is being delivered under these conditions than is indicated by the staff gage reading. Under these conditions the above tabulated excess water is probably less than what was actually delivered to you. You also mentioned during the field trip that in the agreements you make with your renters, you pay for all excess water regardless of how much is used. As suggested by Messrs. Rawlings and Fagerberg, less excess water would probably be used if you will amend your lease to provide for the renter to pay for his own excess water.

The head ditch leading from two of five turnouts on your farm was too high to allow proper delivery of water. As pointed out to you during the field trip, a certain amount of on-the-farm land development is required before the land can be properly served with water. At both locations we recommend that you lower the head ditch a sufficient amount to allow a minimum of fall from the turnout. This will permit proper delivery to your fields. This can be done by either moving your head ditch away and down slope from the Bureau lateral or by cutting away some of the earth in front on the turnout with a scraper. Either process is considered a part of the normal, on-the-farm development associated with any Bureau-constructed project.

5. You state that a road along a lateral laid out at the time your unit was enlarged by an amendment is too crooked and hazardous.

Finding The road along the east boundary of your farm unit is generally constructed on the contour. It was originally laid out straight by Bureau personnel but at the request of you and your neighbor (Mr. Wesley Hedrick-Farm Unit 54) the contour route was used. At the time of your field trip the road was well maintained and in very good condition. Since it is now a county road we suggest that you contact the county if you believe that relocation is necessary.

6. You have heard of the Riverton buy back and you believe that the United States should buy you out.

Finding Farm units on the Third Division of the Riverton Project were purchased through special legislation by Congress. The circumstances leading up to this congressional action are not similar to the problems you have discussed with us. The Bureau of Reclamation has no authority to purchase farm units on the Shoshone Project, and we cannot foresee any circumstances in which Congress would direct us to do so.

In summary, at your request through the Heart Mountain Irrigation District Commissioners, we would conduct the further drainage and canal seepage loss studies suggested in item 2 of this letter. We have no authority to make normal on-the-farm improvement to your unit, such as land leveling, installation of proper field distribution system, etc. We do recommend that you take steps to further develop your land. As you know, the Soil Conservation Service and County Extension people can assist you in preparing a farm plan which includes necessary land development work and we understand that it can be accomplished on a cost-share basis. We have no authority to assist you with farm management problems. We regret that you have sustained such high losses with your lessees. Possibly tighter lease arrangement may be helpful in this respect.

If we can be of further assistance, please advise.
Sincerely yours,

THEODORE E. MANN, Acting Regional Director.

Mr. GATES. You see, I was one of the first homesteaders out there when we all come in and homesteaded, and I have been listening to all of the testimony here. And the one thing that nobody has brought to mind is the short growing season we have got here. Now, we have this 150 days and stuff like that, but these thermia! units, and whatnot, and with cool nights and stuff like that, and our bean situation, we do not have a week ahead of time or behind time. Two years ago we got that freeze, and that froze out one of the boys, and we tried to start out farming and stuff like that. So, the beans is just right there at a margin.

And when I first came in here I raised potatoes. Man, we raised them by the trainloads. Well, that situation come out which cost a lot of us, and almost broke a lot of us in the project here to start with. Well, we lost the potatoes, and then the peas. We had these pea mills

over here, and we come in here, and these farmers come in here and made a lot of money on the pea crops, these pea crops, and we lost the pea crops.

Then we come along with hay. We had in hay, and when you take $15 a ton for hay, you cannot go very far. So, I had a lot of renters go broke and stuff like that on the hay, because you start divvying up that hay at $15 a ton, and so then we put in alfalfa seed, and stuff like that. and we could not do the alfalfa either. So, I was in kind of a dilemma and I had to start thinking about what to do. And I brought in this Durum wheat and raised this a couple of years, but due to the surplus on wheat stocks, on stuff like that, we could not do it for a dollar a bushel, so therefore, I had to scratch my head a little bit, and thought about bringing in this malting barley.

And so, Jim Eaton, myself, and Gray, we are—were around here— and we started with the malting barley, and we had a hard time selling malting barley, guaranteed to start, and we first come in with $180, which is less money, and we come with $6 a hundred for seed. Well, it was a hard program, but we finally got it in, and we went over and seen Wallis & Sons, and we got this malting barley started. And so the first year we went through pretty good, and I think we made money, some of us, about $220 or $230 that year on the barley. And we have been working at it, and we more or less drifted away from the Bellevue grain. And I went down to Coors. I have been with Coors, and Mr. Coors was a good friend of mine, and we tried to talk about this malting barley situation at one time, and I almost got him into sympathy here, and he was a very nice friend, but it was a little late at that time, and he said true, it was a little late, and they wanted to keep in Colorado as long as they could, and he said, "When we have to go out, why, we will kind of keep you in mind." So we thrashed around with it, and I think Coors was a year late coming in.

Knowing it would come sooner or later, they went to Idaho and tried Idaho and stuff like that, but Coors themselves kept pretty good tabs on this country and we have gained on that malting barley situation. This year was our first dilemma, more or less, with the hail, and we had some smut and stuff, not smut, but it was treated for smut, a mold in the grain. But, we got a pretty good crop now. But, the rest of the beer as far as I can see going out throughout the Nation, the beer and stuff like that, beer is the only thing I know that's on the up. So, we tried it.

And another thing is our freight rates and in our area, freight rates in and out. That is another thing that interferes with the situation. And then you talk about Powell, and they are talking about this population deal. Well, as far as I know, in the last 10 years I think there was a gain of two, was there not?

Mr. KAZEN. You are testifying, sir.

Mr. GATES. Yes, I am testifying. That is my understanding, there was a gain of two within the last 10 years.

Mr. RONCALIO. Could I interrupt, Mir. Chairman? Mr. Gates and I discussed the presentation of evidence, and I think he has done an excellent job of wrapping up the statement. Would you mind if I made reference to your addendum and concluded your statement?

Mr. GATES. Yes, that would be fine.

Mr. RONCALIO. I appreciate this, and these are interesting, because out of some of these suggestions made may come a kernel of something that can give somebody else a great idea. This happened in Pine Bluffs, Wyo. About 3 years ago this idea of yours of a potato-processing plant came up. A few people picked it up, and today Pine Bluffs, Wyo., has a potato-processing plant.

Mr. Gates states in conclusion, "therefore he feels that the Polecat Bench project is unfeasible. If anything is to be done, you could still help the Heart Mountain division in many ways."

I think so. I think these are good suggestions and I do not know what is wrong with that, and this is what he says for whatever it might be worth: "One, a feed mill could be built at the Heart Mountain siding for the grinding of alfalfa pellets and making of feeds. Two, large storage capacity bins or elevator for the Durum wheat, malt barley, and other crops. Three, a potato-processing plant could be built there, for we raise very good red and white potatoes. Four, we could get a lot better lending agency for low-cost farm loans through the Federal Government on a long-term basis," and with that, I say amen to the problem with banks, in these difficult times of tight money. Well, we thank you very much. Mr. Gates, and I think that concludes our testimony, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. KAZEN. Thank you.

Let me make one additional comment. On this particular recommendation that Mr. Gates makes, under the new Rural Development Act, there is already in force, and has been signed by the President. most of these things can become a reality. And I am sure that Teno will make available to you, if he has not already done so, copies of that bill that we suggest to all of the rural people. I represent a rural district, and I am preaching this to my people. Take advantage of the provisions of that bill. I believe that you will find that it will be very helpful to your rural communities. Those of us from the rural districts have finally persuaded the administration to go along with us with this type of bill, and I am sure that once you read the provisions of that bill that is now the law, you will be able to derive a lot of benefit from it.

Is there anyone else in the audience that wishes to be heard?
Mr. HINCKLEY. Mr. Chairman?

Mr. KAZEN. Very briefly, now.

Mr. HINCKLEY. Very briefly.

Mr. KAZEN. All right, sir. What is your name?

STATEMENT OF JOHN T. HINCKLEY

Mr. HINCKLEY. I am John Hinckley, and I suppose I should represent myself as a sort of a surrogate to a memory, and I will read my statement very briefly.

Mr. KAZEN. All right, sir. Where do you reside?

Mr. HINCKLEY. I teach at the Northwest Community College at Powell. Wyo.

Mr. KAZEN. All right, sir. You may proceed.

Mr. HINCKLEY. May I submit the humble reminder that you are sitting almost in the middle of a man's dream? It is not amortizable. Nor will the cost analysis people find a column or a cost to equate it

with. But I must hope that its fulfillment will make the United States feel better for having finished what the man's dream began.

How fit that Polecat complete William F. Cody's dream to develop "The Stinking Water". . . a dream whose reality he bequeathed as the first test of John W. Powell's Bureau of Reclamation.

Respectfully.

Mr. KAZEN. Thank you, sir.

Would you come around, please, sir, and give your name and occupation and residence for the record?

Before you begin, let me ask Professor Hinckley, were you for or against the project?

Mr. HINCKLEY. I represent Colonel Cody. He had the dream that initiated the project, so I am for it.

Mr. KAZEN. You are for it? Thank you, sir. I wanted that for the record.

You may proceed, Mr. Dillon.

STATEMENT OF CLIVE DILLON, PRESIDENT, WYOMING MUNICIPAL POWER AGENCY, POWELL, WYO.

Mr. DILLON. My name is Clive Dillon, and I reside in Powell. Wyo., and am president of the Wyoming Municipal Power Agency. Our agency would like to go on record as favoring the Polecat Bench project. The municipalities of Wyoming who operate electrical distribution systems are hard pressed to secure growth power. We feel that the Buffalo Bill Dam modification study, initiated by the Bureau in 1970, could work hand in hand with the Polecat Bench project, thereby killing two birds with one stone by fulfilling most of the qualifying ingredients necessary by the present methods used by the Bureau to determine project feasibility. We would not like to see either project out of the ballpark from the standpoint of multiple usage, as evidenced in the recent Grayrock Dam feasibility study. We are of the opinion that generation at this time is vital to the very existence of the Municipal Distribution Systems of Wyoming. By adding generation to the already impressive list consisting of:

A. Municipal and industrial water sorely needed in the city of Powell and surrounding communities.

B. Irrigation for what has been indicated to be some of the best malting barley land in the country.

C. The outdoor recreational potential that could be released, would benefit both Cody and Powell by relieving some of the pressure of Yellowstone Park travelers from their already overused city parks. This is bound to get worse as development east at Yellowtail attracts more Blackhills traffic on Highway 14A.

D. The economic shot in the arm would be no small consideration for those in the Powell-Cody area.

We therefore strongly urge that the Polecat Bench be approved as a feasible project.

Mr. KAZEN. Thank you very much, sir. We appreciate your stat>

ment.

I think there was one other person. Yes, sir.

Mr. HECHT. Mr. Chairman, my name is Robert Hecht and I am commissioner to the organized Polecat Irrigation District, and I just have a statement I would like to leave for the record.

My name is Robert Hecht and I farm on the Heart Mountain district, and I have 100 acres right up the far end of Polecat Bench that I own in the Polecat Bench District.

Mr. KAZEN. Your statement will be made a part of the record. (The statement referred to follows:)

STATEMENT OF ROBERT N. HECHT, POWELL, WYO.

I am Robert N. Hecht of Powell, Wyoming. I am 37 years of age, a native of Park County, and have been farming upon the Heart Mountain Reclamation Project for 12 years. I am one of the persons appointed as commissioner of the Polecat Bench Irrigation District when such district was formed.

I own 131 acres of land on the south end of the proposed Polecat Bench Irrigation Project and which lies below the bench. Such land was included within the boundaries of the Polecat Bench Irrigation Project and can be irrigated from facilities proposed for the Polecat Bench Project. I am very much interested in having water available for approximately 100 acres of my land which can be irrigated from the proposed project. I also believe that the remaining area should be developed as irrigated land. Water for such irrigation is available if facilities for its delivery are constructed. Such water can be put to good and beneficial use and if not used, will possibly be committed to less beneficial uses in other areas. I believe that the Polecat Bench area will make good and economically sound farms which will benefit the remainder of the farming community in northern Wyoming. The project will make additional ground available for farming to existing small farms, and will provide additional ground for new young farmers. I urge your favorable report and action.

Mr. KAZEN. You are for the project?

Mr. HECHT. Right.

Mr. KAZEN. Thank you very much, sir.

This gentleman here.

STATEMENT OF NATHAN HOPKINS

Mr. HOPKINS. Mr. Chairman, my name is Nathan Hopkins, and I would like to apologize to the committee for not having a written. statement, but I would like to interject one thought.

Mr. KAZEN. Sit down, sir.

Mr. HOPKINS. There have been many references made to the youngsters of this community having to move out and find employment in other areas outside of our community here. I would like to say that my father is a local farmer here, and I have been educated and raised in this area. I was just honorably discharged from the military service, U.S. Army, in January of this year. It was my hope to come into this community and be able to farm here, and develop a farming practice of my own, and raise my family here in this community.

During my efforts in pursuing this occupation, I have made several studies of land that is available for purchase here in this area. And I would like to relate to just one of these investigations, and perhaps shed some light on the possibility of opening a farm in this area.

I made an investigation of a farm that is near my father's home that I would be able to work with him as a partner, and develop a family corporation in the farming industry. My father's farm is not able, does not have the capacity to support both his family and my family. So I had to look for additional land. The land here that is available is very expensive and would involve a very high initial outlay of capital.

Mr. KAZEN. What is the cost of land, sir?