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Show 62 THE ALIi-AMEBICAST C&NAJ*. PLAN OP PROCEDURE. This board believes that a high-line canal of large capacity from the Colorado River into the Imperial Valley, for the irrigation of lands in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys, is necessary and will sooner or later be constructed. Construction of an all-American canal by Imperial Irrigation District, under the agreement of October 23, 1918, which was ratified by the voters of the district on January 21, 1919, by a 3 to 1 vote, will be possible if the district is assured of financial assistance by the State of California or by the United States. The market for irrigation district bonds is limited and the district, in its present extent, can not hope to realize the desired result at an early date if it attempts to proceed unaided. The last bond sale of the district (in 1918) netted only 83$. The prospect of help from the State is, for the present, negligible. Of the 400,000 acres or more, outside of the district, which can be watered by a high-line canal from the Laguna Dam, a large part is still public domain. It is natural, therefore, that the Imperial Irrigation District and the outside lands, including Coachella Valley, should look to the United States for cooperation in carrying out the project. This cooperation can be had in various ways, of which this board suggests the following: (a) The Government could undertake the construction of the works and retain permanent control of maintenance and operation, beginning at Laguna Dam and extending down to the point where any interests other than those of the Imperial Irrigation District are served, including all power development. Imperial Irrigation District should then pay a fan* price for the water delivered to the district. The charge for water should be so fixed that capital will be returned and interest paid on any sum expended for the benefit of the district, whether on these works or on any storage works that may have to be provided for the district. The outside lands would be charged with proportionate per acre cost of works. Those in the public domain would be sold subject to this charge. Congressional authorization to proceed in this way would be required. (b) The Government could undertake the construction of the works, retaining permanent control of maintenance and operation down to mesa power station No. 2, inclusive. The district should then issue bonds in the amount necessary to cover its proportional part of the cost. The Government should in this case arrange to accept the securities of the district, issuing its own in place thereof if necessary. The lands not in the district should, in this event, be charged with a proportional part of the cost, and suitable arrangement should be made by the United States to recover this charge, with interest, within a reasonable time, preferably 40 to 50 years. |
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Original book: [State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California, defendants, United States of America, State of Nevada, State of New Mexico, State of Utah, interveners] : California exhibits. |