FIG. 28. Little Smoky reservoir site, Idaho..... 29. Middle Fork reservoir site, Idaho.. 30. Sand Hollow reservoir site, Idaho... 31. Deer Flat reservoir site, Idaho.......... 32. St. Mary dam site, Montana, showing location of borings. 33. Map of lower Milk River Valley, Montana..... 34. Map of Dodson dam site, Montana, showing location of borings 35. Map of Lake Bowdoin reservoir site, Montana... 36. Cross section of proposed Lower Carson dam, Nevada Page. 306 307 311 321 344 345 347 349 362 37. Plan of diversion works, main Lower Truckee canal, Nevada. 367 38. General map showing Muddy Creek project, Nevada......... 370 39. Drainage basin of the Rio Grande.. 376 40. Contour map of proposed dam site below Elephant Butte, New Mexico. 379 41. Map of Hondo reservoir and canals, New Mexico 382 42. General map of Penasco project, New Mexico..... 390 43. General map of the Yellowstone project, North Dakota.. 44. Area in which lignite occurs in North Dakota.... 399 401 45. Map showing area investigated along Snake and Columbia rivers in Washington and Oregon........... 441 46. Map of north end of Bear Lake, Utah . 478 47. Map of area near Bancroft, Utah, showing line of proposed diversion canal.... 481 48. Map showing proposed diversion of Tongue River, Wyoming ....... 512 513 50. Topography along proposed supply canal, Piney Creek to Lake De Smet.. 518 51. Details of spillway gates at head of supply canal, Piney Creek to Lake De Smet.... 519 52. Details of spillway gates at head of supply canal, Piney Creek to Lake De Smet.... 520 53. Lake De Smet reservoir site.. 522 54. South end of Lake De Smet, showing possible outlet to Boxelder and Cedar creeks...... 523 55. Topography along possible conduit lines, Clear Creek to Lake De Smet. 56. Irrigable land along Clear Creek and line of proposed ditch........................ 524 525 LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, December 8, 1903. SIR: Pursuant to the requirement of section 2 of the act of Congress entitled "An act appropriating the receipts from the sale and disposal of public lands in certain States and Territories to the construction of irrigation works for the reclamation of arid lands," approved June 17, 1902 (32 Stat., 388), I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter of the 28th ultimo from the Director of the Geological Survey covering the Second Annual Report of the Reclamation Service, showing the work done and in progress under the law, and giving information essential to a complete knowledge of the subject. The report is a continuation of the First Annual Report of the Reclamation Service, and covers the field season of 1903. The Director has stated that a practical application of the provisions of the law during the one and a half years of its existence has shown them to be effective, and that so far as can be foreseen at the present time no further legislation is required, the present law having been found to be of sufficient scope to accomplish its purpose of reclamation. Very respectfully, E. A. HITCHCOCK, The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Secretary. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Washington, November 28, 1903. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report of the work done and in progress under the reclamation law approved by the President on June 17, 1902, together with other information essential to a full understanding of the subject, supplementing and bringing up to date the First Annual Report of the Reclamation Service, transmitted to you on November 29, 1902. H. Doc. 44, 58-2-2 17 Examinations and surveys authorized by law have been carried on in the arid region, and plans prepared leading up to construction of irrigation works. In Nevada actual construction has been begun on a large canal from Truckee River. In Arizona preliminary construction has been begun on the Salt River dam, to furnish water to arid lands in the vicinity of Phoenix. In other States and Territories plans and specifications are in various stages of progress and the work is being pushed as rapidly as is consistent with a full knowledge of the facts and with economical administration. In general it may be said that the reclamation law has been put to practical application during a period of one and one-half years. Its general provisions have been found to be effective for the work in hand, and so far as can be foreseen at present no further legislation is required to carry into effect the intent of the law-the construction of important works of reclamation. Criticism has arisen in some quarters because the law is not sufficiently elastic to authorize various small projects of individual interest and to permit a more general distribution of funds throughout certain States. The restrictions of law, however, have been shown by experience to be wise and to anticipate many of the matters which would have proved sources of weakness in the successful carrying out of the purposes in view. As the people of the country become better acquainted with the law and the operations under it there appears to be general satisfac-' tion. There is, as has been expected, more or less criticism, particularly of what appears to be slow progress in one locality or another. The idea has been held by some persons that the reclamation fund should be spent as quickly and broadly as possible to stimulate business throughout the West. All persons who look for a distribution of the fund in this manner have been inclined to resent the somewhat cautious way in which work has been done and liabilities have been incurred. The great body of thinking people, however, are apparently satisfied with the present rate of progress, and demand that great care shall be exercised to prevent mistakes and to guard the funds for the best use in the development of the thinly settled parts of the West. Many of the operations under the law are novel, at least in departmental practice. In carrying on work care has been taken to conform to the general methods of transacting Government business, especially those pertaining to employment and property transactions. It will be necessary in the future to provide somewhat elaborate rules and regulations, but these are not advocated at the present time, for the ultimate establishment of the best possible regulations is dependent on further experience. For some time to come, therefore, necessities should be met individually as they arise from day to day. The precedents thus established will unquestionably be far more valuable than any rule which could be laid down arbitrarily in advance. In short, the law has been found to be satisfactory; progress under it has been made quietly and steadily, and good business practice seems to demand that work be pushed forward under existing methods. with as much rapidity as is consistent with caution and economy. Very respectfully, CHAS. D. WALCOTT, Director. The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, RECLAMATION SERVICE, Washington, D. C., November 27, 1903. SIR: In accordance with the provisions in section 2 of the reclamation law, approved June 17, 1902, I have the honor to submit herewith the Second Annual Report of the Reclamation Service. This is a continuation of the First Annual Report, transmitted at the opening of the second session of the Fifty-seventh Congress. The statements made in the first report are here supplemented by an account of the results accomplished during the field season of 1903. The latter portion of the present report contains detailed descriptions of the operations in the field, arranged in alphabetical order, by States and Territories. Very respectfully, Hon. CHAS. D. WALCOTT, Director. F. H. NEWELL, |