasibility of these

sites. The Spring Creek reservoir site is located on a small creek near Tetonia. Surveys and investigations of a foundation were made, but the probability of excessive leakage and excessive costs indicates further consideration of the site to be unwarranted.

The Fremont-Madison Irrigation District, embracing about 116,000 acres, was formed and an election held, at which a repayment contract with the United States was authorized. This contract covers the cost of Island Park dam, crosscut canal, and one or more small reservoirs on Falls River, and a reservoir on the Teton River.

BITTER ROOT PROJECT, MONTANA

The Bitter Root project has 18,240 acres irrigable, of which 16,000 is being farmed. There are 285 families, making a project population of 1,200 people. As a result of the Government loan, tax delinquent acreage has decreased from 6,000 acres in 1930 to 700 in 1935. Farmers are more hopeful.

The original Government construction appropriation did not fully complete rehabilitation of the project. The greatest needs at present include the replacement of one-half mile of wooden flumes and 5 wood stave siphons aggregating 1 mile in length, and a supplemental water supply by building 7 miles of ditch to adjoining watershed.

FRENCHTOWN PROJECT, MONTANA

The district lands are being dry farmed. Grain, the principal crop, is about 30 percent below normal. Some livestock is raised. on the project and nearby range. Officials of the Amalgamated Sugar Co., which has a factory at Missoula, are convinced that sugar beets will quickly develop on the project lands as soon as irrigation water is available. Missoula has a population of 17,000 and 150 persons live in Frenchtown and Huson.

At the end of the fiscal year the final location of the main canal, 17 miles long, was completed and topographic surveys were made of more than 2,000 of the 7,500 acres of project lands. A complete topographic survey is being made, after which the laterals will be located. A small diversion dam will be constructed across a small side channel of the Missoula River.

HUNTLEY PROJECT, MONTANA

A total of 655 farms were in cultivation during the year, of which 338 were operated by owners and 317 by tenants. The value of crops was $4 per acre higher than for the previous year. Sugar beets only showed a decrease, amounting to $10.55 per acre. The

Wool Growers Association is active and markets practically all the lambs and wool grown on the project.

A permanent low-water dam, a reinforced concrete structure with rock and gravel core, was constructed across the main channel of the Yellowstone River below the project head gates. The dam has a crest length of 250 feet and a length over all of 324 feet, the height from foundation to crest is 10.5 feet, the width of the main structure 18 feet, and the width of the footings, 21 feet. A jetty, extending 101 feet into the river from the north bank, was completed. Its purpose is to divert the main current of the river toward the south bank and the dam, preventing any tendency to change the main channel of the river. Construction is of cribbing filled with rock.

MILK RIVER PROJECT, MONTANA

Excellent crops were produced on the project and the price level, especially for feed crops, exceeded that of many previous years. For the first time in the history of the project the gross crop revenue exceeded $1,000,000. The financial condition of water users generally was consequently improved and there was a considerable liquidation of indebtedness incurred during the previous 3 years.

Sugar-beet yields were good and provided a maximum-capacity campaign for the Chinook factory.

The acreage farmed and irrigated during 1935 will exceed that of any previous year. One tract of 600 acres was purchased by the rural rehabilitation section of the A. A. A. and the 6 families from adjacent submarginal lands established thereon will be provided with suitable farm buildings and otherwise assisted in the development of their farms. Plans are being formulated for the colonization of several hundred farms during the year.

Operation and maintenance advances for the calendar year 1935 have been paid in full by all but two of the irrigation districts. These delinquencies, however, are slight and will be met before there is requirement for the funds.

Work under the N. I. R. A. allotment of $65,000 for the continuation of project construction was carried on throughout the fiscal year. This work involved two principal features: (a) The repair and improvement of the St. Mary Canal, consisting in the widening and strengthening of about 4 miles of canal bank and the placing of about 500 cubic yards of riprap to prevent excessive erosion, (b) the replacement of timber canal and lateral structures in the Malta and Glasgow divisions with structures in kind of concrete. Two major and 157 minor structures were constructed, involving 441 cubic yards of reinforced concrete, and replacing 147 deteriorated timber

structures.