VENTURA RIVER PROJECT, CALIFORNIA TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1955 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON IRRIGATION AND RECLAMATION OF THE Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:05 a. m., in the committee room, New House Office Building, Hon. Wayne N. Aspinall (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. ASPINALL. The Subcommittee on Irrigation and Reclamation of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs will now be in session for the consideration of H. R. 3427, by Congressman Engle, the chairman of the full committee, H. R. 3488, an identical bill, by Congressman Teague, of California. At this time the Chair would ask unanimous consent to have the bill H. R. 3488, by Congressman Teague, printed in the record. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. (H. R. 3488 follows:) [H. R. 3488, 84th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct, operate, and maintain the Ventura River reclamation project, California Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, for the purpose of supplying water for the irrigation of lands in Ventura County, California, and for municipal, domestic, and industrial use therein, and for other incidental beneficial purposes, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to construct, operate, and maintain the Ventura River reclamation project comprising, as its principal works, Casitas Dam and Reservoir on Coyote Creek, Robles diversion dam on Ventura River, a canal to carry water from the Robles diversion dam to Casitas Reservoir, and other conduits and related facilities to deliver water to the lands and area to be served by the project. SEC. 2. (a) In constructing, operating, and maintaining the Ventura River project, the Secretary shall be governed by the Federal reclamation laws (Act of June 17, 1902, 32 Stat. 388, and Acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto) except as is otherwise provided in this Act. (b) In furnishing water for irrigation and for municipal, domestic, and industrial uses from the Ventura River project the Secretary shall charge rates with the objective of returning to the United States during a fifty-year payment period all of the costs incurred by it in constructing, operating, and maintaining the project which the Secretary finds to be properly allocable to the purposes aforesaid and of interest, as hereinafter provided, on the portion of the construction cost which is allocated to municipal, domestic, and industrial water. (c) Any contract entered into under section 9, subsection (d), of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 (53 Stat. 1187, 1193, 43 U. S. C., sec. 485 (h)) for payment of those portions of the costs of constructing, operating, and maintaining the Ventura River project which are allocated to irrigation and assigned to be paid by the contracting organization may provide for the repayment of the portion of the construction cost of the project assigned to any project contract unit or, if the contract unit be divided into two or more irrigation blocks, to any such block over a period of not more than fifty years or as near thereto as is consistent with the adoption and operation of a variable payment formula which, being based on full repayment within the period stated under normal conditions, permits variance in the required annual payments in the light of economic factors pertinent to the ability of the organization to pay. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, all net revenues derived by the Secretary from the furnishing of water for municipal, domestic, and industrial use shall be applied first to the amortization of that portion of the cost of constructing the Ventura River project which is allocated to that purpose with interest on the unamortized balance thereof at the average rate (which rate shall be certified by the Secretary of the Treasury) paid by the United States on its marketable long-term securities outstanding on the date of this Act and thereafter to the amortization of that portion of the cost of constructing the project which is allocated to irrigation but which is beyond the ability of the irrigation water users or their contracting organization to repay as provided above. (e) The Secretary is authorized, subject to such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, to turn over to any contracting organization or to an organization which is designated by it for that purpose and which is satisfactory to the Secretary the care, operation, and maintenance of such portions of the Ventura River project as are used solely or principally for the benefit of that organization. (f) Minimum basic facilities may be provided for the accommodation of the visiting public at Casitas Dam and, if responsible local interests agree to assume the operation and maintenance thereof, at the project reservoirs. The costs of such facilities shall be nonreimbursable. SEC. 3. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for construction of the Ventura River project the sum of $27,600,000 plus such amounts, if any, as may be required by reason of changes in construction costs as may be indicated by engineering cost indices applicable to the types of construction involved herein and, in addition thereto, such sums as may be required to operate and maintain the project. Mr. ASPINALL. The Chair would make the further unanimousconsent request to have the report from the Department, under date of June 13, 1955, which bears the statement, "The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there would be no objection to the submission of this report to your committee," signed by Fred G. Aandahl, Acting Secretary of the Interior, made a part of the record. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. (The report referred to follows:) Hon. CLAIR Engle, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington 25, D. C., June 13, 1955. Chairman, Commitee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. ENGLE: You have requested from us a report on H. R. 3427 and H. R. 3488, both of which are bills to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct, operate, and maintain the Ventura River reclamation project, California. This Department's proposed planning report on the Ventura River project (a copy of which is attached for your information) was sent on March 16 to the State of California and to the interested Federal agencies for review under the Flood Control Act of 1944, the act of August 14, 1946, and outstanding interagency agreements. Until their comments have been received and reviewed. we will not be in a position to make any firm recommendation with respect to enactment of these bills. We likewise defer until that time any recommendations for their amendment. This interim report, therefore, is confined to a summary statement concerning the nature of the proposed project, its cost, its economic feasibility, and its repayment prospects. The Ventura project area, which encompasses the city of Ventura and a relatively long, narrow strip of land west of the city, is on California's southern coast in Ventura County, about 60 miles northwest of metropolitan Los Angeles. There has been a rapid expansion of population in the project area. The project is multiple-purpose in character, involving primarily the storage of water from Ventura River and Coyote Creek in the proposed Casitas Reservoir for irrigation and municipal and industrial water. In addition, it would provide important fish and wildlife and recreational benefits and incidental flood control benefits. Rainfall is deficient in the project area during the growing season. Runoff of streams is erratic and the area is subjected to prolonged droughts. Many of the lands currently irrigated experience serious shortages of water. The city of Ventura has outgrown a reliable water supply and is now frequently forced to pump water from three wells located along the ocean front which are subject to salt-water intrusion. There is, in short, in short, need for stream regulation to provide additional water to stabilize the present economy, to irrigate new lands, to supply new industries, and in general to provide for a rapidly expanding economy. The proposed project would aid the general situation by providing an addition to the area's water supply of 27,800 acre-feet annually, including 800 acre-feet to be obtained from the existing Matilija Reservoir. It is estimated this supply will be adequate to supply area needs during the 50 years following initial operation of the project. During the first 50-year period of project operation it is estimated that 60 percent of the total water made available would be used for irrigation and 40 percent for municipal and industrial purposes. At the end of the first 20-year period of project operation it is estimated that maximum irrigation development will have been reached and 15,000 acre-feet will be needed at that time for that purpose. At the same time 5,000 acre-feet would be utilized for municipal and industrial purposes. Urban and industrial water use would continue to increase and use for irrigation would gradually decrease until at the end of a 50-year period 15,600 acre-feet would be used for municipal and industrial purposes and 12,400 acre-feet for irrigation. Lands to be served by the project consist of about 20,200 acres. Under full development it is estimated that 12,600 acres would be irrigated and 7,600 acres would be utilized for municipal and industrial development. Under present conditions about 4,000 acres are irrigated; approximately 5,900 acres are developed for urban and industrial uses; and over 10,300 acres are used for grazing, are dry farmed or are idle. The project facilities that would be constructed by the Federal Government are Casitas Dam and Reservoir on Coyote Creek, a tributary to the Ventura River; Robles diversion dam on the Ventura River; Robles-Casitas Canal; and the main conduit system consisting of 33 miles of pipelines, 7 pumping plants, and 6 balancing reservoirs. The Robles diversion dam would divert surplus flows through the Robles-Casitas Canal for storage and regulation in the Casitas Reservoir. Water would be released as required from the reservoir into the main conduit system for delivery to distribution systems. Some of the distribution facilities are existing; others needed would be constructed by the water users and would not be financed by Federal funds. Operation of the existing Matilija Reservoir located upstream on the Ventura River would be coordinated with operation of Casitas Reservoir. Based on the contemplated development, full use of the water that would be made available by construction of the recommended project would not be realized for a number of years after completion of the project works. As a result, the possibility of initial construction of a smaller dam and reservoir with provision for future enlargement as water needs increased was investigated. After careful consideration of the technical and economic factors involved, it was concluded that initial construction of a reservoir of 250,000 acre-feet capacity is the most desirable plan. Other considerations such as the more rapid growth of the project area than contemplated, the probable extension of the service area boundaries, the probable future urban and suburban expansion into nonirrigable foothill areas which areas have not been considered in the studies for future water requirements, and possible heavier industrial demands than estimated all tend to support the decision to construct initially to the 250,000acre-foot capacity. The cost of the Ventura River project based on January 1954 prices, which are approximately the same as current prices, is estimated to be $27,669,000, including $169,000 for minimum recreation facilities as estimated by the National Park Service. The $169,000 figure includes $67,500 for the acquisition of 675 acres of land required for minimum basic facilities in addition to land otherwise to be acquired for project purposes. Further detailed studies, in accordance with the act of August 14, 1946 (60 Stat. 1080), remain to be made of the fish and wildlife resources affected by the project and of measures required for their preservation and propagation. The cost of these measures is not included in the above estimate. The $27,669,000 project construction costs tentatively are allocated to municipal and industrial water, to irrigation and to recreation in the amoonts of $11,403,000, $15,319,000, and $169,000, respectively. The balance of $778,000 has been or is now being contributed by the Ventura River Municipal Water District for preliminary and advanced planning for the project. Studies indicate that project revenues from the sale of irrigation and municipal and industrial water together with receipts from an ad valorem tax levy in the project area would repay the municipal and industrial water allocation at 2.5 percent interest in .40 years and the irrigation allocation in 50 years including a 10-year development period. The ratio of direct benefits to project costs is 1,76 to 1 and the ratio of total benefits to cost is 4.25 to 1. For these ratios, the benefits for an acre-foot of municipal and industrial water were assumed equal to the benefits for an equivalent amount of irrigation water. Even if municipal and industrial water benefits are said to be measured by the cost of the cheapest alternative method of providing an equivalent water supply the total project benefits would be well in excess of project costs with a benefit-cost ratio for municipal and industrial water of about 1.4 to 1 and a ratio of direct irrigation benefits to costs of 1.56 to 1. The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there would be no objection to the submission of this report to your committee. Sincerely, FRED G. AANDAHL, Acting Secretary of the Interior. Mr. ASPINALL. I would also ask unanimous consent that a letter from Fred G. Aandahl, Assistant Secretary of the Interior, under date of June 20, 1955, supplementing the report just referred to be made a part of the record. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. (The letter referred to follows:) DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Hon. CLAIR ENGLE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D. C., June 20, 1955. Chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, MY DEAR MR. ENGLE: We have been requested by Congressman Charles M. Teague to inform the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs of the current status of our planning report on the Ventura River project, California. On June 13, 1955, we sent you our interim report on the bills (H. R. 3427 and H. R. 3488) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct, operate, and maintain the Ventura River reclamation project, California. The information contained therein will supplement that contained in our June 13 letter. As stated in the June 13 letter, this Department's proposed planning report on the Ventura River project was sent to the State of California and interested Federal agencies. We have now received comments from various of the reviewing agencies. Copies of these comments are attached. On June 14, our planning report was transmitted to the Bureau of the Budget for advice concerning the relationship of the Ventura River project to the President's program. Just as soon as comments are received from the Bureau of the Budget we will be in a position to send our final report to the Congress with firm recommendations in regard to authorization of the project. Sincerely yours, FRED G. AANDAHL, Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Mr. ASPINALL. I also make unanimous-consent request that a communication by the Department of the Interior under date of May 9, 1955, a communication from the Department of Agriculture, under date of May 27, 1955, a communication from the Federal Power Commission under date of June 9, 1955, a communication from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under date of April 27, 1955, and a statement by the Department of Public Works of the State of California under date of April 1955, all relating to the legislation now before us be made a part of the file. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. (The documents referred to will be found in the files of the committee.) Mr. ÁSPINALL. The chair would also ask that a memorandum prepared by our committee staff under date of June 20, 1955, explaining the legislation be made a part of the record at this place. Hearing no objection, it is so ordered. (The memorandum referred to follows:) MEMORANDUM BY COMMITTEE STAFF Subject: H. R. 3427 and H. R. 3488, Ventura project, California. JUNE 20, 1955. PURPOSE This bill would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct, operate, and maintain the Ventura River reclamation project, California. This is a multiple-purpose project involving primarily the storage of water from Ventura River and Coyote Creek for irrigation, municipal, and industrial uses. In addition, there will be important fish and wildlife, recreational, and incidental flood-control benefits. BACKGROUND The Ventura project area is on California's southern coast, in Ventura County, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The area is composed of mountains of the coastal range and the valley of Ventura River and its tributaries. The people to be benefited by the project are represented by the Ventura River Municipal Water District, which covers the project area. They have recognized the importance of this project to their welfare and to the economy of the area and have cooperated wholeheartedly during the investigation period. Local interests have contributed one-half of the funds required for the project investigations and preparation of the planning report. They also have entered into a contract with the Federal Government to furnish funds for advance planning for the project, including the preparation of detailed designs and estimates. This contribution by the local interests amounts to $778,000 and indicates the intense interest of these local people in getting this project underway. NEED Development of an additional firm water supply is urgently needed in the Ventura River project area for stabilization of present agricultural and other economic activities and for the development of new irrigated lands and the establishment of new industries needed to take care of the rapidly expanding population in the area. People are attracted to this area by its agricultural, industrial, and commercial opportunities and by its excellent climatic and scenic characteristics. However, rainfall is deficient during the growing season, runoff of the streams is erratic, and the area is subject to prolonged droughts. Many of the lands currently irrigated experience serious shortages of water. Also, the city of Ventura has outgrown a reliable water supply and is now frequently forced to pump water from wells located along the ocean front which are subject to salt-water intrusion. ENGINEERING ASPECTS The recommended plan for providing a water supply for the Ventura River project area includes a storage reservoir to conserve the erratic stream flows, diversion works and canal to divert Ventura River water into the reservoir and a conveyance system to convey the stored water to points of use. The storage capacity would be sufficient to hold water over a period of several dry years. The project facilities include the Casitas Dam and Reservoir located on Coyote Creek, with a capacity of 250,000 acre-feet, the Robles diversion dam on the Ventura River and the Robles-Casitas Canal to divert and convey Ventura 66571-55-2 |