| OCR Text |
Show Conclusions Even thiough justification on a national basis for development of Columbia Basin irrigated lands should be found no longer to exist, justification on a regional basis may remain indefinitely. It is likely that there will be strong reasons for industrial growth ir» the Pacific Northwest for decades. As long as such growth continues, additions to culti- vated laixd in the area will be desirable, unless revolutionary new techniques of food production arise. Stabilization of grazing land use, strategic reasons for a near adequate regional food supply, provision of a rural-urban social balance, and opportunities for relieving present farm overpopu- lation outweigh the distant disadvantage which may be associated with consumption of power needed for irrigation pumping. It is suggested that conditions warrant the following policy on rate of irrigation development in the Columbia area: (1) Consideration must be given to capital in- vestment needs in the Columbia area for meeting national needs and balancing regional development. (2) Future national needs warrant further in- creases in supply of food and other agricultural products. Investment should be made in further means of continuously meeting those needs. (3) Selection of projects for development should be made from those which have been thoroughly investigated and found justified, on the basis of maximum contribution to regional and national development. (4) In the interest of regional stability and balanced development of the Columbia area, some investment in irrigation facilities within the basin for regional needs may be required whether or not provision for national, but nonregional, re- quirements includes Columbia Basin projects. This investment should be made at a rate which will keep pace with the increase in population in the Pacific Northwest and the security require- ments of the Nation. It should also maintain, as far as possible, a desirable balance between rural and urban employment opportunities. 3. Rate of Future Power Development The Problem The proper rate for future construction of power facilities. The Situation Nearly half of the power supply of the Pacific Northwest is now provided by Federal hydroelectric plants in the Columbia River Basin. With the adoption of present basin programs, comprising projects under construction and those authorized, the Federal Government has assumed the responsi- bility for supplying the major portion of new power requirements in the region. This responsibility has been generally recognized by all, including the util- ity interests in the area. The relatively low cost of power from Federal developments in the basin and the resulting low rate available has been a major factor contributing to the very rapid load growth in the region during the past 10 to 15 years. The growth in power use by light metals industries, requiring low-cost power, has been particularly marked. With additional supplies of power in prospect at equal or only slight- ly higher rates, the forecast is for increasing de- mands for hydro power. The problem now and that anticipated in the near future, therefore, is how to provide a power supply sufficient to meet power demands. In order to supply the estimated load increases in the area during the next 10 or more years, a schedule of construction for planned projects in the basin has been proposed. Under that schedule all requirements, estimated on the basis of ade- quate supplies to meet such requirements in a peacetime economy, would be met. Such a rate of development would require the expenditure of some 300 million dollars annually in construction funds in the Columbia Basin during the next dec- ade. This may be compared with the present an- nual rate of water resources development for all purposes in the entire Nation of some 850 million dollars, including approximately 165 million dol- lars in the Columbia Basin. If further increases in the Northwest power supply are needed for national defense purposes, such as aluminum pro- duction and aircraft and ship construction, the financial requirements would be even greater. Completion of projects in the basin on a sched- ule necessary to meet anticipated requirements presents budgetary problems. Beyond the question of increased governmental expenditures to meet these needs, there is the question of committing such a large block of labor and materials to the development of one region. From a national de- fense point of view, such a commitment would earmark a significant percentage of construction 57 |
