1905 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



559 



in the West, he encouraged all work- 

 ers and spurred them on to renewed 

 efforts, and June 17, 1902, he signed 

 the Reclamation Act, and thus closed 

 the long contest for recognition and 

 national aid in the irrigation of the 

 lands of the arid and semi-arid states 

 and territories. 



EXECUTION OP THE LAW. 



The time for propaganda and argu- 

 ment passed when the President 

 signed the act. It was now the time 

 to carry the law into effect. Under 

 its provisions the Secretary of the In- 

 terior had charge of the execution of 

 the law. 



After consultation with the Presi- 

 dent, the Secretary placed the admin- 

 istration of the Reclamation Service 

 under the United States Geological 

 Survey, subject to the approval by him 

 of plans of operations and of all con- 

 tracts. 



The Survey, through its Division of 

 Hydrography, had been training a 

 body of men for the work now as- 

 signed to it. 



In 1894 Mr. F. H. Newell was ap- 

 pointed chief of a very small force, 

 and began the organization of a body 

 of hydrographers and engineers, which 

 increased from year to year as the 

 quality of its work commended it to 

 the people and to Congress. 



With this nucleus for a larger or- 

 ganization it was logical that the Pres- 

 ident and Secretary of the Interior 

 should turn to it in initiating the 

 greater work. The country was most 

 fortunate in having at this critical pe- 

 riod a President who fully compre- 

 hended and was in sympathy with the 

 needs of the people of the western sec- 

 tion of the country, where irrigation 

 is necessary, and a Secretary of the 

 Interior whose integrity and good 

 business sense insured a conservative 

 and business-like administration of the 

 Reclamation Service. 



No time was lost in getting the en- 

 gineers at work and in developing the 

 administrative organization so as to 

 meet the constantly increasing de- 

 mands upon it. The experience of the 



officers of the Survey in all depart- 

 ments was called into service, and 

 both office and field work advanced 

 without confusion. 



ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF 

 THE WORK. 



During the past three years the dif- 

 ficult organization of a body of men, 

 whose field of operations cover so 

 large a territory, has been perfected, 

 and precedents established along ap- 

 proved lines. 



The general allotment of funds has 

 been made with a view to the greatest 

 benefit to the greatest number, and 

 from the broad standpoint of the wel- 

 fare of the country as a whole. 



Construction is now in progress on 

 eleven projects. These primary pro- 

 jects, or the first undertaken for con- 

 struction in each state and territory, 

 have been and are being selected in 

 accordance with present knowledge to 

 include conditions most favorable for 

 rapid work and where there are least 

 difficulties. 



First consideration is given to 

 whether public lands can be reclaimed 

 and homes made on them, and where 

 communities are threatened with ex- 

 tinction unless aid is given them by 

 increasing their water supply. As each 

 primary project is outlined, funds are 

 tentatively set aside for construction, 

 contingent upon obtaining right of 

 way and the solution of various diffi- 

 culties. 



A list of the primary projects, show- 

 ing the estimated cost and the acreage 

 irrigable, is given below, divided into 

 two tables, showing those under con- 

 struction and those approved but 

 where the final surveys and designs 

 are not far enough along for the lot- 

 ting of contracts. 



PROJECTS UNDER CONSTKIVTION. 

 State. ProjV'i- Ai-rcs Irrigable. 



1. Arizona Salt River ""'. ' 



2. California Vumn 



3. Colorado UncompaliKn- 



Valley 125,000 



4. Idaho Minidoka 100,000 



5. Montana 1 1 mil ley 



6. Nebraska North Platte 



1. Nevada Truckee-Carson 150,000 



