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Show 92 DIXIE PROJECT, UTAH The Hurricane division of the project, embracing the Virgin Citj Dam and Reservoir, would include all of the project's hydroelectric features, with a total installed generating capacity of 13,200 kilowatts and an irrigation distribution system to serve 17,135 acres of land. It would also provide a municipal and industrial water supply to the city of St. George. Recreation facilities would be constructed at the Virgin City Reservoir, which would be immediately downstream from Zion National Park. The Santa Clara division, including the Lower Gunlock Dam and Reservoir, would furnish irrigation water to 3,925 acres of land and would provide flood control, fish and wildlife and recreation benefits. In our feasibility investigation, we made sufficient studies and computations to be sure that, with the Dixie project constructed, the quality of the water for downstream use, although somewhat impaired by project operation, still would be suitable for the irrigation of the salt- tolerant crops now grown in the area. We propose as a part of the advance planning following authorization of the project to thoroughly investigate physical solutions to the water quality problem. Possible solutions would include evaporation of all or part of the flows of the highly mineralized La Verkin Springs, or possibly saline water conversion. A sum of $ 2 million is included in the project cost estimate to provide a physical solution to this problem. If none is devised, that amount is ample to compensate downstream interests for damages that might occur following development of the Dixie project. The total cost of the Dixie project is now estimated at $ 42,918,000, wThich includes $ 239,500 of nonreimbursable investigation costs from the Colorado River development fund and $ 5,500 contributed by the State of Utah. The principal portion of the decrease from that presented in our planning report ($ 44,868,000) results from the elimination of the highway relocation costs ($ 1,904,000). It is now planned that the State of Utah will assume the costs of relocating State Highway 15 at the Virgin City Reservoir site as a State contribution. The allocation of construction costs among the various project purposes has been revised as required to take account of the reduced total and of the revised estimate of annual project benefits. Excluding the $ 245,000 of nonreimbursable and contributed investigation costs, the remaining $ 42,673,000 is allocated among the various project functions as follows: Irrigation, $ 30,182,000; power, $ 6,573,000; municipal and industrial water supply, $ 2,474,000; flood control, $ 142,000; fish and wildlife, $ 1,494,000; and recreation, $ 1,808,000. As provided by the proposed legislation, the costs allocated to recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement would be nonreimbursable and nonreturnable, consistent with the administration's policies and procedures set forth in H. R. 9032, 88th Congress. Costs allocated to flood control would be nonreimbursable mider reclamation law. |