Mr. KAZEN. All right, now. How many wells do you have?

Mr. HEASLER. We have four.

Mr. KAZEN. Four wells, and what is the population of Powell?

Mr. HEASLER. Just about 5,000.

Mr. KAZEN. In your statement you say that by the year 2000, which is right around the corner, you will have an insufficient supply of water. Now, what has been the rate of growth of Powell?

Mr. MEIDINGER. I can give it since 1945. Since then we have increased by 2,500.

Mr. KAZEN. By 2,500?

Mr. MEIDINGER. So this would give us an approximate population from 7,500 to 8,000 by the year 2000.

Mr. KAZEN. All right, sir.

You may proceed with your statement, Mr. Heasler, and we will see if the committee has questions that both of you can answer together.

STATEMENT OF RICHARD HEASLER, CITY COUNCILMAN, CITY OF

POWELL

Mr. HEASLER. Mr. Chairman, my name is Richard W. Heasler. I am president of the city council, for the city of Powell and chairman of the Powell Water Board, Powell, Wyo. I have been active as a councilman for the past 10 years, particularly in the water problems of the city of Powell.

The city of Powell is presently seeking sources of water supply to supplement our present dwindling sources.

Although other sources of water supply to meet the city of Powell's future demands were considered, the Holden Reservoir project was considered the best to meet the anticipated future growth of the city to supply both the quality and quantity of municipal supply required.

With the advent of the rehabilitation and betterment program currently under way on parts of the Shoshone project, there will be less water percolating into the ground to replenish and recharge the existing inadequate shallow ground water supply of the city.

Although the city of Powell would derive a direct benefit from the construction of the Holden Reservoir, the need for a rural water system to include the surrounding rural area and nearby communities should be considered in the evaluation of this project.

We therefore strongly recommend the passage of the Polecat Bench bill and solicit your consideration and support of this bill. Thank you.

Mr. KAZEN. Thank you, sir.

Are there any questions from the subcommittee members? Mr. Roncalio?

Mr. RONCALIO. Thank you. I appreciate both statements, and I am glad this second statement supplied us with the fact that your water tables are receding.

Mr. HEASLER. This is our problem. We have to wait for this crucial period. In other words, in the summer when you irrigate, the water table comes up, and then in the early spring it drops, and that is when we have our problem.

Mr. RONCALIO. I think the record should also show whether or not you have any problems so far from toxicity or herbicides in the return flow of irrigated waters in your systems?

Mr. MEIDINGER. Not at the the present time.
Mr. RONCALIO. Thank you very much.

Mr. KAZEN. Thank you very much, gentlemen. We appreciate your testimony on behalf of the city.

The next witness is Mr. Don Miller, president of the Heart Mountain District.

Come around, Mr. Miller.

STATEMENT OF DONALD MILLER, PRESIDENT, HEART MOUNTAIN IRRIGATION DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, POWELL, WYO.

Mr. MILLER. Mr. Chairman and honorable members of this subcommittee, my name is Donald Miller, president of the Heart Mountain Irrigation Board of Commissioners. I am one of the original homesteaders on the Heart Mountain project, having been awarded a unit in November of 1949 consisting of 125 irrigable acres. At the present time I am actively engaged in farming, having owned and operated the same farm unit for nearly 23 years. I believe there is a great future for the family-size irrigated farm and would like to reflect upon some past experiences in developing such a unit.

The following are a few of the benefits derived from this operation. For the past 22 years, from 1950 through 1971, we have purchased annually farm machinery and irrigation equipment ranging from a low of $200 to a high of $29,000. Fertilizer expenditures have risen from $250 to $9.000. County taxes have increased from $122 in 1951 to $1,070 in 1971. Federal income taxes paid have ranged from $250 to $3,500.

A story similar to this could be told many times over on the Heart Mountain project, and I believe the same would hold true on the Polecat Bench project, were it to be developed.

Part of the land I am presently farming is located within 2 miles of Polecat Bench and is less than 200 feet lower in elevation than the highest point on the Polecat Bench project. I do not believe the higher elevation would be detrimental to the raising of the same crops which we now raise on the Heart Mountain project.

At this time, I would like to read the resolution adopted by the Heart Mountain Irrigation District Board of Commissioners, which is attached to my statement.

Mr. KAZEN. In the absence of objection, your entire statement will be made a part of the record, sir, as you have just summarized it. Mr. MILLER. Yes.

Mr. KAZEN. Including the resolution you are about to read.

Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.

Mr. KAZEN. You may proceed.

(The statement referred to follows:)

STATEMENT OF DONALD K. MILLER, PRESIDENT, HEART MOUNTAIN DISTRICT

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, POWELL, WYO.

Mr. Chairman and members of this honorable subcommittee, my name is Don Miller, president of the Heart Mountain Irrigation Board of Commissioners. I am one of the original homesteaders on the Heart Mountain project, having been awarded a unit in November of 1949, consisting of 125 irrigable acres. At the

present time I am actively engaged in farming. Having owned and operated the same farm unit for the nearly 23 years. I believe there is a great future for the family size irrigated farm and would like to reflect upon some past experiences in developing such a unit.

When the Heart Mountain project was opened for farming, there was much skepticism as to whether it could ever be profitable. Some people quetioned the elevation, growing season, and what crops could be raised. True, the challenge of creating a farm from the sage brush covered ground was great but the rewards were greater.

During the early 1950's, crops most generally raised were seed peas, barley, hay, red clover seed, and radish seed. Crop production was generally very satisfactory when hard work and good farming practices were applied, surprising many of the skeptics.

The first major setback came in August of 1955, when a severe hail storm swept the entire area, badly damaging or completely destroying most of the crops. With the help of the local bank, financing was made available for the next year's operation which once again proved to be very profitable. At the same time many of the farm units were amended under Public Law 258 to make them more efficient. My unit was increased in size to 157 acres of irrigable land and 154 acres of dry land. The croping patterns began to change as the dry pea companies had left the area and we had to turn to other crops which were potatoes, pinto beans and great northern beans. In 1957 I was able to purchase an additional 120 acres of dry land from the Bureau of Reclamation under the Small Tracts Act of 1950. In 1961 the Government acreage restriction on sugar beets was lifted and it was possible to secure a contract with Great Western Sugar Company for the production of sugar beets. This proved to be most profitable and for the next ten years our main income crop was sugar beets.

Because of the need to further expand our operations, a pumping permit was secured from the Heart Mountain Irrigation District in 1966 allowing us to develop 40 acres of dry land by using hand move sprinkler equipment. When this proved successful the hand move lines gave way to wheel move lines and in 1968another 60 acres of dry land were developed. The land responded well to sprinkler irrigation and this past spring another 95 acres of dry land were put under cultivation by adding a second pump and four more wheel move sprinkler lines. With three malting barley companies operating in our area, our cropping pattern was now narrowed down to sugar beets and malting barley.

The following are a few of the benefits derived from this operation. For the past 22 years, from 1950 through 1971, we have purchased annually farm machinery and irrigation equipment ranging from a low of $200 to a high of $29,000. Fertilizer expenditures have risen from $250 to $9,000. County taxes have increased from $122 in 1951 to $1,070 in 1971. Federal income taxes paid have ranged from $250 to $3.500.

A story similar to this could be told many times over on the Heart Mountain project and I believe the same would hold true on the Polecat Bench project were it to be developed.

Part of the land I am presently farming is located within 2 miles of Polecat Bench and is less than 200 feet lower in elevation than the highest point on the Polecat Bench project. I do not believe the higher elevation would be detrimental to the raising of the same crops which we now raise on the Heart Mountain project.

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the Polecat Bench Area of the Shoshone Extension Unit has been recognized as one of the most desirable areas for irrigation development in the State of Wyoming, being composed of 19,200 acres of potentially highly productive lands, and

Whereas, the Polecat Bench Area will be an integral part of the Heart Mountain Canal system and the maximum use of the Heart Mountain Canal capacity will assist in the urgently needed development of the agricultural economy of Park County, Wyoming, and

Whereas, the Heart Mountain Division land owners will benefit in exchange of irrigable lands formerly included in repayment contract for lands of equal acreage on Polecat Bench by transfer of water rights, and

Whereas, the land owners of Heart Mountain Division have a vested interest developing lands to assist in reduction migration of young people for lack of farms and jobs in fields of goods and services thereby strengthening agricultural and marketing potentials, and

Whereas, the Heart Mountain Division lands are assured that their water rights will not be jeopardized by development of Polecat Bench: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Commissioners of the Heart Mountain Irrigation District. That the Board of Commissioners urged favorable action by Congress of the United States in authorization and development of the Polecat Bench Unit of the Shoshone Project Extensions.

Passed and adopted this 17th day of September, 1972.

I, Donna Anderson, do hereby certify as follows: (1) I am the duly elected, qualified and acting Secretary of the Heart Mountain Irrigation District in the County of Park, State of Wyoming.

(2) The above and foregoing Resolution is a full, true and correct copy of a Resolution duly passed and adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Heart Mountain Irrigation District at a meeting thereof, lawfully called and held in accordance with the laws of the State of Wyoming and the rules and regu lations of such district; and at such meeting a quorum of Commissioners was present said Resolution was at such meeting duly passed and adopted by a unanimous vote of the Commissioners present; and such Resolution has never been rescinded or modified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said District this 12th day of September, 1972.

[SEAL]

DONNA ANDERSON, Secretary, Heart Mountain Irrigation District.

Mr. MILLER. Whereas the Polecat Bench area of the Shoshone Extension Unit has been recognized as one of the most desirable areas for irrigation development in the State of Wyoming, being composed of 19.200 acres of potentially highly productive lands, and

Whereas, the Polecat Bench area will be an integral part of the Heart Mountain Canal system, and the maximum use of the Heart Mountain Canal capacity will assist in the urgently needed development of the agricultural economy of Park County, Wyo., and

Whereas, the Heart Mountain Division landowners will benefit in exchange of irrigable lands formerly included in repayment contract for lands of equal acreage on Polecat Bench by transfer of water rights, and

Whereas, the landowners of Heart Mountain Division have a vested interest developing lands to assist in reduction migration of young people for lack of farms and jobs in fields of goods and services, thereby strengthening agricultural and marketing potentials, and

Whereas, the Heart Mountain Division lands are assured that their water rights will not be jeopardized by development of Polecat Bench: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Commissioners of the Heart Mountain Irrigation District, that the Board of Commissioners urged favorable action by Congress of the United States in authorization and development of the Polecate Bench Unit of the Shoshone project extensions.

Passed and adopted this 12th day of September 1972, signed by all five of the Commissioners.

Mr. KAZEN. Thank you very much, sir.

I notice in one of the whereases, it is the third one, that the Heart Mountain landowners will benefit in exchange of irrigable lands for

merly included in repayment contract for lands of equal acreage on Polecat Bench by transfer of water rights. What do they mean by that? Would you explain that?

Mr. MILLER. There are two areas above the Heart Mountain Canal which we are going to pump to.

Mr. KAZEN. Would you show us on the map there, please?

Mr. MILLER. [Indicating.] This area here and this area up here. These lie above the Heart Mountain Canal. These lands total about 2,270 acres in these two areas which were never developed. So, with this Polecat project, they have agreed to let the Heart Mountain water users have this, the same equal acreage for the exchange units of the Heart Mountain project.

Mr. KAZEN. Mr. Casey, do you have any questions on this point?

Mr. CASEY. Well, I think I know what the gentleman said, Mr. Chairman, and he can correct me if I am wrong. But what I think he said is that the entrymen who own the undeveloped land in the Heart Mountain would receive consideration for entry on an equal amount of land on Polecat Bench.

Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir.

Mr. CASEY. A priority of sorts, by virtue of the fact that their land was never developed under the original project. This is a detail of the proposal that I frankly am not familiar with.

Mr. KAZEN. Well, I was not either. I would call on Mr. Aldrich.

Mr. ALDRICH. It would have to be authorized. This area he is talking about is presently authorized into the present project, but it has not been developed. Money was available, and we were going ahead, but the landowners prefer going this way. Am I not right, Bob?

Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir. That is correct.

Mr. ALDRICH. So, it would take some action in the authorizing act to give preference to these people who are involved.

Mr. KAZEN. Would you make note of that, Mr. Roncalio? The Chair recognizes Mr. Roncalio.

Mr. RONCALIO. Yes. I would like to ask Mr. Miller, is the land you refer to designated on the map we are using by the yellow diagonal strips?

Mr. ALDRICH. Yes, sir.

Mr. RONCALIO. Thank you. I have no further questions. Thank you for the statement.

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

ment.

Mr. MILLER. Thank you.

Mr. KAZEN. Mr. Fagerberg, project manager of the Shoshone-Heart Mountain Irrigation Districts.

Mr. RONCALIO. Off the record, Mr. Chairman.

(Off the record discussion.)

Mr. KAZEN. You may proceed, sir.

STATEMENT OF ROBERT M. FAGERBERG, PROJECT MANAGER, SHOSHONE-HEART MOUNTAIN IRRIGATION DISTRICTS, POWELL,

WYO.

Mr. FAGERBERG. Mr. Chairman and honorable members of this subcommittee, in the interests of time, if it is agreeable with you, Mr. Chairman, I will just brief my statement.