RECLAIMING THE DESERT 175 



"In return for this investment there has been 

 a total crop production in the United States on the 

 federal reclamation projects in excess of the sum of 

 six hundred million dollars. The value of the land, 

 in many instances practically worthless, has tripled 

 and quadrupled, and to-day, after making all neces- 

 sary allowances for losses, reclamation is a substan- 

 tial tax producing asset for nation and states alike, 

 with thousands of prosperous homes in the back- 

 ground. 



"The future of reclamation in the United States 

 is bright. The more feasible and the least costly 

 undertakings were, of course, absorbed long ago by 

 private enterprises or by Government initiative. 

 The vast areas of desert and semi-desert lands, with 

 proper soil conditions, for which water is available 

 can only be undertaken by the Federal Government. 

 The great cost and extended time necessary to per- 

 mit repayment precludes private development. Like- 

 wise future development of new projects on a scale 

 cannot be accomplished with the present reclamation 

 revolving fund. If the entire amount invested by 

 the United States at present could be immediately 

 collected, it would be totally inadequate to undertake 

 the construction of reclamation projects in connec- 

 tion with the Colorado and Columbia rivers. The 

 Congress of the United States must of necessity ap- 

 propriate large sums of money for these purposes, 

 and the projects just mentioned would alone require 

 expenditures in excess of half a billion dollars. 



