The act of June 27, 1930 (46 Stat., p. 820), authorized the payment of $6.000 to the Truckee Carson irrigation district in 60 semiannual installments for the proportionate share of the repairs and improvements to the Truckee Canal. The first year's payment of $200 was included in the appropriation for 1934. Operation and maintenance of certain stipulated works of the Newlands project, including those on the Paiute Indian lands was transferred to the Truckee Carson irrigation district under article 6 of a contract dated December 18, 1926, effective December 31, 1926. MAINTENANCE, HOGBACK PROJECT, NAVAJO RESERVATION, N. MEX. Mr. JOHNSON. The next item, on page 136, is for the Hogback project, and there appears to be no change in the item. Mr. DODD. The justification for this item is as follows: The Hogback project is located on the San Juan River near Shiprock, N. Mex., and lies at an elevation of 4,940 feet. Direct diversion is made from the San Juan River for the water supply. The irrigable area of the project under the gravity system is 5,425 acres. On 3,126 acres of this area the Indians produced crops valued at $104,000 during the last season. In order successfully to operate and maintain this project it is necessary to keep a small crew at work the entire year. The Indians living on the project are wholly dependent upon their ability to produce profitable crops. In this section of the reservation the Indians are turning to agricultural pursuits for a livelihood with surprising rapidity. It is expected that all the land under the gravity system will be under cultivation by the end of the fiscal year 1937, and that the area under the contemplated pumping units will be cultivated in the near future. In compliance with the provisions of the act of August 1, 1914 (38 Stat., p. 582-583), the Secretary of the Interior fixed the operation and maintenance charges for the Hogback project for the fiscal year 1935 at $3 per acre. This rate remains in force until modified. The Indians farming on the project are paying operation and maintenance charges at the rate of $1 a year in addition to which they furnish labor gratis. MAINTENANCE, FRUITLANDS IRRIGATION PROJECT, NAVAJO RESERVATION, N. MEX. Mr. JOHNSON. The next item is for the Fruitlands project on the Navajo Reservation. Mr. Dopp. The justification for this item is as follows: The Fruitlands project is located on the San Juan River near Farmington, N. Mex. Direct diversion is made from the San Juan River to supply water to the project for irrigation purposes. This project has been partially constructed with funds allotted from the Public Works appropriation and will be completed with regular appropriations. The irrigable area is 5,100 acres, which is to be divided into small tracts for Indians living in the vicinity who will make beneficial use of the land. This project when completed will sustain approximately 400 Indian families and will greatly relieve the over-crowded condition of the range in this section. There are at present approximately 500 acres under cultivation on the old part of this project which can be served in 1937 by the new irrigation system. The amount requested will meet the bare operation and maintenance costs for 1938. The Indians living on the project will perform most of the required labor. MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENTS, INDIAN LANDS, MIDDLE RIO GRANDE CONSERVANCY DISTRICT, NEW MEXICO Mr. JOHNSON. The next item, on page 139, is for assessments against Indian lands within the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, in New Mexico. Mr. DODD. I offer the following justification for the record: Basic authority. This appropriation is authorized by the act of August 27, 1935 (49 Stat., p. 887), which reads as follows: "That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he is hereby, authorized to enter into an agreement with Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, a political subdivision of the State of New Mexico, to provide for operation and maintenance on newly reclaimed Pueblo Indian lands, not exceeding twelve thousand six hundred acres thereof now owned by said Indians, in the Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico, provided said lands have been benefited by improvements constructed under the Act of Congress dated March 13, 1928 (45 Stat. L., 312-313), and as therein provided, and as provided for by the provisions of the contract executed by and with the Secretary of the Interior and the said district; and there is hereby authorized to be appropriated anuually for a period of not to exceed five years, such amount as may be necessary to enable the Secretary of the Interior to pay the cost to Middle Řio Grande Conservancy District of such operation and maintenance on said newly reclaimed Pueblo Indian lands as may be irrigable during any particular year, provided the per acre cost assessable against the acreage of newly reclaimed Indian lands shall not exceed the per acre cost of operating and maintaining the district works for the irrigation of the total irrigable area within the district, including the now irrigated and newly reclaimed Indian lands: Provided, That any sums appropriated pursuant hereto shall be reimbursable to the United States: Provided further, That the district shall be required by the agreement herein authorized to be executed, to deliver water without discrimination on that part of the newly reclaimed Pueblo lands on which the per acre charge or assessment has been paid: And provided further, That the provisions of the contract heretofore executed pursuant to the Act of March 13, 1928, requiring the district to recognize the prior and paramount water rights for the approximately eight thousand three hundred and forty-six acres of now irrigated Indian lands and of their exemption from payment of any operation and maintenance or betterment cost, shall be carried into and made a part of the agreement to be executed pursuant hereto." The pueblos of Cochiti, Santo Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Sandia, and Isleta are situated within the boundaries of the Middle Rio Grande conservancy district. In accordance with the act approved March 13, 1928, and the contract dated December 14, 1928, the Middle Rio Grande conservancy district has constructed diversion dams, canals, main laterals, and a storage reservoir for the irrigation of the lands of these pueblos, as well as non-Indian lands in the district. The conservancy district has also constructed drains and flood-protection works for the benefit of these lands. In accordance with the act approved June 22. 1936, the United States has agreed to pay operation and maintenance costs to the district for 5 years, beginning with the fiscal year 1937. Funds in the amount of $11,250 were appropriated to make these payments during the fiscal year 1937 for water delivered during the calendar year 1936. No provision has been made for payment of operation and maintenance assessments for the calendar year 1935, although the district delivered water to irrigated Indian lands and main tained its works for the benefit of Indian lands. The conservancy district's estimate of the amount due for operation and maintenance during the calendar year 1935 is $12,569.76. For the calendar year 1937, the district estimates the total assessments for operation and maintenance will be $10,169.46. The total amount due for the calendar years 1935 and 1937 as calculated by the district will be $22,739.22. It is believed that the acreage of Indian lands claimed by the district is somewhat large. A soil survey now bieng made by the Soil Conservation Service will determine the exact amount of lands which should be included in the area on which assessments will be paid. Our present estimate of the entire area of Indian lands within the district is approximately 20,084 acres, of which approximately 8,483 were under cultivation at the time the construetion contract was made and which, therefore, do not have to share in the operation and maintenance costs, leaving 11,601 acres of new lands upon which the operation and maintenance cost will have to be paid to the district. The survey being made by the Soil Conservation Service soil experts may raise or lower this figure. The following letter from the Middle Rio Grande conservancy district sets out their estimate of money due them and for which the above justification is made: AUGUST 1, 1936. Dr. S. D. ABERLE, Superintendent, United Pueblos Agency, Albuquerque, N. Mex. DEAR DR. ABERLE: As you are aware, the district has executed and submitted to Washington a contract covering conditions under which the United States is to pay a share of the cost of district operation and maintenance expense in behalf of lands owned by Pueblo Indians within the project. The contract as submitted covers the years 1935 and 1936 and provides for payment for those 2 years, with further provision that extensions may be made for a total contract period not in excess of 5 years. In accordance with the contract we submit herewith costs and budgeted require ments for our operation and maintenance expenditures for the years 1935 and 1936. Since the contract may be extended to include 1937, there is also submitted an estimate of our requirements for that year. Interior Department appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1937 (see Public, No. 741, 74th Cong., H. R. 10630), set out an appropriation as follows: "For operation and maintenance assessments on newly reclaimed Indian lands within the Middle Rio Grande conservancy district, New Mexico, $11,250, or so much thereof as may be necessary, reimbursable.” This amount, we are advised by Assistant Commissioner Zimmerman, is available for payment of charges accruing during the calendar year 1936. It is necessary, therefore, that provision be made in the next Indian Bureau budget for its share of 1935 operation and maintenance costs; and, since 1937 may also be included in the contract, provision should also be made for an appropriation for the calendar year 1937. Accordingly, there are submitted below: 1. District operation and maintenance costs for calendar year 1935. 2. Budget of estimated operation and maintenance costs for calendar year 1936. 3. Budget of estimated operation and maintenance costs for calendar year 1937. These figures include the cost for 1935 and estimated costs for 1936 and 1937 of all operation, maintenance, and betterment work, including the cost on account of the newly reclaimed Pueblo Indian lands and the now irrigated Pueblo Indian lands. Superintendence and engineering: Division offices, warehouses, shops, $43, 320 $41,920 Labor-cleaning and maintenance: Spring cleaning, repairs to structures, trapping rodents, bank repair, bank protection, gaging, embankment and jetty maintenance, emergency flood protection. Materials and supplies and miscellaneous expense: Repairs to structures (materials and hauling), bank repair (materials and hauling), maintenance of jetties (materials and hauling), operation (supplies and expense), dams.... 18, 500 43,000 Total 1 Does not include extra expense which may arise during balance of calendar year 1936 and in 1937 in con. nection with Texas-New Mexico water-right litigation. On the basis of actual costs for the year 1935, the amount due the district for operation and maintenance on newly reclaimed Pueblo lands is determined as follows (see par. 13 of contract): Total operation and maintenance cost Less assessments made for operation and maintenance against Balance of costs in which newly reclaimed Pueblo lands par- Total agricultur lands in district: Non-Indian. Old irrigated Pueblo lands_. Newly reclaimed Pueblo lands (estimates). Total Unit per acre cost chargeable to newly reclaimed Indian lands: 119,874 acres, at $0.9976 per acre. On 12,600 acres total for 1935... $217, 026. 46 97, 440. 09 119, 586. 37 Acres 98,928 8, 346 12, 600 119, 874 $119, 586. 37 12, 569. 76 Carrying through the years 1936 and 1937 in the same manner, it will be found that the unit per acre and total cost to newly reclaimed Indian lands for these years are as follows: The rate for 1937 Assessments against properties other than agricultural are estimated to be $108,667, that being the amount actually assessed for 1936. will not be definitely known until June 1937. It is requested that proper measures be taken to provide for appropriations for the years 1935 and 1937. Furthermore, it is hoped that upon approval of th operation-and-maintenance contract recently submitted, payment for the first la of 1936 may be expedited. The district has been carrying on operation and maintenance on Indian land for over 18 months, and it is vital to the carrying on of its current work that moneys now due be made available at the earliest possible time. Your cooperation and assistance will be appreciated. Yours very truly, C. A. ANDERSON, Chief Engineer, Middle Rio Grande Conservancy Distrid. Payment of 1935 charges.—The appropriation now available provides for op tion and maintenance costs for 1936, and the amount requested will be used to met such costs for 1937. No provision has yet been made for meeting these costs for 1935. An estimate will be submitted for consideration in connection with the deficiency bill to cover 1935. The basic legislation authorizes these appropriations for a period of only 5 years. The district has urged payment of charges acering in 1935, the calendar year in which the authorizing act was passed. Prior to that year all operation and maintenance charges were carried into construction costs. IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE, IRRIGATION SYSTEM, KLAMATE Mr. JOHNSON. The next item, for the Klamath Reservation, Oreg is on page 140. Mr. DODD. The justification for this item is as follows: Language change.-This estimate contemplates the transfer of $1,000 from trite to Treasury funds, and the use of $4,000 from collections. The text to be omitted relates to the use of tribal funds. The irrigation system on the Klamath Reservation comprises four projects constructed by the Indian Service: Modoc Point project. Fort Creek project. Brown Springs project.. 6,031 3,614 2.680 1,020 The white Only the first two projects are being operated by the Indian Service. water users on these projects pay their proportionate share of the operation and maintenance costs which for several years past have amounted to $1 per scre While the Indian Service constructed Fort Creek and Brown Springs projects and has done considerable work on them, and now acts in an advisory capacity. they are largely maintained by the landowners. Modoc Point.-The estimate includes the following features: Cleaning of canals and laterals and repairs to structures_- Patroling canals_ Maintenance of headquarters buildings_-_ Total... $1,900 500 500 100 3,000 The source of water supply is in the Sprague River. The distribution system includes 11 miles of main canal with a capacity of 60 cubic feet per second. !! miles of laterals and 364 structures. The area possible to serve with the irrigation system in its present condities amounts to 2,182 acres. The irrigable area, however, is much larger and witt the rehabilitation work now in progress it is expected that the irrigated area will be increased both by Indians and white users. For this reason the estimate has been increased over previous years. Maintenance consists of cleaning canals, laterals and drainage ditches of the yearly growth of willows and cattails, removal of silt from canals and laterals and drainage canals, repair and improvement of structures and the repair and painting of the group of buildings at headquarters. |