[Secretary of the Interior 1955 Annual Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

1955 ANNUAL REPORT
Secretary of the Interior
DOUGLAS McKAY
Partnership in
Resource Conservation and Development
- FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30
1955 ANNUAL REPORT
Secretary of the Interior
DOUGLAS McKAY
PARTNERSHIP IN RESOURCE
CONSERVATION AND
DEVELOPMENT
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Douglas McKay, Secretary


UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. G.
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price $1.25 (Paper)
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR WASHINGTON
My Dear Mr. President : I transmit herewith the Annual Report of the Department of the Interior for the fiscal year which ended June 30, 1955.
I he review of the activities of the Department’s bureaus and offices which this report provides indicates the substantial nature of the continued progress which is being made in carrying forward the Department's important missions. The report also furnishes a brief examination of the ways in which partnership in resource conservation and development can serve in meeting successfully the tremendous responsibilities which we face today and must expect in the future.
Sincerely yours,

The President.
The White House, Washington, D. C.
Secretary of the Interior.
in
CONTENTS
PART I
Page
Partnership in Resource Conservation and Development . . ix
PART II
Office of the Assistant Secretary—Water and Power Development:
Bureau of Reclamation................................... 7
Bonneville Power Administration........................ 92
Southwestern Power Administration..................... 113
Southeastern Power Administration..................... 121
Defense Electric Power Functions ‘.................... 123
Saline Water Conversion Program....................... 135
Office of the Assistant Secretary—Mineral Resources: Geological Survey..................................... 141
Bureau of Mines....................................... 179
Office of Oil and Gas................................. 213
Defense Minerals Exploration Administration........... 219
Office of Minerals Mobilization....................... 223
Office of Geography................................... 225
Office of the Assistant Secretary—Public Land Management:
Bureau of Indian Affairs.............................. 231
Bureau of Land Management............................. 265
Fish and Wildlife Service............................  297
National Park Service................................. 331
Office of Territories................................. 364
Office of the Administrative Assistant Secretary:
Division of	Administrative Services................... 381
Division of	Budget and Finance........................ 383
Division of	Inspection................................ 384
Division of	Management Research....................... 385
Division of	Personnel Management...................... 387
Division of	Property Management....................... 388
Division of	Security.................................. 390
Office of the Solicitor................................... 391
Index..................................................... 399
v

................................................ .
PART I
PARTNERSHIP IN RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Partnership in Resource Conservation and Development
THE tremendous task of sound resource conservation and development which today confronts the United States must be viewed in the light of the unprecedented economic and technological advances of mid-century America.
Never in world history has a Nation made more sweeping gains in providing a good way of life for its people.
Our economy, expanding at a breath-taking pace, has more than kept up with the gigantic demands of a record growth in our population. Each year as new families form in burgeoning numbers their needs for an amazing abundance of goods and services are being met with the vast outpouring of American industry and the American farm.
What has this meant in terms of our natural resources ?
New families and the advance of the American standard of living to a level never before achieved anywhere at any time has created equally record-making demands on all of our resources—our minerals and energy sources, our forests, our land, our water.
New homes mean that the minerals of the earth must be mined to provide the ores that go into the steel, the aluminum, all of the magic metallurgical combinations that we think of simply as homes, automobiles, and washing machines.
To use our washing machines, our television sets, our automobiles, we must have power, and this power comes from the coal, natural gas, and oil that man must take from the supply that nature has built over millions of years. It means also harnessing the best of our sources of water power to make use of the always renewable energy provided by falling water.
Our land, too, faces ever increasing demands for the. food we eat, the cotton for the clothes we wear, and the lumber that our forests can provide for a multiplicity of essential uses.
IX
X + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Increasingly also we are recognizing that we cannot take our water supplies for granted as we soberly view the prospect of the growth of our water needs for industrial and domestic use by 145 billion gallons daily—equivalent to the flow of 11 Colorado Rivers—in the next 20 years.
Meeting successfully all of these tremendous and accelerating levies on our natural resources will not be easy. The task is gigantic and complex. It is also vital to the very continuance of our civilization as we know it.
All of those who have realistically faced the problem will agree, however, that it is a task that must be approached by the American people within the framework of their creative traditions. Clearly, this great joint responsibility can best be met by our system of individual enterprise with the Government working constructively to aid and assist but not to dominate and control.
Sound conservation and development of our natural resources demands a realistic partnership of all of the American people. Federal, State, and local agencies charged with resource responsibilities must provide leadership and guidance. But the basic mission must be that of the whole complex of our free society working inventively and productively as only that type of society can.
In essence the partnership policy is simply the realistic carrying forward in terms of our modern problems of that basic truism of the Government’s proper relationship to the people that was so effectively stated by Abraham Lincoln : “The function of government is to do for the people what the individual cannot do at all, or do so well for himself, and in all those things which the individual can do for himself, the government ought not to interfere.”
The partnership pattern will vary of course, depending on the particular problems to be faced in each resource area and each of the specific situations involved. Inherent in the partnership concept is the clear recognition that the task is not one for Federal agencies', such as the Department of the Interior alone. Nor is it a task for only State and local agencies, or for private initiative alone. Rather, it is a task in which we can best succeed through a program of close teamwork in which Federal agencies, State and local agencies, and free enterprise work together, each performing the function for which it is best fitted.
In the sections' of this report which follow, the specific patterns and approaches under which partnership can serve in meeting our resource conservation and development task will be outlined. In each instance, however, we must bear in mind that no magic formula is being promulgated except the enduring American belief in the productivity of our way of life based on a common recognition of our individual rights and responsibilities.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XI
MINERAL AND FUEL RESOURCES
The policy of participation with all interested parties in the better utilization of mineral resources attained new heights in fiscal 1955. The Bureau of Mines and other Department agencies engaged in scores of cooperative projects in the fields of metallic and nonmetallic minerals and mineral fuels.
Cooperation with Industry
Private enterprise has the major responsibility for resource development in the United States. Consequently, service to and cooperation with industry long have been prime objectives of the Department.
These objectives are attained in many ways, since the interests of industry frequently coincide with those of the Federal Government.
For example, the Government must have detailed information on mineral commodities and the industries that produce them so it can plan intelligently for the Nation’s military and economic security. The industrialist also needs such information to make the decisions upon which the success of his business depends.
The Bureau of Mines cooperates closely with industry and with other Government agencies, both State and Federal, in collecting and reporting such information. Virtually all of the Bureau’s industry-wide statistical canvasses are partnership projects in which forms are submitted to industry for information and returned voluntarily.
At times, industrial associations find Department facilities and impartial viewpoint useful for carrying out special joint canvasses. Such a canvass, to estimate future cement production capacity was undertaken with the Portland Cement Association to provide the President’s Advisory Committee with data for planning a national highway program.
New Mining Methods and Machinery
Efforts to develop new mining methods and machinery to utilize mineral resources more effectively supplement those of industry, and whenever feasible are carried out cooperatively.
Bureau engineers and technologists currently are working with the operators of copper mines in three States—Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada—to develop methods of increasing ore recovery and to learn more about such low-cost underground mining methods as block caving. The use of highly sensitive listening devices that pick up subaudible noise resulting from movement in rocks was developed jointly by the Bureau and mining companies to increase safety and conservation when mining underground rock supports, or pillars.
XII + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
One Bureau-industry project was an investigation of processes to recover beryllium as a coproduct of lithium from an ore mined in North Carolina.
Another dealt with recovery of alumina from high-silica bauxites and residues from commercial alumina operations, and still another developed an improved process for recovering kyanite-sillimanite concentrates from wastes at a mineral processing plant in Florida.
At one of its laboratories, the Bureau created specimens of low-melting synthetic micas for industry to evaluate as bonding agents for grinding wheels.
Cooperation with Steel Industry
For years the Bureau has worked in close partnership with the iron and steel industry. Recent cooperative projects have ranged from research to develop better methods of producing iron, through tests of anthracite as a partial substitute for coke in steelmaking, to studies that developed two processes for recovering manganese from open hearth steel furnace slags.
One of the most closely integrated company-Bureau projects during the year was the development and trial of a mechanical phosphate rock planer similar to certain coal-mining machines. After designing and constructing the first model, Bureau personnel monitored mine tests in which the cooperating company supplied labor, underground transportation, and facilitating services and tools. As a result, the machine has developed from the experimental stage to a point where commercial use seems assured.
Minerals Exploration
Another outstanding example of successful joint industry-Government activity is the Defense Minerals Exploration Administration Program.
To encourage exploration for strategic or critical minerals, Bureau of Mines and Geological Survey engineers worked together under the direction of DMEA to examine and evaluate specific exploration projects for which Government financial assistance is sought. DMEA projects have been undertaken with individuals, partnerships, and companies.
Developing Fuel Resources
Wise development of our reserves of mineral fuels is essential to our continued security. To assure that succeeding generations will have coal and petroleum to meet demands of the future, the Bureau of Mines cooperates with industry and with Federal, State, and local Governments in encouraging conservation of these commodities.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XIII
Cooperative programs are underway with bituminous coal and anthracite operators to cut production costs and increase safety through development of improved mining and roof control methods.
In another cooperative effort, the Bureau is working with private firms to devise a means of gasifying coal underground where it occurs in seams too thin or of too low grade to justify conventional mining. Cooperative research on upgrading solid fuels already has resulted in a process for drying lignite to obtain a fuel for power generation and recover tar as a potential source of chemicals.
The Bureau’s coal sampling and analysis work not only enable the Federal Government to purchase solid fuels on a guaranteed quality basis, but also aids industry and State and municipal agencies to do the same.
Cooperative research on production, transportation, and storage of petroleum and natural gas and their products is part of the foundation for conservation of these resources. The continuing benefits of this research have been of great value to industry and also to the taxpaying public.
An early example of industry-Bureau research on petroleum was the development of an oil well casing program to protect underground fresh water horizons and prevent waste of petroleum.
This program was adopted and followed by the industry and by State commissions concerned with oil production problems.
The value of the Bureau’s petroleum chemistry and refining studies has been recognized by increased financial support from industry and from other Government agencies until today nearly $4 of every $10 spent by the Bureau in this field of research come from outside sources.
The Bureau has cooperated with industry in studies to develop better helium recovery methods and to improve the heating value of certain natural gases. An agreement recently signed with a gas production company enables the Bureau to obtain additional helium-bearing gas for its Navajo Helium Plant from a natural gas that has no value as a fuel.
Oil Shale Research
The Nation’s vast reserves of oil shale are an ideal example of a mineral resource that can best be developed by cooperation between Government and private initiative.
The reserves are owned partly by the Government and partly by individuals and corporations. Studies in the experimental mining, retorting, and refining were carried on under an arrangement in which the Department of the Navy permitted use of its oil shale and the Bureau of Mines developed equipment and methods for utilizing it.
Partnership in developing this resource has not been confined to
XIV + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Government departments, however. Crude shale oil and products from the Bureau’s shale oil refinery at Rifle, Colo., were supplied to industry and to other Government agencies for testing and experimentation under 18 cooperative agreements during the past year.
In cooperation with industry, the Bureau last year made more than 2,800 tests of explosives and hazardous chemicals used in mineral production and processing. Conditions leading to gas and dust explosions were studied, as were methods of minimizing explosion damage.
Cooperation With State and Municipal Governments
Much of the Department’s work in the fields of mineral economics and health and safety is also of intimate concern to various State agencies, and is best carried out in cooperation with them.
The Bureau of Mines cooperates closely with State agencies in collecting and compiling economic and statistical data on mineral commodities. It has formal cooperative agreements with State geologists or Divisions of Mines in 27 States and Alaska for joint collection of mine production data.
One of the finest examples of State-Federal partnership is the Bureau’s Petroleum Experiment Station at Bartlesville, Okla. Since this station, said to be the largest installation of its kind in the world, was established in 1918, the Oklahoma State Government has continuously provided through regular appropriations part of the money for salaries and operating expenses. Technologic developments born of this partnership have benefited not only the petroleum industry and the State of Oklahoma, but also the rest of the Nation.
For many years the Bureau of Mines has worked with State, county and municipal agencies in the business of fighting coal fires on private property. All these agencies have exchanged information freely in controlling fires in abandoned coal mines or in coal beds which are not on the public domain. Moreover, the partnership extends to payment of the cost of fighting these fires. Under present legislation, this cost is borne on a matching dollar-for-dollar basis by the Federal Government and the interested agency, which may be a private coal company, the State, or other political subdivisions.
The Bureau likewise cooperates closely with mining departments of several States in administering the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act and in carrying out its various accident prevention and safety training programs.
Cooperation With Other Federal Agencies
The specialized technical knowledge and facilities available in the Bureau of Mines are used by many other Government agencies in carrying out their work.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XV
Typical cooperative programs currently in progress' with the General Services Administration are aimed at developing domestic resources of selenium, recovering columbium from Arkansas titanium deposits, and increasing output and improving recovery of nickel and other metals from deposits at Nicaro, Cuba.
The Bureau also performs' mine examinations, metallurgical tests and quality control tests for GSA. Examples are investigation of an asbestos mine in Venezuela, and analysis and laboratory testing of low-grade manganese ores submitted to GSA depots to determine their acceptability and value.
The Bureau has participated in the work of the Atomic Energy Commission to develop resources of radioactive minerals. More than 20 monazite-bearing placer deposits have been investigated by the Bureau, and at least half of these give promise of becoming commercial producers.
In cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission and the Navy Department’s Bureau of Ships, the Bureau of Mines developed methods and constructed and operated the country’s only facilities to produce hafnium-free ductile zirconium needed for research in constructing nuclear power generators. This program developed improved methods of recovering metallic zirconium and hafnium at lower cost than are now used by commercial producers.
In 1955 the Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce, was authorized by Congress to take a census of the Nation’s industries and businesses. To minimize duplication, increase effectiveness, and assure complete coverage, the Bureaus of Census and Mines are cooperating on the census of mineral industries. Many canvasses are being conducted jointly, and the information obtained will be of great value both to the Government and to industry.
Oil and Gas Regulatory Activities
Cooperation between the Department of the Interior and the oil and gas regulatory agencies of the petroleum producing States dates back more than 40 years.
In 1914, the Secretary of the Interior offered the services of Bureau of Mines experts to cooperate with State officials in stopping the waste of natural gas in Oklahoma. The Bureau assisted in drafting two laws on oil and gas conservation which were passed in 1915 by the Oklahoma Legislature.
The 1915 Oklahoma oil law has been a beacon in the history of oil conservation.
During the past two decades, the Department has had active and close cooperation with the States in the enforcement of their conservation laws through the administration of the Connally Act, passed
XVI + ANNUAL REPORT, SECREATARY OF THE INTERIOR
in 1935 to prohibit interstate shipment of oil produced in violation of certain State oil and gas conservation laws and subsequent orders.
Early in 1947 the Secretary of the Interior strengthened cooperation to further oil and gas conservation with the designation of the Director of the Office of Oil and Gas as the Department’s official representative to the Interstate Oil Compact Commission.
Since then, the Department has participated regularly in meetings of the Compact Commission, under which member States and Alaska have exercised leadership in improving and standardizing oil and gas conservation practices throughout the country, as well as providing a forum for discussion of conservation and related problems.
PUBLIC LANDS
Partnership arrangements of one kind or another with the Federal Government are the warp and woof of the responsibilities assigned by the Department to the Bureau of Land Management, which exclusively administers some 468 million acres of public domain lands that are almost wholly unappropriated and unreserved.
The Department works with countless individuals, businesses, industries, local agencies, State agencies, Federal agencies, and even foreign nations through transactions ranging from routine land or mineral filings to multi-million dollar undertakings such as those that are developing the resources of the Outer Continental Shelf.
Thousands of such transactions make up the workload of the Bureau, a workload that bespeaks cooperation.
Partnership is reflected in the financial balance sheet and distribution of the Bureau’s “earnings.” During the nine years since the Bureau of Land Management was formed, receipts have totaled more than $623,000,000. Of this amount more than $192,000,000 was transferred to the Bureau of Reclamation for investment in dams and other projects (usually constructed by private contract) for development of arid regions of the West. More than $169,000,000 was paid to States and counties for schools, roads and other local purposes. Part of the remainder, when appropriated, has been used for improvement of grazing lands, and the balance was deposited in the miscellaneous receipts fund of the Treasury.
During the fiscal year 1955 alone, income from Bureau of Land Management sources amounted to more than $239,000,000 as compared to its appropriation of $11,913,000—representing a ratio of $20 return for every $1 expended.
Highlights of Cooperation
The historic policy of the United States with regard to the unreserved public domain has been to encourage the transfer of public
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XVII
lands into private ownership when such ownership can make more productive use of the land resources.
Since the lands remaining in public ownership under jurisdiction of the Bureau are either reserved or less desirable than in the past, the rate of their transfer to private ownership has been considerably retarded compared to the earlier days of the Nation.
As demands for public lands for various purposes have increased, new laws and regulations were put into effect, substantially stepping up the declining transfer rate during the past year.
Some 20 million acres of vacant, unreserved public lands remain in the Missouri Basin, much in the form of less desirable isolated tracts surrounded by private holdings. In the first of a series of carefully planned public sales, the Bureau put 94 of these tracts totaling more than 12,000 acres on the auction block in South Dakota near the end of the fiscal year, with more to follow. In another systematic disposal program, some 112,000 acres of lands restored from withdrawal in Arkansas were also put up for public auction sale.
Some 225,000 acres of previously unsurveyed school lands were made available to Western States through stepped-up cadastral surveys, and a program of lieu selection was worked out so that the State of Washington could take possession of some 150,000 acres of its statehood grant school lands.
Park, Forest, Refuge Areas Preserved
It must be emphasized that acceleration of the rate of transfer of certain public lands to private ownership does not mean that the Federal Government intends to dispose of all the land in unreserved public domain status, nor even of the major portion.
Careful selection is made of the lands to be listed as available for disposal; equally careful selection is made of lands to be withdrawn from unreserved status.
The yardstick in both instances is the course by which the land in question can best be put to its highest and most beneficial use, for the ultimate public good.
National forests, parks, and wildlife refuges are held inviolate, for example. There have been occasions when land exchanges were arranged, usually to achieve uniformity of a tract which would afford better management. Such exchanges have been effected with States or, in some cases, with private individuals when the Federal Government sought to consolidate public acreages or dispose of isolated tracts.
Multiple Use Legislation
The Department was instrumental in laying the groundwork during the past year for passage of legislation that opened to mining location 364841—56-------2
XVIII + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR and development more than 7.2 million acres of public lands long withdrawn for power and water sites, with full protection to the Government if the land should be needed at some future time.
This climaxed two other important enactments by the Congress that were vigorously supported by the Department—Public Laws 585 and 167. These conservation measures provide for fuller utilization of natural resources of the public domain by enabling multiple use of the same tracts of land for all kinds of mineral development and multiple use of the surface resources.
Developing the Outer Continental Shelf
Passage of the Outer Continental Shelf Act of 1953 giving the Department of the Interior jurisdiction over submerged lands in the outer periphery of the Continental United States presented a new challenge to the Department.
Keeping pace with the new technologies which have enabled the petroleum industry to develop oil in deeper and deeper waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the Department successfully mapped 20 million acres of OCS lands off Louisiana and Texas for oil and gas leasing purposes. With the maps, locations of submerged lands can be pinpointed as accurately on dry land by means of their coordinate positions related to fixed monuments on the shore. This enabled the Department to proceed with a new program for unlocking these vast resources—a treasure valued in the billions of dollars.
The oil and gas industry backed their faith in the new program by pouring $142.4 million into the U. S. Treasury in bonus bids and first year rentals for the right to explore just 489,869 acres for oil, gas, sulphur in the outer shelf off Louisiana and Texas. This resulted from two bid “sales” held in October and November 1954. Preparations were completed for a third sale, held on July 12, which boosted acreage leased to 864,236 and the bonus-rental cumulative total past the quarter billion dollar mark.
Meeting Log Shortage Crisis
District forestry offices of the Bureau helped relieve a severe log shortage crisis resulting from a 1954 summer-long strike that threatened to prolong the shutdown of Oregon’s lumber mills through the winter.
In response to an emergency appeal from the Governor and orders from Secretary McKay, 70 million board-feet of timber, in addition to regular output, were rushed from points nearest existing access roads to supply the dire need of the plywood and other lumber mills affected by the strike.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT > XIX
Soil and Moisture Conservation
Plans were completed during the past fiscal year for a long range cooperative program of soil and moisture conservation designed to rehabilitate most of the Federal rangelands in the Western States.
Six Interior agencies will spend $250 million in a coordinated program of watershed improvement spread over 20 years, ending in 1975.
In addition to appropriated funds, an estimated 40 percent of the total planned operations will be financed by contributions from range users and other private sources and local government agencies.
Range Management
Partnership, particularly during the past year, has been a veritable touchstone to effective administration of the public land grazing resources under the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934.
Wise control of the Federal grazing lands after decades of unregulated use would have been impossible without the voluntary help and support of locally elected grazing district advisory boards. These groups of public-spirited stockmen have spearheaded the Department s drive to effectuate orderly use of the range and apportion grazing privileges equitably among qualified users as called for in the Taylor Grazing Act.
This cooperation has transcended mere lip service. Cash and deeds have supplemented wise counsel. During the past fiscal year, the range users have contributed nearly half of more than $5,000,000 invested in range conservation and improvement works, not to mention instituting or continuing numerous range improvement practices that have entailed many man-hours of labor and use of private equipment.
Contributions both in money and materials from livestockmen constitute about 40 percent of the total annual investment made in these improvements to the public lands. This has had the effect of sharpening the personal interest of the stockmen. When their personal assets are invested with public dollars in the development of public lands, the result is a greater and more permanent accomplishment.
The planning of conservation and improvement measures on a watershed basis has been virtually completed during the past year. In addition to cooperation with public land users, complete and integrated planning has made it imperative to have harmonious working relationships with other Federal and State agencies having an interest in each watershed. Planning groups, composed of interagency representatives, are employed to assure that all affected interests receive adequate consideration.
XX 4- ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Cooperative effort lias been most effective in meeting emergencies such as the prolonged drought that plagued the Western range country last year and for several years past. Substantial voluntary reductions in numbers of livestock using the range and rapid development of supplemental water supplies have been accomplished through the cooperation of the range users.
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
Greater participation by State governments and local communities, private industries and individual citizens is paving the way for a high level of achievement in water resources development in the 17 Western States and Alaska.
Legislation enacted or pending in Congress at the close of the fiscal year pointed to an even closer partnership in this field of conservation by establishing wider horizons for national economic progress in the years to come.
Cooperation between Government and people in the development of the natural resources in the arid lands of the West has been the traditional policy of the Nation for more than a half-century. It had its beginning in 1902, when President Theodore Roosevelt on June 17 signed the first Federal Reclamation Act establishing a revolving fund of proceeds from the sale of the public lands with which to construct water storage dams and other irrigation works in the West.
Administration of this act and other Federal reclamation laws was vested in the Department of the Interior where it remains today. There has thus been afforded a continuity in technical knowledge, and practical experience in the planning, construction and operation of reclamation projects containing such engineering features as the world’s largest and highest dams, water-distributing canals, and hydro-electric power plants.
Reclaiming Arid Lands
As a result of this combination of cooperation and continuity, facilities capable of delivering irrigation water to more than 7 million acres of land have been provided by the Department’s Bureau of Reclamation. Individual initiative has resulted in the parallel development of 125,000 family size farms and more than 125,000 suburban units. The area for which water can be supplied from Bureau-constructed works comprises about one-fourth of the total irrigated land area of the western United States.
At the earliest date possible, irrigation facilities are transferred for operation and maintenance by the local water user organizations.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XXI
Of the irrigation projects or divisions of projects constructed by the Bureau, 89 percent have been transferred for local operation and maintenance.
Partnership Is Stressed
Fresh concepts of cooperative partnership in the development, planning and financing of water resource conservation programs in the West characterized to a striking degree the administration of the Department during the past year.
In general, this policy anticipates that the Federal Government will provide funds for a part of the cost of features of a multiple-purpose project, such as flood control, navigation, interest on the reclamation investment, and perhaps an advance of some of the cost of the reimbursable features of a. multiple purpose project.
The balance of the cost would be provided by local public or private sources. Moreover, if the financing can be placed on a broader base, the responsibility for construction will likewise be distributed among the State, local government and private interests. This encourages local control and ownership of local improvement projects.
Benefits Outlive Repayment
Equally important as the conservation of water resources is the contribution made to the national economic structure by the continuous administration since 1902 of the Federal Reclamation program by the Department of the Interior.
Long after project costs have been repaid fully through the sale of electric energy and operations of repayment contracts, the new wealth created through the Federal investment in the development of its own resources will be reflected in a continuing flow of tax revenues from the project areas and in trade with the rest of the Nation as well.
Developments during the year within the framework of the new partnership and cooperation policy point to increasing opportunities for expansion in the Nation’s economic structure under the program.
Take, for instance, the Columbia Basin Project in the State of Washington. Here the largest investor to date has been the United States. As the project develops and private capital is used to develop farms, non-farm businesses, communities, public works, transportation facilities and other activities, the non-Federal investment is expected to greatly overshadow the initial Federal investment in the constructed project features.
XXII + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Advances for 1955
Other instances of cooperation in the advancement of the Federal Reclamation program during the 1955 fiscal year are:
In Arizona, the second 100,000 kilowatt steam generator at the Arizona Public Service Company’s Saguaro steam plant was placed in operation during the year. Through cooperative agreements among the Arizona Power Authority, the Company, and the Bureau of Reclamation, the energy generated in the privately-owned plant is wheeled over the Bureau’s transmission system to the Company and the Authority’s load centers.
Partnership operation between the Bureau and private and public utilities in the region has enabled the Bureau to fully coordinate its hydro generation with the utilities’ steam generation, thereby providing maximum utilization of hydro energy with resultant conservation of natural resources. The Bureau’s system has also been utilized to wheel steam-generated energy from Arizona to meet shortages in Nevada.
On the Ventura Project in California, a contract was negotiated with the Ventura River Municipal Water District for advanced planning work for which the district has advanced $720,000.
Increased emphasis was given to cooperative engineering effort with small irrigation districts. There was continued improvement in rehabilitation, reconstruction and betterment of irrigation projects built many years ago under private initiative.
Indicative of this effort were the rehabilitation of irrigation facilities on the Dalton Gardens and Avondale irrigation systems in Idaho; the rehabilitation of the Isleta Diversion Dam and more than 180 miles of drains on the Middle Rio Grande Project in New Mexico; and rehabilitation of the Savage Rapids Dam on the Grants Pass Project in Oregon.
Power Partnership in Northwest
As marketing agent for the power generated at specified Federal dams in the Pacific Northwest, the Bonneville Power Administration plays a vital role in the use and development of the region’s water resources, involving a close working relationship among Federal and local agencies, and other utility systems, both privately and publicly-owned.
At the present time BP A markets power from Federal plants with 3.6 million kilowatts capacity, and an additional 2.6 million kw are under construction.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XXIII
Partners in Power Operations
Basic to BPA's operations is its relations with the agencies that build and operate the dams and power plants.
The Corps of Engineers operates Bonneville, McNary, The Dalles,1 Chief Joseph,1 Albeni Falls and The Willamette Valley projects; the Bureau of Reclamation operates Grand Coulee, Hungry Horse and Chandler.
Advances In 1955
BPA engineers work closely with the Corps and Bureau in the day-to-day operation of the projects, and participate with their engineer in system studies to determine the best methods of utilizing the reservoirs and waterflow of the Columbia River.
Through such cooperation the power plants are fully adapted to system conditions and contribute to the most economical construction costs and maintenance of the Federal generation and transmission system. These economies are reflected in the low cost of power to consumers.
Northwest Power Pool
Hie Pacific Northwest as a region enjoys the lowest power rates in the United States. An important factor is the integration of the Federal system with the other major utilities in the Northwest Power Pool, a notable example of partnership between Federal enterprise and local public and private enterprise.
I he Pool stretches over an area of 700,000 square miles and encompasses 1 7 ,000 miles of transmission and over 7,000,000 kilowatts of capacity.
I he 1 ool is a voluntary organization, a sort of confederacy of autonomous electrical systems. Each system is self-administered, and 1 oo] operations are conducted within a broad framework of understanding based on established operating principles. Successful operation of the Pool depends on integration of all the hydraulic and electrical facilities in the combined systems.
I here aie 142 power plants in the Pool, of which 123 are hydro and 19 steam-electric. Coordination of these power plants spread over 700,000 square miles is necessarily complicated. The Pool has developed a system of reservoir regulation to take advantage of the diverse streamflow patterns in order to best serve its loads. This calls for complete interchange of information between the operators of the Fedeial system and other members of the Pool. All decisions are v oluntary and unanimous and are made within the framework of interutility contracts, both Federal and non-Federal.
1 Under construction.
XXIV + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
The measureable benefits of the Pool may be summarized as follows:
1.	It permits the 11 major utility systems to make the most economic use of the energy sources available to the combined systems. The result is a substantial saving in the cost of electricity to consumers.
2.	Pool utilities not only obtain energy at lower cost because of economic transfers but also benefit from improved continuity of service.
3.	Pool operations' permit each utility to save on standby capacity to meet emergencies.
4.	The integration of 11 generating and transmission systems adds some 600,000 kilowatts—more than one Bonneville dam—to the Northwest’s power capacity without adding extra generators.
Relations with Customers
BPA’s relations with its 119 customers—of whom 80 are publicly-owned utilities, 9 privately-owned utilities, 18 industrial plants and 12 Federal agencies, resemble that of a partnership as well as seller and buyer.
Close collaboration with the public and privately-owned utilities • who take over half of BPA’s power deliveries—is essential in order to determine loads and the transmission facilities required to meet customer needs. Cooperative studies of load growth and power flows by BPA and its customers serve as a basis for system extensions.
The customers are consulted also in the preparation of proposed construction schedules that are submitted to Congress. At the semiannual customers’ meetings the Administrator discusses with them mutual problems as well as BPA policies and plans.
Power Planning
The major non-Federal utilities, including private companies, municipalities, larger public utility districts and electric cooperatives, are planning additions to their generating systems in order to satisfy the rapidly growing power requirements of the Pacific Northwest.
Currently some 45 new projects are being actively considered by local utilities with a total capacity of almost 8 million kilowatts in addition to about one million kilowatts under construction or definitely scheduled by non-Federal agencies. BPA is cooperating with these non-Federal utilities in planning the transmission systems from projects under construction or consideration.
Some of the projects, such as Priest Rapids and John Day, are proposed for partnership development, with local utilities financing the power plants and the Federal Government responsible for navigation locks, irrigation facilities and fishways.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XXV
An important problem that surrounds nearly all of the proposed non-Federal or partnership projects is the transmission of power to markets.
Generally speaking, the energy produced from these dams must be marketed in more than one load center. Integration with the Bonneville grid and the Northwest Power Pool therefore seems to be vital to their feasibility.
Power Partnership in Southwest
The power marketing program of the Department in the Southwest is conducted by the Southwestern Power Administration.
Because of the characteristics of power supply in the Southwest, the Department through Southwestern Power Administration initiated steps toward cooperation with privately-owned utility systems and with rural electric cooperatives which generate and transmit electric power generated from fuels.
On January 1, 1954, a unique power partnership contract was put into effect in Arkansas. On that day, the Southwestern Power Administration began deliveries of peaking hydroelectric power to the Arkansas Power & Light Company in order to enable that company to supply low-cost electric power to the new aluminum plant of the Reynolds Metals Company, at Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Under this three-party contract, the privately-owned power company and the Federal power system pooled their generating facilities to serve the new electric load.
The recent severe drought in the Southwest greatly reduced the amount of hydroelectric power and energy which had been available to the Southwestern Power Administration for sale and distribution. During fiscal year 1955, contractual and operating arrangements were entered into with privately-owned utilities which permitted all the electric loads in the area to be served without curtailment or interruption.
On June 1,1955, the Department initiated power deliveries through Southwestern Power Administration for another type of power agreement.
This involved a contract between the Federal Government and the Brazos River Transmission Electric Cooperative, Inc., and between that cooperative and the Texas Power & Light Company. The combination of these two contracts place the Government, the cooperative, and the company in a power partnership.
Under this arrangement, the Government obtains the maximum revenue for the sale of power from the Whitney project; the company obtains the maximum value from the peaking hydroelectric power
XXVI + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR generated at that project; and the cooperative obtains the low-cost power and energy which it needs for its members.
During the year the Southwestern Power Administration successfully negotiated a contract with the Arkansas Power & Light Company which will become effective as soon as the Blakely Mountain Dam project on the Ouachita River is placed in commercial operation.
Under this contract, the Company receives the peaking power capability of the project subject to its own needs and the availability of water supply and, at a point approximately 150 miles from the project, delivers to the system of the Government the full rated power capacity of the project.
Thus, the company obtains the high value of the peaking hydroelectric capacity and the Government receives power where it is needed to serve other electric loads without incurring the cost of transmission.
This arrangement permits the Company to coordinate the use of water at the Federal project with the downstream Carpenter and Remmel hydroelectric projects which are owned by the Company, and assures the maximum utilization of the water resources of the Ouachita River Basin.
Power Partnership in Southeast
The statutory responsibilities of the Department's Southeastern Power Administration are carried out by means of cooperative contractual arrangements which the agency has or is negotiating with the operators of public and private power systems having transmission and generating facilities.
The scores of preferred agencies located in the Southeast are scattered over wide areas. In order to avoid either excessive restrictions in the number of preferred agencies receiving power or prohibitive construction costs, it has been desirable to seek cooperative arrangements with the operators of transmission systems where excess capacity is available in such systems.
Only through such arrangements can the requirement for widespread use at the lowest possible rates be met.
Since adequate facilities are generally in existence to carry power from the projects to customers, cooperative arrangements permitting the use of such facilities to transmit power from the projects result in the cheapest means of delivering power.
The Federal hydroelectric developments in the Southeast for which Southeastern Power Administration is the marketing agency have operating characteristics such that power produced at these projects is usable by more preferred agencies only if it can be supplemented by fuel-generated energy during certain hours of the day when the hydroelectric plants are not operated in order to conserve water.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XXVII
There presently exists contractual arrangements between the Department of the Interior, acting through Southeastern, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Virginia Electric and Power Company, a privately-owned company, and the South Carolina Public Service Authority and Greenwood County Electric Power Commission, both agencies of the State of South Carolina, whereby their transmission facilities are utilized in transmitting power from Federal projects to preferred agencies and the operation of the Federal hydroelectric projects is integrated with the operation of fuel-generating facilities thus making power available on a usable basis to preferred agencies.
Desalting Saline Water
Our rapidly increasing industrial and agricultural production coupled with an ever-expanding population over the past quarter of a century has brought about a tremendous increase in consumption of our water resources. In some areas serious water shortages exist at the present time which emphasizes the fact that our water resources are gradually being overburdened, exhausted, contaminated, or both.
I he Department is continuing a research program aimed at developing economically feasible processes for converting saline water to fresh water suitable for municipal, industrial, agricultural and other uses. The program is directed equally to the reclamation of inland saline waters and conversion of ocean water. Attainment of this goal would go far in conserving and increasing the water resources of the Nation.
I his activity is primarily a cooperative endeavor with private groups.
The Department carries out the program by: (1) Stimulating the interest of private and public organizations and individuals in the problem and encouraging research and development by correlating and coordinating activities in this field, and (2) conducting scientific research and development by means of federally financed grants and contracts and by a limited amount of research in Federal scientific organizations.
Not only is cooperation and coordination of saline water research activities carried out with private groups, such as State education and research foundations, private research institutes, and industrial institutions, but also with the various other governmental agencies in which there is an interest in the problem.
Such agencies include the Department of Defense, Atomic Energy Commission, Civil Defense Administration, National Science Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of State and the International Cooperative Administration.
XXVIII + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Progress is being made in the development of practical processes for converting large quantities of saline water to fresh water. However, lowering of process cost to an acceptable level is a very difficult problem to be solved. The results obtained so far are sufficiently promising to indicate that with sufficient time economically feasible processes for the demineralization of both brackish waters and sea water are likely.
Progress in cooperation and encouragement of private groups in the development activities is exemplified by a number of research contracts now in effect, and in the promising results being obtained.
For example, in cooperation with one company a new method of distillation which is particularly applicable to sea water conversion has been developed and is now ready for testing under field conditions. Another industrial firm has received contracts for the design, construction and testing of progressively larger electric membrane demineralization units which appear promising for brackish water conversion. Field testing of the membrane type of equipment is now in progress and is carried out in cooperation with State, local and private organizations.
As another specific example, the solar distillation process is being investigated by three different contractors. These investigations have resulted in a comprehensive evaluation of all work in this field, new designs for solar stills and the development of cheaper materials of construction. Both the Department and these contractors are cooperating in supplying technical papers and exhibits for an international symposium on Applied Solar Energy.
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Indian lands and associated resources, unlike most other lands and resources with which the Department is directly concerned, are the property not of the Federal Government but of individual Indians and Indian tribal groups. The Federal Government’s basic role in connection with these resources, which is exercised by the Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, is that of a trustee holding title to the lands for the use and benefit of the Indian owners.
In the fiscal year 1955, the principle of partnership in the management, conservation, and development of Indian lands and their associated resources was broadened and strengthened on several fronts.
The Bureau’s encouragement of Indian participation in such matters has been producing positive results. Several tribes realizing the importance of their land and other resources as the principal source of tribal income, have not only been taking an active part in the management of these resources but also have contributed substantial
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT 4- XXIX amounts of tribal funds towards their protection, development and improvement.
Cooperation on Indian Health Problems
Cooperation between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the United States Public Health Service in dealing with Indian health problems has been going on for many years. In fact, the Public Health Service has played an active part in the attack on these problems not only by providing technical advice and assistance but also by assigning physicians and other personnel in its commissioned corps for terms of duty at Indian hospitals and other field installations.
In recent years, the Indian Bureau has been obtaining a major share of its professional medical personnel by assignment from the Public Health Service. On July 1,1955, this process reached its logical culmination when the Public Health Service took over full responsibility for the Indian health program under the provisions of Public Law 568 of the 83d Congress.
Despite this shift in basic responsibility, however, it is fully anticipated that the excellent cooperative relationships which have been developed between the two agencies over the years will be maintained and strengthened.
Advances in Indian Education
Cooperative action has been of major importance in the education of Indian children.
Since enactment of the Johnson-O’Malley Act in the mid-1930’s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has been contracting annually with State Departments of Education and local school districts for education of Indian children in public schools. In fiscal year 1955, such contracts were negotiated in 20 States and the Territory of Alaska, providing school opportunities for about 36,000 Indian or native children.
In addition to this perennial cooperation with State and local school authorities, collaboration of a much more extensive nature took place during the year under the Navajo Emergency Education Program.
To achieve the ambitious first-year goal of the program—provision of educational opportunities for an additional 7,000 Navajo children— the Bureau of Indian Affairs solicited and received cooperation from the public schools in the area, from a wide range of community organizations and agencies in the surrounding towns, and from the Navajo tribe itself. Congress provided the funds, necessary to the Department’s effort.
As a result, the first-year goal not only was achieved, but exceeded. Total enrollment of Navajo youngsters in schools of all sorts in
XXX + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
creased from 16,215 at the close of the fiscal year 195-1, to 23,679 at the end of fiscal 1955.
Mere statement of the statistics cannot completely tell the story. There is a warm, human element to it which sets of figures standing alone cannot convey. Social progress for a large group is involved, as well as laying the groundwork for good citizens of tomorrow.
In June of 1953, there were about 28,000 Navajo children in the norma] school age bracket of 6 to 18. Of this number, almost exactly half were enrolled in schools both on and off the Reservation.
The other half, including many youngsters 15 or 16 years old, never had seen the inside of a classroom. They were growing up totally illiterate.
This startling circumstance called for swift and sweeping action by the Department.
With excellent cooperation from Congress in providing the necessary funds, the Department went to work to correct the situation.
Trailers and quonset huts were pressed into service. Existing-Reservation schools were enlarged and reorganized to provide a maximum of classroom space. Arrangements were made with nearby communities to receive the older Navajo children in the regular public schools and to have them provided with room and board at Government expense.
All along the line, throughout the arduous months of the program’s progress, the utmost cooperation has been extended from every quarter. The program is continuing unabated, and is expected by the middle of fiscal 1956 to have progressed to a point where educational facilities will be available for every school age youngster in the Navajo tribe.
Here is an instance in which partnership—the pooling of effort—-has paid immeasurable dividends in development of human resources..
NATIONAL PARKS
Primary concern of the National Park Service is with people and with the provision of a means for them to use profitably the increasing amounts of leisure time they enjoy.
For this reason, the work and the objectives of the Service with respect to natural resource conservation and development differ fundamentally from those of other Federal agencies.
To accomplish its objective, the National Park Service has the responsibility of protecting and preserving major scenic, scientific and historic areas of the United States.
Expenditure of public funds at all governmental levels must be geared to the realization that parks are closely related to progress in.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT > XXXI
all forms of endeavor. Otherwise, they are not going to properly serve the America of the future.
Every dollar prudently spent for park purposes is an investment in the future of our Nation and our people.
It is necessary for the National Park Service to seek and to extend cooperation in many different ways. Cooperative effort is required in the development and management of areas for which the Service is responsible; it is required to meet closely related responsibilities acquired, by the Service in the years since its establishment.
Cooperation With Other Agencies
Numerous other Federal agencies are involved in cooperative agreements with the National Park Service. Agencies of the various States often are parties to such efforts as are, to a growing degree, private individuals and groups. Each in his own way contributes to the hastening of achievement of common goals.
The National Park Service forms partnerships with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers to appraise possible recreational “dividends” accruing from construction of dams and reservoirs.
Detailed planning of recreational developments on reservoirs constructed by these other agencies makes the Service’s recreational “know-how” available on a cooperative or partnership basis.
The Service is progressing steadily in its expansion to meet growing needs and toward more efficient and effective administration.
Increased appropriations granted by Congress permit the Service to provide more adequate staffing, and to better manage the areas in its care.
Expanding the Parks
The National Park System today is larger than it has ever been. Since 1953, some 125,000 acres of parkland have been acquired and the boundaries of Everglades National Park were extended to take in an additional 211,000 acres.
Efforts are being made to advance a partnership program for park road, construction under which problems of construction and maintenance would be worked out cooperatively with the affected States.
For more than three decades the Bureau of Public Roads has provided engineering and supervision for construction of major roads in areas administered by the National Park Service. This arrangement has assumed greater importance during the past year, with the allocation of more funds than at any previous time in the Service’s history for construction of roads, trails and parkways.
XXXII + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Work on Park Roads Accelerating
A total of $35 million has been authorized for roads and trails during the three years beginning with fiscal 1955. The three-year total for parkways is $30 million.
Appropriations and contract authorizations within these sums are permitting the National Park Service to complete important roads on which progress has been halted, such as the Stevens Canyon Road in Mount Rainier National Park. The Service is enabled to provide additional road mileage in recently established areas, and where the need is most urgent to modernize roads either worn out under the present traffic load or unsuited for modern traffic.
Forests of the national parks are more than essential elements of scenic beauty.
They include extensive stands of the most majestic forest growth in the United States. It is both natural and necessary that there should be the closest inter-agency cooperation in the protection of this resource against fire, insect infestations and disease.
The National Park Service has as partners in this protective function the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, State forestry agencies, and private forest protective groups.
Problems involving non-Federal holdings within the established boundaries of National Park System areas are being met in part through authorizations to exchange these lands for lands in the public domain.
Best use of this authorization depends for its effectiveness upon the cooperation of the Bureau of Land Management, which has been extended freely and intelligently.
Notable examples are the steady progress being made in “blocking up” Federal ownership in Joshua Tree National Monument, and, more recently, at Saguaro National Monument. In this latter instance, an agreement has been reached on an exchange with the State of Arizona.
In performing such tasks as the survey of the recreational resources of Alaska, the National Park Service has called upon such agencies as the University of Washington and the National Recreation Association to handle certain special phases of the study.
In the historical and geological study of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area, now in progress, the Service is receiving valuable assistance from the Office of Naval Research and from the Laboratory for Marine Studies of the University of Louisiana.
Mission 66
The endeavor to formulate a long range plan for the development and management of the National Park System—designated as Mission 66—has revealed numerous partnership opportunities.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XXXIII
In its earliest stages, Mission 66 disclosed the absolute necessity for close cooperation between the National Park Service on the one hand, and the Forest Service and other land management agencies on the other, if the forward-looking program is to come to its fullest realization.
The effort to bring about, as rapidly as conditions will permit, removal of public use developments which encroach seriously on major natural features also will require partnership activity. It is contemplated that these public use developments would be relocated outside of park boundaries on lands administered by other agencies, insofar as possible.
Improved roads and more rapid transportation have lessened the necessity for placing all such facilities inside extensive park areas. Thus, the way has been opened for their gradual removal to other sites involving less serious impairment of the natural scene.
There has been a close though informal degree of cooperation between the National Park Service and State agencies, from the early days of the Service. Since 1936, cooperation in planning has been a Service responsibility stipulated by Congress, to be exercised only upon request of the responsible State authority.
Closely related is the task of investigating surplus Federal properties sought by State or local agencies for recreational or historic site purposes. During the past year there were 11 such investigations in 8 States and the Territory of Hawaii.
Partnership with Private Enterprise
1 osemite National Park for the first time is on the way to having fully adequate telephone and radio communications, to be furnished by the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company. A similar arrangement is being worked out for most of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. This is expected not only to provide first-rate service, but also to save the Government about $6,000 a year.
These are examples of the kind of progress which is being made steadily, in getting out of certain types of activity which are unduly costly and in which the Service cannot expect to attain satisfactory proficiency.
Ten of the areas administered by the National Park Service benefited from completion of such arrangements during the year, and others are projected.
The past year has seen continuance of an important trend of contributions to advancement of National Park Service objectives, by private individuals, corporations and foundations.
364841—56--3
XXXIV + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
As long ago as 1920, the Congress authorized acceptance of donations to be used in furthering Service projects for the public benefit. In 1935, it created the National Park Trust Fund and Trust Fund Board. Both recognized that the objectives of the Service and the National Park System it manages are a particularly desirable field for benefactions. Donors appreciate that lasting benefits will result.
A notable case was the contribution last year of $500,000 by Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc., to match a Federal appropriation. This nonprofit corporation established by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., also provided funds for the new Jackson Lake Lodge completed this summer in Grand Teton National Park.
In all these varied cooperative activities, the cause of Federal economy is advanced, there is a fair sharing of responsibility among public and private agencies, and the goal of adequate outdoor recreational opportunity for everybody comes more nearly to realization.
FISH AND WILDLIFE RESOURCES
Wildlife management is proving to be one of the most challenging problems in the field of natural resource development because of the ever-mounting number of people and the increased competition for land use.
In meeting common problems of resource development, the Department of the Interior has encouraged the philosophy of a working partnership among the Federal Government, State and local governments, and private interests.
On of the most satisfying experiences of the past year for the Fish and Wildlife Service has been the progress recorded in implementing this philosophy by bringing the Service closer to the States and local communities in the truest sense of partnership.
In every field in which the Service operates, greater effort was directed to cooperative participation and understanding. As a result, the foundations have been laid for one of the most rewarding eras in the history of wildlife conservation in this country.
Aware of the rapidly increasing number of sportsmen and the proportionately greater demands year by year upon fish and wildlife resources, the Service is proceeding as expeditiously as it can in expanding its activities to meet these growing needs.
Expansion of Wildlife Refuges
Since 1953, eight new wildlife refuges have been established and three more are in process of being established. Presently the Service administers 264 national wildlife refuges in 42 States, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, as well as 89 fish hatcheries in 42 States.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XXXV
In all, almost 80,000 additional acres have been acquired for wildlife preservation.
Conversely, the Service and the Department has resisted efforts to reduce the effective work underway in any of these areas.
Waterfowl Management and Protection
Great strides are being made toward improving cooperative ties between Federal and State governments in the management of migratory birds.
Within the past few years all States have organized their waterfowl management programs along flyway lines—the flyway being the unit of management for migratory birds. This action has led to a better understanding of the problems associated with waterfowl management.
The Service has encouraged this organized endeavor by frequent meetings with the Flyway Councils to consider waterfowl management problems. Each of these organizations is represented on the Director’s Advisory Committee on Waterfowl so that the State and local viewpoint is presented to the Service before the annual hunting regulations are amended.
Surveys made on the waterfowl breeding grounds are also cooperative in nature.
The Fish and Wildlife Service, the Canadian Wildlife Service, the Provincial Game Branches, and Ducks Unlimited combine their manpower and equipment to cover all of the important nesting areas in Canada. Service biologists cover the important areas in Alaska, while the State conservation agencies, with some help from the Service, carry on surveys in about 25 States.
A vigorous program of land acquisition, to assure living space for waterfowl and other migratory birds, continues as a high priority need in the over-all protection program. Both State and private groups are assuming greater responsibilities each year in supplementing Federal programs in this connection.
Ban on Baiting Continued
The Department has held firm to the ban on baiting—an important though controversial aspect of waterfowl management and protection.
In California, most of the natural waterfowl wintering areas have shrunk because of agricultural expansions. California winters most of the waterfowl of the Pacific Flyway, but the State no longer has sufficient natural habitat. In search of food, the birds concentrate in the three great valleys of California—the Sacramento, the San Joaquin and the Imperial.
Heavy damage to California crops resulted from this concentration. Over the years, several methods of frightening the birds away from
XXXVI + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR unharvested or growing crops were utilized, with varying degrees of success.
, In 1953 the California State Legislature approved an act designed to relieve crop depredation by migratory waterfowl through permitting the feeding of birds to attract them away from crop areas. Specified conditions were adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has maintained close watch on the experimental feeding program, with the determination that it should not result in abuses which would lead to revival of baiting. It has been made clear that nothing in the California regulations are to be construed as license to violate the Federal ban on baiting which applies to all 48 States.
Cooperation in Wildlife and Fishery Research
Basic to the management of wildlife resources is a knowledge of game and fish populations.
This is common ground for Federal and State administrators regardless of which eventually exercises jurisdiction. Not infrequently, local and private interests are directly concerned. In this area of common interest, cooperative effort is a recognized necessity and an accomplished fact.
In studies of bird migration, 48 State conservation agencies and numerous universities and scientific organizations cooperate with the Service in banding thousands of birds to trace their migration routes.
“Team” Research Extended
The concept of team research—bringing together specialists in several fields to concentrate upon a complex research problem—has been greatly extended in fishery research during the past fiscal year.
Devices proving effective and advantageous to both “partners” include: Contract research with universities, marine laboratories, and oceanographic institutions; cooperative arrangements with State fishery research units for joint work on problems of mutual interest; and invited participation on cruises of research vessels of specialists in fields related to or supporting fishery biological research.
Commercial Fishing
Faced with increasing fishing effort in Alaska and a serious decline in certain of the salmon runs due in part to unfavorable natural conditions, the Service in 1954 imposed drastic restrictions on commercial fishing in Prince William Sound and southeastern Alaska and re
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XXXVII
doubled its enforcement efforts to provide more adequate seeding of the pink salmon spawning streams.
Although seriously affected by these restrictions, the salmon industry cooperated to the fullest extent. Cannery operations were consolidated and the plans of operators and fishermen alike were tailored to achieve a substantial reduction in fishing intensity.
Initial results of this vigorous restoration program are encouraging. Increased numbers of spawning pink salmon have brightened the prospects for larger runs in those areas in 1956 and succeeding years.
In fisheries exploration and gear research, cooperative effort is producing valuable discoveries and developments. Commercial fishermen, industry members, and local fishery commissions are consulted in project planning. Researchers from universities and State and private agencies accompany Service research vessels and contribute special skills and knowledge to the problems of finding, evaluating, and efficiently utilizing fishery resources.
In cooperation with the Navy Bureau of Ships, underwater television has been adapted to the study of fishing gear. Service specialists advise commercial fishermen on the proper gear and equipment for entering new fisheries, such as the recently discovered Gulf of Mexico tuna grounds.
Saltonstall-Kennedy Program
In fiscal year 1955, under the terms of the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act which was approved by the President on July 1, 1954, the Service embarked upon a research program designed to help the ailing commercial fishing industry of this country to expand production and to develop new markets for fishery products.
In order to produce practical results for the industry in the shortest possible time, the Service, the States, and the industry joined forces in drafting a research and development program.
Now, at the end of the first year of this new coordinated Government-industry effort, it can be said that the American commercial fishing industry is in a better position to realize its production and marketing potential than at any previous time in its long history.
Controlling Predatory Animals and Harmful Rodents
An excellent example of a highly successful partnership is that participated in by the Service and. the farming and stock raising industries of the country to protect livestock and crops from depredations by predatory animals and destructive rodents.
Savings amounting to many millions of dollars annually have resulted, at a relatively slight cost. Cooperators paid 82 percent of the total cost in the past year.
XXXVIII + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Fish Hatchery Operation
The Federal program for stocking fish in inland waters is being carried on in cooperation with the States to provide better sport for the millions of licensed fishermen.
In fiscal year 1955, the Service operated 89 fish hatcheries in 42 States as its contribution to the maintenance of the sport fishery resource. A large percentage of the fish reared in Federal hatcheries was liberated in waters on Federal land, near military installations and veterans hospitals, and on State-Federal management areas.
Federal Aid Restoration Programs for Sport Fish and Wildlife
Another outstanding example of the partnership concept is the Service’s Pitman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson programs.
Under these programs Federal funds from the excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition and sport fishing gear are matched in the ratio of three to one with State hunting and fishing license revenues to restore and improve the living conditions for fish and game. The projects are selected and planned by the States and, after approval by the Fish and Wildlife Service, are carried out by the respective State fish and game departments, with the resulting improvements belonging to the States.
The Pittman-Robertson program for wildlife has furnished the vehicle by which the States cooperate with farmers, ranchers, soil conservation districts and others in the planting of food and cover to improve game environment. Each year several thousand new game areas are created in the gullied portions or odd corners of cooperative farms.
With Dingell-Johnson funds many new fishing lakes were developed last year on lands acquired and donated to the States by private individuals and sportsmen’s clubs. In several States large scale lake rehabilitation projects have been carried out as cooperative ventures.
One of the most important cooperative research activities is a study of the striped bass on the Atlantic coast. The investigations are guided by a coordinating committee representing the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, with the Fish and Wildlife Service providing technical direction.
PARTNERSHIP PROGRESS IN THE TERRITORIES
Within our Nation, there are few areas where the concept of partnership in the conversation and development of resources is more meaningful than in the Territories of the United States.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XXXIX
In most of these areas the hope of economic and political progress in the future is dependent upon wise application of cooperative principles today.
The essence of this partnership is found in two kinds of cooperative adjustments: The relation of the Federal Government to territorial and local Governments, and the relation of all governmental institutions—Federal, territorial and local—to the initiative and enterprise of territorial citizens.
In past years, the trend toward Federal interferences and dominance had come to be regarded as desirable in itself, independently of its results.
In the Territories—though in some more than others—the Federal Government completely overshadowed local governments, while private and free enterprise often had become neither private nor free.
In Alaska, for example, land withdrawals were made on the theory that only the Government knew best. Land titles were so entangled with procedural red tape that it sometimes was difficult for an Alaskan to acquire legal ownership of his own home.
An effort is now being made to change this trend.
Transfer of Responsibilities to Local Governments
In the Territories this has meant a transfer of Federal responsibilities to territorial and local Governments, wherever those responsibilities can better be exercised by the local Governments. It has meant also a renewed emphasis upon private rather than Government enterprise, with the Federal Government ceasing to perform economic functions which are not normally within its sphere, and which individual citizens or groups of citizens are prepared effectively to undertake.
Finally, it has meant a policy of affirmative aid and encouragement to programs of economic development by the Federal Government when such a course is deemed in the best interests of all of us.
Expressed in these terms, the partnership principle is by no means inflexible.
The usually varying and often unique characteristics of many of the Territories make possible and, in fact, require differing applications of the principle. In a sense, they are workshops for testing new ideas and differing techniques in applying the concept of partnership to particular times and circumstances.
While the ultimate goals can be the same fundamentally, it would be quite unreasonable to attempt the same methods of cooperation in conserving and developing both human and natural resources in a primitive Pacific island as in modern and politically mature Hawaii. In Alaska, with the Federal Government owning more than 90 per-
XL + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR cent of the land, economic problems cannot be handled in the same fashion as in California or Hawaii.
The Alaska Railroad
Thus, the Department of the Interior continues to operate The Alaska Railroad. This is not because of a belief in the inherent superiority of Government enterprise, but because the Railroad as yet cannot be operated in accordance with the economic standards which normally prevail in private business.
On the other hand, the Railroad has divested itself of such subsidiary activities as the operation of river boats and the maintenance of commissaries, because these operations were ready to be assimilated within the ordinary scope of business operations.
It has been emphasized that a cardinal feature of our territorial policy has been decentralization of responsibility by transferring from the Federal Government such functions as the Territories can handle effectively.
For politically mature Territories, such as Hawaii and Alaska, this means taking over from the Federal Government all those functions that customarily are performed by State Governments elsewhere.
In Hawaii this process has advanced to such a degree that the Territory is ready for statehood. Military and economic problems so far have delayed a similarly direct solution as applied to Alaska.
Several events of the past year illustrate the Department’s concept of partnership as between the Federal Government and Alaska’s Territorial Government.
For many years the care of Alaska’s mentally ill has been a Federal function administered by the Department’s Office of Territories. The Department has devised a program for transferring this function to the Territory of Alaska, and has drafted legislation to implement that program.
To help solve financial problems incident to the transition to territorial control, the Department has proposed Federal grants for construction of mental hospital facilities in Alaska and for aid in meeting operational expenses during the initial years. Granting of sub-stantal acreage of Federal land also has been proposed as a further aid.
Highway Development In Alaska
Highway development in Alaska is another example of progress resulting from the Federal Government working in conjunction with the Territory.
For a half-century the construction and maintenance of primary or “through” roads in Alaska have been solely a Federal responsibility.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT 4- XLI
Most of this responsibility has been exercised by the Department of the Interior through the Alaska Road Commission which operates with Federal funds.
During the 1955 session of the Territorial Legislature, the Governor urged and the Legislature approved an increase in the motor fuel tax which would make more territorial funds available for highway expansion.
By increasing the total amount of territorial money available for road building and maintenance, Alaska is assuming at least a portion of the responsibility which in the past has been shouldered by the Federal Government.
The contribution of highway facilities to development of resources is readily discernible.
Liquidation of PRRA
Final liquidation of the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration should be mentioned as another example of transfer to a Territory of what had been a major Federal responsibility.
This Federal agency was born of depression and performed an essential function during a time of hardship in Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico has become a Commonwealth of the United States, and the emergency for which the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration was created has passed into history.
The agency has been liquidated completely, and several millions of dollars returned to the Treasury.
Such economic functions of the defunct Federal agency as the Government of Puerto Rico wishes to perform now will be a Commonwealth responsibility and not one of the Federal Government.
As another example, the public works for the Virgin Islands—which has been administered by the Department of the Interior—is being transferred to the Virgin Island Government under a Revised Organic Act.
Withdrawal From N on-Government Functions
In the development and conservation of resources, economic cooperation means not only withdrawal from activities in which the Government has been competing with its own citizens, but it means affirmative aid in those instances in which the Federal Government can assist its citizens to do a better job.
Action of The Alaska Railroad in disposing of commissary and river boat operations is illustrative of the first sort of partnership between government and industry.
XLII ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Similar consideration has been shown for the economic interests of citizens in other Territories.
In the Virgin Islands, the Federal Government has gone out of the hotel business and has sold a Government distillery.
In the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Department of the Interior has liquidated a Federal Agency, the Island Trading Company, which had been engaged in trade and distribution operations throughout the islands. Economic functions of the agency have been turned over to native-owned trading companies.
In American Samoa, the Department of the Interior has leased a government-owned fish cannery, and as a result exports of that Territory have doubled in value in one year.
Aid In Resource Development
Alaska provides dramatic examples of Government aid and encouragement in the conservation and development of resources.
The Department of the Interior is in the forefront in this sort of Federal activity through the work of the Office of Territories, Bureau of Mines, Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The record bears ample testimony to the beneficial effect these various Federal activities have had upon Alaskan development.
One of the Federal aids in the development of Alaska to which the Department of the Interior can point with particular pride is The Alaska Railroad.
During fiscal year 1955, the Railroad enjoyed one of the best years in its history from a financial standpoint. At the same time, it improved its train schedules and its service to shippers.
Plans are far advanced for a seatrain service to Alaska which gives promise of bringing a revolutionary and beneficial change to Alaskan shipping habits. This is expected to be accomplished through cooperation between The Alaska Railroad and a large ocean shipping concern.
Through the work of Department’s Alaska Road Commission, more than 3,000 miles of high standard highways have been constructed and are being maintained throughout the Territory. Much of this highway mileage is kept open during the winter months.
The Alaska Public Works Program has continued to make possible additional schools, water systems, paved streets, sewers and other utilities in Alaska’s fast-growing communities.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT > XLIlt
Partnership Aids Industrial Development
On the industrial front, one of the greatest accomplishments thus far has been the building and operation of a $50 million pulp mill near Ketchikan. This achievement was made possible through partnership among Federal and Territorial Governments and private business.
The mill has completed its first year of operation, using logs secured not only by its own force of loggers but those purchased from surrounding communities as well. Thus, its economic benefits have been distributed over a wide area of Alaska. This mill represents the first large scale use of the rich timber resources of the Tongass National Forest.
The Ketchikan pulp mill is a forerunner of similar developments elsewhere in the Territory. At Wrangell, Juneau and Sitka there is more than just a possibility of other large scale uses of Alaska timber. At Wrangell, contracts have been awarded, and at Juneau the timber to be utilized has been advertised for bid.
All these developments are based upon Federal encouragement of private use of publicly-owned timber. Their success depends upon continuance of a partnership arrangement between business interests and the Federal and Territorial Governments.
Petroleum Development In Alaska
The search for petroleum in Alaska again exemplifies the partnership principle.
Here also the Government, as landowner, must establish the conditions which will make resource development possible. These conditions have been established in Alaska, and during the 1955 fiscal year the Bureau of Land Management leased oil rights on more than 500,000 acres. Drilling is underway in several areas around Cook Inlet and in the coastal area east of Cordova.
In addition, the Department has made representations both to the Congress and to the Department of the Navy, looking toward modification of Public Land Order 82 so that 25 million additional acres of Alaska land with oil-bearing possibilities and located outside Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 can be opened to exploration.
With so much activity in regions where geologic characteristics are so promising, it seems likely that the search for oil in Alaska will be rewarded with major strikes.
Cooperative Activities In Hawaii
In Hawaii, land for pineapples and sugar, and climate and scenery for tourists are major resources. Cooperation in their development
XLIV + ANNUAL REPORT, SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
and exploitation lias emphasized partnership between the Territory and private industry, with the Federal Government occupying scarcely more than a junior-partner role.
Other than the Hawaiian Islands, Pacific areas cannot show similar large scale partnership results because, in general, their resources are quite meager as compared with either Hawaii or Alaska.
Nonetheless, in highly important ways the partnership principle has been extended to them, with the Federal Government necessarily in a senior-partner role.
Aside from the transfer of trading operations from a Federal agency to island-owned companies, already mentioned, the Federal Government fosters sea and air transportation in Pacific island areas, promotes introduction of new crops such as cocoa, encourages more widespread native ownership of land, assists the islanders in eradicating insect pests, and promotes health and education programs.
CONCLUSION
As this report has indicated, partnership offers a bright hope for meeting soundly and aggressively our pressing resource problems of today and those that are certain to face us increasingly in the future.
Our resource problems are twofold, involving both conservation and development. In terms of development we must make available and use our resources on a, tremendously expanded scale. In recent years the dynamic energy of American technology has provided what is perhaps the prime key to this phase of our resource future.
Technology has shown us the way to make better and more complete uses of our old resource standbys—such as wood and coal—as well as enabled us to develop an almost infinite variety of new materials from hitherto little used sources. We make a host of synthetics from coal tars; we take nitrogen from the air and magnesium from the oceans; titanium, zirconium, the rare earths, and many other new metals have emerged with vital roles to play in our exciting industrial drama.
Chemical technology has, indeed, opened wide the casements to a brave new world in which our material needs may be met on order— if we describe the properties of the new substance or material we need, chemistry stands ready to produce it. Our plastic industry for instance, only a few years ago in its infancy, has grown overnight into a new productive giant through its ability to tailor new products from cheap and virtually inexhaustible raw materials.
The doors that atomic energy and other products of our inventive genius will ultimately open we can only guess. But we can be confident that our path leads onward to a constantly better life for all our
RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT + XLV people as long as we stand firmly by the principles of creative enterprise and constructive teamwork in a partnership attack on the vast problems of sound resource development.
The second, and equally important phase of our resource mission, must be conservation for ourselves and for future generations, of the best and greatest of our heritage of natural beauty.
In our immediate preoccupation with our resource development goals, we cannot forget that man lives for more than material things. The need for surcease from the very technology which offers us so much material progress grows apace as our population grows and our civilization becomes ever more complex and mechanized. We need to freshen our spirits occasionally with the peace of untrammeled nature, with the pure joy of birds in flight, and glimpses into the eternal mystery of our destiny that come to us most often in communion with the things that God, not man, has made.
Thus, we must jealously guard the beauties of our parks and wildlife refuges placed in our trust for our own enjoyment and for that of our children far into the future.
If we keep our eyes firmly fixed on this dual resource task—development and conservation—we shall continue through a partnership of all the American people to use our resources for the perpetual progress of man to heights which today we can only dimly sense.
PART II
ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE BUREAUS AND OFFICES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of the Assistant Secretary Water and Power Development
Fred G. Aandahl, Assistant Secretary
☆ ☆ ☆
THE Assistant Secretary—-Water and Power Development—is responsible for the supervision and direction of the water and power agencies of the Department. These are the Bureau of Reclamation, Bonneville Power Administration, Southeastern Power Administration, and the Southwestern Power Administration. The latter three agencies are solely marketing agencies for the sale of surplus electric power generated at Federal dams in their respective areas. The Bureau of Reclamation undertakes the construction of projects whose primary purpose is the reclamation of arid and semiarid lands in the western part of the United States and also markets power in this area outside the boundaries of the Bonneville Power Administration and Southwestern Power Administration. The activities of these agencies are more fully described in sections of this report covering each of the Department’s bureaus and offices.
In addition, the Assistant Secretary—Water and Power Development—exercises responsibilities which are not exclusive to any one of the Department’s operating bureaus or agencies, but which involve particularly the consideration of problems of a broad, overall, or policy nature. These include the supervision of the saline water conversion program, which is described in a separate chapter in this report, and coordination, review, and preparation of departmental comments on water and power project proposals submitted by other Federal agencies to this Department. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1955, the Department, through this office, reviewed 35 reports of the Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army, concerned primarily with flood control and navigation; 1 report of the Department of Agriculture concerned primarily with runoff and waterflow retardation; 3 reports of the Public Health Service, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, concerning water pollution; and 42 applications for permits and licenses under the Federal Power Act.
364841—56-
■4
3
4	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
The Assistant Secretary—Water and Power Development—also exercises, under delegation from the Secretary of the Interior, direct supervision over activities in the field of defense electric power. These activities are fully described in another section of this report.
The Assistant Secretary—Water and Power Development—actively participated in the negotiation of contracts for the marketing of power in the Southeast and Southwest during fiscal year 1955. These negotiations included discussions with the Carolina Power & Light and preferred agencies for a wheeling arrangement to market the remaining one-third of the John H. Kerr project power in the company’s service area. Negotiations for contracts to replace inoperative lease operate with option to purchase transmission contracts and power sales and exchange agreements were continued with generating and transmission cooperatives in the SPA area. Interim operating, sales, and purchase contracts were also negotiated with the G and T cooperatives for this year. At the request of the Assistant Secretary, a review of the hydroelectric potential available, as a result of the recent severe drought in the Southwest area, was made by an interagency group of experts representing the Corps of Engineers, Federal Power Commission, and the Department of the Interior.
Policies were reviewed and formulated for the marketing of power and preparation of adjustments in rates by the Southwestern Power Administration. Work was continued with the Bureau of Reclamation on general marketing criteria for guidance in the disposal of power. The following summarizes the power marketing activities of the Department’s four marketing agencies:
Power marketing data, fiscal year 1955
Marketing Agency	Installed capacity (as of June 30, 1955) (kilowatts)	Net energy generated (million kilowatt hours)	Energy marketed (million kilowatt-hours)	Gross revenue (thousands of dollars)
Bureau of Reclamation	_ 	 		i 5, 208, 050	25, 643	2 310, 455	3 35, 620
Bonneville Power Administration	_ _ 		4 1, 359,800	8, 613	21,823	51.124
Southeastern Power Administration...	_ 		4 1, 031, 000	2,124	5 2. 121	9, 783
Southwestern Power Administration		4 426, 000	584	5 778	4,063
Total				8, 024,850	36, 964	3 35,177	100, 590
1 Includes 325,000 kilowatts at Corps of Engineers’ and 31,500 kilowatts in International Water Commission’s projects.
2 Excludes 14,576 million kilowatt hours delivered at Grand Coulee Dam and Hungry Horse Dam by Bureau of Reclamation to Bonneville Power Administration.
3 Excludes $16,144,000 revenue received from Bonneville Power Administration.
4 Capacity at Corps of Engineers projects.
6 Includes purchased energy.
Instructions wTere developed and issued for a comprehensive analysis and review of the Missouri Basin program in cooperation with the Inter-Agency Committee on Water Resources.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	5
Studies were continued in cooperation with other interested Federal agencies of Canadian-United States reservoir storage and hydroelectric power projects.
The Assistant Secretary participated with representatives of the Department of the Interior and other interested Federal agencies in further discussions with representatives of the State of California on the proposal of the California Water Project Authority for State acquisition of the Central Valley project.
He also served as departmental representative on the Inter-Agency Committee on Water Resources. The purpose of this Committee is to provide for the coordination of policies and programs of the various Federal agencies concerned with water resources development. During the year, the Committee established field committees in the basins of the Columbia, the Missouri, the Pacific Southwest, and the Arkansas-White-Red.

..
■
.■ ■ .	.	J	l&ki
■ . . . ■
. ■
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
Wilbur A. Dexheimer, Commissioner
☆ ☆ ☆
Introduction
GREATER participation by State governments and local communities, private industries and individual citizens paced the program of the Bureau of Reclamation in the development of the water resources in 17 Western States and Alaska during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1955. Legislation enacted or pending in Congress at the close of the year pointed to an even closer partnership in sharing the costs, responsibilities and benefits of Federal Reclamation in 1956.
A highlight of the year was the dramatic service of the Colorado-Big Thompson project to the extensive irrigated areas in northern Colorado which in 1954 experienced the first serious drought in 20 years. The availability of more than 300,000 acre-feet of water from the virtually completed transmountain diversion project prevented total disaster from a withering drought and assured economic and agricultural stability to a farflung area extending from the Rocky Mountains eastwards through the South Platte River Basin to the Colorado-Nebraska State line. Project water deliveries which brought a gross repayment to the Government of $770,880, resulted in an increased crop income to the benefited area of not less than $22 million in that one season.
Increased emphasis was given to cooperative engineering effort with small irrigation districts. There was continued improvement in rehabilitation, reconstruction, and betterment of irrigation projects built many years ago under private initiative. Indicative of this effort were the rehabilitation of irrigation facilities on the Dalton Gardens and Avondale irrigation systems in Idaho; the rehabilitation of the Isleta Diversion Dam and more than 180 miles of drains on the Middle Rio Grande project in New Mexico; and rehabilitation of the Savage Rapids Dam on the Grants Pass project in Oregon.
The Bureau of Reclamation was represented at four international engineering conferences during the year including attendance by the Commissioner at the World Power Conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August 1954, and as an official United States delegate designated by the Department of State at the Fifth International Congress on Large Dams held in Paris, France, in June 1955.
7
8
+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
DIVISION OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Construction Completed
Construction completed during fiscal year 1955 on Bureau of Reclamation projects in the West and in Alaska provided irrigation facilities to serve about 315,000 acres of land, 133,500 kilowatts of hydroelectric generating capacity, 785 miles of canals, pipelines, laterals, and drains, and more than 470 miles of electrical transmission lines. The investment in this new construction work and in related water resource and land development features totaled $122 million for the fiscal year.
During the fiscal year 482 separate contracts, having a total face value of about $46 million, were awarded for construction, materials, equipment, and supplies for Bureau project undertakings. Of this total contract value, construction contracts comprised about $41 million, or about 89 percent. The 186 construction contracts in progress at the end of the fiscal year had a total value of more than $145 million.
The 1955 fiscal year saw the completion of the Eklutna project in Alaska and the placing in service of the 30,000-kilowatt Eklutna powerplant; the “holing through” of the 6-mile long Tecolote Tunnel on the Cachuma project in California; completion of the Nimbus Dam and its 13,500-kilowatt powerplant on the Central Valley project in California; and completion of the 36,000-kilowatt Alcova powerplant on the Kendrick project in Wyoming.
Other outstanding construction events were the completion of the Sly Park Dam on the Central Valley project in California; the completion of the 3.3-mile long Gateway Tunnel on the Weber Basin project in Utah; the dedication of the Kirwin Dam on the Missouri River Basin project in Kansas; and the start of construction in the Missouri River Basin of the Glendo Dam in Wyoming and the Lovewell Dam in Kansas.
The 1956 fiscal year construction program will continue work on 34 projects and Missouri River Basin project units and will extend irrigation water service to 120,400 acres of new land, provide supplemental irrigation to 82,900 acres, and generate an additional 120,000 kilowatts of hydroelectric power.
Contract Awards
Table 1 lists the major construction contracts (more than $1 million) awarded by the Bureau of Reclamation in fiscal year 1955. Among features for which contracts were awarded were Glendo Dam on the Missouri River Basin project in Wyoming, Lovewell Dam on the Missouri River Basin project in Kansas, 7.6 miles of the Gateway Canal on the Weber Basin project in Utah, and 11.4 miles of highway
annual report of bureaus and offices +	9
relocation at the Monticello Reservoir on the Solano project in California.
The principal features completed on Bureau of Reclamation projects in fiscal year 1955 are listed in table 2. The listing includes 1 storage dam, 3 powerplants, 785 miles of canals, pipelines, laterals, and drains, 474 miles of transmission lines, 2 rehabilitated diversion dams, and 189 miles of rehabilitated drains.
Table I.—Major Bureau of Reclamation contracts awarded in fiscal year 1955
Feature	Project	Amount of award
Glendo Dam, powerplant foundation, and 7.5 miles of roads.	Missouri River Basin		$6, 270, 790
Lovewell Dam	 _ 		do	...			2,324, 850 1,948,822 1, 663, 806 1, 493, 268
7.6 miles of Gateway Canal	Weber Basin	 		
11.4 miles of highway relocation	 	 ..	Solano _				
201.5 miles of Alcova-Gering and 5.6 miles of Lingle Tap— Lingle 115-kilovolt transmission lines.	Missouri River Basin		
40 miles of pipelines for units 2 and 3, Exeter irrigation district. Friant-Kern Canal.1	Central Valley		1,376, 755
Pineview Dam enlargement and 2J4 miles of highway relocation L	Weber Basin		1, 372,172
48.2 miles of laterals, sublaterals, and wasteways and 6.6 miles of pipelines for Potholes East Canal laterals.	Columbia Basin		1, 297,368
33 miles of laterals, sublater ils, wasteways and drains and 2.5 miles of pipe siphon for West Canal laterals.		do—			1, 211,386
26 miles of laterals for unit 2, Wellton distribution system		Gila	 	 ...	1,168, 977
Stringing conductors and overhead ground wires for 130 miles of Big Bend-Huron—Watertown 230-kilovolt transmission line.	Missouri River Basin		1,127, 942
Pineview Dam was originally constructed as part of the Ogden River project, Utah.
Table 2.—Principal features completed on Bureau of Reclamation projects in fiscal year 1955
Feature
Project
State
Eklutna Tunnel and powerplant_______________
Nimbus Dam and powerplant___________________
Folsom powerplant structure_________________
Sly Park Dam________________________________
2,417-foot Camino Tunnel____________________
5.6-mile Camino conduit_____________________
39 miles of laterals for Madera Canal distribution system.
10 miles of pipe laterals for Plainview water irrigation distribution system, Delta-Mendota Canal.
123 miles of pipe laterals for Friant-Kern Canal distribution system.
61 miles of pipe laterals___________________
Savage Rapids Dam rehabilitation____________
71 miles of canals and waste ways___________
239 miles of laterals_______._______________
23 miles of pipelines_______________________
9 miles of canals for Kennewick division____
27 miles of canals__________________________
44 miles Saguaro-Phoenix-Tucson 115-kilo-
volt transmission line.
29 miles pipeline for San Jacinto-San Vicente aqueduct.
3.3-mile Gateway Tunnel_____________________
9 miles of canal and laterals_______________
189 miles of drain rehabilitation___________
Isleta Diversion Dam rehabilitation_________
430 miles of 230-kilovolt transmission lines.__
Eklutna__________________
Central Valley___________
----do____________________
____do____________________
----do____________________
----do____________________ ----do____________________
----do____________________
Alaska. California.
Do. Do.
Do. Do.
Do.
Do.
20 miles of Toston and Lombard canals and laterals.
43 miles of canals and laterals, Bostwick division.
61 miles of canals, laterals, and drains, Frenchman-Cambridge division.
Alcova powerplant_______________'_________
21 miles of supply canals_________________
----do___________________
Cachuma_________________
Grants Pass_____________
Columbia Basin__________
____do___________________
----do___________________
Yakima__________________
Gila____________________
Parker-Davis____________
San Diego_______________
Weber Basin_____________
Eden____________________
Middle Rio Grande_______
____do___________________
Missouri River Basin____
----do____________________
____do____________________
____do____________________
Kendrick_________________
Colorado-Big Thompson____
Do.
Do.
Oregon.
Washington.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Arizona.
Do.
California.
Utah.
Wyoming.
New Mexico.
Do.
North Dakota-South kota.
Montana.
Nebraska-Kansas.
Nebraska.
Wyoming.
Colorado.
Da-
10	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Progress of Construction
Development of the irrigation system for the Columbia Basin project in Washington progressed during the year to the stage that facilities were available to serve 247,000 acres of lands, the system having been extended to serve an additional 61,000 acres in fiscal year 1955. Completed during the year were 333 miles of canals, laterals, and wasteways. The system of main canals neared completion at year’s end.
On the Palisades project in Idaho, excellent construction progress was made in placing the earth embankment of the Palisades Dam, following diversion of the Snake River through the dam’s outlet tunnels in August 1954. Good progress was also maintained on the 114,000-kilowatt Palisades powerplant.
Construction of the 12,000-kilowatt Chandler power and pumping plant on the Yakima project in Washington moved ahead of schedule to assure placement of the plant in service during the next fiscal year. Excellent progress was also made on the irrigration system to be served by the pumping installation.
On the Central Valley project in California, substantial progress was made on the project’s irrigation distribution and power facilities. For the Friant-Kern Canal distribution system, 122 miles of pipe laterals were completed; 39 miles of open laterals were completed for the Madera Canal distribution system, and 10 miles of pipe laterals were constructed for the Plainview water irrigation distribution system on the Delta-Mendota Canal.
Construction on the American River Division of the Central Valley project advanced to the point of completion of the Nimbus Dam and its 13,500-kilowatt powerplant, and the placing in service of the first of three 54,000-kilowatt generating units of the Folsom powerplant. With the installation of the remaining 2 Folsom units during the next fiscal year, Nimbus and Folsom powerplants will increase the project’s power capacity by 175,000 kilowatts. Sly Park Dam was completed as well as the 5.6-mile Camino conduit and the half-mile Camino Tunnel.
Also in California, following the installation of improved drainage and ventilation facilities, excavation of the remaining 4,700 feet of the Cachuma project’s 6-mile-long Tecolote Tunnel was resumed in July 1954. The tunnel, one of the most difficult Bureau construction undertakings in recent years because of large inflows of hot water and high humidity, was “holed through” in January 1955. At year’s end, the placing of the concrete lining continued in the tunnel. Cachuma project work was also noted by completion of 61 miles of pipe laterals for the Carpinteria and Goleta distribution systems.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	11
In southern California, the remaining 29-mile section of the San Jacinto-San Vicente aqueduct was completed ahead of schedule. The entire 61-mile length of this second barrel of the San Diego aqueduct, which was designed and constructed by the Bureau for the Department of the Navy, was turned over for operation by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the San Diego County Water Authority.
Extension of the Wellton-Mohawk and Dome distribution systems and installation of additional pumping units in the 3 Wellton-Mohawk pumping plants comprised the major work on the Gila project in Arizona. Unit 1 of the Dome Canal, 27 miles long, was completed.
Progress of work on the Weber Basin project in Utah was highlighted by completion of the 3.3-mile Gateway Tunnel. Construction of the project’s Wanship Dam was ahead of schedule at the end of the fiscal year, and work on the Umile Weber aqueduct and on the 7.6-mile Gateway Canal proceded on schedule.
On the Middle Rio Grande project in New Mexico rehabilitation of the Isleta Diversion Dam and 189 miles of drains was completed and rehabilitation of the El Vado Dam was substantially completed. In the same State, construction contracts for rehabilitation of the Vermejo project were essentially completed.
The comprehensive program for the development of the land and water resources of the Missouri River Basin project progressed at a good rate. Kirwin Dam in Kansas, a large earthfill structure, was essentially completed. Also in Kansas, Webster Dam neared the midway point of completion, and Lovewell Dam was placed under construction. One of the basin project’s major new starts of the year was Glendo Dam and the foundation for the 24,000-kilowatt powerplant construction, starting in December 1954, was sustained at a rapid pace throughout the year.
Other major work was completed on the Missouri River Basin project: 430 miles of “backbone” transmission lines which will transmit power from the large powerplants under construction by the Corps of Engineers on the main stem of the Missouri River in North and South Dakota; 26 miles of the Toston and Lombard canals and laterals in Montana; 43 miles of canals and laterals on the Bostwick division in Nebraska and Kansas; and 61 miles of canals, laterals, and drains under the Frenchman-Cambridge division in Nebraska. On the Sargent unit, also in Nebraska, work was started on the Milburn Diversion Dam and Sargent Canal, the first of several irrigation and flood control facilities planned by the Bureau on the lower reaches of the Platte River and its tributaries.
Construction continued on Tiber Dam in Montana, Pactola Dam in South Dakota, and on about 500 miles of major electrical transmis
12	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
sion lines in the Dakotas and about 230 miles of lines in Nebraska.
Alcova powerplant on the Kendrick project in Wyoming was completed, adding 36,000 kilowatts of installed capacity to the Bureau’s hydroelectric power system in the Missouri River Basin area.
On the Colorado-Big Thompson project in Colorado, 21 miles of supply canals were completed. The transmountain diversion project’s basic facilities were completed last year, except for the authorized Big Thompson powerplant for which construction funds were not available. Work on the South Platte Supply Canal in fiscal year 1956 will complete the final link in the project’s water distribution system.
In Alaska, the 4%-mile Eklutna Tunnel was completed on the Eklutna project and the two 15,000-kilowatt generating units in the Eklutna powerplant were placed in full operation, bringing relief to the power-short Anchorage-Palmer area.
The Bureau continued its safety program during the year to prevent personal injuries through the administration and enforcement of modern safety practices and other preventive measures against the hazards of construction work. Indicative of the progress made in reducing the number of accidents in construction operations was the 7-percent reduction of the accident frequency rate below the previous year's rate.
Design Activities and Developments
Designs and specifications for 117 construction contracts were completed during the year. The average cost for these engineering services as related to the overall Bureau of Reclamation construction and rehabilitation program for the 1955 fiscal year was 4.1 percent.
During the year, for the first time in Bureau design undertakings, the technique of full-scale field tests was applied in determining the performance and the most economical design for an earth dam. To obtain necessary data on the settlement changes caused by the loading of the organic silt foundation for the proposed Willard Dam on the Weber Basin project in Utah, a 35-foot-high test embankment containing embedded measuring apparatus was designed and placed under construction on the project.
Considerable design activity centered on the enlargement and rehabilitation of existing dams. Rehabilitation of the spillways and outlet works for many of these structures imposed complex problems not usually encountered in the development of new works and necessitated innovations in design techniques. Typical of such rehabilitation designs were those for enlargement of the Alamogordo Dam spillway, Carlsbad project, New Mexico; enlargement of the Pineview
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	13
Dam, Weber Basin project, Utah; repair of the outlet works for Wickiup Dam, Deschutes project, Oregon; and replacement of the Crescent Lake Dam, Crescent Lake Dam project, Oregon.
A significant innovation in the design of fish protective facilities was the development of a system of protective louvered barriers at the intake to the Tracy pumping plant on the Central Valley project in California. Fish from the Sacramento River, seeking the ocean and finding themselves at the intake, will be concentrated at the louvered barriers, and then be transported safely to the lower river.
To assure continued operation of waterway structures subject to icing during severe winter weather, a new method of electrical induction heating of exposed surfaces was incorporated in certain structure designs. The formation of ice, which could render structures or equipment inoperable, is prevented by the heat generated by induction through an embedded electrical conduit.
Improved techniques were developed in analyzing vibrations in structures and equipment and were successfully applied to eliminate objectionable vibration of structures at five powerplants and one pumping plant.
Specification Requirements
To lower the cost of construction and make more efficient use of its engineering forces, the Bureau initiated the procedure of requiring the contractor on major construction work to perform all detailed construction surveys previously carried out by the Government; initial survey layouts and surveys for installation of certain major equipment requiring precise measurement will continue to be made by the Bureau.
Foreign Manufacturers
European manufacturers continued to show active interest in Bureau equipment and materials advertisements. During the year 27 contracts for electrical equipment were awarded to foreign manufacturers or their representatives. These contracts, which included 19 Italian, 5 Austrian, and 3 English contracts, totaled $961,297. For the first half of the fiscal year, under the “Buy American Act,” a differential of 25 percent was added to all foreign bids before comparison was made with domestic bids. However, by Executive Order 10582, dated December 17, 1954, the differential was reduced to either 6 percent or 10 percent depending upon how it was applied. Although the total value of foreign awards was less than fiscal year 1954, the number of contracts awarded in fiscal year 1955 to foreign firms more than doubled over fiscal year 1954.
14	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Research Activities
Investigations in the Bureau’s engineering laboratories led to improved economy and serviceability of Reclamation projects.
In the hydraulic laboratory a novel and economical wave suppressor was developed for the Central Valley project’s Friant-Kern Canal stilling basin to reduce excessive waves formed during high discharge from the 96-inch valves at Friant Dam. Hydraulic laboratory investigations of alternative preliminary designs to provide additional flood capacity for the Alamogordo Dam spillway indicated that improved hydraulic characteristics in the spillway could be achieved at less construction cost than previously contemplated. Other model studies demonstrated the feasibility of increasing the spillway capacity for the Palo Verde Diversion Dam, a minimum of sediment in water being discharged through the canal headworks. Model studies were completed for the standardization of a weir box for dissipating energy and measuring discharge at turnouts from canals.
Economy in placing earth linings for canals was achieved on several projects as the result of the earth laboratory studies on blending soils to meet impermeability and erosion resistance requirements. Laboratory investigations indicated the possible use of soil cement or an inexpensive concrete or mortar lining as canal lining for the proposed Ainsworth Canal in Nebraska, which will traverse the unstable dune sand area.
In concrete materials investigations acceptance standards were developed for lightweight pumice concrete roof slabs, first use of this type of construction having been applied to the Palisades powerplant. Tests of waterproofing membranes for concrete roof and deck construction indicated that butyl rubber sheeting or prefabricated asphalt board may be an acceptable substitute for tar and felt.
The first phase of research in hydration of portland-pozzolan cements, conducted under a National Science Foundation grant—the first grant the Foundation has made to a Government agency—was completed with the collection of minerals required for the study.
In other areas of research, a survey of 5 types of buried asphalt membrane canal lining in service as long as 6 years confirmed laboratory indications that catalytically blown asphalts processed with phosphorous pentoxide have the best prospects for longest service life. Laboratory tests also showed that the toughness and tenacity of asphalt can be increased significantly by the addition of up to 5 percent of rubber in the liquid form.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	15
During the year 141 laboratory reports were issued embracing the subjects of research and testing of concrete materials, hydraulic laboratory studies, bituminous materials, protective coatings, weed control, and structural studies.
Work Performed for Other Agencies
Throughout the year the Bureau’s engineering staff was called upon for numerous advisory and testing services by Federal and other public agencies.
Through the application of high-speed electronic computers and Bureau-developed techniques in the use of the equipment, work was performed for the Upper Colorado River Commission in the forecasting of seasonal runoffs. Assistance was also given the International Boundary and Water Commission in the application of highspeed electronic computers to the Commission’s extensive studies of reservoir operations for Falcon Dam and the proposed Diablo Dam. Geologic advisory service was performed for the International Boundary and Water Commission in studies of the foundation problems at the Diablo Dam site.
The Atomic Energy Commission sought advice on the use of geophysical methods in locating uranium ore. Bureau geophysicists and geophysical equipment were provided the Commission for experimental work in the exploration of uranium deposits in the Black Hills area in South Dakota and adjacent areas.
Bureau engineers participated in a conference with Department of the Navy representatives in recommending methods of repairing the cracks in the Navy’s 50,000,000-gallon reservoir at Hawthorne, Nev. During the year the Bureau completed its analyses of stress from strain meters embedded in the mass concrete of the city of Seattle’s Ross Dam and prepared a comprehensive report on the analyses which had been conducted under a cooperative investigation program between the city of Seattle and the Bureau since 1943. Also, for the city of Seattle, studies of the spillway designs for the Gorge High Dam were carried out in the Bureau’s hydraulic laboratory.
Bureau laboratory advisory and technical services were also made available to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in investigations of the concrete in Coolidge Dam, to the International Boundary and Water Commission in its studies of controlling corrosion in the penstocks in both the United States and Mexican powerplants at Falcon Dam, and to the San Diego County Water Authority in hydraulic measurement studies for the San Diego aqueduct.
16
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Construction Costs
Although construction wage rates and material costs increased about 4 percent during fiscal year 1955, Bureau of Reclamation construction costs averaged about 4 percent less than costs experienced during the previous fiscal year. However, construction costs began to increase during the second half of fiscal year 1955, and by June 1955 had risen to about the same level as June 1954. Wage settlements and strikes near the end of the fiscal year, coupled with the record-breaking pace of the construction industry, were expected to force reclamation construction costs on up from the June 1955 level.
Bidding interest in all types of reclamation construction work decreased noticeably from the interest shown in fiscal year 1954, possibly reflecting the tremendous amount of other construction work in progress. The average number of bids per construction schedule,, amounting to 8.8 for the second half of fiscal year 1954, dropped to 7.3 for the first half of fiscal year 1955, and to 6.6 for the second half of the fiscal year.
Table 3 shows cost indexes for Bureau of Reclamation construction work based on the combined costs of materials and labor supplied by contractors and materials and labor supplied by the Government.
Table 3.—Bureau of Reclamation construction indexes, fiscal year 1955
Cost indexes based on January 1940 costs=1.00	July 1954	January 1955	June 1955
Dams: Earth	- -- -- - - 	 	 —	2.10	1.96	2. 10
Concrete.	- - -	-		 - - - --				2.15	2.05	2. 16.
Pumping plants: Building and equipment	-		 -	- -				2. 55	2. 57	2. 60'
Structures and improvements 1		 -- - - -	2. 75	2.75	2.81
Equipment	_ _ - - 	 		 --	-- -	2.35	2. 36	2.36
Pumps and prime movers	_ _	 -	-	-	-	2.45	2.44	2. 44.
Accessory electric and miscellaneous equipment	 			2. 25	2.24	2. 24
discharge pipes			 	 	 	 —	- -	2.80	2.88	2.96"
Canals and conduits: Canals	-- -	-	 -	- --	- 		2.40	2.16	2. 26'
Conduits (tunnels free, flow concrete lined) _				-	- -	2. 55	2. 58	2.62*
Laterals and drains	_ _		__	 -- -				2.70	2.78	2. 85'.
Powerplants, hydro: Building and equipment		 -- --	 -	—	2.45	2.48	2.50’
Structures and improvements i	__ -	- 		 — - -	2.70	2. 71	2. 78’
Equipment	- - 	- - - - - 				2. 35	2.34	2. 35
Turbines and generators	__ 	 		—	—	2. 40	2. 36	2.35
Accessory’ electrical equipment 		 _ __ -		- -	2.25	2.28	2. 29'
Miscellaneous equipment	__ -	____ _			2.30	2.34	2.40'
Penstocks	_	- - - 	 		2.80	2.88	2. 96
Transmission switchyards and substations		2. 55	2. 57	2.56'
Transmission lines (wood polo, 115-kilovolt) 	- 		2.10	2.18	2. 06
Transmission lines (steel tower 230-kilovolt)	~		2. 25	2. 29	2. 33.
Permanent general property’’ Buildings	_ 	 - -		2.60	2.67	2.71
Roads and bridges: Primary roads	- - -	- -- -	-- - - -- — —	2. 30	2.31	2.33:
Secondary reads iinsiir faced	__  	 _ 			2.05	2.04	2.06
Bridges (steel)	--	-	-		 -	2. 75	2.83	2. 87
Composite index'	_ - -	- 			2.35	2.26	2. 36
			
i Indexes for structures and improvements on pumping plants and powerplants are based on a reinforced concrete structure.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	17
Drainage and Ground Water Problems
Progressive improvement in the many aspects of the Bureau’s drainage and ground-water activities continued during the year. Important advances wTere made in the analytical approach to the solution of drainage and ground-water problems. Basic theories and new mathematical formulas were derived to assist in predicting drainage problem areas and in forecasting the behavior of ground water after irrigation and the suitability of lands for irrigation. New techniques were also developed for appraising the feasibility of drainage by pumping from ground water in irrigated areas and new formulas were derived for analyzing water movement in “tight” soils. Limited and controlled water applications were studied as a means of reducing drainage requirements or of permitting irrigation of lands which cannot be readily drained.
Progress was also made in the drainage and ground-water phases of operating projects as indicated by the increased cooperative effort by water users on Bureau projects to adequate drainage and construction of new drains on irrigated lands. Several projects constructed drains during the year and one project completely rehabilitated and improved its drainage system, restoring to productivity lands which for many years had been only marginal or entirely unproductive. Other operating projects undertook drainage investigations, the Bureau advising and assisting in technical aspects and in reimbursable financing. Technical studies were made for and counsel was given to water users’ organizations and other entities on claims involving alleged damage from ground water resulting from project operation.
Close liaison among Bureau engineers and exchange of information with other Federal agencies and committees of technical organizations made the Bureau’s progress in drainage and ground-water developments available to the profession. Bureau engineers also assisted foreign engineers in their drainage and ground-water work, and in turn, gained information on foreign experiences for application to Bureau projects.
18
+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
T—T T—r	r-T 1—r	r-T r-T CM	H CO r-(Hr-(CO	r—(	Hr-( rH HHHHH H H r-( r-1 th


§ §§§§§§§ s § §§§1 §§ ':§§ §§s§ § §§§§§§§§ §§§
s	3	^sss £€S-§^- --seuq-2
■Bureau of Reclamation Storage Dams, June 30,1955
s -
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	19
364841—56---5
See footnotes at end of table.
Table 4.—Bureau of Reclamation Storage Dams, June 30, 1955—Continued
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 21
8 i I 8ggssMt§®i s
gg I ggggggg I I 1881 i gg§g§S§§§§ § i§ii§SI8Si§S 8'g‘a gg's’3’8'"’' g 9‘ l¥£S §’ 8‘S§?¥§S=§1 £ mESJF3m
w- cT	cfr-T eo ro	of cc-F o' r-F-F-Foo	r-F 1 ef
galggHsSS? £ i gg§S i W§K?ssm E §§i§§iilg|gg r-TcO CO COCMH	r-T rHO	r-T-^ r-T cTt-T Ci r-( H cT r-H »-H CO rH co
sgssssssssasi s g gggs g sssssggKgs s ssggesssssss
gggggggggg I g gggg § gggggggggg g ggggggggggf as' s' sWgg'sg § §' sfc'ssj g	s . s sg'ss'ssyg'fs'g
See footnotes at end of
22
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 4.—Bureau of Reclamation Storage Dams, June 30r 1955—Continued
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-
23
Table 4A—Bureau of Reclamation diversion dams, June 30, 1955
See footnotes at end of table.
24 +
ANNUAL REPORT OF
THE SECRETARY OF THE
INTERIOR
Table 4A—Bureau of Reclamation diversion dams, June 30, 1955—Continued
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES
25
S	£	romS	SSg	§8	S838	88	s;
Ci	Ci	Ci Ci Ci	Ci OS Ci	Qi Ci	Ci Ci Ci Ci	Ci Ci	Ci
S	8	888	888	88	8338	88	S
CO	U-	COO	tJ* CM CO	□OF'	or-ooco	00 CM	h
r-T	UO	CM~tjTCi"	10 rd	lq”	r-Tr-Tr-Tr-T	CO”O~	CM"
CO	MH	CM	CM>-< CM
i s§§£§80 §§ g
□
m
sSS 5.iiKS£ 2 03
0

• •c i g S« ° © a .S^ «
03
S3-® oKffl >» £
26	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
DIVISION OF GENERAL ENGINEERING
The Division of General Engineering, formerly the office of the Assistant to the Commissioner—Engineering, was established in 1954 as a staff office in Washington, responsible for coordination and liaison activities on engineering matters requiring the attention of the Commissioner.
Throughout the 1955 fiscal year, coordination and liaison was maintained with the Department of Labor, the Renegotiation Board, General Accounting Office, and the Department on interpretation and clarification of regulations and policies relating to contract actions. Coordination of contract awards was provided in the Commissioner’s office and departmental clearance obtained before award of contracts in excess of $10,000. Two staff members of the Division of General Engineering were designated as alternate members of the Department’s Board of Contract Appeals and also to render technical advice and counsel to the Board.
An index-type escalator clause for inclusion in reclamation contracts was developed which is agreeable to the electric equipment industry and other governmental contracting agencies. As a result, index-type escalation clauses based on special indexes compiled and computed by Bureau of Labor Statistics are now available for use in contracts covering several categories of electrical equipment.
New procedures were established and instructions issued to insure compliance by reclamation contractors with the revised nondiscrimination provisions approved by Executive Order 10557, dated September 3, 1954. The Chief of the Division of General Engineering was designated compliance officer for the Bureau to carry out the objectives of the Executive order and maintain liaison with the Department’s compliance officer and the President’s Committee on Government Contracts.
Plans were formulated for the protection of Bureau structures and facilities under the national security program, and other civil defense-work prepared in cooperation with the Department.
Liaison activities with other agencies resulted in the formation of a joint interagency committee for studying the land-subsidence problems in the San Joaquin Valley, Calif. As a result, the Geological Survey, the Coast and Geodetic Survey, Bureau of Mines, Bureau of Reclamation, State of California, Stanford University, and the University of California are cooperating in an investigation program.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-	27
DIVISION OF FOREIGN ACTIVITIES
During fiscal year 1955, the Bureau of Reclamation continued to cooperate in the technical-assistance programs of the United States Government, primarily at the request of the Foreign Operations Administration, which took over the work formerly performed by Technical Cooperation Administration and Mutual Security Agency.
The Division of Foreign Activities was established in December 1953 to administer the Bureau s participation in these programs formerly handled by a unit in the Commissioner’s office. This assistance consisted of the training of technicians from foreign lands, rendering service to observers and visitors, sending of individual specialists and missions of Bureau technicians to other countries, and the performing at the Reclamation Engineering Center in Denver of technical services, such as testing, research, and design and specification review for foreign water resources development. Besides the work for the Foreign Operations Administration, the Bureau also handled a number of requests for assistance from the Department of State, UNRWA, IBRD, and other agencies directly concerned with waterresources development throughout the world. The Department of State requests were under the authority of Public Law 402 and financed by funds made available by the requesting government.
The Training Administration Branch handled 103 in-service trainees during fiscal year 1955, including engineers and government officials from 21 different countries. Also accommodated were 55 official ■observers and some 37 accredited visitors from 24 countries.
At the close of the fiscal year, there were 43 people on reclamation rolls on overseas assignments to Costa Rica, Egypt, Ethiopia, Formosa, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Turkey.
During the year the Bureau of Reclamation received $2,726,480 from various agencies for financing these technical assistance and training programs, as compared to $2,329,000 for fiscal year 1953 and $2,438,000 for fiscal year 1954.
DIVISION OF IRRIGATION
The Division of Irrigation is responsible for supervising facilities capable of delivering irrigation water to more than 7 million acres of land, on which approximately 125,000 family-size farms and more than 125,000 suburban units have been developed. The area for which water can be supplied from Bureau-constructed works comprises about one-fourth of the total irrigated land area of the Western United
28	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
States. Approximately 1,600,000 persons, who are directly dependent on these reclamation developments, live in project towns and villages.
The Bureau of Reclamation also provides municipal and industrial water service from Bureau-constructed works to over 2,000,000 people.
In addition to water delivery, the Division of Irrigation is responsible, through proper supervision, for protection of the Federal investment in constructed works by keeping project facilities in repair to assure good service and the economical use of water. These facilities include 126 storage and 80 diversion dams, more than 19,500 miles of canals and laterals, over 5,700 miles of drains, 386 pumping plants, and an estimated 11,300 miles of operating roads.
Extension of Irrigaton Service
During 1954, Bureau-constructed facilities were extended to about 103,000 irrigable acres of new land within the service area of Reclamation projects. The bulk of this acreage comes from continued progress on the Columbia Basin project, in central Washington State, where facilities were completed to serve approximately 55,000 acres. Significant progress was made on new acreage development in Arizona, California, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Montana.
Of the above total, 72,018 acres represent land in private ownership on the Gila, Central Valley, and Columbia Basin projects, the Coachella division of the All-American Canal system, the Bostwick and Frenchman-Cambridge divisions, and the Angostura and Crow Creek pump units of the Missouri River Basin project. The remaining 30,056 acres embrace public land from units selected under the settlement program on the Gila, Minidoka, and Columbia Basin projects, and the Coachella division of the All-American Canal system.
Crop Production
The 1954 crop production on irrigated lands within the service area of Federal Reclamation projects was valued at $865,025,682. This is the second highest year in Reclamation history and is exceeded only by the record production of 1952. The value of crops harvested on Federal reclamation projects was $79.1 million greater than the previous year and only $70.7 million less than in 1952. Also, 1954 was the fourth consecutive year in which the total crop value exceeded the three-quarters-billion-dollar mark, increasing the cumulative value of all reclamation harvests through 1954 to about $10.6 billion.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 29
Total crop production was divided into crop groups on the basis of utility as follows: Cereals, forage, miscellaneous field crops, seeds, vegetables, and fruits and nuts. In terms of acreage, the most significant crop group was forage, with 52 percent of the irrigated lands producing these crops. Cereal crops were the next most important group, followed by field crops, vegetables, fruits and nuts, and seeds, respectively.
In terms of crop value, the most significant crop group was miscellaneous field crops, with production being valued at $296.4 million. The next most important crop group was forage, followed by vegetables, fruits and nuts, cereals, and seeds. Data on crop production by crop groups follow:
Crop groups	Irrigated crops		Gross crop value	
	Acres	Percent of total	Total	Percent of total
Cereals	 ___ .. .. . 	... _ ..		1, 540, 672 3,185, 677 1, 280, 641 251, 790 443,470 254,028 119,317	25	$99, 332, 553 145,412, 993 296, 366,120 29, 597,126 139,188,063 133, 981,460 > 21,147,367	12
Forage. .. . .. . 	 . 	 .. ...		52		17
Field crops, miscellaneous				21		34
Seeds. .' . 					 .	...... 	 ...		4		3
Vegetables	 			7		1ft
Fruits and nuts . . 			4		16,
Soil building, idle, etc			 .		2		2
				
Total area reported 	 . 			7,075, 595 949, 829	115		
Less residue and multiple crops	 .		15		
				
Total irrigated		6,125, 766	100	865,025, 682	100
				
1 Additional revenues from Federal and commercial agencies.
Forage and cereal crops together, which largely are used locally as supplementary feed for livestock and hence are not in competition on the open market comprise a total of 4,726,349 acres of irrigated land, or over 77 percent of all irrigated lands on Federal Reclamation projects.
Over 700 million acres of rangeland are grazed annually in the Western States. This rangeland potential is seasonal in nature, and can be considered as a national asset only if livestock are available locally to graze these lands. Irrigation farming greatly enhances the value of this great asset by producing livestock feeds which are used during winter months to supplement summer grazing. Without irrigation, much of this great grazing potential would be lost because of prohibitive costs for shipment of cattle into and from these range-land areas for the summer months.
Irrigated lands on the 69 Federal irrigation projects amounted to 6,125,766 acres in 1954. Significant changes in the irrigated acreage from 1953 occurred on projects where new irrigation development is presently being undertaken, and on projects located in drought areas which have experienced lower than normal precipitation in recent years.
30	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Of the new lands brought within the service area of reclamation projects in 1954, over 65,000 acres were irrigated. The Columbia Basin project had an increase of 40,369 acres in irrigated acreage; Central Valley project, 12,484 acres; Minidoka project-North Side pumping division, 1,752 acres; the Missouri River Basin, 5,979 acres; the Coachella division of the All-American Canal system, 1,822 acres; and the Gila project, about 2,601 acres over 1953.
Projects in some drought areas were unable to furnish irrigation to as large an acreage in 1954, as was the case for 1953. Projects in region 5, which comprises Texas, Eastern New Mexico, Oklahoma, a portion of southern Colorado and Kansas were in this category, as well as other projects located east of the Continental Divide. The Rio Grande project had a decrease in the irrigated acreage of about 22,000 acres; Tucumcari project, 4,500 acres; Carlsbad project, 4,400 acres; North Platte project, 23,800 acres; and the Sun River project, 7,000. However, notwithstanding the fact that drought conditions prevailed in many sections throughout the west, irrigation on reclamation projects increased 28,151 acres over 1953.
Region 1 had a larger acreage of irrigated lands than any of the other regions within the Bureau, and also had the highest gross value of production. Data on irrigated lands and gross crop value are presented by regions as follows:
Regions	Irrigated lands		Gross crop value	
	Acres	Percent of total	Total	Percent of total
1 	 --	2,166, 924	35	$252, 713,495	29
2	_ 			 ___	846, 800	14	187,328, 993	22
3	_		 			 	 -	885, 983	15	221,655,156	26
4			 	 _	_	_	_	556, 712	9	41,600, 217	5
5	__						258,163	4	55,324, 918	6
6					 				444, 755	7	21,118, 997	2
7			 --	966, 429	16	85,283, 906	10
Total					6,125,766	100	865, 025, 682	100
The average crop value per acre of irrigated land was $141.21, an increase over 1953 of over $12 per acre. The highest average value per acre for all production was attained on the Tieton division of the Yakima project which averaged $874.89 per irrigated acre in 1954. Fruit and nuts had the highest average value per acre of any of the crop groups ($527.43) and forage crops were lowest ($45.65).
The most significant individual crops produced on irrigated project lands from an acreage standpoint were alfalfa, pasture, barley, cotton, sugar beets, wheat, and dry and edible beans. However, from a value standpoint cotton was the most significant crop followed by alfalfa, sugar beets, potatoes, grapes, apples, and beans. These data are as follows:
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 31
Crops
Acres
Crop Value
Per Acre Total
Barley-----------
Wheat____________
Alfalfa hay------
Alfalfa seed—-----Pasture, improved Sugar beets.-----
Cotton 1---------
Beans, dry-------
Potatoes---------
Tomatoes 1 2-----
Lettuce----------
Sweet corn-------
Apples-----------
Grapes 3---------
Citrus fruit-----
574, 770
401,006
1,483,375
109,406
1,029, 658
378,205
513,878
351,230
206,395
20,317
54, 552
32,141
36, 291
82,345
43,051
$53.38 81.68 66.78 110.65
29.93 176.85 349.82
96. 58 266.10 667.84 396.33
215. 41 936.07 420.50 531. 73
$30,681,638
32, 754,864
99,055,993
12,105,674
30,819 475
66,886,432
179, 764, 548
33,922,009 54,922,434
13, 568,513
21, 620,766
6,923,392
33,970,853
34,626,082
22,891,990
1 Includes value of cottonseed.
2 Includes tomatoes for fresh market and canning.
s Includes grapes of all varieties.
Many foods which are used extensively throughout the country and which receive no price support assistance are produced only in the arid west on irrigated farms. The 17 Western States account for the entire production of almonds, apricots, filberts, walnuts, fresh market fall and winter peas, olives, prunes, mustard seed, dates, figs, raisins, honeyball and honeydew melons, and hops; and produce about 90 percent of the early spring asparagus, lettuce, early cantaloupes, winter spinach, spring onions, pears, sweet cherries, and grapes.
The acreage and value of crops produced on each of the Federal Reclamation projects are shown in tables 5 and 6.
32 '+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 33
E S					53	100. 55		99 -001				ss i	3 3S					i !							
					ii If	4,256,205		4,256,205		i		! gf i !	911,615					!							
102,317					is -s	42,328		42, 328		!			10, 794					I							
112,000						46, 739		46,739				Si i co-oo- 1	14,196		■ ; .										
3	S83			g		i	146.19	s 3	S3		3 3	i g	8 S	3 5											114.27 1
16, 584,214	188 8  ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 5.—.Projects in operation—irrigation and crop value data for the calendar year 1954—Continued
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 39

	4, 223,159	20,309,213	
sw*	!2	427,395	
	1		
s 8	! 1 :	:	i	i	! i'H I	III i	:	:	: i	:	:	:	11 i i	i i : ! i i			1 1 1	2 §8	8 3
54,232,322	i 1 1	!	II! I	III :	i i i t iii	।: 11 i:	: i i i			i 1 1	54,232,322 |	95, 766, 484
615,000	, I i : i	i	;:i i	m 1	III 1	I 1 1	i:				1 i	615,000	1,148, 983
615, 000	i :	Hi : i: i	: ।					615,000	1, 253, 066
i £ £3	8S88 i 8 855	8S288 ! i	1				i		81.04 41.14		2 8	142.06
i	g	Sg	sggs-i i	§	Stf	sW i 1	w	co 1				: i		16, 578,969 541, 689		19,742,444 1	356,432,108
: §	i i S	S82S8 i				i		204, 579 13,168		245,303	8Z0 ‘60S ‘Z
1	§	SS	HH i	a	ss‘	3sss	i i	=	i				i i		226, 323 22,128		287,772	3,105, 523
See footnotes at end of table.
40
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 5.—Projects in operation—irriyation and crop value data for the calendar year 1954—Continued
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	41
2		100.55 0 144.59	121.05	S3 SS	S3 S33S 3 SSSfc	£	S		129. 94
| 81,195,871		ri !- 5	11,413,565	IS	S sgg s s’SJ	1,724,925	2,125,555		14,830,618
11,013, 708	core	eot-.-vf'		§ 3		S §32 t< 4c®	S3	31, 703	c4"rH*cf >O	ai'rt' cf	H4,137
1,086, 505	rH	7—<		9 100,873	goo	10,911 6,000 8,196 7,569	32,676	32,000		118,939
See footnotes at end of table.
42
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 5.—Projects in operation—irrigation and crop value data for the calendar year 1954—Continued
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	43
99.68	221. 22	231.65 240. 34 145. 56 104.67	192. 64	280. 77 327.04 192.16 204.00 352. 63	322.73 499. 63 200. 67	229. 99	250.1	164.50	90.79 94.50 205. 33 197. 78	137.85	
19,466,984 1	187,328,993	5, 707,153 1, 657, 367 123,000 1, 487,436	8,974,956	78,365, 218 775,077 1, 200, 226 935, 965 16,043, 765	18,179,956 24, 578,044 90, 781, 905	115,359,949	221,655,156	304,322	1,931,092 34,115 1, 684,120 1,528,805	| 5,178,132	
195,299	846,800	24,637 6,896 845 14, 211	46,589	279,110 2,370 6,246 4, 588 45, 497	56,331 49,192 452,391	501,583	885,983	8 00 rH	21, 270 361 8, 202 7, 730	37, 563	
249,283	1,075,480	40, 285 7,348 846 19, 970	68,449	337,077 3, 422 6,867 7,743 51, 936	66, 546 74,800 530,000	604,800	1,080, 294	2,662	24,232 361 10,027 9,045	43,665	
56. 92	56. 92		i						87.49	87.49	
11,810,451	1,810,451				1	III 1	111 1	III				oo ! ! i* CO I 1 i O' i i i	6,387	
31,805	31,805	1	1 t 1 1	>11 1	III	i j		1	III 1	III 1	III 1	III 1	III 1	III 1	III				i i r i । i		”	
1 71,923	71,923				1	III 1	III				1,421		
1	94.23	242.19	109.88 145. 56	130.43	250.06 251. 52	1	1	1 1	1	1(0 1	।	I	o 1	i	1	CM	200.67	208.42		197. 78	197 78 1	
1 8,116, 739	174,468, 060	68,346 123,000	191,346	21, 725, 400 28, 673	i	i	i i	I	i	MQ 1	'	'	S i	i 00 i	i	1	o' 1	i	1	o	90,781,905	112,727,324 |		! I ! oo i i : oo । । । g	1,528,805	
1 86,133	I 720,391	622 845	1,467	i i i OOH	ill OOH	III co	II! 00	iii	1	1	1 i	I	1	05 i	।	।	CO i	i	!	of i	i	i	MQ i	I	I	452,391	540,854		। । । । । ।	7,730	
93, 569	900, 344	924 846	1, 770	95, 755 117	1	1	10 I	!	! M 1	1	1 MO 1	1	1	530,000 |	627,642		। । । 1	1	1 MQ	9,045 I	
44
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 5.—Projects in operation—irrigation and crop value data for the calendar year 1954—Continued
Scofield
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +
45
323 ;		S3 £ *	8S2	8 8 §S8	g /		144.68 278. 98 116.88 198.86 214. 30				83	SS5	
8 i r-T	c		SB § 1 SCO w	sis	§ § ” ~ s-		1, 754, 523 43,117, 614 5, 207, 243 1,424, 852 55, 324, 918				II		
S§2 1 S300* ;		>g s §	S33	S 1 3-8	£ S		12,127 154, 555 44, 552 7,165 258,163				S'®		
sis ? *52“ ;		’§ s < 1	S§8	§ S iK	S 2		18,330 196, 645 47,809 10,608 328,831				22	88	
		i : s i i S		:	: i					TOM 558	S3 : 8S i	
		$6,387		; ■ ;				i	§2	si i	
		i ” I i	I	:	! : !	! i				■	I!		
		i s		i	! i					!!		
:e	: 5 i *	! S i 8		i	i i	144.68 144.68			144.68			i : i :
IS if	i g	2,504,939		:	i i	1, 754, 523 1,754,523			1, 754, 523			
%		27,550	1 i	i	i i	12,127 12,127			2			
	J s	29, 396		i	i : :	i i	18,330 18,330		18,330				i :
Strawberry Valley: Highline division	 S Danish Fork division	i n i! 1:	Weber River	 Total, region 4		....	REGION 5 New Mexico Carlsbad	 Fort Sumner <		Tucumcari			 New Mexico-Texas Rio Grande:10 Elephant Butte irrigation district (New Mexico)	 El Paso County water improvement district No. 1 (Texas)			 Hudsneth Countv conservation and rec-	lamation district No. 1 (Texas)..	 Total. Rio Grande nroieet		1 o £		Total, region 5		REGION 6 Montana Buffalo Rapias: First division 5	 Second division 5		Total, Buffalo Rapids project		j-Luiiviey	 Intake I..................................... 1
46
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 5.—Projects in operation—irrigation and crop value data for the calendar year 195Jf—Continued
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 47
3	ss 38	S3 38	3 8	sssss	3 8	3	3 88	i	£3 33	“Sore 3333	s t	3 §		2 8
			§	°s§S	8	8	3	§	§3	8833	i	e		g
		H		sggg J'w'	B	21,118,	st s	8		gy 11 <				27,888,
§	£5	IS			f	S	§	I	il	ss§£	§	g		g
s?	U- CO		£5	sW*	K	f	s	■s	b* 00	8833	g			§
§	88		§		8	§	§	§	88	33§S	8	S3		
£5	oo'oo	3S	S	8WS	8	£	£	5	dS	3SSS s		SS		£
67.87 20. 66	S3	5	! 3	i:				& 8		: i	:	i					
§ 3	“g	434, 572					607,796		i i i : i i	! :					
« i	§g	!					g s		! i	i	i					
% 8	83	! i					3		! :	i	;				8 4	i 4
		; ;			i													$108.31 95.87		S
		i	1			i											i		i 3 £ i £ f i 8 -		11, 309,140 ।
		i :				i :											; ;	i S 3		1
I
See footnotes at end of table.
48
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 5.—Projects in operation—irrigation and crop value data for the calendar year 1951f—Continued
SUMMARY
50
+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 6.—Cumulative crop values, 1906-54
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	51
ggsggggags sSSlfaWE SssslslsW rf<" rf<" Lff CO CO P*" P'" CO" CX o' oiwwit’
^g^sg
^'mTtH-tH-tK-.OiOCO-co'cO' ffSIfWBF tfs¥s§SWS§‘
o«5-«wWmmmct 8sgs=gs3s» S'sWSWg of of of of of oi co co co' co
gsWSSiO's of CO~co'co"co"CO~TfT tK TfT

3
I
2

Pi
364841—56----7
52	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Land Openings
During fiscal year 1955, the Bureau conducted 4 land openings on 2 reclamation projects, making 243 farm units embracing 23,514 irrigable acres of new land available for settlement.
As in previous years, the majority of these units was on the Columbia Basin project in Washington where 149 units were offered for sale under provisions of the Columbia Basin Project Act. The remaining 94 units were opened for settlement under provisions of reclamation and homestead laws in the Northside pumping unit of the Minidoka project in Idaho. Public response to the announced availability of new farm units under the Bureau’s settlement program continued at the high level evidenced since the close of World War II, with an average of nearly 100 qualified applicants for each unit offered.
Since the close of World War II, 48 land openings have been held on 13 reclamation projects. A total of 2,166 new farm units encompassing nearly 183,000 irrigable acres of public land has thus been made available for selection by qualified applicants.
Both technical and financial assistance has continued to be available to settlers during developmental years through cooperative working relationships established by the Bureau with the Farmers Home Administration, the Agricultural Extension Service, the several State colleges and universities, and other similarly appropriate agencies.
During fiscal year 1956 the availability of additional new farm units is anticipated on the Columbia Basin and Yakima projects in Washington, the Minidoka project in Idaho, and the Gila project in Arizona.
Development Farms
The development farm program on new irrigation projects was begun in 1947 and has been continued in cooperation with Department of Agriculture agencies and State agricultural colleges.
The purpose of the farms is to demonstrate effective methods of irrigation and good cropping practices; to determine crops best adapted to the area, and water requirements of the crops; and to demonstrate other approved practices with which the new settlers may have had little or no experience. The farms also aid in determining the feasibility of developing certain areas for irrigation where the quality of the soil and water may be questionable.
From 10 to 20 percent of most farms are set aside for research by the cooperating agencies on special problems which may be encountered in the area. Field days, tours, and other educational media are employed to disseminate the information obtained from the research and to explain the demonstrations to the farmers on the proj
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	53
ect. Over 22,000 local settlers and others interested in the work have visited the farms.
New settlers have been aided materially through the development farm program in making an early success of their irrigated farms, which in turn has helped safeguard the Government’s investment in the construction of irrigation projects.
To date 23 development farms have been established of which 7 have served their purpose and have been discontinued. It is expected that 2 or 3 of the presently operated farms will be discontinued at the end of the 1955 operating season. Plans have been made to establish about 4 new farms next fiscal year. The present farms are located in the Columbia Basin, Missouri River Basin, and Gila projects.
Repayment and Water Service Contracts
During fiscal year 1955 contracts were executed with nine irrigation districts for the repayment of the cost of new irrigation works. Twenty-six water users’ organizations signed contracts for the purchase of storage water rights or for interim and long-term water service. Pursuant to special authorizing legislation, basic amendatory construction repayment contracts were executed with 8 irrigation districts. Negotiations of basic amendatory construction repayment contracts are under way or scheduled with 5 irrigation districts. These contracts will require special congressional authorization. Amendatory contracts were executed with an additional 20 organizations to provide for such matters as the transfer of operation and maintenance of the irrigation works to the water users and the repayment of the cost of rehabilitation and betterment programs.
Soil and Moisture Conservation Operations
The Bureau of Reclamation has continued its soil and moisture conservation program in keeping with the Department’s policy of conserving the natural resources on lands under its jurisdiction.
The program objectives are accomplished in cooperation with other Federal agencies as well as State and local agencies. Water users’ organizations assist in planning the work and in many cases furnish a part of the labor, materials, and funds.
The activities have included erosion control and water conservation on acquired and withdrawn lands, protection of reservoirs and other irrigation facilities, and general betterment of the lands in the Bureau's custody. Some of the particular work undertaken during this year included reseeding watershed areas, sand dune control, salt cedar control investigations, soil stabilization and stream control.
54
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Drainage
Drainage for the disposal of surplus ground water is, of necessity, an integral part of an irrigation system. It has been found, however, that it is not fully possible to predict the nature of a drainage problem prior to its actual occurrence on a project.
Hence, drainage problems fall into three stages of project development: First, the initial stages of project operation during which ground-water accumulations must be studied by analysis of systematically collected data on project ground-water elevations; second, a stage in which ground-water elevations adversely affect crop pioduc-tion and drains or wells must be constructed to remove surplus water; and third, a period of maintenance and minor extension of drainage to new problem areas.
There are Bureau of Reclamation projects in all of these stages but it is possible to report that during fiscal year 1955 there was no case of drainage problems being of great magnitude. Ground-water elevations were being studied on new projects, particularly those in the Missouri River Basin project where problems are expected. There were no major drains under construction during the year. Regular maintenance of drains continued, with trouble from erosion being experienced in a few places.
The Bureau recognizes that prevention of ground-water accumulation would eliminate drainage problems. Hence, many canals and laterals have been lined to prevent seepage. In some areas, particularly on the North Platte project in Nebraska, lining has been so effective that it has been possible to abandon drains or to refill the drains and place the land in cultivation.
The Bureau also has a continuing program of education of water users in the proper use of water to the end that waste and overirrigation will be reduced with a consequent reduction in drainage problems.
Weed Control
During the past year, continued progress was made in developing and applying more economical methods of weed control.
Of particular importance in this field is the research being conducted in cooperation with the Weed Investigations Section, Agricultural Research Service, Department of Agriculture. This research is undertaken at four field stations established in the West by that Department with locations at Phoenix, Ariz.; Prosser, Wash.: Logan, Utah; and Bozeman, Mont.
In the Bureau’s Denver laboratories special attention has been given to developing better methods for controlling salt cedar, submersed
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	55
waterweeds, and algae. The use of radioactive isotopes in tracing the movement and concentration of herbicides in plant tissues also has been continued in Denver.
Both Federal and private irrigation districts have been kept advised of the new developments in weed control through motion pictures, slide lectures, Declamation Era articles, handbooks, and other educational media prepared by the Bureau or prepared in cooperation with other agencies.
Cooperation With Other Agencies
The Bureau of Reclamation has worked closely during the fiscal year with units in the Department of Agriculture, the State colleges and extension services, and other Federal, State, and local agencies.
Many phases of the Bureau’s activities in planning, developing, and operating irrigation projects in the 17 Western States lend themselves to such cooperation. The cooperative undertakings with these agencies have been carried out through memorandums of understanding or cooperative agreements.
Of the 158 agreements now in effect, 33 were executed during the past fiscal year.
Public Use of Reservoirs
Construction of dams and reservoirs for irrigation and power development provides incidental but very definite benefits through the creation of exceptional public use opportunities. This is particularly true in the more arid parts of the West.
However, except as provided by law in specific instances, the Bureau of Reclamation is not authorized to expend funds for development of reservoir areas for public uses.
At certain reservoirs w'here possibilities for use by the public are deemed to be of national significance, such as Lake Mead, on the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada; Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, on the Columbia River in Washington; Millerton Lake on the San Joaquin River in California; and Shadow Mountain Lake and Lake Granby on the Colorado River in Colorado, responsibility for the development and administration of public use facilities has been delegated to the National Park Service.
The National Park Service is, in effect, the agent of the Bureau in all public use matters and negotiates for the development and administration, by local or State governmental agencies, of reservoir areas which are of local or State significance. Facilities at reservoirs wholly or substantially within national forest boundaries are administered by the United States Forest Service.
56	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Federal Tax Revenues and Reclamation
Each step taken in the development of the Nation’s basic resources moves the economy of the Nation to a new and higher plateau. This is strikingly demonstrated in an analysis of Federal tax revenues from Federal reclamation project areas.
Based on the projected results of a sample study of 15 reclamation projects, the estimated cumulative return to the Treasury from the 73 projects or divisions of projects receiving water under the Federal reclamation program in 1954 now stands at approximately $4 billion. This is an amount greater than total reclamation expenditures for all project works since the beginning of the Federal reclamation program in 1902.
The benefits accruing to the Nation through reclamation development are also measured in terms of families served, crop production and value, livestock raised, and acres irrigated. They are expressed in rapidly expanding trade and business activity, in direct repayment to the Government by the beneficiaries of reclamation, in increased population on and adjacent to projects, and in a wide variety of other phenomena.
These are all tangible, measurable benefits of a broad and lasting nature. They translate into expanding business activities in the project and surrounding areas. They filter to every State in the Union and every segment of society. They provide through this process additional economic stability to the Nation, which is reflected in part by increased revenues to the Treasury, and to the States and areas as well as on the projects themselves.
The estimate of Federal tax revenues from reclamation project areas is, therefore, only a partial measure of the true contribution of basic reclamation resource development to the Nation’s tax structure and to the economy as a whole.
In 1954, individual income taxes paid directly by irrigation farmers and by persons of the neighboring towns and villages whose business or employment was affected by the construction of 15 selected reclamation projects were estimated at $106 million. The aggregate individual income tax revenues from this sample study area since income tax collections started in 1916 is estimated at over $900 million.
In addition to individual tax revenues, an appropriate share of corporation and excise tax revenues collected in the same 15 project areas is directly attributable to reclamation development. Estimated receipts from these sources total nearly $500 million. The combined returns from individual and corporate tax revenues accordingly are estimated at $1.4 billion.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	57
Total Federal project construction cost through June 30, 1954, for the same projects aggregated $273 million. Thus far, Federal tax revenues from these 15 project areas total more than 5 times the total cost of project facilities and about 7% times the direct cost of irrigation facilities.
DIVISION OF POWER
The installed capacity and the generation of hydroelectric power from Bureau of Reclamation multipurpose projects and from projects for which the Bureau is responsible for marketing the power, increased 324,600 kilowatts during fiscal year 1955. On June 30, 1955, the installed capacity of powerplants constructed and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation totaled 4,854,550 kilowatts whereas the capacity installed and operated by other agencies for which the Bureau is the marketing agent totaled 356,500 kilowatts.
Sale of electric power during the year aggregated 25,031,325,608 kilowatt-hours, with revenues from sales totaling $51,764,256.48, as shown in table 7. This compares to the previous year’s sales of 25,-071,363,414 kilowatt-hours, and revenues of $50,812,260.06.
Present Installed Capacity
During the fiscal year ending June 30,1955, the Bureau of Reclamation operated 34 powerplants with a total nameplate capacity of 4,854,-550 kilowatts, an increase of 133,100 kilowatts over the fiscal year 1954 figures. In addition, the Bureau marketed the power generated from plants constructed by the Corps of Engineers and the International Boundary Water Commission, totaling 356,500 kilowatts.
The capacity installed during fiscal year 1955 is as follows:
Bureau of Reclamation:	Kilowatts
Central Valley project_______________________________________ 67,	500
Kendrick project_____________________________________________ 36,	000
Eklutna project______________________________________________ 32,	000
Yakima project (Prosser powerplant retired)------------------—2,400
133,100
U. S. Corps of Engineers: Missouri River Basin project Fort Randall— 160, 000
International Boundary Water Commission: Falcon Dam----------------- 31, 500
Total_______________________________________________________ 324,600
Additional Capacity Under Construction
At the end of fiscal year 1955, the Bureau of Reclamation had under construction 4 powerplants, which will have an ultimate in
58	> ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
stalled nameplate capacity of 198,000 kilowatts. They are: Palisades, on the Snake River in Idaho; Chandler, Yakima River, Wash.; Fremont Canyon and Glendo, both on the North Platte River in Wyoming.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is proceeding with the construction of its plants on the Missouri River Basin project. The ultimate nameplate capacity of the 3 plants—Garrison, in North Dakota; and Gavins Point and Oahe, in South Dakota-—under construction by the corps will total 925,000 kilowatts. The Bureau of Reclamation will be the marketing agent for energy generated from these plants as in the case for other plants constructed by the Corps on the Missouri River Basin project.
Table 7.—Bureau of Reclamation power systems, power sales, and revenues ~by projects, fiscal year ending June 30, 1955 1
Projects
Sales of electric energy, kilowatt-hours
Revenues from sales
Boise project________________________________________________________
Columbia Basin project* 2____________________________________________
Minidoka project_____________________________________________________
Yakima project_______________________________________________________
Hungry Horse project3________________________________________________
Central Valley project_______________________________________________
Boulder Canyon project_______________________________________________
Parker-Davis project___________________________________________:_____
Yuma project_________________________________________________________
Rio Grande project___________________________________________________
Falcon Dam project___________________________________________________
Fort Peck project____________________________________________________
North Platte project_________________________________________________
Missouri River Basin—Western Division, including systems of River-
ton, Shoshone, Colorado-Big Thompson, and Kendrick projects________
Missouri River Basin, eastern division_______________________________
Eklutna project, Alaska______________________________________________
152, 926,558
14, 224, 966,000
139, 614.733
23,082,435
958,839,110
2,058, 810,064
3, 533, 591,876
1,421,474,140
6, 567, 642
90,921,175
92, 261, 200
485,136, 548
66, 867, 824
944, 268,024
789, 590,196
42,408,083
$295,431.32 12,651, 264.59
583,458.07
58,372.53
3, 620,620.73
8,120, 810.14
8,342,320.08
5, 646, 965.76
20, 601. 22
633, 862.40
249,105. 25
2,005, 251.08
452,191.59
5,890, 997.87
2,773,147.94
419, 855.91
Grand total____________________________________________________________ 25,031,325, 608	51,764, 256.48
5 Does not include energy sales and revenues in transactions between Bureau projects.
2 Totals include 13,617,296,841 kilowatt-hours delivered to Bonneville Power Administration for marketing and $12,347,430 in payments by that agency not including river regulation benefits.
3 Totals include 956,270,860 kilowatt-hours delivered to Bonneville Power Administration for marketing and $3,609,000 in payments by that agency.
Authorized To Be Constructed
Authorized but not yet under construction by the Bureau of Reclamation as a part of multipurpose Reclamation facilities are 31 powerplants with an ultimate total nameplate capacity of 1,037,350 kilowatts.
The status of hydroelectric powerplants on reclamation projects is shown in table 8.
See footnotes at encl of table.
Table 8.—U. S. Department of the Interior, Bureal of Reclamation, hydroelectric power plants A. CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED BY BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
60 +
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 8.—U. 8. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, hydroelectric power plants—Continued B. CONSTRUCTED AND OPERATED BY OTHERS—POWER MARKETED BY BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
§§§§
I ' J.
&
P w t* n
Q K
W M
£
O co
UTHORIZED TO BE CONSTRUCTED BY BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
62	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Transmission Lines
On June 30, 1955, the Bureau of Reclamation’s transmission system consisted of 9,069 circuit miles of line. During fiscal year 1955, 321 circuit miles of transmission lines were completed to serve load centers where other trunk transmission facilities were not available. These are shown in table 9.
Table 9.-—Transmission lines completed during fiscal year 1955
Project and line	Voltage (kilovolts)	In-service date	Circuit miles
Missouri River Basin project: Fort Randall powerplant to Sioux City	 Oahe Temporary substation to Bismarck	 Central Valley project: Folsom powerplant to Elverta terminal	 Nimbus powerplant to Folsom switchyard		230	April 1955_ 					122.0
	230	May 1955 		171.9
	230	April 1955_ 			 -	20.2
	115	April 1955			7.0
			
Total			321.1
			
Power Contracts
During fiscal year 1955, there were 137 contracts executed for the delivery of electric power supply. A number of these were renewals of operating contracts or revisions of existing contracts resulting from changed operating conditions. Included are:
Number of contracts:
20 with private utilities.
39 with REA cooperatives.
47 with municipalities.
6 with other Federal agencies.
13 with public power districts.
9 with State authorities.
1	with irrigation district.
2	miscellaneous type contracts.
The Bureau continued its policy of contracting whenever possible with private utilities, public bodies and cooperatives for wheeling-power and energy over existing facilities. The Bureau also entered into several interchange agreements with its customers.
A summary by classification of customers served by Reclamation during fiscal year 1955 is shown in table 10.
The Bureau at the end of fiscal year 1955 had 136 contracts under active negotiation. This included 26 contracts with municipalities, 70 with REA cooperatives, 21 with private utilities, 2 with public power districts, 10 with other Federal agencies, 3 with State authorities, 2 with irrigation districts and 2 miscellaneous type contracts. A number of these are to renew the existing contracts, or to revise contracts in existence due to changes in operating conditions.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES
63
Table 10.—Summary by classification of customers for 12 months ending
June 30, 1955 1
Type of customers
Number of customers
Sales of electric energy kilowatt-hours
Revenue from sales of electric energy
Privately owned utilities--------------------------------------
Municipal utilities--------------------------------------------
State government utilities-------------------------------------
Cooperative utilities (Rural Electrification Administration projects)------------------'-----------------------------------
Other Federal utilities 2--------------------------------------
Residential and domestic_______________________________________
Rural (other than Rural Electrification Administration projects). Commercial and industrial--------------------------------------
Public authorities---------------------------------------------
Interdepartmental -----------------------------------------—
32
51
12
112
5
301
7
24
62
42
2,	648, 229, 566
1, 355, 926, 872
3,	347, 446, 302
885, 960,407
14, 654,182, 022
4,	876, 804
175, 400
86, 281, 369
1, 059, 613,131
988,633, 735
$9,147, 237. 97
4,130, 373.72
11, 632, 360. 84
5,251, 501.80
16, 306, 978.86
27, 215.79
1,174. 73
445, 713. 54
3, 602, 787.34
1, 218, 911. 89
Total, all customers---------------------------------
648 25, 031, 325, 608	51, 764, 256. 48
i Does not include energy sales and revenues in transactions between Bureau projects.
2 Totals include 14,573,567,701 kilowatt-hours delivered to Bonneville Power Administration for marketing and $15,956,430 in payments by that agency.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
The project development program provides for the investigation of plans for potential projects for the utilization of the water resources of the West for irrigation and for other purposes and for advance planning on newly authorized projects awaiting the initial construction funds.
Comprehensive Basin Surveys
During fiscal year 1955, the Bureau of Reclamation continued the Arkansas-White-Red River Basin survey in cooperation with other interested Federal agencies under the field committee established by the Federal Inter-Agency River Basin Committee on June 12, 1950. By the end of the fiscal year the field work had been practically completed and work was under way on the preparation and review of the comprehensive report with the objective of completing all work early in fiscal year 1956.
Several other basin surveys also were under way but by the end of the fiscal year none had been completed.
New Projects Authorized
During fiscal year 1955, the following projects were authorized by acts of Congress:
Chief Joseph Dam project, Foster Creek Division, Washington.
Deschutes project, North Unit, Haystack equalizing reservoir, Oregon.
Michaud Flats project, Idaho.
Palo Verde diversion project, Arizon-California.
64 + ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Rogue River Basin project. Talent division and rehabilitation of Medford and Rogue River Valley irrigation district, Oregon.
Santa Margarita project, California.
Santa Maria project, California.
The 1955 Interior Department Appropriation Act provided funds for the start of construction on the Alamogordo Dam spillway enlargement of the Carlsbad project in New Mexico and the Crescent Lake Dam project, Oregon.
The Glendo unit of the Missouri River Basin project was reauthorized by a joint resolution of Congress based on a report submitted in accordance with special provisions of recent Interior Department appropriation acts. Legislation was also passed by Congress to authorize the Ainsworth, Lavaca Flats, Mirage Flats Extension and O’Neill units in the Niobrara River Basin in Nebraska as integral units of the Missouri River Basin project.
Project Planning Reports and Authorizing Legislation
By the end of the fiscal year reports had been submitted to Congress and ordered to be printed as congressional documents for the Juniper division of the Wapinitia project in Oregon and for the Washoe project in California and Nevada. In addition, planning reports for the Crooked River project in Oregon and the McMillan Delta Water Salvage Channel in the Pecos River Basin in New Mexico and a supplemental report on the Trinity River division of the Central Valley project in California were completed and submitted to the interested States and Federal agencies for review. A report was also completed and under review by the end of the fiscal year by affected States and Federal agencies for the Ainsworth unit of the Missouri River Basin project in anticipation of its being submitted to Congress as a basis for approval of construction as required by the authorizing legislation for this unit. A feasibility report on the Ventura River project in California had been submitted to the President and was under review by the Bureau of the Budget by the end of the fiscal year.
During the year bills were considered in Congress to provide permanent authorization for the Bureau’s investigation program in Alaska, which in the past had been undertaken on a year-to-year basis based on special language in the annual Department of the Interior appropriation acts, and to authorize construction of the Trinity River division of the Central Valley project in California. Both bills became law by congressional passage and Presidential signature shortly after the end of the 1955 fiscal year.
Bills were introduced to authorize the following projects and hearings were held in both Houses of Congress: The Colorado River
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	65
storage project and participating projects in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah.; the Fryingpan-Arkansas project in Colorado; the Ventura River project in California; and the Washita Basin project in Oklahoma. Of these, the bills for the Colorado River storage project and participating projects and the Washita Basin project were passed by the Senate. A bill was also introduced in both Houses for authorization of the Hells Canyon project in Idaho and Oregon.
Definite Plan Reports
During the fiscal year, definite plan reports were prepared, reviewed and approved for the following projects:
Avondale project, Idaho.
Carlsbad project, Alamogordo Dam spillway enlargement, New Mexico. Crescent Lake Dam project, Oregon.
Deschutes project, north unit, Haystack equalizing reservoir, Oregon.
River Compacts
The consent of the Congress was given to the Sabine River compact between Texas and Louisiana.
The Bear River compact was signed by the compact commissioners and submitted to the State legislatures of Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho for ratification.
The Columbia River compact was reviewed and comments on the proposed compact and draft of the Federal representative’s report were furnished through the Secretary of the Interior to the Federal representative. The compact was approved by the Columbia Interstate Compact Commission and submitted to the State legislatures of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada for ratification.
Comments were furnished to the Secretary of the Interior on proposed bills granting consent of the Congress to negotiation of compacts between the States of California and Oregon regarding the Klamath River; between Oklahoma and Arkansas and between Oklahoma and Kansas regarding the Arkansas River; between the 10 Missouri River Basin States regarding the Missouri River; between California and Nevada regarding the Carson, Truckee, and Walker Rivers; and Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas regarding the Red River.
Hydrologic services in connection with interstate compacts were also rendered during the year. These services included advice to the Upper Colorado River Commission and to the Columbia Interstate Compact Commission.
66	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
International Stream Investigations
The Bureau of Reclamation was represented on International Engineering Boards of the United States section of the International Joint Commission. The Boards continued their engineering studies for use of the Commission in its consideration of the Waterton-Belly and Souris-Red Rivers references of January 12, 1948. These references concern the apportionment of the waters of those international streams between the United States and Canada. The Souris-Red Rivers Engineering Board submitted to the Commission its report with respect to the Souris River under items 1, 2, and 3 of that reference.
Hydrology
Development of improved technical procedures applicable to basic hydrologic investigations of proposed reclamation projects was accomplished in the field of sediment, flood control, water resources, and forecasting of stream flow.
A report on a method of estimating the magnitude and occurrence of return flow from irrigated areas was completed. While this method was developed primarily for use in stable channel design, it will be useful also in other types of engineering analysis. Considerable progress was made also in the refinement of methods for determining total sediment transport capacity of natural and artificial channels and for computing the characteristics of stable artificial channels.
Field and office work was continued during the year on major storms that have occurred in the 17 Western States. These storm data provide the basis for determination of design storms for reclamation structures. Work was continued on the development and refinement of methods for the hydrographic analysis of flood flows produced by snowmelt or a combination of rain and snowmelt in pervious mountain areas.
Irrigation water requirement experimental data, collected and published by other agencies, were compiled and studied with the eventual goal of developing more accurate methods of estimating irrigation requirements for planning studies.
A method for determining the monthly gross evaporation loss from Lake Mead was developed and is currently being used in routine reservoir operations. Development of a method for short-term rate-of-inflow forecasts, based on the recession concept, was prepared to assist flood control operation of Shasta Lake. Progress continued on the development of methods for computation of both seasonal wateryield and rate-of-runoff forecasts.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES
67
Extensive work was performed in connection with, development and review of hydrologic studies for foreign projects in Australia, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Thailand, Formosa, and the Philippine Islands.
DIVISION OF PROGRAM COORDINATION AND FINANCE
Financial Operations
Under the reorganization plan of the Bureau of Reclamation the regional directors were vested with increased responsibility for executing financial procedures and acting on audit and other reports which disclosed deficiencies in the regional functions. A plan was developed to delegate to regional field accounting units the role of performing the work associated with this responsibility.
The reorganization of the Solicitor’s office of the Department necessitated a change in procedures for financing the operations of that office. Instructions were formulated whereby reclamation offices will be reimbursed for the miscellaneous services and supplies provided to the Solicitor’s field and regional offices.
Necessary accounting procedures were developed to implement the revised policy of the Bureau in transferring property between reclamation projects to other Interior agencies and to water users organizations. The objective of the revised policy is to affect a greater utilization of reclamation property and to establish appropriate accountability in the financial records.
The relation of Bureau of Reclamation accounting to proposed Civil Service Commission standards for the classification of professional accountants was given attention during the fiscal year. Revisions in the proposed standards and justifications were transmitted to the Civil Service Commission in order to assure personnel of a desirable professional level and competency for the performance of reclamation accounting.
Statistics
Statistics activity during the year included developing, maintaining and furnishing central statistical service on items such as project feasibilities and authorizations, Reclamation Fund, appropriations and allotments, investments and expenditures, costs, revenues, cost allocations and repayments, operating programs, status and utilization of funds and employment and personal services.
It also involved preparation of the Bureau’s Monthly Activities Report and quarterly Progress Report, publication of a Statistical Appendix to the Annual Report of the Commissioner, and compila-
364841—56--8
68	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
tion and processing of reports on financial operations, program accomplishments and other data. Continuing review of operations resulted in the elimination of unnecessary reports in the interest of economy and efficiency.
Schedules
Procedures governing the integrated system of estimating, programing, reporting and accounting in use by the Bureau were revised and simplified. Studies by special committees of the construction and operation and maintenance schedules resulted in the elimination of unessential details reducing the size of the program documents and conserving filing and storage space.
The revised scheduling procedures and forms were first used in the preparation of preliminary estimates for fiscal year 1957. While minor revisions may be necessary, it is already apparent that the new procedure will result in a considerable saving of time and labor.
It is gratifying to note that the procedures now in use by the Bureau of Reclamation are, in general, very closely in conformance with the recommendations of the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government in its report on “Budget and Accounting” dated June 1955. Experience with this system has indicated that it lends itself most readily to an integrated procedure whereby estimates, schedules, reports, and accounts can be related to each other and at the same time provide meaningful information as to progress of activities.
Budget
Appropriations made available to the Bureau of Reclamation for fiscal year 1955 totaled $163,207,000 including $831,570, later transferred to the Solicitor’s office of the Department, leaving a net appropriation of $162,375,430. This did not include $3,865,329 in permanent appropriations. The appropriation represents an increase of $19,537,340 over the appropriation for fiscal year 1954.
With an unobligated balance of 9.1 million plus funds advanced by water users, trust funds, a continuing fund for emergency expenses, Fort Peck project and working funds, the money available for reclamation was $175.7 million. Of this amount, however, $1.7 million was rescinded, $6.5 million was placed in budgetary reserve, and $2 million was scheduled for obligation in future years, leaving a net amount programed of $165.5 million. Of this amount there remained unobligated at the close of 1955 funds in the amount of $11.8 million.
Obligations for fiscal year 1955 totaled 155.6 million or 94 percent of the obligations programed as compared with 96.3 percent of the program accomplished in 1954.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	69
The 1955 Appropriation Act, included certain restrictions upon the Bureau. The Bureau was directed not to initiate construction on transmission facilities in areas covered by power wheeling contracts unless the power companies in such areas were unable or unwilling to construct the facilities.
The limitation on the amount of money which may be expended for work by Government forces (force account work) was included again in the 1955 act. This limitation provided that not to exceed 12 percent of the allotment for any one project or unit of the Missouri River Basin project, with a maximum of $225,000 for any such project or unit, was to be so used. Also again as in recent years a limitation was placed upon the amount of money that could be expended for information services. By administrative determination this limitation was placed at $17,300.
The amounts appropriated by activity for fiscal year 1955, together with the amounts to be derived from the special and general funds, follow:
Table 11.—Condensed statement of appropriations, fiscal year 1955 exclusive of trust funds and permanent appropriations
General investigations_________________________________________ $3, 750, 000
Reclamation fund___________________________________________ (3,150,000)
Colorado River Dam fund, Colorado River Development fund___	(500, 000)
General fund----------------------------------------------- (100, 000)
Construction and rehabilitation________________________________ 133, 757, 000
Reclamation fund__________________________________________ (57,946,197)
General fund---------------------------------------------- (75,810,803)
Operation and maintenance______________________________________ 21, 500, 000
Reclamation fund__________________________________________ (18,257,222)
Colorado River Dam fund____________________________________ (1,942,778)
General fund----------------------------------------------- (1,300,000)
General administrative fund____________________________________ 4, 000, 000
Reclamation fund___________________________________________ (4,000,000)
Emergency fund------------------------------------------------- 200, 000
Reclamation fund___________________________________________ (200,000)
Grand total--------------------------------------------- 163, 207, 000
Reclamation fund__________________________________________ (83, 553, 419)
Colorado River Dam fund___________________________________ (2,442,778)
General fund---------------------------------------------- (77,210,803)
70	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 12.—Annual appropriations from Reclamation and other funds, fiscal years 1902-55
Fiscal year	Reclamation fund 1	General fund	Colorado River Dam fund	Emergency relief fundsi 2	Fort Peck continuing fund	Permanent appropriations	Total
1 OHO	3 $165 000						(3 4)
LulM		3 5 95o’ 000						(3)
iyuo	 1 QQ4	3 is? 440’ 000						s $2,000,000
lyiJT	 1 QH^	3 g’ 758’ 000						(3)
iyuo		3 24’ 894? 961						3 15,363,800
iyuo	 1 QQ7	3 4 41’ 979’ 161						(3)
1VU i	 1 QfY7	19 186’ 161						3 18,051,161
iyu/		o’ 526 038						9, 562,038
1908	 i ana	9 180’ 700						9', 180', 700
iyyv	 1Q1O	8’ 183’ 300						8,183,300
IVIU	 1 Q11	26’ 896 790						26,896,790
lyii	 1 QI 9	8 262’367						8', 262; 367
lyiz	 1913	8* 300 508						8.300, 508
1914	15 931,922						15,931,922
1 QI	1’261, 411						1, 261,411
IVIO	 1 QI A	13’ 530 000						13, 530,000
luio	 1 QI 7	8’ 887’ 557	$15,000					8,902, 557
iyi <	 ■1 QI Q	s’ 227’ 000	310, 213					8; 537,213
iyi©-		 1 QI Q	9’ 397’ 081	443 196					9', 840', 277
iyiy	 1 Q9(1	7' 300’ 000	548,927					7; 848,927
	 1Q21	8 463,000	66E 177					9,124,177
1Q99	20’ 266 000	335,871					20,601,871
1 Q93	14’ soo’ 000	559, 530					15,359, 530
iuzo	 1 Q94	13’ soo’ 000	314; 067					14,114,067
lilZT	 1995	11* 890* 809						li; 890', 809
1Q9R	12’ 563* 240	687,336					13,250, 576
1UZU	 1Q97	7’ 436 320	75, 000					7, 51i; 320
iyz/	 1 Q9ft	12’ 148’ 800	122, 640					12', 271', 440
IVZo	 1Q9Q	14’ 328’ 400	115,000					14', 443; 400
lyzv	 1QQH	s’ 643’ 000	10,760,000					19; 403', 000
lUdv	 1 QQ1	9’ 4S2’ 000	100,000					9, 582,000
iyoi	 1 QQ9	j 271'000	25 100,000					32; 371; 000
1933	2’ 817’ 288	13,050, 000					15', 867,288
1934	3’ 40S’ 000	8,048,000		$103, 535,000			114,991, 000
1935	1’176 750			34; 076, 000			35; 252,750
1936	1’388’ 100	15,950,000		25', 438,000			42,776,100
IQ37	12 344 600	34,850,000	$350,000	4 4,873, 000			42,671; 600
1938	12 322 600	30 570,000	500,000	37; 047, 500		$1,100,000	81, 540,100
1939	10 940’ 600	32,995^ 000	500,000	4 2, 502,488		4,600,000	46; 533; 112
1 Q4O	13’S75 600	64 215 000	575, 000	28,347		5,700,000	84,393,947
	 1Q41	10 000 600	63,260, 000	768,000	4124', 300		6', 600; 000	80; 504; 300
1Q49	8 111 000	92,862,031	1,000' 000	419,961		2,600,000	104, 553,070
1Q43	3’ 607 960	86', 745' 460	1,379; 250	41,131		2,600,000	94, 331, 539
1944 		4, 514,475	35, 712, 000	1', 443; 100	4 72,709	$300,000	5,600,000	47,496,866
1945		7, 649, 800	18, 637,200	2, 200,000	4 22,332	100,000	13,100, 000	41,664,668
1946	36 617 890	83, 527, 750	2, 550,000		200,000	4,856, 302	127, 751,942
JQ47	39 600 213	75' 901, 805	1', 814,330	4 30,396		4,600, 000	121,885,952
1948	25? 676 750	115 505,288	2' 088^ 000		308,000	5,280,000	148,858,038
1949	36 952 264	227, 636, 453	2,450, 000		355,000	4,440,000	271,833,717
1950	44'759 817	312'. 269,875	2' 123,100		403,229	7. 641,440	367,197,461
1951	46 917 165	222,453,635	2', 308,000		358,605	5,738,210	277,775,615
1952	51’422 347	180^ 665', 175	2,171' 000		1,044,995	6, 621, 607	241,925,124
] Q5.3	72 945 450	130 859,541	2,643,000		639,950	7, 743,965	214,831, 906
1954	74’ 884' 496	65, 505,454	2, 679, 710		648^ 783	4', 610,748	148,329,191
1955		83’ 553; 419	75,444,114	2, 442,778	—	803, 218	5,953, 500	168,197,029
Total-	916, 915,388	2,026,811, 738	31,985,268	192,478, 530	5,161, 780	599,385,772	3,272,738,476
i Prior to fiscal year 1916 funds were made available to Reclamation Service by allotments from the reclamation fund, authorized by the Secretary of the Interior.
2 Emergency relief funds include allocations to reclamation from NIRA, PWA, and ERA funds.
2 Allotments made prior to Fallon, Nevada Conference on July 27, 1907, were canceled and summary allotments issued. Original amounts excluded from total column.
4 Credit.
6 Repayment of advances included: Boulder Canyon, $21,634,120; and All-American Canal system, $2,752,000
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	71
Table 13.—The Reclamation fund, fiscal years 195Jf-56, funds available for appropriation
Receipts and appropriations	Actual, 1954	Actual, 1955	Estimated, 1956
Unappropriated balance brought forward (as of June 30)	 Add items in transit. „ . 				$78, 234, 264	$88,033,071	$92,751,703 37,705
Accretions and collections: Bureau of Reclamation and other agencies, (.100).—				
	14, 276,770 27,943,980 41,578,238	1 16,014,551 32, 282,541 38,462,092	14,600,000 37, 778, 200 47, 800,000
Other agencies, (.200) ... ..			
Power revenues, (.300)					
Subtotal, accretions and collections	.			
	83,798, 988	86, 759,184	100,178, 200
Lapsed appropriations 				 _ ___ __ ___ _ _ _			
	995,063	1, 666,367	1,080,000
Total available for appropriation .	_ .... ____			
	163,028,315 100,000 10, 748	176, 458,622 150,000 3,500	194, 047, 608
Less permanently authorized appropriations for: Refund of revenue collections.—	_	. _ 				
Farmers irrigation district, North Platte project, Nebraska. Deduct annual appropriation or estimate for: General investigations.. . . .. .			 _			8,000
	2,400,000 52, 509, 206 15,075, 290 4, 500,000 400,000	3,150, 000 57,946,197 18, 257, 222 4,000,000 200,000	4,421, 812 69,287,000 20, 223,638 3,600,000 500,000
Construction and rehabilitation. 			 . _.			
Operation and maintenance. _ 			 					
General administrative expenses			
Emergency fund.	 ... . .			
Subtotal, annual appropriation or estimate				
	74, 884,496	83, 553,419	98,032,450
Balance carried forward	 _			 .			
	88,033, 071	92,751, 703	96,007,158
			
1 Includes the amount of $1,282,095.90 transferred from (.200); and additional collections made by other agencies during fiscal year 1955.
Table 14.—Accretions to Reclamation Fund by States, fiscal year 1955
State or other accretions	Sale of public land		Proceeds from Oil Leasing Act		Total to June 30 1955
	Fiscal year 1955	To June 30, 1955	Fiscal year 1955	To June 30, 1955	
Alabama.			$5, 043. 94	$208, 910.66	$208, 910.66
Arizona	 _	_ ..	$78, 929. 78	$3, 063, 339. 94	74; 783. 98	346, 203.02	3,' 409; 542.96
Arkansas.			7, 977. 76	19 354.29	19; 354.29
California	 _	533, 672.47	10, 351, 841. 85	5,172, 964. 60	61, 011,140.81	71, 362, 982.66
Colorado		167, 710.23	11, 067,155.43	4,394,497.10	25; 07L 385.62	36,138, 541.05
Florida...			79.67	1, 937. 64	1, 937. 64
Idaho		170,381.35	7, 960, 849. 82	63, 980. 98	560,477.12	8, 52i; 326.94
Illinois						42. 00	42.00
Kansas... _. __	4, 013.99	1, 045, 543.42	46, 713.05	342,135. 93	1, 387, 679.35
Louisiana 				53,423.40	588, 411.17	' 588, 411.17
Michigan				2; 768.65	25, 646.87	25; 646.87
Mississippi			2, 946. 50	13 880.41	13; 880.41
Montana. .	207, 072. 99	16, 089,165. 98	1,146, 941.62	9, 791; 884.12	25, 88i; 050.10
Nebraska		11, 242.34	2, 209, 980.44	4, 037.38	52,480. 51	2, 262, 460.95
Nevada. ...	58, 026. 92	1, 207, 979.39	775, 837.61	2, 232, 551. 79	3,440, 531.18
New’ Mexico ...	63, 944.20	7,192, 567. 99	4,375, 588.96	30; 687; 018. 54	37,879, 586. 53
North Dakota.	5, 742. 27	12, 274, 371.05	59,155. 73	' 680; 786. 56	12, 955,157.61
Oklahoma.	' 284. 46	5, 968,809. 70	25, 893.83	196, 276.93	6,165, 086. 63
Oregon. _	694, Oil. 33	14, 571, 542. 67	60,112. 28	107; 295. 99	14, 678, 838.66
South Dakota	22, 877.49	7, 795, 935. 54	134; 561. 27	485,115.50	8; 281, 051. 04
Utah		86' 937.53	4, 802, 097. 93	2, 036; 389. 45	9 600 068. 90	14, 402,166.83
Washington	209, 971. 49	8, 545, 684.30	2, 940. 53	62,340.-32	8. 608, 024. 62
Wyoming		63; 695. 27	9; 342; 692. 63	11, 20i; 713.82	103, 083, 558.48	112, 426, 251.11
Total		2, 378, 514.11	123, 489, 558.08	29, 648, 352.11	245,168, 903.18	368, 658, 461.26
OTHER ACCRETIONS
Fiscal year
1955
Total to June 30, 1955
Proceeds, Federal water power licenses_______________________________
Proceeds, Potassium royalties and rentals______________._____________
Receipts from naval petroleum reserves, 1920-38, act of May 9, 1938__
Proceeds from rights-of-way over withdrawn lands, act of July 19, 1919— Lease of lands_______________________________________________________
Townlot sales________________________________________________________
Timber sales, and other miscellaneous items____._____________________
Miscellaneous items, other___________________________________________
$71, 009.66
1, 380, 515. 49
264. 67
(’)
$1, 414,619. 72
9, 269,633.17
29, 778,300.23
11, 637.19
5.78
Total_______
Grand total.
1, 451, 789.82
33, 478, 656. 044
40, 474,196.09
409,132, 657.35
’ The amount of $1,196,115.20 plus collections made by other agencies during fiscal year 1955, $85,980.70, totaling $1,282,095.90, were transferred to (.100), for project recording purposes.
72
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 15.—Cost of plant, property and equipment, by States, June 30,1955


ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	73
See footnotes at end of table.
74
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 15.—Cost of plant, property and equipment, by States, June 30, 1955—Continued
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES >	75
authorized by Congress.
1 Transferred to State Department.
76
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 16.—Repayment contracts—matured and unmatured—June 30,1955
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	77
1,103.59 12,780. 41 936.08	<			; ;		: : is i ? is	13588 Illi is^ i i i i H H	i i i i i i i i i i i :	
SSSS :888 SS3S is$S isr cf «•	!			i		SS88 gsgj 6gS¥ r—<	SSS3 i is i i ii i pjg i if i	8 S8S8S § gOSS 8 ssasgg->-■ 3'	888S gSSS g|£8 g§B B’SS Sag-’ o'er w
SS888S888	88	S88o883oo8S8o§SoS888S888	S88SSS&8&3	SS3S
£§£§§S3g§	§§	§§§ggg8g£8§g§Sg£gg§8§	Sg^§g§g£§	g=gg
§Ssg§¥§ls	£s	SsS¥ggSS£gggg¥Mg8¥§¥§‘	^ggggggg
wmVh coco'.o	co	cf w w w* tC co rtt£cdcfr-r oh	cfa?-gc States of Arkansas and Oklahoma to negotiate and enter into, a compact relating to the waters of the Arkansas River.
Litigation
Major litigation involving water and power problems during the year were:
1.	Rank v. Krug, et ah, the complaint in this case originally was filed in 1947 in the Superior Court of the State of California in and for the county of Fresno. Upon the motion of the Department of Justice the case was removed to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, Northern Division. At about the same time, four other actions were filed for similar relief against the same parties. These actions also were removed to the same United States district court.
The court has jurisdiction of four of the named defendant officials of region 2 of the Bureau of Reclamation, including the regional director. A number of irrigation districts in the Friant-Kern Canal and Madera Canal areas also are defendants. The State of California, through its attorney general, and the city of Fresno are intervenors in the case. The plaintiffs also filed separate suits in the same United States district court for compensation under the Tucker Act.
All of these suits directly involve the water rights of a class alleged from time to time to comprise 1,400 landowners claimed to be affected by the operation of Friant Dam and Reservoir.
The plaintiffs claim, as a class, that they own riparian, appropriate, prescriptive, and ground-water rights to the full flow of the San Joaquin River, unrestricted by operations by the United States. For their use they seek an absolute injunction against the operation of Friant Dam and its diversion works. In the alternative, they request a regulated flow of the river to simulate the optimum conditions
86	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
that a flow of 2,500 cubic feet per second would provide for downstream water users at any time that such water is available in Friant Reservoir. As a second alternative, they request a physical solution to simulate a flow of 2,000 cubic feet per second, plus the installation and operation of some 14 check dams in the river, which would cost several million dollars. As a third alternative, the plaintiffs request relief by way of “reverse condemnation,” as that term is used by the California courts.
As against these pleas of the plaintiffs, the defendants have interposed a general denial and have submitted plans for physical solutions of the problems.
In early 1950, motions for a preliminary injunction and to dismiss (except as to the Tucker Act cases) were consolidated and heard at Los Angeles. Both motions were denied, except that in one of the incidental cases the motion to dismiss was granted. The decision on these motions is reported in Rank, v. Krug, 90 F. Supp. 773 (1950).
During July and August 1951, further hearings were held at Fresno on a renewed motion for a preliminary injunction. The result was a stipulated order covering phases of the operation of the river for a limited period of time.
In December 1951 and January 1952, pretrial hearings were held, an order was made thereon, and the case was set for trial to begin at Fresno on January 29, 1952. The trial was concluded during July of 1953.
In the spring of 1953 an order was entered requiring certain releases from Friant Dam. The United States went into the circuit court, and in an opinion dated August 4 this order was dissolved. The basis of the decision was that the order affected property of the United States and that the United States was not a party. Subsequently during August the plaintiffs moved to join the United States as a party and to reopen the trial. The United States was joined by order of the court on September 18, 1953. The United States then applied to the circuit court for a motion to restrain further proceedings in the case and to dismiss the United States as a party. On February 1, 1954, the court denied the motion. The basis of the denial was to the effect that after such a long trial it would be premature to consider the issues raised in a special proceeding and that the issues could be considered on appeal. The case is now before the Supreme Court of the United States pending decision.
2.	In the Matter of the California Oregon Power Company., on April 16, 1951, Copco filed an application with the Federal Power Commission for a license for its proposed Big Bend No. 2 project, identified by the Federal Power Commission as project No. 2082. The Secretary of the Interior, following his recommendation to the
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	87
Commission that the application be denied for the reasons that it might impair the rights to water of the United States, would be detrimental to irrigation and development of land in the Klamath project, and would foreclose comprehensive water resource development in the Klamath River Basin, was formally admitted as a party to the proceeding and to a companion proceeding. (Docket No. E-6390, discussed separately.)
The Presiding Examiner’s Recommended Decision on project No. 2082 (October 2, 1953) recommended that Copco be granted a license subject to the condition that within 1 year the company should obtain an extension or renewal, for the 50-year term of the license, of the 1917 contract with the United States covering the operation of Link River Dam. The company filed exceptions to the recommended decision on the ground that the trial examiner erred in determining that the Commission had jurisdiction on the basis of the company’s use of surplus water from a Government dam. The Department did not file exceptions but appeared at the hearing before the Commission on December 1, 1953. The purpose of the appearance was to counter statements made in Copco’s exceptions negativing the water rights of the United States. On January 28, 1954, the Commission issued its opinion No. 266 affirming the recommended decision of the trial examiner. Copco’s petition for a rehearing was denied. Copco appealed this decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (No. 12235). While retaining jurisdiction, the court remanded the case to the Commission to obtain answers to certain questions. Copco filed a brief before the Commission with respect to these questions. At the end of the fiscal year, the Commission had not yet submitted its explanatory opinion to the court,
3.	In the Matter of the California Oregon Power Company, this proceeding is a companion to project No. 2082 and was commenced by an order to show cause, issued November 28, 1951, to Copco by the Federal Power Commission. The order required Copco to show cause why it should not file applications for licenses for five of its existing hydroelectric plants on the Klamath River in Oregon and California.
The main issues in this proceeding are whether the Commission has licensing jurisdiction over the five plants, and, assuming that the Commission does have jurisdiction, on what particular ground it should be based. Staff counsel for the Commission contended that several bases of jurisdiction exist, among others, that the plants utilize surplus water from a Government dam.
The dam in question is the Link River Dam, constructed by Copco in 1917 pursuant to a 50-year contract between Copco and the Bureau of Reclamation. In essence, the contract provided for the construction of the Link River Dam by Copco and the transfer thereof to
88	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
the United States, the operation of Link River Dam by Copco to meet certain irrigation requirements of the Klamath project, and the reduction, by Copco, of certain power rates for pumping in the Klamath project. Thus, although the primary purpose of the dam is to provide water for irrigation of the Klamath project, Copco may also make limited releases of water for the generation of power. Copco has two plants at Klamath Falls, one at Keno, Oreg., and two near Copco, Calif., all of which are operated through water releases from Link River Dam.
The Presiding Examiner’s Recommended Decision on Docket No. E-6390 (October 2, 1953) holds that the Commission has jurisdiction under the Federal Power Act on grounds, among others, that the plants utilize surplus water from Link River Dam. Although originally opposing this particular ground of jurisdiction, the Secretary of the Interior did not file exceptions to the recommended decision because, in effect, the interests of the United States are protected by the condition to the license imposed in project No. 2082. Copco, however, filed exceptions and, for reasons indicated in the discussion of project No. 2082, the Department appeared at the hearing before the Commission on December 1, 1953. The Commission’s decision No. 266 (January 28, 1954) affirmed the “surplus water” as a jurisdictional basis for license. Copco appealed this decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (No. 12236). While retaining jurisdiction, the court remanded the case to the Commission to obtain answers to certain questions. Copco filed a brief before the Commission with respect to these questions. At the end of the fiscal year, the Commission had not yet submitted its explanatory opinion to the court.
4.	State of Arizona v. State of California, et al., is an action in the Supreme Court of the United States by which Arizona seeks a determination of its rights in and to the use of the waters of the Colorado River, as against such rights claimed by the defendants under the Colorado River compact, the Boulder Canyon Project Act, and the California Limitation Act. Leave to intervene was granted on December 31, 1952, on the motion of the United States, and, pursuant thereto, petition of intervention on behalf of the United States was filed December 8, 1953. Motion on behalf of the State of Nevada for leave to intervene and petition of intervention on behalf of the State of Nevada were also filed with the court during December 1953. By order of the court on June 1, 1954, the State of Nevada was granted leave to intervene. The special master appointed by the court held hearings during April 1955. His report on the motion of the California defendants to join as parties the States of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming was submitted to the court shortly after the end of the fiscal year.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	89
5.	Hudspeth County and Reclamation District No. 1 v. Robbins, et al. (an employee of the Bureau of Reclamation), a suit for declaratory judgment to establish the water rights of the plaintiff and to enjoin officers of the United States from impounding and diverting certain waters allegedly belonging to the district was originally filed in the District Court for Hudspeth County, Tex., and later removed to the United States District Court, Western District of Texas, El Paso Division. On the plaintiff’s motion for partial summary judgment and on the defendant’s motion for summary judgment, the court ordered that the relief sought by the plaintiff be denied. The case was appealed, and, following oral hearings, remanded with directions to dismiss the complaint for want of jurisdiction (213 F. (2d) 425 (1954)). On October 14, 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States denied the plaintiff’s petition for a writ of certiorari (348 U. S. 833).
6.	El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 and the United States, et al. v. The City of El Paso, was filed in the United States District Court, Western District of Texas, El Paso Division, in January 1953, to resolve a number of controversies existing between the litigants, including the extent of certain alleged water rights of the city, the validity of obligations previously entered into, the validity of conveyances of the Franklin Canal right-of-way, and obligations for maintenance of bridges. Several hearings have been held for discovery purposes. At the end of the fiscal year the case had been tried and a decision is pending.
7.	Two cases, both entitled Provo Bench Caned Irrigation Company, et al. v. Linke, State Engineer, and the United States, to review decisions of the State engineer approving applications by the United States to change the point of diversion and place of use of water acquired by the United States for the Provo River project, were tried on their merits in the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District in and for Utah County, State of Utah. The trial court decided the case adversely to the Government’s position. At the close of the fiscal year the question of initiating an appeal was under consideration.
8.	Desert Beach Corporation v. United States Imperial Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, et al., was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, Central Division, in October 1953. This is an action seeking to recover $450,000 in damages to plaintiff’s properties alleged to have been caused by the negligent and wrongful acts or omissions of the defendants. On April 12,1954, an order was entered dismissing the United States from the above action on the ground that plaintiff’s complaint failed to allege any specific acts of negligence by Government employees acting in the course of their employment. Motions
90	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
by the Imperial and Coachella districts for dismissal on the ground of lack of diversity of citizenship were taken under advisement by the court. On June 2,1954, plaintiff filed its first amended complaint and the United States thereafter again moved to dismiss the action on the ground that the amended complaint fails to allege any specific act of negligence on the part of Government employees and also based on the “discretionary act” provision (28 U. S. C. A. 2680) of the Federal Tort Claims Act. On January I, 1955, defendant districts were dismissed from the action on the ground of lack of diversity of citizenship, and defendants Does 26 to 100, stated by the complaint to be employees of the United States, were dismissed by the court on its own motion. The motion of the United States for dismissal was denied. On February 2, 1955, a stipulation was entered into that the United States need not file a responsive pleading until 10 days after demand is made therefor by the plaintiff.
9.	The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company v. United States, petition was filed in the court of claims in February 1954 for damages allegedly arising in connection with the construction of Elephant Butte Dam from heavy siltation and sedimentation in the SaD Marcial area. Answer was filed on June 9,1954.
10.	Citizens Utilities Company v. E. G. Nielsen, et al. (an employee of the Bureau of Reclamation) United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This is an action to enjoin and restrain the United States from doing or failing to do any act or thing which would cause or result in an interference with or disruption of the delivery of Hoover Dam electrical energy to plaintiff company under its contract for the purchase of unused Metropolitan Water District energy which terminated December 31, 1954. On December 24, 1954, a temporary restraining order and order to show cause was issued. On January 21, 1955, the complaint was dismissed on the grounds that the suit is in reality a suit against the United States, which has not consented to be sued, and that the Secretary of the Interior is an indispensable party to the action. At the same time, the temporary restraining order was quashed. On January 24,1955, plaintiff filed its appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and moved for restoration and continuance of the restraining order pending appeal, which motion was denied. On June 20, 1955, the Department advised the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs that if suit is instituted in the Court of Claims and, after determination of the rights of all interested parties, final judgment is rendered favorable to the company’s claims, the United States will enter into arrangements for the resumption of service.
11.	Contested validation proceedings involving the Ivanhoe and Madera irrigation districts and the Santa Barbara County Water
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4- 91
Agency are on appeal before the Supreme Court of California, where decision is pending.
Contract Litigation
During the fiscal year the Bureau of Reclamation was involved in 15 cases in the Federal courts concerning claims totaling approximately $2,700,000 arising in connection with construction and supply contracts. Bureau of Reclamation and Solicitor’s personnel participated with the Department of Justice in the defense of these cases and in negotiations of compromise settlements of several of the cases. At the end of the fiscal year, 9 cases either had been decided by the courts or settled through compromise. These 9 cases involved claims totaling approximately $2,200,000. The compromise settlements and judgment totaled about $100,000.
BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
William A. Pearl, Administrator
☆ ☆ ☆
FINANCIAL RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
AS A RESULT of below normal temperatures experienced xx throughout the Columbia River Basin area during the early months of 1955, the Administration found it necessary to curtail deliveries of interruptible power to industry. This situation lasted from the latter part of March until early May. However, the addition of 10 generating units—4 at McNary, 3 at Lookout Point, 2 at Albeni Falls and 1 at Dexter—added 443,400 kilowatts of installed capacity during the year.
These factors resulted in an increase in sales, and gross revenues kept pace with an increase of $6,748,789 or 14.9 percent, for a total of $52,066,482, largest since inception of the program. All costs of operation, including maintenance charges, interest and depreciation expense, and miscellaneous charges, were exceeded by a comfortable margin and resulted in net revenues of $8,591,305. The addition of higher cost projects plus some curtailment of sales due to below normal stream flows during the period of March to May 1955, caused a decrease in net revenues of $46,405 from the net revenues of $8,637,710 reported for fiscal year 1954.
Table I presents a combined statement of revenues and expenses for the system. The data are prepared from commercial cost accounts kept in accordance with the Federal Power Commission system of accounts prescribed for electric utilities.
Table I.—Columbia River power system—condensed summary of revenues and expenses—operating projects only
	Fiscal year 1954	Fiscal year 1955	Total to June 30, 1955
Operating revenues		$45, 317, 693	$52, 066, 482	$401, 813,269
"Expenses of operation, maintenance, etc				12, 804, 967 11,638,135 12,248,197 (11,316)	13,101, 399 14, 516,958 15, 937, 409 (80, 589)	108, 462,928 80, 462,504 101, 080, 450 1, 727,653
Provision for depreciation	_ _ ______ 				
Interest expense		 __	- 							
Mi seel lan eons deductions, net					
Total deductions				
	36, 679, 983	43, 475,177	291, 733, 535
Accumulated net revenues from operations	 		8, 637, 710	8, 591, 305	110, 079, 734
			
92
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	93
Summary of Revenue
Table II summarizes by customer categories the source of revenues by fiscal years to and including 1955. The aluminum industry accounted for 32.48 percent of the revenue dollar for fiscal year 1955, while industries other than aluminum accounted for 13.10 percent, making a total of 45.58 percent of the gross revenues for the year provided by industrial customers.
Table II.—Revenue by class of customers through fiscal year 1955
Class of customer	1950 and prior	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	Total to June 30, 1955	1955 percentage (dollar revenue)
Industry: Aluminum	.	$87,549,564 21,115,345 29, 021, 848 46, 218, 881 4, 979, 073	13, 523,276 3, 774, 798 9, 947, 909 8, 525, 609 417, 436	13, 376, 207 4, 650, 425 12, 973, 025 8, 526, 775 653, 714	13, 545, 562 4, 715, 747 13, 882, 890 6,239,276 791, 734	15, 944, 356 5, 417,177 14,882, 997 7, 882, 879 1,190, 284	16, 909, 588 6, 821, 850 17, 601,135 9, 926,150 807, 759	160,848,553 46. 495, 342 98, 309,804 87.319, 570 8, 840, 000	32.48
Other1--.								13.10
Publicly owned utilities	_								33.81
Privately owned utilities. _ .								19.06
Other operating revenue										1.55
								
Total operating revenue,.	188,884,711	36,189, 028	40,180,146	39,175, 209	45,317, 693	52,066,482	401,813,269	100.00,
1 Includes sales to Federal agencies.
Sales to publicly owned utilities were 33.81 percent of the total and privately owned utilities 19.06. The balance of 1.55 percent made up other operating revenue.
Increased sales occurred in all categories. Sales to aluminum industries increased $965,232, other industries $1,404,673, publicly owned utilities $2,718,138, and privately owned utilities $2,043,271.
Repayment of Federal Investment
The gross Federal investment in the power portion of all the generating projects in operation and in related transmission facilities comprises the total of all funds appropriated and requisitioned for construction and operations, together with indirect items such as WPA expenditures and amounts transferred from other Federal agencies, plus the interest charge at 2% percent on the unrepaid balance. As of June 30,1955, this investment amounted to $1,368,795,219, as shown in table IV. This includes accumulated interest in the amount of $163,773,645. A summary of the interest accumulation is shown in table III.
94 4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table HI.—Columbia River power system—Summary of interest on Federal investment as of June SO, 1955
Interest during construction, to be returned during repayment period as part of the Federal investment:
Transmission system_____________________________ $5,437,289
Bonneville Dam project-------------------------- 2, 332, 734
Columbia Basin project-------------------------- 9,693, 591
Hungry Horse project---------------------------- 4, 708, 542
McNary Dam project------------------------------ 17,985,302
Albeni Falls project____________________________ 980, 277
Detroit and Big Cliff___________________________ 3, 035, 468
Lookout Point and Dexter________________________ 3, 480, 401
Subtotal_____________________________________________________$47, 653, 604
Interest on costs at projects allocated to future down-
stream river regulation, to be returned from genera-
tion at benefitted downstream projects:
Columbia Basin project----------------------------$13,972, 760
Hungry Horse project------------------------------ 769, 754
Albeni Falls project------------------------------ 297,077
Subtotal___________________________________________________$15, 039, 591
Interest charged to operations:
Transmission system-----------------------------$36, 814,158
Bonneville Dam project-------------------------- 19, 029, 826
Columbia Basin project__________________________ 35,156, 722
Hungry Horse project____________________________ 4, 200, 039
McNary Dam project______________________________ 3, 486, 648
Albeni Falls project---------------------------- 429, 530
Detroit and Big Cliff--------------------------- 1, 638, 083
Lookout Point and Dexter------------------------ 325,444
Subtotal.
$101, 080,450
Gross interest accumulation.
$163, 773, 645
With the exception of the amounts transferred to the continuing fund, all receipts from power sales and miscellaneous sources allocated to power are deposited in the Treasury to repay the Federal investment.
As of June 30, 1955 repayments total $390,040,963, leaving an unpaid balance of $978,754,256. Of the total repaid, $197,852,576 represents payment of all current expenses since inception of the program; the remaining amount of $192,188,387 is repayment on the capital investment of $1,170,942,643 as shown in table IV.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 95
Table IV.—Columbia River power system—summary of Federal investment in operatiny power projects and repayment as of June 30,1955
	Gross investment	Repayments	Net investment
Investment in current expenses: Operation, m ain ten an ce, etc			$96, 772,126 101,080, 450	$96, 772,126 101,080, 450	
Interest1				
Total current expenses		 . _			
	197, 852, 576	197, 852, 576	
Investment in capital assets: Electric plant inventories, etc.2			
	1,123,063,162 47, 879, 481		
Unexpended appropriations					
Total capital investment	... Total Federal investment	—				
	1,170, 942, 643	192,188, 387	$978,754, 256
	1,368, 795, 219	390,040, 963	978, 754, 256
i The Columbia River power system does not receive appropriations for payment of interest, but imputes and includes in its accounts provisions for interest expense and returns receipts to the Treasury in repayment of such expenses.
2 Includes interest during construction of $47,653,604, which will be repaid to the Treasury as part of capital cost of electric plant and $15,039,591 of interest charged to future downstream regulation recoverable from operations of future downstream hydroelectric plants.
Inasmuch as no increase in the basic $17.50 kilowatt-year rate will be made prior to December 1956, additional generation scheduled for future years, while increasing gross revenues, will reflect lower net revenue due to higher construction costs together with added interest and depreciation expenses for the newer projects.
If necessary, a rate adjustment may be made after approval of the Federal Power Commission effective on December 20 of the years 1956 to 1959.
A summary of plant accounts as of June 30, 1955, is shown in table V.
Table V.—Columbia River power system—summary of plant accounts in operating projects as of June 30,1955
Project	Total	Allocation	
		Nonpower	Power
Bonneville Power Administration			$368, 913, 677 86, 895, 909 487, 468, 408 107,368, 442 30, 396, 644 289,865, 955 65,643, 472 92, 259,614		$368, 913, 677 59,593, 41G> 205,181,03i 86, 516, 970 30,105, 016 264,207,264 41, 530, 531 41, 355, 698
Bonneville Dam project				$27,302,499 282, 287,375 20, 851,472 291, 628 25,658, 691 24,112, 941 50, 903,916	
Columbia Basin project	 ...			
Hungry Horse project. . 				
Albeni Falls project	 . 						
McNary Dam project. ... 	 				
Detroit and Big Cliff projects	 _ .			
Lookout Point-Dexter project				
Total plant		 	 ...			
	1, 528,812,121	431, 408, 522	1,097,403, 599 76, 057, 579
Less: Combined reserve for depreciation					
Total less reserve				
			1, 021,346, 02©
			
96	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Based on individual projects the return of power capital investment has been as follows:
Project	Power capital1 investment	Repaid as of June 30, 1955	Percent repaid	Net power 1 investment
Bonneville Power Administration 	__ _	$383,200, 518	$94, 849, 512	24.75	$288, 351,006
Bonneville Dam project			59^ 812,351	22; 991', 224	38. 44	36; 821; 127
Columbia Basin project			 _	221' 573' 779	58; 802,897	26. 54	162; 770; 882
Hungry Horse project		87; 883,133	4; 359; 403	4. 96	83; 523; 730
Albeni Falls project		29, 935, 243	' 549, 617	1.84	29, 385', 626
McNary Dam project 			257j870, 656	8, 797,362	3. 41	249,073, 294
Detroit-Big Cliff project.. 		41i 644i 652	i; 43i; 187	3. 44	40; 213, 465
Lookout Point-Dexter project		4i; 142; 830	' 407,185	.99	40, 735,645
Total..					1,123,063,162	192,188, 387	17.11	930,874, 775
i Exclusive of unexpended funds in U. S. Treasury.
Foregoing data on repayment of the investment are based on cost accounts maintained in accordance with the Federal Power Commission uniform system of accounts. On a statutory repayment basis, the repayment percentages are the same as in the above table for the Bonneville Power Administration and Bonneville Dam, but different for the Columbia Basin project, since in the case of the latter (1) power revenues must pay operation and maintenance costs of Grand Coulee Dam and power plant allocated to irrigation, (2) interest expense is computed at 3 percent rather than 2% percent, and (3) other differences such as the exclusion of interest during construction in the payout accounts of the Columbia Basin project.
SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS
Energy Production
Energy generated at nine Federal plants for the Administration totaled 23.3 billion kilowatt-hours during fiscal year 1955. This was an increase of 15 percent over fiscal year 1954. The three new plants connected to the system during this last fiscal year were Albeni Falls, Dexter, and Lookout Point. Four new generating units at McNary W’ere brought into production during the year.
New System Peak
A new system peak was reached for the hour 5-6 p. m. on December 27, 1954, before the two generators at Albeni Falls, the Dexter unit, and the sixth, seventh, and eighth generators at McNary were in operation. Maximum coincident demand on Bonneville, Detroit-Big Cliff, Grand Coulee, Hungry Horse, Lookout Point, and McNary plants was 3,651,000 kilowatts, an increase of 11 percent over the previous fiscal year’s maximum demand of 3,301,000 kilowatts occurring during January 1954.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	97
98	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Since the fall of 1946 maximum system demands have continuously exceeded the nameplate rating of installed generators. Energy produced at Federal plants for the Administration is shown by years in table VI with peak demand and energy data in the accompanying chart. Prepared on a quarterly basis, the chart on page — shows the general trends of the Bonneville Power Administration system-load growth and development.
Table VI.—Generation at Federal plants for Bonneville Power Administration,, fiscal years 1939-55
[Generation in millions of kilowatt-hours]
Fiscal years ending	Albeni	Bonne-	Detroit-
June 30—	Falls	ville	Big Cliff
Total for
Grand Coulee	Hungry Horse	Lookout Point-Dexter	McNary	Bonneville Power Adminis-
				tration
1939________
1940________
1941________
1942________
1943________
1944________
1945________
1946________
1947________
1948________
1949________
1950________
1951________
1952________
1953________
1954________
1955________
Total.
21
21
35 208 894
1,807 2,801 3,489 3,391 2, 675 3,696 3, 992 3,869 3, 690 3, 793 4, 463 4, 227 4, 406 4,336
______	8
______	742
______	2,817
______	5,751
______	5,661
______	3,561
______	5,058
______	1 6,894
______	1 9,057
______ 1	10,451
______ 1	12, 679
______ 1	14,092
2	i	13,277
2 425	i	13,886
2 467	i	13, 684
127
682
956
797
3,596
2 193
35, 208 902'
2, 549
5, 618 9,240.
9,052-
6, 236,
8, 754
10, 886.
12, 926.
14,141
16, 472
18, 555
17, 533 20,196, 23, 253
51, 772
894	117,618	1,765
193	4,393	176,655
1	Includes energy transferred for Bureau of Reclamation.
2	Excludes energy for condenser power at Detroit and Lookout Point.
Receipts and Deliveries
Bonneville Power Administration’s transmission grid forms the backbone of the interconnected transmission system of public and private utilities in the Pacific Northwest. As a result, electric energy-receipts and deliveries on Bonneville’s transmission system cover many complex transactions in addition to receipts from Federal power plants, and deliveries by sales.
The integrated transmission grid makes possible the fullest utilization of power facilities in the area through diversity in peaking and water capabilities and diversity of system-load conditions. Substantial quantities of energy are received and delivered as transfers from other utilities.
Transactions also involve storage by the Administration in non-Federal reservoirs as well as storage by non-Federal utilities in the Grand Coulee reservoir. Disposition of energy includes deliveries; from storage in Grand Coulee or to storage in other reservoirs^ energy
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 99
22 BILLION
1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947 "	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955
364841—56----10
100	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
transfers for the Bureau of Reclamation from Grand Coulee, energy used by the Administration and energy losses in transmission and transformation.
Table VII, electric energy account, summarizes energy receipts and deliveries for fiscal year 1955.
Table VII.—Electric energy account, fiscal year ended June 30, 1955
Energy received (millions of kilowatt-hours) :
Energy generated at Federal plants for Bonneville Power Administration 1___________________________________________________ 23, 253
Power purchased and interchanged in---------------------------- 2, 463
Total received__________________________________________________ 25,	716
Energy delivered (millions of kilowatt-hours) :
Sales______________________________________________________________ 21,	823
Power interchanged	out___________________________________________ 2,	261
Used by Administration_________________________________________ 26
Total delivered_______________________________________________ 24,110
Energy losses in transmission and transformation---------------------	1, 606
Losses as percent of total energy received------------------percent—	6. 2
Maximum demand on generating plants (kilowatts), Dec. 27, 1954,
5-6 p. m., Pacific standard time___________________________________ 3,651, 000
Load factor, total generated for Bonneville Power Administration _______________________________________________________percent___	72. 7
1 For detail by plants, see table VI.
Sale of 21.8 Billion Kilowatt-Hours
Energy sales to customers of the Bonneville Power Administration totaled 21.8 billion kilowatt-hours during fiscal year 1955, an increase of 16.2 percent over the previous year.
Sales of electric energy to other utilities, both publicly and privately owned, totaled 10.8 billion kilowatt-hours, an increase of 25.3 percent. Deliveries to industrial plants and Federal agencies totaled 11 billion kilowatt-hours, an increase of 8.5 percent over the previous fiscal year.
Due to favorable water conditions for most of the year, except for a short period in March, April, and May, when lack of precipitation combined with subnormal temperatures caused streamflow conditions to fall below median, it was possible for the Administration to deliver 3 billion kilowatt-hours of interruptible energy to industrial customers. This was an increase of 16.7 percent over fiscal year 1954.
Composite Average Rate of 2.39 Mills
The Administration has sold 164.5 billion kilowatt-hours of energy at a composite average rate of 2.39 mills per kilowatt-hour during the
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-	101
£
£
*0 “C -j
102	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
17 years of operation ending June 30, 1955. Sales to publicly owned utilities for this period were 35.1 billion kilowatt-hours at an average-of 2.80 mills. Privately owned utilities received 37.5 billion kilowatt-hours at an average of 2.32 mills and industries 91.9 billion kilowatt-hours at an average of 2.26 mills.
Power sales to aluminum plants were 75.0 billion kilowatt-hours at an average of 2.15 mills. These plants characteristically take power at very high load factors, approaching 100 percent, which results in the exceptionally low average cost of power on the Administration’s C rate schedule. Sales to industries other than aluminum, including sales to Federal agencies, were 16.9 billion kilowatt-hours at an average of 2.74 mills.
Sales by class of customer are shown in table VIII.
Table VIII.—Electric energy sales by glass of customer, fiscal years 1939-55 [Millions of kilowatt-hours]
Fiscal years ending June 30—
Aluminum
Other 1 industries
Publicly owned utilities
Privately owned utilities
Total
	523	5	35	537	1,100
1942	“				1,845	79	143	358	2,425
1943				3, 589	507	435	739	5,270'
1944			5,454	1,022	728	1,467	8,671
1945			4,667	965	824	2,057	8,513
1946			2,492	800	636	1,903	5,831
1947			4, 212	627	1,045	2,378	8,262’
1948			4,902	647	1,561	3,181	10,291
1949		 		5,666	881	2,081	3,342	11,970'
1950			5,863	1,024	2,840	3,312	13,039
1951			6,545	1,538	3,414	3,579	15,076.
1952			'	6,472	1,943	4,803	3,794	17,012
1953			6, 547	1,947	5,110	2,791	16,395
1954	. 		7,862	2,254	5,127	3, 531	18,774
1955		8,352	2,624	6,274	4,573	21,823.
Total to July 1, 1955		74,991	16,863	35,056	37,542	164,452'
i Includes Federal agencies.
Rate Schedules
More than 75 percent of the energy sales for the year were made under the C-4 wholesale rate schedule at an average of 2.14 mills per kilowatt-hour. This is the kilowatt-year rate for firm power delivered; anywhere from the transmission system and is also used with special measured demand provisions for sales of interruptible power. Sales are generally made under this rate to industries operating at high load factor and to utilities having substantial generating facilities. Other sales were made principally under the E schedule to utilities purchasing all or substantially all of their power requirements from the Administration. Sales under the F schedule were made to the utilities;
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	103
and industries requiring power at low-load factor use, and under the H schedule for dump, exchange, or experimental purposes. A summary of energy sales for the fiscal year 1955 classified by rate schedules is shown in table IX.
On December 20, 1954, the Federal Power Commission approved amended wholesale power rate schedules and new general rate schedule provisions. The amended rates, while retaining the same type, form, and level of the supersded rates, contain several revisions for purposes of clarity and facility of application. Each of the approved wholesale power rate schedules contains a rate adjustment clause stipulating that the rate is subject to possible adjustment subject to Federal Power Commission approval on December 20, 1956, or 1957, or 1958 if such adjustment becomes necessary. In addition to the usual review of wholesale rates by the regular staff of the Bonneville Power Administration, a special independent review of the general wholesale rate structure was begun during this fiscal year by the Ford, Bacon &
Davis Co.
104 + ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table IX.—Electric energy sales by rate schedules, fiscal year ending June 30,1955
Rate schedule	Energy (thousands of kilowatt-hours)	Revenue	Mills per kilowatt-hour
C-3, C-4: Industries		 	 ._	10, 530,159 6,019,075	$22,297,539 13,056,137	2.12 2.17
Utilities				
Subtotal				
	16, 549,234	35,353,676	2.14
F-2, F-3, F-4: Industries	 		......			
	33,737 101,207	169,181 440,427	5.01 4.35
Utilities				
Subtotal					
	134,944	609,608	4. 52
A-4: Industries	 		... .			
	6,147 10,882	20,176 34,021	3.28 3.13
Utilities	 . _			
Subtotal	 				
	17,029 3,794,320 1,327, 543	54,197 11,787,875 3,318,856	3.18 3.11 2. 50
E-4: Utilities1	 .	__	.	. . . .			
Experimental, H-3 and exchange: Industries and utilities	 Total sales.. 		 				
	21,823,070	51,124,212 134, 511 807, 759	2.34
Reconciliation with accounting records.... 					
Other electric revenues		 ..			
Total operating revenues				
		52,066,482	
			
1 Including Federal agency pumping service.
Customers Served
The Administration was serving 119 customers at the end of fiscal year 1955. There were 80 publicly owned distributors of power, 18 industrial customers, 12 Federal agencies, and nine privately owned utilities. Service to two publicly owned distributors was initiated during the year: City of Port Angeles and Kennewick irrigation district. The Pend Oreille County PUD discontinued service when the District’s Box Canyon plant was put into service. The Anaconda^ Aluminum Co. plant started receiving power from the Administration during this fiscal year. The two privately owned utilities which started receiving power from the Administration in this fiscal year are California-Pacific Utilities Co. and Idaho Power Co.
Generation Added
Additions to the United States Columbia River power system in fiscal year 1955 have a nameplate rating of 443,400 kilowatts. All units, with 135,000 kilowatts capacity, were installed at Lookout Point project on the Middle Fork of the Willamette River, including the unit at Dexter reregulating dam. Four additional units with total capacity of 280,000 kilowatts were installed at McNary project, and the first two units with 28,400 kilowatts capacity were installed at Albeni Falls project. The Corps of Engineers is construction agency for all three of these projects.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-	105
Projects Summarized
Federal projects existing, under construction, and authorized for construction by the Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation are shown in table X. With all these projects operating as a system, a nominal prime capability of 2,860,000 kilowatts is expected in fiscal year 1956 from the existing projects plus capacity to be installed during the year. With completion of the projects in construction status prime capability will be 4,000,000 kilowatts, and with completion of the authorized projects prime capability will be 6,698,000 kilowatts.
Existing usable storage capacity is 9,868,000 acre-feet. An additional 479,000 acre-feet will be provided by Cougar and Hills Creek on which construction will shortly begin, and 5,332,000 acre-feet would be provided by Libby and Green Peter projects which are authorized for construction.
All contemplated generation and storage capacity for the projects in construction status will be in service by November 1961, under the present schedule. Service dates for the other authorized projects are not scheduled as no funds are appropriated for their construction.
Non-Federal Additions
Additions to generating facilities of non-Federal utilities in the area served by the Administration for fiscal year 1955 have a nameplate rating of 45,000 kilowatts. A second unit of 25,000 kilowatts capacity was added at the city of Tacoma’s steam plant No. 2; the first unit of 15,000 kilowatts capacity was installed at Box Canyon project by Pend Oreille County PUD; and a third unit of 5,000 kilowatts capacity was installed at the city of Centralia’s Yelm plant. Future additions presently scheduled by non-Federal utilities in this area are shown in table XI.
Northwest Power Pool
Generation during fiscal year 1955 by the principal electric utility systems of the Pacific Northwest is shown in table XII. All of these utilities are members of the Northwest Power Pool. The Utah Power & Light Co. and the British Columbia Electric Co. are also members of the pool but are not included as their major service areas are outside the Pacific Northwest region.
The United States Columbia River power system supplied 62 percent of the total energy generated by the major utilities of the region. In addition to power requirements of industries and nonpool utilities
106
ANNUAL REPORT OF
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
	Principal purpose ’	P, N. P, I, FC, N. P, I, FC, N P, I, FC, N. P, I, N. P. P, I, FC, N. P. P, FC, N.				£	% o'	.o' . fA fcfA w-m-Ph Ph PhPh'Ph' Ph Ph'	
	Initial date in service	June 1938	 September 1941. October 1952.. July 1953	 November 1953. June 1954		December 1954. Anril 1955		o T3		September 1955. November 1955. April 1957	 May 1958	 November 1960. .. January 1961.. N ovember 1961.	
	ei age head (feet)	59 326 364 299 78 91	S Sc? Cl			169 118 87 140 418 97 220	
Usable storage (acre-feet)		5,072,000 2,982,000 323,000	336,000	1,155,000	9,868,000	i	i	i	i	o	। o I	I	I	I	Q	1	o i	i	i	i	O	।	O i	i	i	i	OO	i	Ci	479,000
Pool elevation (feet)		72 1,288 3,560 1, 569 340 1,206 929 695 2,062				946 620 160 1,221 1,683 440 1,543	
Nominal	prime power, kilowatts2	458,000 1,631,000 187,000 29,000 548,000 10,000 36,000 12,000 29,000			2,940,000	O O OOO GO s § ggf ss u? r-T t-TcomT r-i r-4 IO r-< COH OO	CO	r-4	1, 648,000
Plant installations	Total capacity, kilowatts *	oo ooo c ss sss g OO'tjT	OO r-<	OO O CO rH US Ci Cl r-4 Ci rH	120,000 15,000 42,600		| 4,023,000	§ § §§§ ii Cl O ci US o' o' Cl	T-fT-ld t^CQ O	T-4	Cl v—f	v—(	2,492,500
	Number of units	OQO xH Cl	rH	CO rHCQ			co ci co ci ci moi rH	r-4	
	Stream	Columbia	 	do	 South Fork Flathead-North Santiam	 Columbia	 North Santiam	 Middle Fork Willam- ette, do				Pend Oreille.				Columbia	 Yakima	 Columbia	 Yakima	 South Fork McKen- zie. Snake	 Middle Fork Willam- ette.	
	Location	W ashington-Oregon... Washington	 Montana	 Oregon	 Washington-Oregon... Orpvon 		d c i	Idaho				Washington	 	do	 Washington-Oregon... Washington	 Oregon	 Washington	 Oregon		
3 g
so
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 107
108	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Northwest Power Pool operations year ending june 30,1955
BPA SUPPLIED 87% OF NET ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF POWER POOL UTILITIES
energy surplus	energy deficient
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES
109
^INCLUDES 231 MILES 287 KV
Mote: VOLTAGES SHOWN ARE OPERATING VOLTAGES
•served through the BPA transmission system, 5.9 billion kilowatt-hours of energy was provided for use by other pool utilities to meet their requirements.
Table XI.—~Non-Federal utilities generator installation schedule, Aug. 1, 1955
Utility and plant	Stream	Unit No.	Nameplate rating, thousands of kilowatts	Date in service
Pend Oreille County PUD: Box Canyon. Portland General Electric Co.: Timothy Meadows Reservoir (60,000 acre-feet). City of Seattle: Ross	 Gorge (reconstructionnf diversion dam). City of Tacoma: Mayfield	 Washington Water Power Co.: Noxon Rapids.	Pend Oreille River	 Clackamas River		4	15 0) 90 (2) 40 40 40 40 84 84 84 84	October 1955. August 1956. December 1956. December 1958. January 1958. April 1958. July 1958. October 1958. September 1959 December 1959. March 1960. June 1960.
	Skagit River	 	do		4		
	Cowlitz River	 Clark Fork		(	1 1	2 1	3 I	4 f	1 2 1	3 I	4		
1 Construction to be completed in November 1955 with initial filling in 1956 to add 10,500 kilowatts of prime power at downstream plants.
2 Will increase gross head by 88 feet and peaking capability by 47,000 kilowatts.
110	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table XII.—Generation by the principal electric utility systems of the Pacific Northwest, fiscal year 1955
Utilities
Publicly owned:
Bonneville Power Administration.
Seattle City Light-------------
Tacoma City Light--------------
Total publicly owned----------
Privately owned:
Puget Sound Power & Light Co„ Washington Water Power Co------
Pacific Power & Light Co-------
Portland General Electric Co---
Montana Power Co---------------
Idaho Power Co-----------------
Total privately owned---------
Total generation1_____________
Kilowatt-hours (billion)	Percent of total generation
23.3	61.6
2.5	6.6
.9	2.4
26.7	70.6
1.8	4.8
2.4	6.3
1.3	3.4
.7	1.9
2.7	7.2
2.2	5.8
11.1	29.4
37.8	100.0
i The above utilities are members of the Northwest Power Pool. Utah Power & Light Co. and British Columbia Electric Co. are also members of the pool, but are not included above because their major service areas lie outside of the Pacific Northwest region.
Transmission System Additions
During the fiscal year the Bonneville Power Administration grid was increased to 6,702 circuit miles of transmission lines and to 7,327,416 kilovolt-amperes of transformer capacity. This total includes 231 circuit miles of 287,000-volt lines, 3,613 circuit miles of 230,000 volt lines, 2,627 circuit miles of 115,000 volt lines, and 231 miles of lower voltage line.
A total of 16 new substations was added to the system and the substation transformer capacity was increased by 1,174,000 kilovoltamperes. With these additions the Administration’s system includes 174 substations. Static capacitors with a capacity of 118,780 reactive kilovolt-amperes were installed, bringing the total on the system to 1,110,645 kilovolt-amperes.
To integrate the additional generation into the transmission grid and to bring it to the load centers, several major transmission lines were completed. A 90-mile section of the new McNary Dam-Vancouver, Wash., 345,000-volt line was energized at 230,000 volts in April 1955 by a temporary connection to the Midway-Big Eddy line. This line will be extended into Vancouver by the fall of 1955. In November 1954 an additional 125-mile, 230,000-volt circuit between Maupin and Albany, Oreg., was placed in operation. The operating voltage on the 231-mile Grand Coulee-Olympia line was increased from 230,000 volts to 287,000 volts in December 1954. This was accomplished by use of autotransformers on both ends of the circuit. In order to bring the generation from Lookout Point Dam. into the
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	111
NUMBER OF SUBSTATIONS
INCLUDES 800,000 KVA OF AUTOTRANSFORMERS OPERATED AS PART OF TRANSMISSION LINES
Bonneville Power Administration system, a second 115,000-volt circuit was completed and placed in parallel operation with the first line between the dam and the J. P. Alvey substation.
Twelve new substations, ranging in capacity from 3,000- to 250,000-kilo volt-amperes, were energized during the fiscal year. Switching stations were completed for the Lookout Point, Albeni Falls, and Dexter Dams. Transformer capacity was increased at seven stations by the addition of transformers or forced cooling equipment to existing transformers.
New microwave facilities between Portland and the J. P. Alvey substation and expanded facilities between Portland and Snohomish substations were completed. Facilities between Portland and Spokane were placed in operation for voice communication, with work continuing on these facilities for other communication services.
The new power dispatching center in the new Interior building in Portland, Oreg., was completed; and on January 22, 1955, power dispatching was changed over from the J. D. Ross center to the Portland location.
New Construction
Major construction activity during the fiscal year was concentrated on the 345,000-volt transmission lines using 1.602-inch ACSR “Chukar” conductor for bringing power from Chief Joseph Dam to
112 4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
the Puget Sound area, and from McNary Dam to the Portland-Van-couver load center. To transmit additional power from McNary Dam to the Willamette Valley load centers, a second circuit 230,000-volt transmission line from McNary Dam to Santiam, Oreg., substation is under construction.
Additional communication facilities are under construction at various substations to meet the added operational requirements of the system.
SOUTHWESTERN POWER ADMINISTRATION
Douglas G. Wright, Administrator
☆ ☆ ☆
FOR the fiscal year 1955, Southwestern Power Administration received $2,165,000 in appropriations. After the transfer of $61,500 from SPA appropriation to the Office of the Solicitor and a transfer of $775,000 from previously appropriated funds for construction to its current appropriation, a total of $2,878,500 was available for carrying on the Administration’s operation and maintenance program. This amount included $1,990,000 for the purchase of electric power and energy and for wheeling charges. Additional funds amounting to $1,458,625 remained available for completion of the Administration’s construction program.
POWER RESOURCES
The installed and dependable generating capacity in the hydroelectric plants as of June 30, 1955, is shown in the following table:
Eexisting power installations
Project	River basin	Capacity	
		Installed	Dependable
Interconnected system operation: Bull Shoals	 Denison	 ...	White	 Red -	Kilowatts 160,000 70,000 45,000 70,000 34,000	Kilowatts 130,000 60,000 48,000 63,000 30,000
Fort Gibson		Grand			
Norfork		White.		
Tenkiller Ferry		Illinois 					
Subtotal				
		379,000	331,000
Isolated plants: Narrows 	.	Ouachita (Red)		
		17,000 30,000	17,000 28,000
Whitney	 .	Brazos..		
Subtotal				
		47,000	45,000
Total				
		426,000	376,000
			
113
114
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
This capacity of 426,000 kilowatts will be augmented by 75,000 kilowatts when Blakely Mountain project on the Ouachita River comes into production, approximately September 1, 1955, thus increasing installed capacity to 501,000 kilowatts.
ENERGY PRODUCTION
The adverse water conditions which have existed in the SPA area since May 1952, continued through December 1954. The last 6 months of this period of low stream flow were the most critical experienced. Stream-flow conditions improved markedly in the period from January 1955 through June 1955, with the total volume of stream flow for the year near normal.
As shown in the following table, the five reservoirs of the interconnected system have had below-normal inflow for 30 months of the past 3 years. The volume of flow during the period, July 1,1954-January 1, 1955, was less than one-half normal flow. As a result, the water levels in all projects, which were very low in June 1954, continued to recede through December 1954.
Percent of median flow
Project
July 1952 to
July 1955
July 1954 to December 1954
July 1954 to
July 1955
Bull Shoals___
Denison_______
Fort Gibson---
Narrows_______
Norfork_______
Tenkiller Ferry.
Whitney-------
Total.
69
94
35
100
68
76
65
116
29
32
138
62
42
27
51
99
95
37
103
70
88
34
80
Due to the unprecedented low-flow conditions, it was necessary to defer a portion of the contract obligations of the utilities, reduce the amount of energy delivered to our customers, and purchase excess energy from the generation and transmission cooperatives in the area.
Stream-flow conditions became increasingly better after January 1, and by April 1 conditions were such that normal operations were resumed. All the pools were full by June and stream-flow conditions permitted the sale of secondary energy, and the return of some deferred energy, with a reasonable expectation of being able to return deferred energy during the summer.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	115
Net generation within the SPA area during the 1955 fiscal year was 589,116,320 kilowatt hours, 529,827,340 kilowatt hours of which was from the interconnected system. The net generation and annual primary energy for each project is given below.
Project	Annual primary energy (kilowatt-hours) 1	Fiscal year 1955 net generation (kilowatt-hours)
Interconnected system operation: Bull Shoals.. ... .			414,400, 000 140, 000,000 2 78, 800,000 116, 000,000 2 51,300, 000	241,117,000 140, 319, 000 70, 698, 900 23, 744, 900 53, 947, 540
Denison 	 ___	_	_ _	_. ... 		 . _		
Fort Gibson. 			 ... _		
Norfork.. 	 		 .		
Tenkiller Ferry	 ... .. _ 		 				
Subtotal .. .. . . ___ 	 _ _		
	600, 500, 000	529, 827, 340
Isolated plants: Narrows	 . 			
	18, 400,000 33, 200, 000	29,232, 980 30,056,000
Whitney 3	 			
Subtotal			
	51,600,000	59, 288, 980
Total			
	652,100,000	589,116,320
		
1 Former critical period.
2 Data from Corps of Engineers Cost Allocation Report 1955.
2 In commercial operation June 1, 1955, energy generated from testing and irrigation releases remainder of year and sold under interim agreement.
ENERGY DELIVERIES
Southwestern Power Administration delivered power and energy to preferred customers directly over its lines and through the facilities of the Texas Power & Light Co., the Southwestern Gas & Electric Co., the Public Service Co. of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co., the Central Electric Power Cooperative, the Western Farmers Electric Cooperative, the M & A Electric Power Cooperative, and the N. W. Electric Power Cooperative.
During the year a contract was executed and service initiated to one new preferred customer, the city of Lamar, Mo., for 500 kilowatts, and contracts were amended providing for increases in contract demand and contract obligation of 35,550 kilowatts. The increase in contract demands consisted of 3,300 kilowatts to distribution cooperatives and 100 kilowatts to one municipality. Contract obligations were increased by 32,150 kilowatts to the Federated Cooperatives through a series of interim agreements. Contracts were also amended to provide for six new points of delivery for existing preferred customers and to abandon five delivery points. In addition, service began to the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative whereby they would receive the output of the Whitney Dam project, an isolated project on the Brazos River.
364841—56----11
116	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
At the end of fiscal year 1955, the sum of the obligations to and contract demands of all preferred customers served by SPA amounted to 223,410 kilowatts, and were comprised of the following:
Kilowatts
Rural electric distribution cooperatives (contract demands)-------------- 33,270
Federated cooperatives (maximum contract obligation)----------------------151,500
Military installations (contract demands)---------------------------------- 9,900
Municipalities (contract demands)----------------------------------------- 28,740
During the fiscal year 577.3 million kilowatt-hours of electric energy were sold to preferred customers; equivalent to 103.6 percent of the total of 557.2 million kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric energy marketed by this Administration. Purchases of thermal electric energy for integration with hydroelectric energy amounted to 192.9 million kilowatt-hours, and energy purchased by the Oklahoma utility companies still deferred as to delivery at the end of the fiscal year amounted to 27.4 million kilowatt-hours, making a total of 777.5 million kilowatt-hours sold. Of this amount, 74.3 percent was sold to preferred customers. At the end of the fiscal year, the Arkansas Power & Light Co. was entitled to 217.7 million kilowatt-hours under the aluminum contract, which was deferred as to purchase and delivery.
Revenue from sales by this Administration during the fiscal year amounted to $4,063,108. This amount included sales to preferred customers of $3,049,462, and sales to private utility companies of $1,013,646.
By the end of the fiscal year, wholesale power and energy generated by the hydroelectric facilities under the marketing jurisdiction of SPA were being sold to 16 distribution cooperatives, 20 municipalities, 5 private utilities, 5 United States military installations, and 7 federated cooperatives.
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
Contract negotiations were completed on an amendment to the electric service agreement between the Government and the Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. and the Public Service Co. of Oklahoma whereby the companies will supply the supplemental requirements of Government’s customers served under the Oklahoma contract through the same facilities utilized to provide electric service for the account of the Government.
Negotiations on similar arrangements were initiated with the Texas Power & Light Co. and it is expected that they will be completed in the early part of fiscal year 1956.
Contract negotiations were completed with the Arkansas Power & Light Co. for the disposal of the entire output of the Blakely Mountain Dam. Under the terms of the agreement the entire output of the
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	117
project will be delivered to the company, as scheduled by the company. In return, the company will deliver to the Government on the system of the Government, as scheduled by the Government, an amount of power and energy equal to the installed capacity of the project, and all of the primary energy plus one-half of the secondary energy.
Contract negotiations were continued with five generation and transmission cooperatives in Missouri and Oklahoma on long-term arrangements to replace the lease option and power sales agreements between the cooperatives and the Government, rendered inoperative by the action of Congress in withholding funds necessary to implement the contracts. Interim contracts were made with the cooperatives to transmit Government power over the facilities of the cooperatives, to purchase certain amounts of thermal energy generated at the cooperative’s steam plants, and to supply the additional power requirements of the cooperatives.
Because of the drought in the Southwestern area, a new critical water period existed for most of the reservoir projects from which this Administration markets power, which greatly curtailed the amount of power and energy available for sale. Contractual and operating arrangements were made with private utility companies in the area so as to reduce the amount of energy that this Administration was obligated to deliver to the companies during the critical water period. This action resulted in the Administration being able to fulfill all of its obligations to preferred customers without affecting service to other power customers in the area.
REORGANIZATION
As a result of a survey conducted by a team selected for that purpose, Southw estern Power Administration has undergone a reorganization and a reduction in staff during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1955. The staff now consists of 101 employees, 53 less than were employed at the beginning of the fiscal year. The organization is broken into four segments—the Office of the Administrator, the Division of Administrative Services, the Division of Operations and Engineering, and the Division of Rates and Customer Service. The reorganization is virtually complete on this date.
As a result of this reorganization and attendant changes in activities, this Administration reduced its stores and equipment by 17 percent and its leased office and warehouse and storage space by 12,778 square feet and 54,920 square feet, respectively.
FEDERAL CIVIL DEFENSE ACTIVITIES
Departmental Order 2751 designated the Administrator of Southwestern Power Administration as coordinator for all bureaus of the
118	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Department of the Interior in the Fifth Federal Civil Defense Region (consisting of the States of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) with the Federal Civil Defense Administration on Departmental assistance in event of major disaster or other emergency situations. In this connection, SPA collected, cataloged and coordinated the Department’s capabilities in this region and represented the Department in this coordinating capacity with the FCDA in the preparation for and during Operation Alert—1955.
SPA also provided counterpart service to the FCDA regional office on electric power during the alert, initiating interest and securing cooperation of interconnected power systems in the Southwestern area.
As a result of the Blackwell, Okla., tornado, which occurred on May 25, 1955, FCDA requested and Southwestern Power Administration provided engineering services in a study to determine the extent of damage and estimated cost of temporary repairs to the electric distribution of this town.
SOUTHWEST FIELD COMMITTEE
During the past year, the Southwestern Power Administration has participated with the other bureaus of the Department in the activities of the Southwest Field Committee. Through its membership on this Committee and its representation on the Inter-Agency Committee, the Southwestern Power Administration has urged consideration of present planning to meet future needs. At the request of Southwestern Power Administration, the following statement was included in the annual program report of the Southwest Field Committee:
Comprehensive planning should provide for the inclusion of storage space to meet reasonably certain future water requirements. As a system of reservoirs approaches completion, flood storage requirements may be reduced by additional levees, channel alignment improvements, and upstream land treatment programs. In addition, the power storage may be reduced as fewer hours of hydroelectric energy will be required per kilowatt of capacity due to optimum utilization of the system to meet peaking demands. These reductions in storage requirements would permit reallocation of storage capacity to meet changing requirements for water. This would permit the realization of greater future benefits through the provision of domestic, municipal, industrial, and irrigation water supplies. For example, the authorized plan for the White River Basin has no provision for storage space in reservoirs to provide water for consumptive use although it is estimated that 2% million acre-feet will be required annually to meet irrigation needs. A major reallocation will eventually be required to provide storage for water for consumptive use.
The Southwestern Power Administration participated in a special meeting in the office of the Chief, Technical Review Staff, to review
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-	119
and comment on the program reports of the several field committees of the Department. The meeting provided the basis for improvement in such reports and in their underlying studies. The analytical review should be continued in order to improve the cooperation within the Department and to further the partnership relation between these regional representatives, interagency committees, and State and local representatives.
ARKANSAS-WHITE-RED BASINS INTER-AGENCY COMMITTEE
Representatives of the Southwestern Power Administration participated during the year with officials of the other bureaus of the Department, other Federal agencies, and the States in planning for the development of the land and water resources of the Arkansas-White-Red River Basins. The Southwestern Power Administration also participated in the work of the various subcommittees and work groups, and directed the activities of the transmission subgroup of the hydroelectric power work group.
During the past year, the activities of the Arkansas-White-Red Basins Inter-Agency Committee have been concentrated on drafting the various sections of the report, reviewing and revising these sections and the adoption of the final draft of each of the sections. During this period, representatives of the Southwestern Power Administration participated in the drafting of the Hydroelectric Power Section and in the review of the other sections in which it had a related interest. Through its membership on the Southwest Field Committee of the Department of the Interior, it has participated directly in the preparation and approval of the final sections of the Arkansas-Wliite-Red report.
On June 28, 1955, the Arkansas-White-Red Basins Inter-Agency Committee held its final meeting and all subgroup assignments terminated as of that date. The report has been reproduced and forwarded through channels for consideration by the Inter-Agency Committee on Water Resources.
At the June 28 meeting, a charter was presented creating a new Inter-Agency Committee to continue the studies of resource development in the Arkansas-White-Red River Basin area. The Southwestern Power Administration will actively participate in the performance of the duties of the new committee.
The accomplishments of Arkansas-White-Red Basins Inter-Agency Committee during the past 5 years have shown the need for this type of organization in planning for the conservation and development in
120	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
land and water resources and in encouraging a partnership between the Federal, State, and local agencies. The basic plan has been established by the old committee, and will be implemented, improved, and modified by the new committee.
LITIGATION
In Kansas City Power de Light Company et al. v. McKay (substituted) et al., the District Court of the District of Columbia upheld the validity of numerous complicated contracts between Southwestern Power Administration and various rural electric cooperatives in Missouri. The plaintiffs appealed from the final judgment entered in the case. Thereafter, the Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, vacated the judgment and remanded the case to the district court with directions to dismiss the complaint. The cause is now pending on plaintiff’s petition for rehearing.
In Central Electric Power Cooperative v. McKay et al., a suit for declaratory judgment, the District Court for the District of Columbia rendered judgment for the plaintiff. The Interior Department Appropriation Act, 1954, provided for the use of a certain fund in making purchases of electric power and energy and in making payments of rentals for the use of transmission facilities. The court, contrary to the contention of the defendants, adjudged the fund to be available for use in carrying out a power purchase contract and a transmission line rental contract which the plaintiff had with the Government. The defendants appealed to the Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, which court reversed the decision of the district court and remanded the case to that court with directions to dismiss.
In Kansas City Power & Light Company, et al v. N. W. Electric Power Cooperative, Inc., and Douglas G. Wright, Administrator of Southwestern Power Administration (Docket No. 12,095, before the Public Service Commission of Missouri), six privately owned electric utility companies sought to require the cooperative to obtain a certificate of convenience and necessity for construction and operation of a thermal generating plant and transmission system in Missouri, and to require the Administrator of SPA to comply with the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect to the sale and transmission of electric power and energy in Missouri. Counsel for the Administrator of SPA appeared specially before the Commission on March 23, 1951, and moved for dismissal of the proceeding on jurisdictional grounds. Thereafter, counsel for the cooperative appeared specially and moved for dismissal on similar grounds. Briefs of the defendants and complainants were subsequently filed. Parties are still awaiting the ruling of the Commission upon these motions.
SOUTHEASTERN POWER ADMINISTRATION
Chas W. Leavy, Administrator ☆ ☆ ☆
THE hydroelectric output marketed by the Southeastern Power Power Administration in fiscal year 1955 consisted of 915,700 kilowatts of capacity and 2,130,249,513 kilowatt-hours of energy. It was sold to two public bodies, seventeen rural electric cooperatives, one Federal agency, and four privately owned utilities. The sales earned $9,783,104.81, an increase of $1,852,081.59 over earnings of the previous year, and brought revenues earned in all years to a total of $31,736,242.63.
The output was generated at seven Corps of Engineers projects. They were the Wolf Creek, Dale Hollow and Center Hill projects in Kentucky and Tennessee, the Allatoona project in Georgia, the Clark Hill project in Georgia and South Carolina, the John H. Kerr project in Virginia and North Carolina, and the Philpott project in Virginia. Generating capacity at these projects was increased during the year to an amount just beyond the 1 million mark. Construction by the corps also went forward on four other projects (Jim Woodruff in Georgia and Florida, Buford in Georgia, and Old Hickory and Cheatham in Tennessee) that are to have an installed capacity totaling more than a quarter of a million kilowatts.
The combined output of Wolf Creek, Center Hill, and Dale Hollow was sold to the Tennessee Valley Authority under a long-term contract. All power generated at Allatoona was sold under a long-term contract to the Georgia Power Co. Part of the Clark Hill output was sold under long-term contracts to two public bodies in South Carolina, and part of the Kerr projects output was sold under long-term contracts to the Virginia Electric & Power Co. and to 17 rural electric cooperatives in Virginia and North Carolina. The remainder of the Clark Hill and Kerr output, and all of the Philpott output, was sold under temporary arrangements pending the conclusion of negotiations for long-term sales. These negotiations were in progress as the year ended.
121
122	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Application was made for Federal Power Commission approval of rates for the sale of Allatoona, Clark Hill, Kerr, and Philpott power. Rates for Kerr and Philpott were approved. Action by the Commission was not completed during the year on the remaining applications. Rates for the sale of Wolf Creek, Dale Hollow, and Center Hill power were reviewed with the Tennessee Valley Authority and agreement was reached on an increase in average annual payments from $3,500,000 to $3,950,000.
The Congress appropriated $233,800 for headquarters operation and maintenance, and $978,000 for the purchase of firming energy and the payment of wheeling fees. Southeastern’s working force numbered 45 employees at the beginning of the year and 33 employees when the year ended.
DEFENSE ELECTRIC POWER
Office of Assistant Secretary—Water and Power Development, Department of the Interior
Fred G. Aandahl, Assistant Secretary
☆ ☆ ☆
PROGRAM
ACTIVITIES in the Defense Electric Power field can be sum-■ marized as follows:
General supervision of eelctric power supply expansion (including the generation, transmission, distribution and utilization thereof) to assure an adequate power supply for the Nation under partial and full mobilization conditions. In detail they include, among others: assembling and evaluating data as to the production capacity of electric utilities and the supplying of electric power under mobilization conditions; serving as an allotting agency and providing recommendations as to scheduling and expediting, to assure delivery of materials and equipment to the electric power industry for the power expansion program to provide power to Atomic Energy Commission installations ; recommending establishment or modification of expansion goals, and screening and making recommendations to the Office of Defense Mobilization on requests for accelerated tax amortization for electric power facilities under expansion goals established by the Office of Defense Mobilization; and conducting various activities concerned with departmental and electric power industrial functions in the event of an emergency to insure a continuity of essential electric power.
AUTHORITY
The administration of functions dealing with electric power is vested in the Secretary of the Interior under the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended; Executive Order 10480 of August 15, 1953, as amended; and Office of Defense Mobilization Order 1-13 of November 12,1954, DM01-7 and DM0 VII-5.
123
124	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
POWER SUPPLY
The year-end peak capabilities, peak loads, and reserve margins for the Nation as a whole are shown in table I, and graphically in exhibit A. Figures for the years 1949 through 1954 are actual, while those for the years 1955 through 1958 are as presently scheduled and planned. The capabilities reflect existing construction schedules and present plans of individual power systems for bringing new power projects into commercial operation. Present scheduling and planning indicate that there will be brought into service 13.0 million kilowatts in 1955, 8.0 million kilowatts in 1956, 7.7 million kilowatts in 1957, and 11.0 million kilowatts in 1958. Scheduling for the years 1957 and 1958 is incomplete. With incentive through rapid tax amortization, additional installations can be anticipated. Without this incentive, it can be anticipated that the installation of many units will be slipped to later years and the peak capabilities as shown in table I and exhibit A will not be attained.
Table I.—Total United States December maximum peak capabilities, peak loads and margin of reserves
Year	Capabilities (million kilowatts)	Loads (million kilowatts)	Reserves (percent of loads)
1949 actual			-			61.9	54.2	14.2
1950 actual.						 	......	67.7	61.4	10.3
1951 actual	_ __	75.0	68.1	10.1
1952 actual. .	.				 ..	...	81.5	72.9	11.8
1953 actual. . _	..		 		 .... 	 		91. 0	78.5	15.9
1954 actual	_		 			 . 		103.6	85.7	20.9
1955 estimated	..	. 	 			 		116.6	96.3	21.1
1956 estimated			 		 		 		 _ 		124.6	102.3	21.8
1957 estimated .. 	 	 . . .. 			132.3	108.9	21.5
1958 estimated	 . 				 .	. .	143.3	115.8	23.7
			
The Federal Power Commission and the Department of Interior have concurred in the estimated capability figures as shown above. Department of Interior figures include both scheduled and planned units, whereas Federal Power Commission’s capacity figures include only firm scheduled units based on adverse water conditions.
The year-end peak capabilities for the Nation as a whole for the years 1955 through 1958 are based upon median hydro conditions. For adverse hydro conditions the reserve margins above estimated peak loads are less. Table II summarizes the nationwide reserve in terms of percentage of capacity in reserve above the estimated peak loads under adverse hydro conditions, as reported by the Federal Power Commission, the Edison Electric Institute, and the Defense Electric Power Staff. The differences are due to the date of reporting and the units included. The Federal Power Commission include
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	125
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
OFFICE OF ASST. SECY. FOR WATER & POWER
AUGUST 1955
THOUSANDS OF KILOWATTS 150,000
10,000
140,000
130,000
21.8
120,000
<- PEAK LOAD
I I 0,000
I 00,000
90,000
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
RESERVE MARGIN
ELECTRIC POWER
GOAL-END OF 1955
CAPABILITY _ AS SCHEDULED
PEAK CAPABILITY REPRESENTS THE MAXIMUM KILOWATT OUTPUT WITH ALL POWER SOU RCES AVAILABLE. IT MUST PROVIDE THE NECESSARY ALLOWANCE FOR MAINTENANCE, EMERGENCY OUTAGES S SYSTEM OPERATING REQUIREMENTS.
RESERVE MARGIN INCLUDES THE PROVISION FOR MAINTENANCE , EMERGENCY OUTAGES AND SYSTEM OPERATING REQUIREMENTS. ANY REMAINDER, 215 AFTER THESE NEEDS ARE MET, IS AVAILABLE FOR UNFORESEEN LOADS.
58
DENOTES RESERVE MARGIN (BASED ON SCHEDULED \ CAPABILITY) AS% OF PEAK LOAD
electric POWER GOAL, END 0FI958













TOTAL
U.S. DECEMBER PEAK CAPABILITIES, PEAK LOADS AND RESERVE MARGINS-MEDIAN HYDRO CONDITIONS
EXHIBIT "A'
126 4“ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
as of June 30, 1955, all units definitely scheduled as reported by the utilities. The Edison Electric Institute include as of April 15, 1955, all units both definitely scheduled and tentatively planned (orders for equipment may or may not have been placed) as reported by the utilities. The Defense Electric Power Staff include as of September 1, 1955, all units definitely scheduled and tentatively planned including information from recent rapid tax amortization applications.
Table II.—Nationwide reserves (percent of loads) for adverse hydro during December peaks
End of year—	Federal Power Commission as of June 30,1955	Edison Electric Institute as of April 15,1955	Defense Electric Power Staff as of September 1, 1955
1955	 		18.8	18.9	19.0
1956	 ... _ .	18.4	19.3	19.9
1957	 . ..	16.3	18.4	19.4
1958		12.1	17.1	21.6
			
The statistics for nationwide capabilities, loads, and reserves in table I and exhibit A, do not point up the regions below national average and therefore do not reflect conditions on a regional basis, particularly indicating areas of lowest reserves. Exhibit B shows graphically the peak capabilities, peak loads and reserve margins for each of the regions I to VIII for both median and adverse hydro conditions for the years 1954 through 1958. Table III summarizes the regional reserves in terms of percentages of capacity in reserve above the estimated peak loads for both median and adverse hydro conditions. The situations shown are for year-end conditions except for region V, which is for summer conditions as this is the time of its regional peak load due to air conditioning.
Table III.—Regional reserves as percentage of loads
[December Peaks shown for all Regions except V which is for summer conditions]
Region	Median hydro				Adverse hydro			
	1955	1956	1957	1958	1955	1956	1957	1958
I		16.4	14.1	14.1	16.9	15.7	13.4	13.4	16.2
II	 ..	19.1	25.0	23.7	26.1	19.1	25.0	23.7	26.1
Ill	 .	14.3	15. 5	11.6	8.3	12.1	13.4	9.7	6.7
IV		23.2	21.9	21.2	22.5	22.2	21.0	20.3	21.7
V		18. 5	21.3	20.8	22.8	18. 4	21.2	20.7	22.7
VI		47.7	48.3	51.4	43.9	46.1	47.0	48.2	39.6
VII	 ..	11.9	12.6	13.9	127.1	0	1.0	1.4	113.7
VIII		23.4	22.6	25.6	30.7	20.3	19.1	21.3	26.4
1 The large increase in reserves for the year 1958 is due to the scheduled and planned installation of 1,823,500 kilowatts in that year versus installation of 876,300 kilowatts in 1955, 687,500 kilowatts in 1956, and 689,700 kilowatts in 1957.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4- 127
B
S
B
J
r 5
9
c-
0 9
4 6
1
1
'5
s
r
3
s
e
o
t
s
.2 .1 .7 .7 .7 .6 .7 .4
00 00
128	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
The scheduled and planned installations for 1958 are:
Idaho Power Co___________________ Thermal------
Do_____________________________ Hydro-------
Do_______________________________  do-------
Pacific Power & Light Co_________- ---do-------
Do____________________________ Thermal______
Portland General Electric___________  do-------
Do_____________________________ Hydro_______
Tacoma, Wash________________________  do-------
U. S. Corps of Engineers____________  do-------
Do_______________________________  do-------
Utah Power & Light Co____________ Thermal-....
3 units____________________________
Brownlee No. 1____________________
Oxbow No. 4_______________________
Swift River Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4_______
1 unit_____________________________
1 unit____________________________
3 units___________________________
Mayfield Nos. 1, 2, 3_____________
Chief Joseph Nos. 13, 14,15,16----
Dalles Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6------------
1 unit____________________________
300,000 103,100
43,400 264,000 100,000 150,000
75,000 120,000 256,000 312,000 100,000
Total.
1,823.500
In other regions, particularly in the South and Southwest, the expanding use of air conditioning is causing summer loads that are closely approaching winter peaks. On some systems within these regions the summer loads already exceed the winter loads, although the effect is not as yet sufficient to change the regional peak from winter to summer. This general change in the characteristics of summer loads in many areas is creating additional problems with maintenance programs. Summer peaks are governed by weather conditions and cannot be closely predicted as in the case of winter peaks. Summer peaks may occur frequently throughout the summer months, making it difficult to schedule and carry out maintenance work. This situation is resulting in the need for larger reserve margins in some areas to assure the availability of adequate generating capacity to meet the more frequent peaks now occurring throughout the year.
Referring again to table II, it should be pointed out that the figures for the country as a whole under adverse hydro conditions have no special significance, as experience has shown that in the United States severe droughts are not usually experienced country-wide but are confined to limited areas. On a regional basis, adverse hydro conditions (see table III) have little effect on capability in Regions I, II, IV, V and VI. Assuming adverse hydro conditions should exist in Region III, the estimated loss in December peak capabilities would be less than two percent in 1955 and in the following years through 1958 the percentage loss would diminish. In the event of shortage of power in region III, additional power is available through transmission ties to regions II and IV on the north and V on the west. For region VII (Pacific Northwest), it is estimated that adverse hydro conditions would cause a decrease in the December capability of approximately 950,000 kilowatts in 1955 to 1,270,000 kilowatts in 1958. This represents losses varying from approximately 10.3 to 11 percent. As indicated in table III and exhibit B, this would lower the capability in 1955 to just equal to the load, but in 1956 there would result one percent reserve, in 1957—1.4 percent and in 1958—13.7 percent. As region VII capabilities are predominantly hydro rather than steam, the region needs considerably less in reserve
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	129
capability than other regions. A reserve capability of 4 percent in region VII should be as adequate as a 10 percent reserve capability in region II where the capability is almost entirely from steam generation. In region VII there is also a considerable amount of contractually interruptible load. It is estimated that all noninterruptible loads can be carried without curtailment and most of the interruptible loads in 1955 through 1957. The capabilities and reserves for 1958 presently appear to be adequate. In region VIII, adverse hydro conditions would cause a decrease in estimated December peak capability ranging from 2.5 percent in 1955 to 3.3 percent in 1958. Estimated reserve margins, however, are adequate to accommodate such conditions should they be encountered.
AEC-RELATED POWER PROJECTS
The Office of the Assistant Secretary—Water and Power Development is also the allotting agency for atomic energy related projects, familiarly known as E-5 rated projects. This program provides allotments and priority assistance on materials and equipment for construction of facilities to furnish interim, firm and backup power to Atomic Energy Commission installations. It consists of 52 projects, containing 89 units with nameplate ratings totaling 10,721,000 kilowatts. These were designated as essential to supply power to Atomic Energy Commission installations. Allotments of steel, copper, and aluminum on quarterly bases are issued as required for each project. Assistance is given through expediting shipments of materials and scheduling deliveries of equipment.
Since the program started in 1953, a total of 8,738,000 kilowatts have been placed in service as of September 1, 1955. The program is presently 285,000 kilowatts behind the original schedule which was set up in November 1952. The greatest slippage was 2,319,000 kilowatts in May 1954 and large slippages continued through October 1954, at which time it amounted to 2,266,000 kilowatts. Subsequently the slippages have gradually decreased and the program is presently almost back to the original schedule. Exhibit C shows graphically the kilowatts as originally scheduled to be in service, the kilowatts as actually brought into service, and present schedule for completion of the program. The delay in the program was due principally to slippages in some turbine deliveries. The delay in the program resulted in the Atomic Energy Commission purchasing interim power from whatever sources available at higher costs than would have been necessary if the E-5 rated units had been brought into service as originally scheduled. Under present planning the program will be completed by June 1956 with total installation of 10,721,000 kilowatts.
130	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
EXPANSION GOALS
The Electric Power Goal No. 55, as revised and issued on August 26,1952, called for the installation of 41 million kilowatts of new generating capacity in class I utility systems or a total of 116 million kilowatts by the end of 1955 and 1 million kilowatts for certain defense related projects in 1956. Present indications are that the total installed capacity by the end of 1955 will slightly exceed 116 million kilowatts.
On December 3,1953, the Office of Defense Mobilization by its order VII-6 temporarily placed the electric power goal on the suspended list.
On July 29,1954, the Acting Secretary of the Interior recommended to the Office of Defense Mobilization that the goal be closed with certain minor exceptions. This recommendation was made in response to a request by ODM for a reexamination of the power situation. Under the then-assumed circumstances of partial mobilization it was considered that reserve margins were sufficient to meet the needs in all regions with the possible exception of the Pacific Northwest.
Present estimates now indicate that the reserve capacity, assuming the same conditions and circumstances as above, will, for the years 1955 through 1958, be in excess of 20 percent which is considered more than adequate under partial mobilization conditions.
However, during conferences in March and early April of this year between officials of ODM and Interior, agreement was reached that planning should be premised on—not partial—but full mobilization which would then be in accord with other defense-planning agencies.
Accordingly, on April 15, ODM by its order VII-6, amendment 11, transferred goal 55—electric power—from the suspended to the open goal. This amendment also enlarged and extended the goal to 150 million kilowatts by the end of 1958. This represents an increase of approximately 34 million kilowatts over the expected capacity additions planned to be installed by the end of this year.
On August 11, 1955, goal 55—electric power—along with 37 other goals was placed on the suspended list by Defense Mobilization Order VII-6, supplement 1, pending review to determine whether adequate productive capacity exists to meet defense mobilization needs.
The Office of Defense Mobilization by its order—DM0 VII-6, Supplement 3, dated September 29,1955—placed goal 55—electric power— on the open list. Applications for necessity certificates under the electric power goal must be filed at the Office of Defense Mobilization by the close of business December 31,1955, to be eligible for consideration.
Expansion goal No. 225, for power facilities for military, atomic energy, and defense-related needs, was established by Defense Mobi-
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	131
MONTH SO N D J F M A M J J A S 0 ND JFMAMJ J A SONDJFMAMJ YEAR 1953	1954	1955	1956 EXHIBIT "o'
364841—56----12
132	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
lization Order VII-6, amendment 9, dated March 17,1955. This goal covers the following facilities for which there is an existing or prospective shortage to supply power required by the military services, Atomic Energy Commission, or a defense-related industry:
(«) Interconnections between power generating facilities; and (b) Transmission lines between a generating facility and the point of consumption required by a military service, Atomic Energy Commission, or defense-related industries.
This goal was established primarily to clear up the backlog of defense-related transmission projects which accumulated while goal 55 was on the suspended list.
Through August 31,1955, under the original and amended goal No. 55 and goal 225, applications for certificates of necessity for rapid tax amortization have been received for 1,036 electric utility projects and 46 industrial power plants. Of these 791 utility plans and 43 industrial power plants were recommended for approval. The certificates of necessity approved by ODM are related to an increase in the Nation’s electric power capacity of 24,328,455 kilowatts from electric utility systems and 777,000 kilowatts from industrial power plants.
COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES
The Defense Electric Power functions also include cooperative activities with other governmental agencies. Some of these activities are:
(«) Reports to the Office of Defense Mobilization on status of goals; capabilities and loads; and special studies; (6) conferring with Federal Power Commission as to capabilities and loads and nationwide maps of utility systems; (c) reporting to Atomic Energy Commission as to status of the E-5 rated program and conferring with respect to rating of projects and expediting of materials; ( ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Since it was established in 1879, the Geological Survey has published about 17,000 topographic maps, now covering about 73 percent of the area of the continental United States. However, many of the older maps, prepared under less stringent requirements, are of limited use today and subject to gradual replacement by modern maps. Others are in need of revision.
Because of better trained personnel and improved instruments and techniques, the Topographic Division showed substantial increase in map production and an appreciable decrease in unit costs in 1955. As a result, an additional 4 percent of the total area of the continental United States was mapped during the year, making a total of 37 percent of its area now covered with good quality maps.
During the year ending June 30,1955, there were 2,266 maps transmitted to the Publications Office for printing and distribution. Of these maps, 1,280 represented new mapping by the Geological Survey, 121 were Geological Survey revisions of existing maps, 53 were new maps compiled by other agencies and, by interagency agreement, published and distributed by the Geological Survey, 115 were civil editions of maps which had been compiled previously and published for military use by the Department of Defense, 49 were one-color advance editions, 7 were planimetries, 3 State base maps, 93 State index maps, and 4 were urban area maps. In addition 541 map reprints were transmitted.
The topographic mapping program continued in large degree to be directed toward national defense requirements. The mapping initiated in 1951 to satisfy the immediate and strategic requirements of the Department of Defense was further expanded in accordance with additional priority requests received from that Department. Preliminary plans have been made to accommodate anticipated priority mapping requirements of civil defense. Also, plans have been made for early initiation of mapping in areas pertinent to the implementation of Public Law No. 566, the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954. Cooperative programs have been continued with many of the States. In addition some mapping has been performed in every State to satisfy civil requirements.
Technical assistance on topographic mapping, which was extended to other nations under the Mutual Security Act of 1951 as amended, was continued in 1955.
The Topographic Division assisted in preparing the mapping portions of the comprehensive resource development reports, prepared by the Arkansas-White-Red (AWRBIAC) and the New England-New York (NENYIAC) Interagency Committees. This work was substantially completed in 1955.
Permanent personnel was decreased this year from 1,896 man-years to 1,780 man-years, or approximately 6 percent. Despite this reduced
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	153
-strength the output of the Division, measured in square miles of completed map compilation and revision, increased about 15 percent.
Mapping Programs and Map Production
Mapping or map revision was carried on during the year in all the 48 States, Alaska, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Hawaiian Islands. Federal-State cooperative programs, whereby mapping costs are shared equally between the Federal Government and a State, county, or municipality, were conducted in the 29 States of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma (Tulsa County and city), Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas (city of Austin), Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, and in Puerto Rico. The Survey also continued to cooperate with the Tennessee Valley Authority in completing the topographic mapping of that valley.
The end of the year saw the substantial completion of a 5-year cooperative topographic mapping project in Kentucky. This is especially significant in that it represents the largest concentration of mapping ■operations on a single cooperative project, with the greatest overall accomplishment in the shortest period of time ever achieved by the Survey. This cooperative project resulted in covering the State, more than 40,000 square miles, with a series of 7%-minute maps at a scale of 1:24,000, or 2,000 feet per inch at a uniform scale. Of particular significance is the forward look of the Kentucky officials in immediately starting upon a program for map maintenance in revising those quadrangles in metropolitan areas that have undergone substantial development changes since the mapping was done, and making plans for periodic revision of all the quadrangles in the State.
In addition to the large continuing cooperative mapping program with the State of California, the Colorado River Boundary Commissions of California and Arizona have cooperated with the Geological Survey in the mapping of ten TiA-minute quadrangles along the river between the two States. This mapping was urgently needed in studying changes in the course of the river which originally marked the boundary.
During the year new priority mapping requests were received from the Department of Defense. One major request was for the dual coverage, at 1:25,000 and 1: 50,000 scales of an area involving about 16,600 square miles, in Texas. Another major request was for a new 1:250,000 scale map series of all of Alaska, and the early completion of the large scale (1:63,360) compilation as basic data for a large portion of the Territory. The 1: 250,000 scale maps when completed
154	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
will replace the provisional maps that were prepared at this scale a few years ago from existing incomplete source materials.
Mapping in the Territory of Hawaii was continued with the intent of publishing topographic maps of all the islands at the scale of 1: 24,000. Operations during the year were conducted on the islands of Oahu, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii. The mapping of Molokai was completed and the 5 quadrangle maps covering the island are now published. Of the 15 maps required to cover the island of Oahu, 4 have been published and the remaining 11 are nearing completion.
Mapping on the inch-to-the-mile (1: 63,360) scale wTas in some stage of preparation on 471 Alaskan quadrangles covering about 87,000 square miles. Actual accomplishment, in terms of stereocompilation, was about 31,000 square miles. With 104 quadrangle maps published during the year, the total of published maps of this series is now 337.
Two editions of the popular Alaska Map E, scale 1: 2,500,000 were published. A newly revised base and a shaded relief edition.
The 1: 24,000 scale Virgin Islands mapping program was continued with the maps covering St. Thomas Island essentially completed. Aerial photography has been procured for St. John and St. Croix Islands.
The program of continuous map maintenance or revision in Puerto Rico was continued through cooperative agreement and under the supervision of a Topographic Division resident engineer.
Publication and distribution of a civil edition of the 1:250,000 scale maps of the United States were continued. Publication of the civil edition of these maps, compiled by the Department of Defense for military purposes, will provide topographic maps on the four miles-to-the-inch scale of many areas for which no topographic information of any kind has heretofore been available to the general public. One hundred and forty-two maps of this civilian edition have been published to date, including five covering the Hawaiian Islands.
To establish suitable ties between the detailed mapping operations and the fundamental geodetic surveys of the United States, the Geological Survey executed new third-order control surveys during the fiscal year, to the extent tabulated below:
Spirit leveling, 68,600 square miles.
Transit traverse, 46,900 square miles.
Triangulation, 41,400 square miles.
Permanent marks are established at intervals of 2 or 3 miles along the lines of leveling and traverse, and at most of the occupied triangulation stations.
During the year contracts were let for 183,683 square miles of precision aerial protography for topographic mapping purposes. Of this, 133,386 square miles was the more efficient twin low-oblique
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	155
photography. In addition, arrangements were made for the Air Force to furnish 58,384 square miles of photographic coverage to the Geologic Survey for use in making topographic maps of a number of Air Force bases. The Air Force also obtained approximately 60,000 square miles of photography in southern Alaska for mapping use by this Division.
One of the largest contracts for aerial photography was for coverage of the Brooks Range area in Alaska. The contract represents a pioneer venture in 1:250,000 scale mapping with transverse low-oblique photography of 121,800 square miles of rugged terrain.
Activities of the Special Maps Branch were in large degree a continuation of the preparation of charts for the USAF Aeronautical Chart and Information Center. In assisting the Air Force program of maintaining worldwide coverage of aeronautical charts, an important contribution is made to the overall Defense program. In addition, many special maps were prepared for other Divisions of the Geological Survey and for other agencies of the Federal Government; these maps included photogrammetric and cartographic map compilation, map revision, preparation of shaded relief, color separation drafting and photographic services. Among the 445 foreign charts completed during the year, 57 were entirely new photocompilation comprising about 160,000 square miles. Twenty-two new photocompiled special maps covered 63,000 square miles in the Arctic region. A large operation concerning radar was completed.
During the year, 110 shaded relief plates on foreign maps were completed. A 2-year program requiring the compilation and color separation drafting of domestic maps at the 1:1,000,000 scale for the United States Army Map Service was approximately 35 percent completed.
New mapping and map revision in the United States (excluding Alaska) for each of the major phases of mapping activity are as follows:
Photography____________________________________________
Horizontal control_____________________________________
Vertical control_______________________________________
Supplemental control___________________________________
Stereocompilation______________________________________
Field compilation______________________________________
Drafting and scribing__________________________________
Transmitted for reproduction___________________________
New mapping (square miles)	Map revision (square miles)	Total (square (square miles)
88,300 68,600 77,800 83,100 106,300	9,500	125,600 88,300 68,600 77,800 83,100 115,800 104,000 113, 200
In addition, relief shading was completed for 16 quadrangles and for Alaska Map E.
The total opposite each operation in the foregoing tabulation represents approximately the annual accomplishments of the Division.
156	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Variations in these totals are due to changes in backlogs and to work done on projects in which only certain operations were concerned. In the fiscal year, work was in progress on 6,784 quadrangles. It usually requires about 3y2 years to survey a quadrangle and publish the resulting map.
A detailed summary of map production covering new mapping, remapping, and revision, is shown in the following table:
Areas (in square miles) mapped during fiscal year 1955 for publication on standard scales
[Contour intervals, 5 to 100 feet]
	Area mapped, scale					
State				New	Revised	Total
				mapping	mapping	
						
	1:24,000	1:31,680	1:62,500			
Alabama		62			62		62
Arizona		638		4,122	4,660 165	100	4,760 165
Arkansas. ..	165					
California		4,398		7,957 297	12,045 3, 365 2	310	12,355 3,365 640
Colorado.. 	. .	3,068					
Connecticut	 .		640			638	
Delaware .	560			230	330	560
District of Columbia.. 							
Florida 		2,283 803			2,283 1,338 1, 232		2,283 1,338 1,232 707
Georgia				535			
Idaho.. 	.	136		1, 096 651			
Illinois		56			704 313	3	
Indiana		487				174	487
Iowa				446	446		446
Kansas. 		1, 554			1, 554 4. 642 4,397 2, 753 36		1,554 5,033 5,410 2,753 159
Kentucky			5; 033 403				391	
Louisiana..				5,007 2,753		1,013	
Maine							
Maryland		159				123	
Massachusetts			477			477	477
Michigan		176		2,246 1,766 2, 296	2,422 2,443 2,174 589		2,422 2,443 2,332 589
Minnesota		677					
Mississippi	 _	36				158	
Missouri	 .	350		239			
Montana		1, 226		703	1,929 2,266 424		1,929 2,266 424
Nebraska		2’ 266					
Nevada			45		379			
New Hampshire		61		16	75	2	77
New Jersey		1,875			339	1,536	1,875 1,751 5,772 777
New Mexico. 			L 394 3,110	>	357	1,751 5,156 777		
New York 				2,662 777		616	
North Carolina							
North Dakota	 . .	988			988		988
Ohio			2,365 183			2, 365 183		2,365 183
Oklahoma 							
Oregon		895		7,163	8,058 1, 770		8,058 3,371 479
Pennsylvania		1,938		1,433		1,601 479	
Rhode Island			479				
South Carolina	 ...	220			220		220
South Dakota		2,300 1, 338		152	2, 452 1,338 7,166 8,888 392		2,452
Tennessee							1,338
Texas		2, 685 1,381		5,384 7,564 173		903	8,069
Utah						57	8,945 411
Vermont		238				19	
Virginia... 	 ..	350		882	1,096 2,220	136	1,232
Washington		565		1,716		61	2,281
West Virginia		241				241	241
Wisconsin		529		2,389 845	2, 918 1,284		2,918
Wyoming		439					1,284
						
Total	 ...	47, 676	1, 596	62, 006	101, 910	9,368	111,278
						—-.
Alaska				1 30, 666	30, 666 273		30,666
Hawaii. 			273					273
Puerto Rico	 ...		2 146			146	146
Virgin Islands ..	33			33		33
						__.
Total	 .	47, 982	1,742	92, 672	132, 882	9, 514	142,396
							
i 1 : 63,360.
2 1 :30,000.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	157
Research and Development
A substantial amount of new photogrammetric equipment was put into production work during the year. This includes the ER-55 projector, the Twinplex plotter, aspheric-plate diapositive printers, and variable-ratio pantographs. Each new instrument was developed as part of an overall system for a more efficient way to compile maps photogrammetrically. A United States patent was issued on the Twinplex plotter, dated December 14, 1954, with all rights assigned to the Government.
A significant development during the year was the use of Government-owned T-12 cameras, equipped with near-distortion-free lenses, on certain of our commercial contracts. Photography procured with these instruments is proving to be superior to any heretofore obtained with other aerial cameras.
A new system of checking contractors’ cameras before using them on Division projects was instituted during the year. Cameras are now precisely tested on a multicollimator camera calibrator which was designed and built to meet specific Topographic Division needs. Metric characteristics, resolution quality, and mechanical operations are readily evaluated in order to determine if a camera is completely acceptable prior to use.
Design work for a new instrument, the Orthophotoscope, is nearing completion. This is a device for converting conventional perspective photographs to the equivalent of orthographic photographs.
A contract has been placed for twin-camera mounts, the design of which is based on a center-of-gravity principle, to eliminate the effects of airplane vibrations and other motions.
Extensive field tests of our first Survey-developed pendulum alidades continue to show savings in time with improved accuracy. Conversion of our present alidades to the pendulum type is under way.
Multiple base altimetry studies and tests have been made to take into account the slope of the barometric equal pressure surface and to improve instrumental accuracy. The results indicate altimetry is capable of wide application in obtaining elevations for photogrammetric needs in areas of both moderate and high relief.
Integration of negative engraving, or scribing, to replace the drafting process in map-finishing operations, has proceeded so that conversion of all the Division’s drafting offices to the negative scribing process is essentially complete.
Continuing progress in writing the Topographic Manual resulted in 27 new chapters, bringing the total published to 69. There are 45 chapters in various stages of preparation and it is estimated that the project is about 75 percent complete.
158	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Work continued on the preparation of contour interval plans for each of the 48 States. Eighteen have now been completed and 13 others are in progress.
Map Information Office
The Map Information Office continues its service to Federal, State, and local Government agencies, and the general public. Requests for maps, geodetic control data, and aerial photographs, continued to increase.
With the current quarterly practice of issuing maps showing the status of mapping in progress, the demand for advance map material has increased over that of previous years.
Heavy demand continues for geodetic control data. Two thousand, one hundred orders were serviced during the year amounting to about 18,900 copies of horizontal and vertical control data assembled in 15-minute quadrangle units.
Aerial photography sales from approximately 2,600 orders resulted in some 121,000 reproductions furnished.
Nearly 13,000 letters were answered by the Office during the year. In addition, 5,160 requests for indexes and status maps were serviced.
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION
The work of the Water Resources Division is to determine and appraise the Nation’s surface and underground water resources. During fiscal year 1955 there was a further increase in the public interest in water-resource investigations, due in part to local and regional floods or droughts, in part to increasing competition for existing supplies by municipalities, agriculture, and industry, and in part to a broadened awareness of the importance of having adequate hydrologic data on hand prior to design and construction of such structures as municipal waterworks, reservoirs, dams, and bridges.
Water-resources investigations include the systematic collection, analysis, and publication of hydrologic and related geologic data; appraisal of water resources of specific areas; determination of water requirements for industrial, domestic, and agricultural uses; and research and development to improve the scientific basis of investigations and techniques.
Water-resources investigations are financed from directly appropriated funds, funds transferred from other Federal agencies for work performed directly for them, and from funds provided by States and municipalities for cooperative investigations. From the beginning of Federal-State investigations in 1895, the “partnership” arrange
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	159
ment has grown to include work in all 48 States and in Hawaii and Guam, and to become the largest part of the Division’s program each year. Funds made available by States and municipalities in 1955 for cooperative studies were:
State
Alabama----------------------
Arizona-----------------------
Arkansas---------------------
California-------------------
Colorado---------------------
Connecticut------------------
Delaware----------------------
Florida_______________________
Georgia----------------------
Idaho________________________
Illinois_____________________
Indiana______________________
Iowa_________________________
Kansas_______________________
Kentucky_____________________
Lousiana_____________________
Maine________________________
Maryland_____________________
Massachusetts________________
Michigan_____________________
Minnesota_____________________
Mississippi__________________
Missouri______________________
Montana_______________________
Nebraska_____________________
Nevada_______________________
Obligation State	Obligation
$91, 733	New Hampshire_____________ $16,	795
102, 937	New Jersey_________________ 72,	375
52, 782	New Mexico________________ 141,136
320, 317	New York__________________ 206,	475
72,972	North Carolina______________ 105,961
22,426	North Dakota_________________ 42,297
36,741	Ohio________________________ 140,685
156, 848	Oklahoma___________________ 76,	754
62, 633	Oregon______________________ 64,	901
61, 513	Pennsylvania_______________ 134,	320
55, 761	Rhode Island________________ 20,	964
113, 594	South Carolina_____________ 34,	257
92, 979	South Dakota________________ 10,	019
63, 799	Tennessee___________________ 82,	478
144,625	Texas______________________ 268,840
130, 570	Utah______________________ 112,	000
10,826	Vermont_______________________ 8,273
64, 734	Virginia____________________ 83,	819
42, 093	Washington_________________ 131,	074
78, 809	West Virginia_____________ 36,	450
94, 987	Wisconsin_________________ 43,	486
45,030	Wyoming___________________ 55,129
28, 502	Guam______________________ 16,	659
35, 794	Hawaii____________________ 83,	777
73,241	-----------
31, 624 Total_____________________ 4, 076, 797
Surface-Water Investigations
The measurement and publication of basic information on streams, lakes, and reservoirs was continued on a comprehensive scale, with special emphasis given to timely and useful presentation of data collected. These records provide a sound foundation of facts for use in subsequent analysis and study of a wide variety of hydrologic and engineering problems.
Records of surface-water supplies were obtained at more than 6,800 sites in the 48 States and in Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam during fiscal year 1955. Included among the records of surface-water supply are 4,400 records collected in cooperation with 187 agencies of States or their subdivisions and 1,700 records obtained for other Federal agencies such as the Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Tennessee Valley Authority, State Department, Soil Conservation Service, Atomic Energy Commission, and permittees and licensees of the Federal Power Commission.
160	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
The compilation of all streamflow records in the United States, for the period 1888-1950, is now 57 percent complete. During the year, completed compilation volumes were published for the New England basins and the Colorado River Basin. These summary streamflow reports will enable water-supply and sanitary engineers, designers and operators of flood-control systems, irrigation projects, and power plants, as well as many others concerned with historical and long-term streamflow data, to have monthly and annual discharge figures and other data in one volume instead of nearly 50 separate reports in the annual water-supply paper series.
Special reports on floods were in progress or near completion for 17 States. Flood-frequency reports for three States prepared by the Geological Survey in cooperation with State agencies, were published during the year. Flood-frequency studies were completed in three other States, and reports are in process of publication. A start was made on a nationwide flood-frequency study that will provide a means for deriving flood frequencies on all streams in the United States.
Hydraulic data on 96 sites where bridges are to be built were furnished to various highway departments during the year, and the number of cooperative agreements with State highway departments was increased to 25. The program of collecting flood-flow data on small streams by means of crest-stage and continuous gages, useful in the design of culverts, is being augmented.
Seventeen interstate compacts for apportionment and division of interstate waters are now in effect and two are under negotiation. These compacts include provisions for measurement of available water, usually by the Geological Survey.
During the year the Chief Hydraulic Engineer of the Geological Survey was appointed by the United States Supreme Court to serve as river master for the Delaware River. As such he administers the terms of the court decree relating to the diversion of water from the Delaware River to supply New York City and to the release of water to improve the low flow of the Delaware River.
Water-resources investigations were made along the Canadian boundary as required by the Boundary Waters Treaty of January 11, 1909, between the United States and Canada, or by orders issued by the International Joint Commission.
Ground-Water Investigations
During 1955 notable progress was made on the more than 500 ground-water projects that are currently under investigation throughout the Nation. These investigations embrace one or more of the following principal types of activity: (1) Describing the occurrence,
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	161
quantity, and quality of ground-water resources, including delineation of ground-water reservoirs and opportunities for their recharge; (2) describing the occurrence and quality of inland sources of saline waters of interest in any future program of saline-water conversion; (3) studying in detail the hydrology of mining- and oil-field areas, as an aid to both location and economical development of these resources; (4) determining the loss of water through consumption by waterloving nonbeneficial vegetation, as a preliminary to salvaging a part of the water; and (5) describing the nature and extent of salt-water encroachment in coastal areas, as a guide to combating its effects. Most of the projects were a part of cooperative programs with State and municipal agencies in more than 40 States with Hawaii and Guam, and with a number of other Federal agencies, including the Armed Forces, the State Department, the Department of Agriculture, the Atomic Energy Commission, and companion bureaus of the Department of the Interior.
The investigational reports released to the public during the year included descriptions of ground-water occurrence ranging from those found in areas of water scarcity to those in areas of water abundance. Areas of potentially greater use of ground water were described in reports on certain parts of Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming. Other parts of some of these same States have problems of inadequate water, especially in local areas of heavy pumping.
One of the most significant ground-water studies recently completed concerns that part of the Minidoka project in Idaho known as the North Side pumping division. This is the first major Federal reclamation development in the United States based on ground water. The large perennial supply of ground water contained in the basalt beneath the Snake River Plain will permit irrigation of about 64,000 acres of the project. The reclamation project was authorized by Congress on the basis of a preliminary report by the Bureau of Reclamation. Thereafter, on behalf of that Bureau, the Geological Survey provided additional information on the occurrence and movement of ground water, making the results available in a report released recently.
During the year an important series of areal geologic maps was issued in preliminary form. They were prepared in connection with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and cover most of the 20,000-square-mile area of the Navajo and Hopi Indian Reservations in Arizona and Utah and a part of that in New Mexico. The series released to date consists of 89 15-minute quadrangles showing roads, settlements, drainage, contacts between geologic formations, the dip of the formations,
162	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
and the trace of the principal geologic structures. The primary use of the maps will be in the development of water supplies from wells^ but supplementary use will be made by geologists, engineers, and prospectors in locating mineral and fuel deposits.
The results of two cooperative studies were published as part of an atlas series. Atlas No. 4, prepared in cooperation with the Conservation and Survey Division of the University of Nebraska, shows the configuration of the water table throughout the State. Used in conjunction with topographic and geologic information, the map will aid in locating water supplies and will be of special help to full development of Nebraska’s water resources. Atlas No. 5, prepared in cooperation with the Agricultural and Industrial Development Board of Kentucky, is a map of the Louisville area, Kentucky, showing contours on the bedrock surface. The bedrock surface shown on the map defines the lower limit of the alluvial gravel and sand deposits tapped by most of the wells in the area.
Chemical-Quality Investigations
The object of the Survey’s chemical-quality investigations is to determine the quantity, type, source, and distribution of mineral matter in solution in ground and surface waters as a prerequisite to the selection and development of industrial, municipal, and agricultural water supplies. During 1955 much progress was made toward this objective as a result of a wide variety of projects, some nationwide in scope, others related to problems characteristic of regions or local areas.
During the year the chemical quality of about 64,000 samples of water from streams, lakes, springs, and wells, was determined. The major proportion of these water samples was collected at about 450 daily or periodic key sampling sites, mostly on streams, while about 9,000 analyses were of water from wells and springs.
The program included chemical-quality studies of the streams in the Colorado River, Pecos River, and Columbia River Basins, in the New York-New England States, and in Alaska. Also, a network of sampling stations was maintained on western streams to determine trends in mineral content and thus help to insure successful continued operation of irrigation projects. Chemical-quality studies of surface and ground waters were conducted in cooperation with State and municipal agencies in 16 States. Chemical-quality work was also done for the Department of Defense, Atomic Energy Commission, Bureau of Reclamation, Veterans Administration, Federal Housing Authority, and Public Health Service.
Several reports of major importance were released during the 1955 fiscal year. One of these is a reference report consisting of a 2-volume
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	163
compilation of chemical analyses of water from 1,315 of the larger cities of the United States and is entitled, “Industrial utility of public water supplies in the United States, 1952.” The report supersedes a similar report published in 1932. Each volume contains explanatory and interpretive introductory material, including a statistical treatment of the data and map description of hardness of waters in the United States.
In 1955 the first report in a new annual series was published. The series will provide comprehensive continuing information about the chemical quality of surface waters used for irrigation in western United States. The continuous long-term records will assist in the determination of quality of water prior to irrigation development, the extent of water-quality impairment due to drainage return, requirements for maintaining proper salt balance, and the equitable distribution of water.
Publications of special interest included a 4-year progress report on water in the lower Delaware River of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, and reports describing the surface waters of North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Texas, prepared in cooperation with the respective States.
Water temperature measurements are made as a regular part of all chemical-quality investigations. Temperature variations in time and place are of importance to waterworks, industry, fish culture, sediment-transport studies, etc. Daily observations or continuous recordings of temperature were obtained during 1955 at approximately 390 locations. Measurements at many additional locations were made at weekly or monthly intervals.
Sediment Investigations
The investigation of sediment in streams and rivers was continued during 1955, including sampling at 158 sediment stations. Sediment in variable amounts is transported in all natural streams, and the proper design and operation of water development projects must satisfactorily accommodate this sediment.
Comprehensive sediment programs were continued in the Missouri, Rio Grande, and Colorado River Basins. These programs provided measurements and interpretations of sources of sediment, rates of discharge, and other pertinent facts at selected areas and locations to guide the extensive Federal programs of water development in these areas. Assistance to the program of the Soil Conservation Service was provided by projects in small watersheds in the States of North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
364841—56---14
164	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Cooperative programs in sedimentation continued in Iowa, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Included were intensive investigations of several small watersheds in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin designed to measure and explain changes in the runoff and sediment discharge resulting from the application of conservation practices.
Several reports of investigations were prepared and released to open file. The report, Computation of Total Sediment Discharge, Niobrara River, Near Cody, Nebraska, presents improved and simplified methods for computing the total sediment discharge of streams. Another report, Upland Gully Erosion In the Dry Creek Basin, Nebraska, analyzes sediment sources and erosion processes typical of such areas.
Joint Projects
A few major projects combine two or more types of investigations. Examples of projects of this type on which progress was made in 1955 include studies of water resources in industrial production centers; an inventory of saline water resources; and a survey of the natural radio-activity of surface and underground waters in the United States. In 1953, the Business and Defense Services Administration requested an expanded series of summary reports on the overall water-resources situation for a number of critical centers of industrial production in the Nation. Manuscripts were prepared or reports published on the following industrial areas during the 1955 fiscal year: Wheeling, W. Va.; Steubenville, Ohio; Indianapolis, Ind.; Portland, Oreg.; San Francisco, Calif.; and Mobile, Ala. A report for official use was also submitted within the past year on the water requirements of the pulp and paper industry, a very large water user. A report on rayon and acetate fiber is nearing completion and studies have been started for copper and petroleum products.
During 1955 notable progress was made on the inventory of the occurrence and quality of saline water resources of the United States. A nationwide reconnaissance study was completed, a more extensive study of saline waters in Texas was completed, and a study of saline waters of North Dakota neared completion.
With the increasing amounts of radioactive wastes and potential radioactive contamination of our waters, data on background (“natural”) amounts of radioactivity in stream and well waters is necessary in order to measure accurately any increases in contamination when they occur. Research on techniques and interpretation continued in 1955 while a limited program of systematic radiometric sampling of our natural waters was also in progress.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	165
Research and Development
Research and development projects included a study of the factors involved in artificial recharge of ground water; design and development of water-well geophysical exploration units and electrical-analog analyzers; studies of aggradation and degradation in alluvial channels ; study of principles of sediment transport; investigation of improved methods and equipment for determining total sediment discharge of streams; basic research in the determination of radioactivity in natural water supplies; a study of the backwater effects of channel constrictions; the hydraulic principles governing the distribution of river flow in multiple-opening river crossings; a study of hydraulic principles governing the flow of water through culverts; studies of new techniques for measuring losses of water from reservoir and land surfaces; and development of means for rapid computation of streamflow records.
Soil and Moisture Conservation
The Geological Survey’s program of soil and moisture conservation provided basic data and advice concerning hydrologic and geologic problems for the improvement and maintenance of the productive values of the 280 million acres of Federal land under the stewardship of the Department of the Interior. Special attention was given to comprehensive investigations of water supplies to cover entire grazing or Indian districts so that future “crisis” demands for water in the region could be met efficiently and promptly. Elements of the program were carried on in 1955 on public domain areas of Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
Technical Assistance Program
The overseas water-resources investigations of the Geological Survey began in 1950 on a continuing basis under the terms of the United States technical assistance program, and during 1955 were conducted under agreements between the Geological Survey and the Foreign Operations Administration. The investigations were initiated by requests from the various countries to the United States overseas missions for technical assistance.
Long-term projects were being carried on in 9 countries by the end of the fiscal year. Of these projects 7 were directed primarily toward ground-water investigations and 2 toward surface-water investigations. Additional short-term ground-water projects were conducted in Thailand and Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and a short-term project on
166	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
flood-control basic data was conducted in India. The projects generally are designed to combine the training of a nucleus of native personnel in the methods and techniques of water-resources investigations with investigations of specific areas for which development has been proposed. At the end of the year more than 100 nationals were receiving in-country training by Survey personnel on field projects in Afghanistan, Chile, Egypt, India, Iran, Libya, Pakistan, and Peru. One field project in stream-gaging was completed in Jamaica in cooperation with the United Nations and under the auspices of the Technical Assistance Administration. During the year citizens of Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, and Thailand received training in the United States.
CONSERVATION DIVISION
The Conservation Division classifies Federal lands as to mineral and water resources and supervises mineral-recovery operations under leases, permits, and licenses on Federal, outer Continental Shelf, Indian, and naval petroleum reserve lands. A small headquarters staff and a field staff of competent geologists and engineers are maintained. This force makes field surveys, prepares maps and reports dealing with waterpower, fuels, minerals, and chemicals essential to the mineralresource economy of the United States, and conducts on-site supervision of mining and drilling operations necessary to assure the safe and economical production by private enterprise of coal, oil, gas, and other minerals.
Mineral Classification Branch
All phases of the service rendered by the Mineral Classification Branch were maintained at a rapid pace throughout the fiscal year 1955. In all, 24,137 cases involving either the outright disposal of Federal lands with no reservation of any mineral, the disposal of such lands with the reservation of one or more specified minerals, or the exercise under the Federal leasing laws of the Government’s right to lease for exploration and production, by private enterprise, one or another mineral substance from lands under its jurisdiction, were acted upon during the year. In addition, the Branch prepared and promulgated initial or revised definitions of the known geologic structure of 46 producing oil and gas fields containing Federal lands; appraised geologically 163 unit-plan and participating-area proposals; drafted 12 determinations of leasehold relations to the productive limits of producing oil and gas deposits as found to exist on August 8, 1946; reported for appropriate administrative action the fact and geologic significance of 86 new discoveries of oil or gas made on or affecting
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	167
Federal-land leaseholds; recommended the competitive sale of oil and gas leases on 26 parcels of public land; reviewed and reported upon 37 appeals from decisions of the Bureau of Land Management affecting the disposal of Federal lands; and prepared 93 miscellaneous reports on the mineral potentialities of specific lands for various agencies of the Federal Government and inquiring individuals.
From field offices in Colorado, California, Montant, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming, geologists from the Branch made “demand” or specific investigations which resulted in geologic reports and maps for official use. The Branch completed maps and reports on the Belgian Anticline and Mount Poso areas in California; on dam sites on the Cispus River, Wash.; on the Grand Bay oilfield and Houma gasfield in Louisiana; on the Bowes field, Montana; on the Malaga field in New Mexico; on the Tisdale Anticline, Wyoming; on the Yates formation, New Mexico; on dam sites on Byoff and Wagon Creeks and North Fork of Yuba River in California; on the Dry Creek oilfield, Montana; on the Lompoc and Cat Canyon fields, California ; on Montana Plains; on the Placerita and Holder Canyon fields, California; Greenwood gasfield, Colorado and Kansas; on Colorado Plains; on Williams Fork Mountain coalfield, Colorado; on the Monument-J al and San J uan fields, New Mexico; on coal near Weaverville, Calif.; on a portion of the Huntington Beach field, California; on mineral resources, State of Washington; on the Northwest Belgian Anticline, California; on Hamilton Dome field, Wyoming.
Water and Power Branch
The Water and Power Branch conducts investigations to determine potential waterpower possibilities; classifies public lands having value for development of waterpower projects; and works closely with other bureaus and agencies in administration of the public lands so classified. These duties are carried out from a central and regional office in Washington, D. C., and from regional offices in Denver, Colo.; Sacramento, Calif.; Portland, Oreg.; and Tacoma, Wash. Investigatory work in Alaska is directed from Tacoma, Wash. Field work during 1955 was directed mainly toward obtaining basic information on the waterpower resources and storage possibilities of Federal lands in Alaska, California, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. Field projects during the year included surveys on Bradley, Chickaloon, Kasilof, and Kenai Rivers, Alaska; Klamath and North Yuba Rivers, Calif.; Arkansas River, Colo.; Flathead and Yaak Rivers, Mont.; Navajo River, New Mex.; Imnaha, Klamath, Nestucca, Trask, and Wilson Rivers, Oreg.; and Callagan and Isabel Lakes, South Fork Skykomish, and Wynoochee Rivers, Wash. In all,
168	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
242 channel miles of stream and 13 dam sites were mapped during the year or were under investigation on June 30, 1955. Maps published during the year covered 230 channel miles of stream and 5 dam sites; maps awaiting publication on June 30 include 61 channel miles of stream and 4 dam sites; maps in the office stage of preparation on June 30 include 364 channel miles of stream and 5 dam sites. One report was published as a circular during the year and eight reports were in preparation for publication on June 30. They include an appraisal of waterpower possibilities of streams in Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington and a general survey of developed and potential waterpower of the world. Classification activities resulted in the addition of 7,249 acres to power site reserves and elimination of 67,059 acres, reducing the outstanding reserves in 23 States and Alaska to a net total of 7,103,749 acres. Reservoir site reserves were reduced to 135,263 acres by elimination of 629 acres. Supervision was given to 134 power projects under license upon request from the Federal Power Commission and to 827 such projects under permit, or grant from the Department of Interior, and to 204 in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Action involving hydraulic determination was taken on 6,338 cases received from departmental sources and the Federal Power Commission.
Mining Branch
The Mining Branch supervises operations concerned with discovery, development, and production of coal, potassium, sodium, phosphate, and oil shale from public domain lands; of sulfur on public lands in Louisiana and New Mexico; of silica sand on certain lands in Nevada withdrawn by Executive Order No. 5105; of gold, silver, and mercury on certain Spanish land grants; of all minerals, except oil and gas, on restricted allotted and tribal Indian lands, on “acquired lands” under the act of August 7, 1947, and provisions of section 402 of the President’s Reorganization Plan No. Ill of 1946, on land in the California State Park under the act of March 3, 1933 (47 Stat. 1487), and on national forest land in Minnesota under the act of June 30, 1950 (64 Stat. 311).
Outstanding mineral leases and permits on “acquired” and Indian lands and lands subject to the aforementioned acts involve the exploration for and production of bauxite, cobalt, copper, gold, iron, lead, manganese, silver, nickel, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, zinc, asbestos, bentonite, clay, coal, garnet, gravel, gypsum, feldspar, fluorspar, limestone, marble, mica, phosphate, pumice, quartzite, quartz crystal, sand, silica sand, sulphur, and vermiculite.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	169
The Branch is responsible for investigating and reporting on applications for leases and prospecting permits; recommending lease terms, enforcing compliance with lease terms and of regulations governing the conduct of prospecting, mining, and beneficiation, protecting and conserving the natural resources by preventing waste; determining royalty liability; preparing statements and receiving payment of royalties and rentals. The Branch acts in an advisory capacity to the Office of the Secretary, other bureaus of the Department, and other Government agencies.
As of June 30, 1955, there were under supervision 1,813 properties involved in leases, permits, and licenses in 32 States and Alaska, of which 992 were on public lands; 226 on acquired lands; and 595 on Indian lands. Production from such lands under supervision during the fiscal year amounted to 18,845,648 tons, valued at $126,640,569, with royalties amounting to $5,439,344. The production of coal from Federal land in the United States and Alaska aggregated 5,822,237 tons, valued at $31,458,869 with a royalty value of $739,455. Production of coal in Alaska amounted to 689,386 tons. Potash production amounted to 8,602,953 tons of crude and refined salts valued at $58,098,292 and royalty value of $2,453,676 during the fiscal year.
The principal source of sodium was Searles Lake, Calif., accounting for 619,329 tons of the total of 765,939 tons of sodium and associated compounds produced from lands under supervision. Total and royalty values of sodium were $19,322,121 and $616,851, respectively. Phosphate rock and shale production was 1,162,091 tons—548,097 tons from public domain; 3,390 from acquired lands; and 610,604 tons from Indian lands.
Production of lead and zinc concentrates from Indian lands amounted to 35,536 tons valued at $4,037,633 and royalty value of $322,889. Coal and sand and gravel made up the major part of the remainder of the production from Indian lands totaling 1,849,393 tons valued at $1,636,310 and royalty value of $64,387. Coal, fluorspar, zinc, asbestos, bentonite, phosphate, mica, quartzite, feldspar, manganese, quartz crystal, stone, and sand and gravel were produced from acquired lands in 13 States to an aggregate of 295,925 tons valued at $2,081,851 and royalty value of $97,906.
Oil and Gas Leasing Branch
The Oil and Gas Leasing Branch supervises operations for the discovery, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and products extracted from natural gas on Federal and Indian lands. These duties were carried out during the year by means of 6 regional
170	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
offices and 21 district offices at 21 separate locations in California, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming, and Washington, D. C. On the public lands 95,890 oil and gas properties were under supervision at the end of the fiscal year, aggregating 71,686,124 acres in 23 States and Alaska.
Drilling on public lands during the year included the spudding of 1,413 wells and the completion of 1,352 wells, of which 937 were productive of oil or gas. In all, 21,758 wells, including 12,433 capable of oil or gas production, were under supervision on June 30, 1955. Production was appreciably greater than in 1954, amounting to about 110,595,718 barrels of petroleum; 260,661,003,000 cubic feet of natural gas; and 211,127,968 gallons of gasoline and butane, with royalty returns to the United States of about $39,222,638.
There were 3,176 acquired land leases, embracing 3,007,824 acres in 29 States under supervision at the close of the fiscal year. Drilling on acquired lands during the year included the spudding of 49 wells and the completion of 49 wells, 21 of which were productive of oil nr gas. In all 534 acquired land wells, including 239 capable of oil or gas production, were under supervision on June 30. Including compensatory royalty allocated to the Rio Vista gasfield the production from acquired land was about 2,862,960 barrels of petroleum; 7,432,954,000 cubic feet of natural gas; and 57,410 gallons of gasoline and butane, with royalty returns of about $1,268,203.
The Branch supervised operations on 10,900 leaseholds, embracing 3,117,176 acres on Indian lands in 16 States, which contained at the end of the year a total of 8,353 wells, 4,657 of which were productive of oil or gas, and 488 of which had been completed in the year. The total revenue from royalties, rentals, and bonuses amounted to $19,044,522. Of this amount, $5,958,121 accrued as production royalties.
Outstanding on June 30, were 12 protective leases issued to protect from drainage Federal lands subject to leasing (national monuments, military reservations, etc.). A total of 45 productive wells on these leases returned royalty for the year in excess of $829,294. On behalf of the Department of the Navy, supervision was continued over the production of oil, gas, gasoline, and butane from 17 properties under lease in Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 2 in California. Production from 299 active wells in this reserve totaled 2,206,989 barrels of petroleum ; 1,689,539,000 cubic feet of natural gas; and 9,627,897 gallons of natural gasoline and butane, with an aggregate royalty of $959,177.
Activities toward unitization of oil and gas operations involving Federal land were reflected in the approval of 72 new unit plans during the year and the termination of 70 previously approved unit plans, leaving 303 approved plans, covering 5,333,097 acres, outstand
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	171
ing. About 50 percent of the petroleum, 26 percent of the natural gas, and 61 percent of the gasoline and butane obtained from public lands during the year was produced under approved unit agreements. One Indian land unit agreement was terminated during the year and one was contracted, leaving a total of 11 such approved plans, covering 58,580 acres, outstanding on June 30. Also, 96 drilling unit, or communitization, agreements were approved during the year, making a total of 482 approved as of June 30.
Work on Publications
The primary purpose of the Geological Survey is to provide for the people and the agencies of government information necessary for the exploration, development, and conservation of our mineral and water resources. As this information becomes available through investigations, surveys, and research, the fulfillment of this purpose is served by the publication of a variety of reports, maps, and charts. The information is published in part by the Survey and, in part, by cooperating States, and by many scientific journals. These publications include maps of the topographic and geologic features of the Nation, studies of mining districts and mineral deposits, of the composition and structure of rocks and minerals, of fossils and the rocks in which they are found, of geophysics and geochemistry, and studies of streamflow and ground waters and their chemical quality.
Section of Texts
Editing and otherwise preparing Survey-produced manuscripts for publication is the function of the Section of Texts. It performs practically all liaison duties necessary to the printing of Survey professional papers, bulletins, water-supply papers, and circulars.
During fiscal year 1955, 234 new manuscripts were received by the Section, 205 were sent to the printer and 237 reports were published. Work on new manuscripts prepared in fiscal 1955 included editing of 21,941 pages; checking of 3,647 galley proofs and 12,506 page proofs; preparing 26,192 index entries and readying 94 pages of miscellaneous material for mimeographing.
Printed reports delivered included 46 professional papers, 47 bulletins, 60 water-supply papers, 35 circulars, and 30 chapters for the new edition of the Topographic Manual. These publications covered a wide range of subject material: General geology of particular areas; mining districts and local mineral deposits in the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Marshall Islands; studies of fossils; a collection of papers on geochemical research; geophysical abstracts,
172	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
measurements of streamflow and of water levels and artesian pressures in wells 5 general studies of underground water and of the occurrence of floods with consideration of the influence of geology and physiography.
Lists published monthly provided information on new publications of the Survey. Also printed during the year was the First Supplement to Publications of the Geological Survey. Copy for the Second Supplement was prepared and sent to the printer.
Section of Illustrations
This Section prepares illustrated matter used in publications of the Geological Survey.
At the beginning of the fiscal year, 61 reports were on hand, 55 of which were in various stages of completion; 139 new reports were received during the year, making a total of 200 reports. Of this total, 92 were completed and transmitted for publication, as compared to 85 in fiscal year 1954. At the end of the year, 108 reports were on hand, 66 of which were in various stages of completion.
The reports transmitted included 42 bulletins, 21 professional papers, 26 water-supply papers, and 3 hydrologic atlasses; 1,935 drawings and photographs were prepared for these reports. A total of 246 maps, sketches, and diagrams were also prepared for 28 circulars.
During the year, 115 miscellaneous drawings and preliminary work on 96 geologic quadrangles of the Navajo Indian Reservation were completed for the Water Resources Division.
A total of 2,392 drawings and photographs were completed by the Section, of which 225 were for multicolor reproduction.
Map Reproduction and Distribution
The warehousing and distribution of Geological Survey maps are handled primarily by the Washington, Denver and Alaska sections of the Distribution Branch. Local distribution is also carried on by 12 other Survey field offices and more than 400 commercial agents who purchase maps for resale to the general public.
In addition to approximately 25 million maps and book reports on hand at the beginning of the year, the branch received 7,300,000 copies of 2,669 new and reprinted maps from the Map Reproduction Branch and 224,750 copies of 321 separate books and pamphlets printed by the Government Printing Office and the Interior Duplicating Section.
Approximately 3,210,000 maps and indexes were distributed during the year and about 290,000 volumes were involved in the limited distribution of book reports. This distribution activity represented an
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	173
increase of 34 percent over the previous year and was accomplished at a slightly reduced cost. This record breaking distribution has resulted from the processing of more than 200,000 individual requests and resulted in receipt of $370,000 from the sale of maps, $24,000 of which was received from other Federal agencies.
The total number of copies of maps and book reports distributed by the Geological Survey offices as compared with fiscal year 1954 is shown in the following table:
Washington______
Denver__________
Alaska__________
Other field offices.
Total______
Fiscal year 1954 maps, reports, and indexes	Fiscal year 1955 maps, reports, and indexes	Percentage of increase
1, 720, 000	2, 291, 400	33
754, 800	991, 600	31
43, 800	56, 900	30
93. 400	157, 700	69
2,612, 000	3,497, 600	34
The production of the Map Reproduction Branch increased more than 25 percent over the past fiscal year. The following is a summary of the production:
New
Reprinted
Topographic Division maps:
Standard topographic________________________________________________________
Standard topographic (Engineers)____________________________________________
1:250,000 scale «___________________________________________________________
Scale conversion____________________________________________________________
Planimetric_________________________________________________________________
State base________________________________________________________-_________
State topographic indexes___________________,_______________________________
Status index________________________________________________________________
Miscellaneous_______________________________________________________________
Geologic Division:
Geologic quadrangle--------____________2------------------------------------
Mineral investigation_______________________________________________________
Geologic indexes____________________________________________________________
Coal________________________________________________________________________
Oil and gas maps____________________________________________________________
Oil and gas charts__________________________________________________________
State geologic--------------------------------------------------------------
Geophysical investigation___________________________________________________
Geologic status_____________________________________________________________
Miscellaneous___________________________
Conservation Division: River survey---------------------------------------------
Water Resources Division: Miscellaneous-----------------------------------------
i 1, 689
27
16
71
9
87
4
6
22
23
4
15
22
3
13
2 62 22 18
Total------------------------------------------------------------------
159
238
129
2,115	554
4
5
2
1
9
2
3
1
1
1 Includes 19 printed by other Government agencies.
3 Printed by other Government agencies.
These 2,669 new and reprinted map editions comprise 7,850,454 copies and 38,013,262 impressions, of which 7,701,864 copies and 37,160,272 impressions were printed in the Survey’s plant. These maps range in size from 17 by 21 inches to 50 by 72 inches. Among the more difficult maps reproduced were the geologic State maps of Oklahoma, Wyoming, and New Hampshire.
174	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
In addition to the foregoing production, 917 jobs comprising miscellaneous maps and other preliminary map services were completed. This printing amounted to 775,817 copies and 3,085,335 impressions, including 167 illustrations comprising 484,840 copies and 1,992,864 impressions for the Government Printing Office. The rest of the miscellaneous printing and service was done for 33 units of the Government, including branches of the Survey and various States. Also, 2,353 type jobs (impressions on cellophane for map preparation) were delivered, and 975 maps were mounted on cloth.
The total cost of all production was $1,493,157. Of this amount $24,082 was received from other agencies for copies of maps, and $19,443 was paid by other agencies for printing or service work. The remainder of the cost $1,449,632 was charged directly or indirectly to Survey funds.
A summary of the work accomplished within the Survey’s plant is as follows:
1.	A total of 8,477,681 map copies (40,245,607 impressions) was reproduced and delivered;
2.	The Photographic Process Section prepared 12,285 photolithographic printing plates, and the Hand Transfer Section prepared 1,063 printing plates;
3.	The Photographic Laboratory made 11,264 photolithographic negatives, 4,106 photographic negatives ranging from 2 by 21/a inches to 30 by 40 inches, 12,195 prints ranging from iy2 by 2 inches to 40 by 72 inches, developed 65 film packs and 33 rolls of film, made 637 lantern slides, developed and printed 58,550 feet of 35-mm. aerial film, and mounted 361 prints.
Public Inquiries Offices
Establishment since June 1950 of five Public Inquiries Offices in Denver, Colo.; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Francisco and Los Angeles, Calif.; and Anchorage, Alaska, has resulted in a substantial improvement in the availability of the results of Survey investigations to the public. These offices carry stocks of Survey maps and reports concerning their respective areas, answer all types of inquiries, and direct specific questions on technical matters to appropriate Division technical officers. Maps and reports are sold “over the counter”: but the offices are not equipped to handle mail orders.
FUNDS
During the fiscal year 1955, obligations were incurred under the direction of the Geological Survey totaling $46,858,959. Of this
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	175
amount 56 percent was appropriated directly to the Geological Survey, 32 percent was made available by other Federal agencies, and 12 percent by States and their political subdivisions.
Obligations incurred by the Geological Survey in fiscal year 1955, by source of funds
Topographic surveys and mapping: Geological Survey appropriation			 $11, 498, 991
Reimbursements from non-Federal sources:	
States, counties, and municipalities		$1, 217, 547
Sale to the public of aerial photographs and	
photographic copies of records		79, 480
Sale of personal property		27, 339
		 1, 324, 366
Reimbursements from other Federal agencies :	
Bureau of Reclamation		901, 941
Department of the Air Force		979, 088
Department of the Army		1, 045,115
Department of the Navy		25, 877
Atomic Energy Commission		159, 236
Miscellaneous		69, 095
		 3,180, 352
Total appropriation and reimbursements			 16, 033, 710
Direct State payments			 15,552
Total, topographic surveys and mapping			 16, 019, 261
Geologic and mineral resource surveys and mapping:	
Geological Survey appropriation			 5, 346, 472
Reimbursements from non-Federal sources :	
States, counties, and municipalities	$169, 674
Sale of personal property		13, 255
		 182,929
Reimbursements from other Federal agencies :	
Bureau of Mines		40, 000
Bureau of Reclamation		101, 270
Defense Minerals Exploration Administration		416, 939
Department of the Air Force		33, 601
Department to the Army		1, 097, 607
Department of the Navy		365, 287
Atomic Energy Commission	5, 817, 458
Foreign Operations Administration		527, 946
General Services Administration		268, 935
Government Printing Office—map reproduction		92,646
Miscellaneous	_			50, 542
		 8, 812, 231
Total, geologic and mineral resource surveys and mapping_____	14, 341, 632
176	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Obligations incurred by the Oeological Survey in -fiscal year 1955, by source of funds—Continued
Water resources investigations:
Geological Survey appropriation----------------------------
Reimbursements from non-Federal sources:
States, counties, and municipalities-------- $3, 032, 543
Permittees and licensees of the Federal Power Commission__________________________________ 103, 555
Sale of personal property------------------- 26, 610
Reimbursements from other Federal agencies:
Bureau of Indian Affairs----------------- 162, 223
Bureau of Reclamation-------------------- 722, 694
Office of the Secretary------------------ 13, 731
Department of the Air Force-------------- 71, 434
Department of the Army------------------- 1, 049, 207
Department of the Navy---------------------- 37,	609
Department of Agriculture------------------ 134,	932
Department of State------------------------ 119,	749
Atomic Energy Commission------------------- 278,	314
Foreign Operations Administration---------- 311,	847
Tennessee Valley Authority------------------ 93,	756
Miscellaneous____________________________ 40,145
$6, 658, 580-
3,162, 708-
3, 035, 641
Total appropriation and reimbursements----------- 12, 856,929
Direct State payments---------------------------------- 1> 044, 255
Total, water resources investigations---------------- 13, 901,184
Soil and moisture conservation : Geological Survey appropriation—	100, 751
Classification of lands:
Geological Survey appropriation---------------------------- 411, 269
Reimbursements from non-Federal sources: Sale of personal property___________________________________________________ 58^
Reimbursement from other Federal agencies: Miscellaneous—	2, 609
Total, classification of lands------------------------------------ 414, 464
Supervision of mining and oil and gas leases:
Geological Survey appropriation-------------------------- 1, 291, 438
Reimbursements from non-Federal sources:
Sale to the public of aerial photographs and photographic copies of records------------ $92
Sale of personal property----------------- 1, 711
----------- 1,803
Reimbursements from other Federal agencies: Department of the Navy------------------------------------------------- 38, 236
Total, supervision of mining and oil and gas leases------ ' 1, 331, 477
General Administration : Geological Survey appropriation1------- 750,190
1 In addition, funds advanced or reimbursed by other Federal agencies for program expenses bear an equitable share of general administrative expenses. Such charges in 1955 were $523,894.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES >	177
Obligations incurred by the Geological Survey in 'fiscal year 1955, by source of funds—Continued
Summary:
Geological Survey appropriation________________________ $26, 057, 691
Reimbursements from non-Federal sources:
States, counties and municipalities_____$4, 419, 764
Miscellaneous___________________________ 252, 628
----------- 4, 672, 392
Reimbursements from other Federal agencies_________________ 15, 069, 069
Total appropriation and reimbursements______________ 45, 799,152
Direct State payments_____________________________________ 1( 059, 807
Grand total----------------------------------------- 46, 858, 959
BUREAU OF MINES
John J. Forbes, Director
☆ ☆
FOREWORD
"OECORD production of helium, progress in developing new tech-niques for secondary recovery of petroleum, improvements of methods for reclaiming essential metals from scrap, and advancement of fundamental knowledge of explosions were among major accomplishments of the Bureau of Mines during fiscal 1955.
These achievements, and others, were added to a list that began with the Bureau’s creation in 1910. Through the years, Bureau researchers, engineers, and technologists have worked closely with those in other organizations to promote fuller and wiser use of our mineral resources and to make safer the jobs of those who extract and process them.
After Bureau metallurgists helped erase shortages of titanium and zirconium during the year, Government plants closed, and commercial firms took over the entire responsibility for producing these vital metals in volume. Bureau fuels technologists found ways to increase recovery and achieve more efficient use of our reserves of coal and petroleum and strengthened the foundation for a great new private industry of the future based on mountains of oil shale that long have lain idle in the West.
The Bureau’s work in the field of health and safety earned the respect and wholehearted cooperation of all segments of the mineral industries. Regular inspections of coal mines, coupled with safety training developed in years of intensive research and investigation, contributed immeasurably toward keeping coal-mine accident and fatality rates low as the industry began a steady climb toward normal.
In the realm of economics the Bureau performed outstanding service, both for industry and for the general public. Results of detailed economic and statistical studies on hundreds of mineral commodities, foreign and domestic, were made available regularly to American
364841—56----15
179
180	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
businessmen and others interested in the mineral-supply picture. Those who plan for the Nation’s military and economic security were kept constantly informed through Bureau reports on the availability of strategic minerals and the economic condition of the industries that supply them. While students from friendly foreign countries received technical training at various Bureau laboratories, the Bureau’s own corps of foreign-minerals experts served in faraway lands, giving advice and assistance in the development of new sources of mineral supply.
The fiscal year 1955 saw increased need for the Bureau’s services. This need was met despite the exigencies of a Bureau reorganization, carried out in general along the lines suggested by a survey team appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. The reorganization, completed by January 1955 with minimum disturbance of normal operations, permits the helium and health and safety activities to function as separate units and will promote greater overall efficiency throughout the Bureau.
Activities and accomplishments of the Bureau during the year are described in the sections that follow.
MINERAL DEVELOPMENT
The long-term upward trend in mineral consumption in the United States due to population growth, technological developments, and higher living standards was renewed during the fiscal year 1955, as the year saw a reversal of the decline that marked 1953 and early 1954. Despite a relaxation in worldwide tensions, demands for minerals for military production and stockpiling continued strong.
As a result of these and other developments new emphasis was placed on Bureau of Mines work. The Report of the President’s Cabinet Committee on Minerals Policy of November 30, 1954, recommended actions to encourage vigorous development of domestic mineral resources and placed certain responsibilities upon the Department of the Interior.
A major function delegated to the Bureau of Mines was joint participation with the Geological Survey in selecting and administering exploration projects undertaken by industry under the Defense Minerals Exploration Administration program. Commodity specialists of the Bureau and the Survey worked with commodity divisions of DMEA in evaluating projects designed to develop new reserves of strategic and critical materials. On-site investigations are made for DMEA by Bureau-Survey field teams whose function is to recommend approval or rejection of applications referred to them. The field
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	181
teams likewise supervised and administered DMEA contracts and reported on the final results.
On September 25, 1954, a new building housing the Rare and Precious Metals Experiment Station was dedicated at Reno, Nev., replacing facilities that had become inadequate. Principal research at Reno will focus on the group of new metals whose potentials are just being discovered, but studies on the traditional nonferrous metals will continue.
Consolidations resulting from the Bureau’s reorganization resulted in closing stations at Raleigh, N. C., and Mount Weather, Va. In addition, many activities were transferred from College Park, Md., to Reno, Nev., and other stations, and field programing was planned to concentrate research of a particular type at a single laboratory.
During the year an agreement was signed providing joint preparation by the Bureau and the Geological Survey of technological and economic reports requested by the newly formed Office of Minerals Mobilization. Nine reports were completed.
An agreement also was signed between the Department of the Interior and the Office of Defense Mobilization which gave the Department responsibility for preparing and periodically revising material surveys with respect to 45 mineral raw materials. Twelve such reports have been issued, 11 by Mines and Survey; 9 others were being readied.
The Bureau was represented on many technical, industrial, and Government committees and boards, including those of the American Society for Testing Materials, American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, and National Academy of Sciences.
Base metals.—Aimed at conserving mineral resources through improved mining methods, three long-range research programs were in progress in cooperation with industry at large copper mines in Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada. These studies will result in better understanding of the structural behavior of rocks and contribute substantially to improving the extraction of ore. Studies of mining methods and costs, important phases of the Bureau’s program before World War II, also were resumed to provide up-to-date information to industry.
To increase the reserve base for lead and zinc Bureau experts conducted research on ore discovery, beneficiation of minerals, secondary recovery, and improved zinc-base alloys. Studies of geophysical exploration methods continued in the Racine-Spurgeon area of the Tri-State district, beneficiation methods for oxidized lead ores of Southeast Missouri were investigated, and advance was noted in development of a chemical method to recover zinc through caustic leaching of oxidized ore from Goodsprings, Nev.
182	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
As part of a program to increase the recovery of nonferrous metals from scrap or residue, vacuum distillation was employed to obtain high-purity zinc from galvanizers’ dross. Progress also was made in improving methods for recovering metals from scrap by using electrolysis, mechanical separation, and selective oxidation.
Development of better zinc-base die-casting alloys received further attention. Alloys containing about 0.6 percent lithium, 3 percent copper, and 7 percent aluminum were found to have outstanding properties. This series is being investigated further along with the influence of other elements alloyed with high-purity zinc.
Encouraging developments in salvaging tin from slimes resulted from the Bureau’s study of recovering ultrafine mineral particles. Research continued to reduce metal losses at the Government-operated tin smelter in Texas, and methods for recovering tin from accumulated slag also were investigated,
Laboratory teclmiques developed to recover a bulk sublimate of cadmium, germanium, and other metals from zinc concentrates may lead to economic ways for increasing the recovery of these metals at zinc plants. Although cadmium was in plentiful supply, a growing demand for the metal is anticipated.
A compilation of information on domestic occurrences and resources of mercury was under way to facilitate expanded production in an emergency. Widespread occurrence of mercury-antimony ores in Alaska leads to the belief that large reserves may be found, and the Bureau continued its research on extraction methods aimed at utilizing the material.
Ferrous metals and alloys.—The Bureau program for iron and steel was directed toward long-term planning for increased domestic iron-ore output and improved production technology. Successful beneficiation tests were made on low-grade iron ores from the Pacific Northwest, the Southeast, and Texas. Over 100 bulk samples of Lake Superior taconite were taken, analyzed, and classified by metallurgical type. This was part of a comprehensive study to determine the extent and grade of deposits and develop metallurgical methods. The Bureau’s blast furnace was enlarged and redesigned so that test results would closely approximate those attained in commercial practice. Use of anthracite as a partial substitute for coke in iron and steel production was undertaken, with encouraging results.
Further advances were made in the lance-injection method for removing or adding certain elements in steel manufacture. Other programs seeking to improve steelmaking techniques and steel quality included a study of the effects of rare-earth elements upon the mechanical properties of carbon and low-alloy steels, basic research in high-temperature reactions with slags and gases, and the use of east Texas ores in a two-step electric-furnace operation. To reduce
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	183
the melting time in steelmaking furnaces, a portable, top-fired furnace for preheating scrap before charging was investigated, with promising results.
Efforts to reduce the Nation’s dependence on foreign supplies of manganese were based on continued investigation of domestic rawmaterial resources and metallurgical research to develop effective recovery methods for subgrade and refractory manganiferous materials. Standard ferromanganese was produced from Artillery Peak, Ariz., ore by concentration, sintering, and electric furnace smelting. A new acid-leach process for beneficiating manganese ores also was examined. In another area of research a manganese-copper alloy with exceptional vibration-damping capacity was developed. This will have valuable applications by the Bureau of Ships and in industry.
Experimental roasting and leaching methods for upgrading chromite ore were developed to enable production of metallurgical-grade chrome from low-grade Montana deposits, the principal domestic source of this strategic mineral. Continued testing to develop more ductile high-purity chromium determined that very small quantities of nitrogen lowered the ductility. Refractory mortars that met Federal specifications for Grade A superduty mortars were prepared from domestic chromite and magnesia.
As a result of a drilling program that had established large reserves of nickel ore in the vicinity of Nicaro, Cuba, work was begun in October 1954 on a 75-percent expansion of the capacity of the nearby Government-owned processing plant. Metallurgical research by the Bureau was continued to devise improved beneficiation methods for the ore and investigate methods for recovering the iron, chromium, and cobalt contents. Near the end of the year the Bureau made a 2-year agreement with GSA that will permit acceleration of the metallurgical research program on the Cuban ore.
Light metals.—Assistance was given industry through tests made to beneficiate alumina and bauxite. Bureau researchers found it possible to decrease the iron content of the alumina specimens while the bauxite was successfully upgraded into a material suitable for manufacture of alum. Laboratory tests demonstrated that the alumina content of Bayer-process residues and high-silica bauxites could be recovered by a lime-soda sintering process.
Research also progressed in the reduction of low-grade aluminous materials by electrothermal smelting methods. Refining of the crude product, by partly cooling the molten alloy and then filtering, yielded aluminum and silicon master alloys suitable for the aluminum industry.
Research completed during the year resulted in development of a wider range of magnesium-lithium-aluminum alloys, with improved physical properties. Basic information provided by the Bureau con
184	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
tributed greatly to the development of techniques for utilizing these lightest and most ductile of the magnesium alloys in fabricated parts for aircraft and missiles.
The Bureau halted titanium production at its pilot plant at Boulder City, Nev., in September. Under a contract with the GSA’s Emergency Procurement Service, 246 tons of acceptable titanium sponge for national defense had been produced from July 1953 until the plant closed. The project also provided information that enabled the Bureau to make a more accurate economic and technical evaluation of the thermic process for producing titanium sponge. This method involves reduction of titanium tetrachloride by magnesium.
Near the year end a cooperative agreement was signed with the Wah Chang Corp, under which the Bureau will conduct research on an improved process for producing titanium sponge. Part of the Boulder City pilot plant was reactivated to carry out the project.
Bureau studies on extractive and physical metallurgy of titanium advanced during the year. An electropurification process for titanium metal appears adaptable to commercial production of high-purity titanium, and valuable facts were obtained from research in reducing titanium chloride by sodium. Reports for the technical world were published on electrodeposition of titanium metal, chemical and galvanic corrosion of titanium, welding of titanium, and fabrication and utilization of titanium metal and its alloys.
Aiding the GSA, the Bureau examined and analyzed titanium metal offered for sale to the Government by private producers. Bureau representatives also were engineering consultants to the GSA on Government titanium production and research contracts let to industry.
Rare and precious metals.—The Bureau’s search for deposits of uranium and thorium ores for the Atomic Energy Commission resulted in the discovery of several potentially important sources of fissionable elements in Idaho, Georgia, Montana, South Carolina, and Washington. Commercial development was begun in Idaho and South Carolina to recover strategic minerals from placer deposits first pointed out by Bureau investigations. Under a contract with the AEC, Bureau technologists analyzed and evaluated over 25.000 mineral samples submitted by the public and believed to contain fissionable elements. This compares with some 11,000 samples tested the previous year.
During the first half of the year the Bureau’s Northwest Electrodevelopment Laboratory at Albany, Oreg., again was the principal supplier of the zirconium and hafnium required by the AEC. However, production by industry, which had adopted the Bureau-developed process, increased to the point where the Albany output no longer was needed, and so the plant was closed.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES >	185
An agreement between the Bureau and the AEC established a new research program centering on development of thorium. In cooperation with the GSA, a successful pilot-plant demonstration was made of a process for extracting columbium and tantalum from tin slags and domestic ores.
Recognizing the growing industrial need for selenium, the Bureau and the GSA cooperated in an accelerated program to develop sources of this critical material. A drilling program was begun on selenif-erous tuffs near Lysite, Wyo., to determine the grade and extent of the ore. At the same time, research was started for recovering selenium from these low-grade deposits.
An intensive research program was begun at the new Reno, Nev., station to devise extraction and separation methods and to determine the physical properties and applications of the so-called rare-earth metals and their compounds. The Bureau anticipates important industrial uses for many of these materials, which only recently have been available in appreciable amounts through ore discoveries and as byproducts of thorium production.
Ceramic and fertilizer materials.—The Bureau’s experimental “planer,” a mechanical mining machine, was used successfully in one section of a Montana phosphate-rock mine. This area had been abandoned as unsafe for conventional mining methods. The extraction rate in one test approached 1 ton per minute. Changes in design were made on the basis of performance data. With the cooperation of industry, further tests in other mine areas are planned to provide additional data on continuous mining under varying conditions. Meanwhile, research continued on beneficiation techniques intended to permit utilization of larger quantities of low-grade western phosphate rock. Preliminary studies also were made of methods to utilize phosphatic slime from the Florida and Tennessee phosphate-rock-washing operations.
Samples of low-melting synthetic micas were prepared for industrial evaluation as bonding agents for grinding wheels. Several mica-nickel cermets were prepared, using normal fluorphlogopite mica, boron micas, and nickel-containing micas. Other research was undertaken for methods of growing large crystals of synthetic mica and of improving the strength and flexibility of reconstituted mica sheet. New techniques for growing large crystals by differential cooling from a shallow melt and by slow withdrawal of a seed crystal from a mica melt were not immediately successful. The most promising development in forming reconstituted synthetic mica sheet was utilization of a fugitive mineralizer during hot-pressing. Reports on several phases of synthetic mica research were published.
Plans for the coming year include further tests on the production of large mica crystals by the slow withdrawal method; investigation
186	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
of a new technique of internal resistance melting to improve furnace operations, decrease power costs, and possibly increase crystal size; and a study of the basic factors involved in preparing reconstituted sheet from synthetic mica flake. Long-range plans include investigation of the properties of other types of potentially useful synthetic mica compounds and systematic measurement and cataloging of information on the physical properties of synthetic fluorine micas.
Research advanced on the preparation and properties of artificial abrasives, such as carbides, silicides, borides, and nitrides, to determine their suitability as substitutes for industrial diamonds. A survey of the world supply of crude abrasive materials and manufactured abrasive products was begun.
Reports of the ceramic resources of the Pacific Northwest and refractories consumption in California and Nevada were prepared for publication. Reconnaissance investigations of refractory clay resources in Colorado were substantially completed, and similar investigations were planned in Utah and other Rocky Mountain States.
Pilot-plant studies of the recovery of kyanite and sillimanite from the tailings of a Florida ilmenite-monazite operation were completed. It was found that a mixed concentrate of the 2 minerals having less than 5 percent total impurities can be obtained. Successful application of the process would provide several thousand tons of concentrate per year, since the tailings contain up to 20 percent combined kyanite and sillimanite.
Construction and chemical materials.—Rapidly changing market conditions in the fluorspar industry and a decline in domestic output of fluorspar caused the Bureau to launch a detailed study of this strategic material. Special reports were prepared for Federal defense agencies responsible for stockpiling and other programs affecting this commodity. Deposits of fluorspar were examined, and methods of beneficiating fluorspar ores were being developed. Laboratory work continued on the problem of recovering fluorine from waste gases created during the processing of phosphate rock.
Several reports reviewing accomplishments of the Bureau in the synthesis of asbestiform fibers were being prepared, and one was nearly completed. Studies still were under way in this field and also on beneficiation processes for natural asbestos. A detailed report on the asbestos industry was prepared for publication. In the field, drilling in Maine revealed some asbestos, but more exploration is required to evaluate its potential. In Venezuela a Bureau engineer examined an asbestos mine that was being considered as a possible source of strategic grade asbestos for the National Stockpile.
Experience during the past several years has demonstrated the need for more detailed information on sulfur resources of the United States. Consequently, the Bureau compiled data on this commodity
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	187
and began preparing several circulars which will be issued when studies are completed.
Because ample supplies of cement and aggregates are essential to continued growth of the construction industry, basic facts compiled •by the Bureau on these commodities were widely used by organizations concerned with major construction programs and policy. A special survey necessary in developing a national road-construction program was made of future cement-production capacity. Since there is an urgent need for work on mineral-aggregates problems the Bureau plans to increase its research in this field.
Miscellaneous research on minerals.—Bureau research regarding the fundamental properties of materials has led to outstanding publications on physical properties of rocks and compounds. The basic data developed played an important part in the preparation in 1954 of a manual for the Army Corps of Engineers entitled “Design of Underground Installations in Rock.” The manual was nearly completed at the end of the year.
Instruments were developed for studying large-scale caving methods of mining, and field application will progress during the coming year in cooperation with industry. Developments by the Bureau included a camera and caliper for inspecting boreholes as small as 3-inch diameter to depths up to 2,000 feet.
Fundamental testing of blasting methods continued. One phase involved the use of high-speed motion-picture cameras to photograph blasting scenes at taconite and limestone operations.
The year’s work on fundamental ore dressing included tests on flotation, electrostatic separation, and ultrasonic energy. Also investigated were methods for producing synthetic minerals and compounds that may replace scarce minerals. Like most of the miscellaneous research the results of this work will be reflected in commodity research and development during coming years.
Studies of mining methods and costs in cooperation with industry were accelerated, and a manuscript on western uranium-mining methods was completed.
PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Petroleum and, natural-gas production.—The important study of the effects of different drilling fluids on the permeability to oil of reservoir rocks immediately surrounding a well bore neared completion and will reveal the degree of contamination by different liquids commonly used in completing petroleum and natural-gas wells. Substantial progress continued on clay studies, and the Bureau plans to broaden the scope of identification by X-ray diffraction not only to clay minerals but other minerals that are important in studies of reservoir
1-88	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
rocks. Studies of Wyoming oil and gas fields for the Missouri Basin Field Committee of the department will be continued at the Laramie, Wyo., station, but the Arkansas-White-Red River Basin studies conducted at the Bartlesville station terminated at the end of the year. Volume 1 of a three-volume monograph, Phase Relations of Gas-Condensate Fluids, will be published by the end of 1955 in cooperation with the American Gas Association.
Twenty-three reports and papers on scientific and engineering research concerning primary and secondary petroleum-recovery operations and River Basin cooperative studies were completed. Similar scientific and technical reports will be continued in selected areas and fields in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, Arkansas, California, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Laboratory experiments to evaluate the most adaptable radioactive substance for a water tracer indicate that iridium 192 probably will be usable without undue absorption in an underground reservoir. Other important laboratory research evaluated the effectiveness of more than 200 detergents in petroleum-sand systems by the centrifugal method and revealed that several well-balanced nonionic detergents are effective for oil displacement; other results seemingly indicate that the detergent solution enters into a sand formation previously impermeable to water.
Studies of porphyrins in Colorado oil shale and water-spray extracts of a California crude oil were completed, and reports were prepared. A study of deasphalting crude oil by propane precipitation is nearly completed, and similar progressive laboratory work will be continued. Considerable laboratory work was done to evaluate the fundamental properties of Appalachian oil-reservoir rock, and the project will continue.
Another cooperative study with the American Gas Association on the deliverability of natural gas from underground storage reservoirs resulted in five tests in fields in Oklahoma, Kansas, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Preliminary results reveal that a gas-storage reservoir of high and uniform permeability and relatively free of water will receive and deliver gas in an identical manner. A significant study of the flow of natural gas through experimental pipelines and transmission lines was completed and will be published as a monograph by the American Gas Association.
The new Division of Petroleum came into being January 2, 1955, and several organizational and planning conferences were held. A steering committee was formed to review and reorganize the Bureau’s production-research program on a national and unified basis and eliminate possible duplication. The Appalachian Experiment Station, Morgantown, W. Va., was dedicated May 14; the Secretary of the Interior delivered the principal address.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	189
Chemistry and refining.—Noteworthy progress was made in all current phases of the Bureau of Mines petroleum-chemistry, refining, and thermodynamics program at the Laramie, Wyo., and Bartlesville, Okla., stations.
A study on nitrogen in petroleum was initiated during the year; the major objective was quantitative identification of nitrogen compounds in certain crude oils. Progress was made in concentrating and separating the nitrogen compounds in a Wilmington, Calif., crude. In a supplementary phase of the work two pure nitrogen compounds were prepared as standards for research groups.
A study of sulfur in petroleum resulted in identification of 2 sulfur compounds in Wasson, Tex., crude oil and of 2 in Wilmington, Calif., crude. Development of methods for separating sulfur compounds by types from complex mixtures was emphasized. In another phase of the work, 4 purified sulfur compounds, Nos. 29 through 32 in a series, were prepared during the year, and 5 standards, previously prepared, were distributed.
In cooperation with the Western Petroleum Refiners’ Association and the Bureau of Ships, studies of the causes of storage instability of diesel-type fuels indicated that oxidation is a major cause of gum formation in distillate fuels, that oxygen-susceptible sludge-formers are concentrated in aromatic fractions of the fuels, and that, contrary to usual belief, polar materials in some cases inhibit sludge formation. The stability studies were extended during the year to include preliminary work on gasoline. Research on the combustion of dieseltype fuels provided tentative correlations of air-fuel ratio with ignition delay.
Surveys and reports on the quality of petroleum fuels included 2 on motor gasoline and 1 each on aviation fuels and diesel fuels. A survey of burner fuels was begun.
Analyses of 209 domestic and foreign crude oils were completed, and several publications were issued, including a comprehensive report to the Air Materiel Command that contains analytical data for about 94 percent of the oilfields in the United States now producing over 2,500 barrels daily.
Thermodynamics research, conducted in cooperation with the American Petroleum Institute and the Air Research Development Command, included nitrogen compounds for the first time. Measurements of heat capacities in solid and liquid states, heats and temperatures of phase changes, and entropy in the liquid state were completed for six pure organic compounds. Heats of combustion were determined for 9 compounds and for 4 sulfur and oil mixtures, and a special combustion technique for tetraethyl lead was developed. Heats of formation were determined for two fluorine compounds. Vapor heat capacities and heats of vaporization were obtained for 3
190	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
compounds, and vapor-pressure studies were completed for 2 compounds. Calibration of equipment previously constructed for pressure-volume-temperature relationship studies was completed, and measurements of neopentane were begun. A similar apparatus for use with gaseous materials was designed. Calculation of the thermodynamic functions of 2 compounds was completed, revisions based on new information were made for the functions of a third compound, and similar calculations progressed for 5 other compounds.
Petroleum and natural-gas economics.—The year was one of adjustment for the oil industry. By holding domestic production of crude oil to 2,316 million barrels while total demand rose to 2,959 million barrels, excessive stocks of both crude oil and products were largely liquidated. There were small increases—about 3 million barrels in each instance—in imports of both crude oil and refined products, bringing the respective totals to 239 and 144 million barrels.
The 52,925 wells completed and the 29,773 producing oil wells drilled during 1954 represented an alltime high. The degree of success obtained also rose, as 55.5 percent of the wells drilled resulted in oil producers last year compared with 54 percent in 1953. Despite the large number of wells drilled and relatively high ratio of oil producers, estimated reserves of crude petroleum increased only 616 million barrels during the year. This was one of the smallest increases since the end of World War II.
Marketed production of natural gas in 1954 was 8,667 billion cubic feet, 3.2 percent greater than in the preceding year and the smallest increase in recent years, reflecting the slowing in pipeline construction. The increase in proved reserves of natural gas (264 billion cubic feet to a total of 211.7 trillion) was also the smallest since World War II, although the 3,977 gas wells completed represented a record high.
OIL SHALE
Oil from oil shale.—During the past year laboratory work continued on the properties and composition of both oil shale and shale oil. Nearly 6,000 samples of oil shale were assayed, and logs of more than 200 sections of Green River shale were published. Studies on the composition of the organic matter (kerogen) of shales from Rifle indicate that there is little difference in the material from the various Green River shales of the region. Tests continued on partial solution of oil shale in various organic solvents. Up to 60 percent of the kerogen was soluble upon mild pyrolysis in selected glycols, but the portions going into solution in the various solvents have not been identified. Up to 70 percent of the kerogen was extracted by tetralin under similar conditions. Hydrogenation of kerogen in the presence of stannous chloride yielded up to 80 percent of the products soluble in
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	191
benzene. The products were saturated hydrocarbons and neutral nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen derivatives.
Work on the naphtha fraction of N-T-U shale oil has been completed, and the results will be published in a technical report. Progress has been made in the study of the gas-oil fraction. Identification of the major constituents by molecular distillation, thermal diffusion, and spectrometric analysis is underway. Characterization of the oils produced in the entrained-solids retort at high temperatures was begun.
In the work on the entrained-solids retorting method the effect of operating temperature on yield and composition of the products was studied in greater detail. Recycle hydrogenation of both crude shale oil and entrained-solids oils has been investigated further. The results indicate that better fuel may be obtained from all these products by mild hydrogenation.
In the first part of the year shale was mined to supply feed for the two pilot plants. A large rotary-drilling frame was designed and installed in the mine, and extensive tests on horizontal rotary drilling were planned. However, all activity terminated February 28 when a serious roof fall in the mine damaged some of the mining equipment. At the year end the mine remained closed, and a study of possible alternate mining methods was being made by a group of consultants appointed by the Director of the Bureau.
After preliminary shakedown tests, plants 2 (30 tons per day) and 3 (150 tons per day) were operated. Progress was made in plant 2 in determining good operating conditions and in studying the effect of artificial nucleation on size of oil droplets in the retort gases. In one series of tests in retort 3 good mechanical operation was achieved at a moderate rate of throughput, and good distillation of shale oil resulted. How'ever, because of secondary cracking or failure to recover all the fine oil mist, the total yield of recovered oil was not as high as formerly obtained in the smaller retorts.
Experiments with the smaller pilot retort 1 (6 tons per day) gave additional support to the theory that addition of small quantities of sodium chloride as brine has considerable beneficial effect on the formation of shale-oil mist with a resulting increase in overall yield.
HELIUM
A record-breaking output of helium and specific plans to increase the production of this lightweight nonflammable gas by 50 percent were foremost among many attainments during the year.
Greater emphasis on this important responsibility of the Bureau resulted, with creation of a new organizational system under which all helium activities were centered under an Assistant Director, re
192	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
porting directly to Washington with headquarters at Amarillo, Tex.
The 4 helium plants at Amarillo and Exell, Tex.; Shiprock, N. Mex.; and Otis, Kans., shipped 212 million cubic feet of helium, a gain of 25 percent over 1954. Approximately 70 percent went to Federal agencies and 30 percent to commercial customers. A survey disclosed that 90 percent of all helium is used for defense purposes.
Despite production above rated capacity, output fell behind demands, and the Bureau was authorized to invest $6 million in new facilities for extracting helium from certain natural gases.
New safety records were set simultaneously with the increased output, and outstanding marks were made by the plants at Amarillo and Otis. Citations were received from the Texas Safety Association and the National Safety Council.
For the first few months of the year helium shipments were limited because of a tank-car shortage. Better utilization of cars and acquisition of additional transportation equipment helped relieve the shortage of shipping containers. At the year end 17 helium tank cars were on order, and arrangements were made for the Bureau to operate and control all 107 Government-owned cars. Since approximately 80 percent' of the older cars needed repairs, rehabilitation work was started under contracts awarded near the year end.
Plant security measures were strengthened by resumption of a 24-hour-per-day guard service at all plants in accordance with suggestions from the Office of Naval Intelligence.
Water encroachment reduced the production of wells serving the Navajo plant, and a contract was negotiated with Stanolind Oil & Gas Co. for delivering helium-bearing gas from a new field 8 miles from the plant. The Bureau estimates that the move will extend the life of the Navajo installations several years—perhaps 5 or more.
High helium demands and full production rates placed additional emphasis on plant engineering and development. Besides preliminary engineering design, feasibility studies, and cost estimates for new plants an improved helium-separation cycle was devised that promises considerable reduction in power requirements. Other developments included installation of automatic controls on helium-separation equipment, resizing of compressor cylinders to restore capacity lost by reduction of gas-supply pressure, regrouting of compressor foundations, installation of a pilot-size fractionation column to check data required in constructing a new plant, cleaning of cooling systems with chemicals, and installation of equipment to remove hydrogen in the final purification of helium.
A research group continued to analyze samples of natural gas from new fields and studied several areas to determine whether they could supply a new helium plant.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	193
Other research included studies of helium liquefaction to simplify transportation, behavior of natural gases as an aid to process improvement and equipment development, instrumentation to improve process control and minimize operating manpower, and utilization of helium.
Estimated helium demands for the fiscal year 1956 are 20 percent higher than those for fiscal 1955, proportionately distributed between Federal and commercial users. During the first 6 to 8 months of fiscal 1956 demand was expected to be 20 percent greater than production, necessitating continued allocation of helium.
SOLID FUELS AND EXPLOSIVES RESEARCH
Last year, as in every year since its creation, the Bureau of Mines furthered technical progress in the mining, preparation, and utilization of the Nation’s solid-fuel reserves and continued its authoritative studies of explosives and explosions. The year saw completion of the Bureau’s portion of an inventory of the Nation’s minable reserves of coking coal, start of research to determine whether atomic energy can help man obtain liquid fuels and chemicals from coal at low cost, and accumulation of new knowledge of the basic mechanisms involved in explosions.
Coal mining and reserves studies. Bureau engineers studied various types of continuous coal-mining machines during the year and suggested a method of applying a Canadian-developed machine to longwall mining in this country. They also observed longwall operations, in bituminous-coal mines, of four imported German coal planers under varying conditions of bed thickness and friability. Preliminary tests with the Bureau’s vibrating-blade coal planer indicated that this type of machine can be used to mine anthracite. Tests are continuing to improve design and operation of the planer and accessory equipment.
Estimates of known recoverable reserves of coking coal were published for 5 counties, 2 in West Virginia and 1 each in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Reports for 14 additional counties were drafted as the Bureau terminated fieldwork in this investigation.
Coal preparation.—The Bureau continued studies to develop effective methods of cleaning and recovering fine sizes of coal Two types of equipment tested—a dense-medium cyclone cleaner and a feldspar jig—proved adaptable to this use. Changing the design of the cell used in the kerosine-flotation process for cleaning and dewatering fine coal increased its capacity.
Preparation characteristics of coking coals from counties in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee were given in reports which also
194	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
discussed the possibility of upgrading these coals to present metallurgical standards. Work continued on coals from other counties in these States.
Commercial-scale crushing tests of Chestnut-size anthracite indicated that ring- and gyratory-type crushing equipment gives best recovery of Buckwheat and Rice sizes. Power requirements for crushing and pulverizing lignite were determined, and factors causing lignite to freeze in railroad cars were studied.
Drying, combustion, and carbonization.—A pilot-scale entrained -bed drier and fluidized-bed carbonizer at Denver were used to produce chars from western coals for blending in the production of metallurgical coke. The same equipment was used in studies to develop more efficient methods for removing solids from hot distillation products. Observations continued at Rockdale, Tex., where nine 50-ton-per-hour driers used the Bureau’s entrained-bed system to supply dried lignite to power boilers, and a prototype carbonizer was operated to provide tar and light oil which are being tested for properties and uses.
A comprehensive report on the technology of lignitic coals, including a review of European lignite technology, was published. A study showed that covering mine refuse piles with fine refuse material or clay would prevent or quench fires. An institutional-type incinerator to burn wastes with minimum emission of smoke and particulate matter was constructed and tested.
The Bureau’s experimental blast furnace at Pittsburgh was employed to investigate possible metallurgical uses for anthracite. Production rate, fuel consumption, and sulfur content of the metal produced were favorable when anthracite was used in ratios up to 40 percent of the fuel burden. Anthracite showed promise when used in a metallurgical blast cupola in amounts varying from 10 to 40 percent of the anthracite-coke fuel charge.
Yield and quality of coke and products from 41 American coals and 33 blends were determined by the Bureau of Mines-American Gas Association carbonization tests. The Tuscaloosa and the sole-heated ovens were used to determine expanding properties of coals and blends, using inert materials such as anthracite fines and petroleum coke. Thermal and oxidation pretreatments of coals gave data on the basic mechanism of carbonization.
Coal-to-oil research.—With expiration of the Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act on April 4,1955, laboratory-, bench-, and pilot-scale research on producing synthetic fuels from coal was integrated with the Bureau’s other research and technologic work on coal.
Conversion of coal to liquid fuel by reaction with hydrogen at high temperatures in a 1-step instead of the conventional 2-step process was studied in a small, continuous reactor. Conversion of coal to oil was
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-	195
nearly complete, but the product was mostly heavy oil with relatively small yields of gasoline and gaseous hydrocarbons. Similar products were obtained in pilot-plant tests of this process, but difficulties due to overheating were encountered, necessitating redesign of the reactor. Progress was made in research to gain a better understanding of the structure of coal, which can lead to development of methods for converting coal to other useful substances. Carbohydrates, cellulose, and lignin (with or without hydrogen) were heated or treated with sulfuric or phosphoric acid to produce coallike chars. Infrared absorption spectra were used to compare coal fractions with products from coal hydrogenation, petroleum asphalt, and gilsonite and to follow structural changes during coal carbonization. Examination of coal by X-ray diffraction indicated the presence of minute crystals— additional proof that coal is composed of material that has a recognizable structure. Research was begun on microbial degradation of coal and related substances.
Steel turnings, the cheapest known catalyst for the Fischer-Tropsch process for converting synthesis gas into organic chemicals, were specially treated for one modification of the process in which cooling oil is pumped through the catalyst bed. Tests showed that the turnings were an excellent catalyst for this oil-circulation process, that the active surface layer of the catalyst was largely converted to iron carbide early in the synthesis, and that the carbide content then remained essentially constant, but metallic iron slowly oxidized to magnetite.
In experiments to develop improved methods of activating and pretreating catalysts, turnings that were carbided or nitrided before synthesis had relatively low activity, but subsequent oxidation and reduction resulted in high activity. Higher activity was observed with a steel containing copper and with oxidized turnings of carbon steel impregnated with copper nitrate. Oxidized steel wool also was active.
Goal-to-gas research.—A pilot plant for gasifying coal with oxygen and steam at high pressures is being developed. In acquiring design data for the plant and its equipment, Bureau scientists are using statistical methods that enable them to test several variables at the same time, reducing the number of tests that must be made.
In cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission the Bureau has begun research to determine whether nuclear energy can be used for gasifying coal with steam alone. The AEC plans to work on development of a reactor, and the Bureau will test materials and attempt to work out a practical chemical process for atomic gasification. Preliminary work already is in progress on analyzing products obtained with a model reactor heated by electricity.
364841—56----16
196	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
What may prove to be a means of feeding coal into a high-pressure gasifier was developed from experiments in which slurries of powdered coal and water were passed through hot coils to vaporize the water and break the coal particles further. The rate of reaction of steam with carbon was measured in an apparatus that permited introduction of other gases, such as oxygen or nitrogen, and observation of coal particle size.
Tests with a vortex gasifier, in which unburned residues were recycled, pointed toward eventual reduction of materials requirements per unit volume of product gas. Bench-scale gasification tests of lignite gave data for the design of a pilot-scale unit for moderatepressure gasification in a fixed bed of lump lignite with oxygen and steam at temperatures permitting liquid-slag removal.
Research on production of high-B. t. u. gas from synthesis gas produced from coal resulted in pilot-scale development of a fluidized-bed, multiple-inlet reactor that gave higher gasification rates and gas of higher heating value than fixed-bed reactors. Studies of methanation catalysts gave data on reactivation properties and useful catalyst life.
Work on gasification of unmined coal underground was reactivated in cooperation with industry at Gorgas, Ala., and a test was made to determine whether a hydraulic fracturing process used in oilfields is practical for opening passages in coal seams for gasification. Passages were opened in the coal bed by injecting a mixture of oil and sand. Permeability of the bed was increased 85-fold, and there was evidence that openings extended some 600 feet from the injection point. Gasification tests are in progress.
Coal constitution a,nd analysis.—The Bureau’s coal sampling and analysis work continued to provide the basis for the Government’s coal-purchasing program. More coal-dust analyses were made in connection with inspections of coal mines, and other Bureau research programs required analyses of cokes, rock dust, slags, and other materials. Cooperation was continued with the American Society for Testing Materials and the International Organization of Standardization in development and standardization of methods of coal analysis. Cooperative work with the Economic Commission for Europe brought closer agreement on an international system of classifying lignite and brown coals. A Bureau-sponsored conference on coal microscopy reviewed recent developments in coal petrography and applications to coal-industry problems.
Services to the Government.-—Advisory services to Federal agencies on installing, testing, and operating fuel-burning equipment continued. Boiler-water samples were analyzed for Federal agencies, recommendations made for proper treatment, and feedwater testing kits and special chemicals distributed. Assistance to State and munic
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	197
ipal governments on air- and stream-pollution problems continued, and a new method of determining density of smoke emission from chimneys was compared with the long-used Ringelmann method.
Coal economics.—After hitting a postdepression low during the 12 months ended October 1954 production of bituminous coal began to climb steadily. However, production of Pennsylvania anthracite continued to decline.
Statistical and economic research on solid fuels provided analyses of factors involved in coal’s changing competitive position, in the volume and method of production and consumption, and in stocks, imports, and exports of coal. Special data were interpreted for estimating solid fuels mobilization requirements, including those for steel and other strategic industries. Important data on coal, coke, coal chemicals, foreign solid fuels, operations, and energy trends were provided to various members and committees of Congress and to other Federal and State agencies.
EXPLOSIVES AND EXPLOSIONS RESEARCH AND TESTING
Explosives testing and research.—During the fiscal year the Bureau made more than 2,800 tests of permissible and other explosives and hazardous chemicals; 168 explosives were on the active permissible list at the end of the year. Consumption of permissibles was about one-half million pounds more than in the previous year. The ratio of permissibles to black blasting powder was 15:1.
Revised testing schedules for blasting devices, stemming devices, and explosives were issued. A marked increase in the number of permissible field samples failing to meet minimum safety requirements led to a program for improving the safety of permissibles with a record of field-sample failures. To date, changes have been authorized in the formulation of four brands.
Measurement of the temperature of an exploding charge by means of its luminosity was used to develop further a theory of the detonation of explosives. Such measurements were made for PETN, tetryl, RDX, and TNT. In studying firedamp ignition by explosives, such factors as charge weight, borehole geometry and loading, stemming, and atmospheric humidity were investigated.
Photographic evidence was obtained of a possible mechanism in the detonation of gas mixtures.
Dust- and gas-explosion research.—Explosibility of 75 mineral and industrial dusts was evaluated, and wire-screen coverings for vents in industrial equipment were studied as a means of simultaneously relieving pressure and quenching flame in dust explosions.
198	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
The effectiveness of wet rock dust as an antiexplosion measure was tested in the Bureau’s Experimental mine at Bruceton, Pa. Tests were made on natural gas-air mixtures at high pressures to determine the hazards of igniting mine atmospheres that may be drawn into compressed-air coalbreakers.
Flammable gases and liquids tested for explosive properties included hydraulic fluids used in aircraft or naval vessels, industrially important straight-chain saturated alcohols, aromatic and paraffin hydrocarbons, and various organic compounds.
In research on ignition and combustion processes, several long-range studies on the oxidation of hydrocarbons were concluded. Oxygen also was found to play an important role in the exchange reaction between hydrogen and deuterium. Investigation of flame structure and behavior continued, with emphasis on the development of new techniques for studying the structure and propagation of turbulent flames.
As in previous years, assistance was given Government agencies, municipal authorities, and industries in tracing the origin of explosions and fires, such as the U. S. S. Bennington disaster, and in eliminating potential accidents due to gas leaks; improper handling and storage of hazardous materials; and other causes.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Bureau of Mines activities for safety and health in the mineral industries were reorganized during the year to provide direct supervision from Washington. In December the principal field offices were designated health and safety offices reporting to the Assistant Director—Health and Safety.
Investigations to determine the causes of accidents and injuries and recommendations for eliminating them continued to meet with success as reflected by improved safety conditions.
The inspection of coal mines and enforcement of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act of 1952 saw correction of many hazardous conditions and noticeably better accident records. Training of workmen and supervisors in recognizing and eliminating dangers was accelerated.
One coal-mine explosion classed as a major disaster occurred during the year.
Work on primary hazards.—The most serious hazards are those involving roof and haulage. Roof falls caused 55 percent of all fatalities in coal mines in 1954 and haulage accidents another 23 percent, or 18 percent from both. A national campaign to reduce the number killed and injured by falls of rock and coal was under
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	199
taken jointly by the Bureau and mineral-industry organizations. Favorable results are expected.
Roof bolting, a method of support that the Bureau introduced to the coal-mining industry in 1947, has proved its effectiveness in preventing roof-fall fatalities and continues to gain wide acceptance. During the year 120 underground mechanized coal mines used roof bolts exclusively, and 26 percent of the entire production of bituminous-coal mines came from roof-bolted areas. Significantly, of the 177 roof-fall fatalities in bituminous-coal mines during 1954, only 2 resulted from failure of the bolts to hold the roof.
In future the risk of failure of bolted mine roof may be lessened by using a safety device known as a roof-bolt compression pad. Seeking to make roof-bolting installations more reliable, the Bureau developed during the fiscal year 1955 a rubber-in-steel bearing plate. A similar device now is in volume production by industry and promises to be an effective warning of impending failure of bolted roof.
Recent field and laboratory tests provided information for determining anchorage effectiveness, torque-tension relationship, and loadcarrying capacities of different bolts and expansion shells normally used in mines. A report describing the Bureau’s findings will be available to the mining industry during the coming fiscal year.
The Bureau conferred during the year with mining-company officials, inspectors of State mining departments, and engineers from various parts of the United States and foreign countries on roof-bolting and roof-control problems. Roof-bolt installations in all districts were surveyed, and reports were submitted to miners’ unions, operators, and State inspectors. Other phases of roof control included studies of extensible canopies, shields on continuous mining machines, curved jacks for longwall continuous mining machines, and bonding and roof painting.
Tests of equipment—The Bureau’s electrical-mechanical test work contributed greatly toward increased safety in coal mines.
During the year 165 approvals and 2,043 extensions of approvals of electrical equipment were granted, and a study was continued on safe lighting for gassy or dusty mines.
To assist the Navy in eliminating fire and explosion hazards on aircraft and in ships the Bureau tested 12 electrical components and 3 aircraft fuel gages.
Other research centered on diesel-powered equipment and fire resistance of conveyor belts.
Gas-ignition and fire hazards from portable electrical cables constitute major problems that Bureau researchers are planning to study more intensively in coming months.
200	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Seventeen, approvals and 20 extensions of previous approvals were granted for dust collectors for use in drilling rock in coal mines. One new approval was issued on an air-line respirator, and 41 extensions of approval were granted on respiratory protective equipment. Apparatus was developed for testing respirators against paint-spray mists.
A new Experimental coal mine was essentially completed on Government property at Bruceton, Pa., and will be used for testing drilldust collectors and other studies of mine-dust problems.
Health.—Activities concerned with health research continued to yield direct benefits to the mining and allied industries. Promotion of safer and more healthful working conditions helped conserve manpower, its most valuable resource.
The continuing study of the composition of mine atmospheres provides the Bureau of Mines with information on this subject accumulated on a nationwide basis. The results obtained in this work are available to State mining departments, the mining companies concerned, and the miners’ unions. In connection with recovery operations at a West Virginia coal mine after an explosion Bureau experts made many gas analyses at the scene and facilitated reopening of the mine.
In addition to this field assignment, laboratory technicians analyzed over 18,000 additional gas samples, most of which had been obtained in the coal-mine-inspection program. Others were collected from sealed fire areas in coal mines, metal and salt mines, tunnels under construction, and coal-preparation plants or in connection with tests of diesel and butane engines and decomposition of plastics and conveyor belting.
Studies continued for the Navy’s Bureau of Ships to determine ignition and burning characteristics and the nature and volume of toxic gases produced by combustion or thermal decomposition of plastic materials.
On behalf of a committee consisting of Bureau personnel and representatives of conveyor-belt manufacturers, coal operators’ associations, the miners’ union, and the State of Kentucky tests were conducted to determine the gaseous products formed by burning or thermal decomposition of conveyor belts. Work of the committee resulted in a proposed schedule of acceptance requirements for fire-resistant belting.
A special infrared spectrometer was installed to determine both qualitatively and quantitatively the type and amount of explosive gas in coal-mine atmosphere.
Control of dust produced by continuous-type mining machines is one of the problems confronting the coal-mining industry. In addi-
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 201 tion to analyses of hundreds of mine-dust samples obtained underground the Bureau began to study the behavior and flow pattern of air currents as related to dust transport. A scale model of two connected mine entries was constructed for this project. Other researchers observed the effects of various types of spray nozzles as dust suppressors and arranged to conduct field studies of this problem.
A survey was completed during the year of dust-control measures in the coal-mining industry which showed that about 24 percent of the mines practice some form of dust control. Information provided by the more than 3,400 replies to a questionnaire on dust control was prepared for publication.
At the request of the International Labor Office, Geneva, Switzerland, an annual summary was prepared reviewing methods of dust prevention and suppression in mining, tunneling, and quarrying.
A major portion of the American Standard Code concerning respiratory protection was rewritten by Bureau personnel serving on an ASA sectional committee named to correlate material on head, eye, and respiratory protection.
Complete ventilation surveys for three coal mines were made. Records of a study of the effect of barometric-pressure changes on the emission of explosive gas in caved areas of an Illinois coal mine were analyzed, and a manuscript was prepared for publication. A study was begun of the effectiveness of bleeder entries in keeping caved areas in coal mines free of methane accumulations.
Accident analysis.—Surveys of accident trends and causes continued to play essential roles in the Bureau’s long-range program of curbing injuries in the mineral industries. Injury statistics and employment figures were obtained in the coal, coke, quarrying, metallurgical, non-metallic-mineral, and petroleum and natural-gas industries.
In addition to preparing publications for industry, agencies of the Federal and State Governments, unions, trade associations, and others interested in safety promotion, Bureau statisticians arranged special reports that aided Federal coal-mine inspectors in their work.
The 30th National Safety Competition and 4 other safety competitions were conducted during the year under sponsorship of trade associations of the mineral industries. Approximately 1,500 mines, quarries, and other mineral plants were enrolled in these contests, and some 2,000 Certificates of Accomplishment in Safety were prepared and presented the employees and managers at the plants.
Other accomplishments included the annual canvass among manufacturers of industrial explosives, preparation of three Minerals Yearbook chapters regarding injuries and related employment experiences, and release of monthly reports on the fatal- and nonfatal-injury experience at coal mines.
202	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
During the year the Branch of Accident Analyses in Washington took over work previously handled by the Statistical Service Branch at College Park. The transfer resulted in substantial savings.
In the coming year deadlines will be advanced for completing and issuing statistical information without increasing personnel or equipment.
Safety education.—The year saw increased activity in the organization of accident-prevention classes among coal-mining men. Since 1947 approximately 125,000 persons have taken the Bureau’s 20-hour training course. Although instruction is primarily for workmen, it has helped morale when both supervisory officials and workmen take the course together. In fact, recent emphasis has been placed on 100-percent participation by both groups.
During the coming year the Bureau will further emphasize 100-percent training wherever an accident-prevention training course is given. The ultimate goal is to make the training available to each person who goes underground in the coal-mining industry. In the coming year the Bureau also will continue accident-prevention training for the mining industry other than coal and for the petroleum and natural-gas industries.
Special efforts were made during the fiscal year 1955 to promote organization of Holmes Safety chapters and councils. The campaign resulted in creation of 130 such chapters and 6 councils. These promote safety because they encourage the discussion of accidents and safety measures by men and management.
The Bureau’s goal is safety training for every workman and official in the coal-mining industry and retraining at regular intervals.
Coal-mine inspection.—This year marked the third complete year under the Federal Coal-Mine Safety Act, which consists of title I (the original Federal Coal-Mine Inspection and Investigation Act of 1941, with slight changes) and title II (containing certain mandatory provisions designed to prevent explosions, fires, inundations, and man-trip and man-hoist accidents in coal mines regularly employing 15 or more persons underground.)
There were approximately 8,400 active coal mines in the Nation in 1954, including 1,570 title II mines, 5,515 small title I underground mines, and 1,275 strip mines. At the end of the fiscal year 1955 the Division of Coal-Mine Inspection had 258 coal-mine inspectors, 45 engineers, 9 coal-mine electrical inspectors, and other supporting personnel variously assigned in coal-mine inspection and safety educational work.
During the year 3,595 regular inspections were made of coal mines covered under title II of the act, including 52 made jointly with State inspectors in States that have entered into cooperative agree-
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	203
merits with the Bureau under the act. In addition, 2,794 special inspections were conducted to determine the abatement status of violations cited under title II. Inspectors observed 8,230 violations of the safety provisions of title II during these inspections. Many were corrected immediately, obviating the need for issuing formal notices of findings; however, the Bureau issued 3,063 original notices setting a reasonable time for abating dangers not corrected promptly, 523 notices granting time extensions, and 3,041 notices certifying that the dangers had been abated.
Orders requiring the withdrawal of men were issued at 100 mines, 84 orders at 59 mines under the act’s imminent danger clause and 71 orders at 41 mines for failure to show good faith in abating violations within a reasonable time. In addition, 21 orders were issued classing heretofore “nongassy” mines as “gassy.” However, five of these orders later were annulled by the Director or the Federal Coal-Mine Safety Board of Review, an independent agency set up by the act.
Federal inspectors and engineers also made 6,827 inspections of the smaller title I mines, including 595 inspections of strip mines; 1,012 technical surveys of electrical, ventilation, dust, blasting, and other practices and conditions; and 625 special investigations of fatal and serious nonfatal accidents and mine fires and gas and dust ignitions.
During the fiscal year 1955, 7 applications for annulment of gassy-classification orders issued under the act were made to the Director; 6 were denied, and 1 was annulled. The Board received three applications for annulment of gassy classification, all appealing adverse decisions by the Director. The Board annulled one order, and the Director has petitioned the United States Court of Appeals. A hearing is pending.
The Board also received two applications for annulment of withdrawal orders. One, issued under a State-participation plan, was annulled upon abatement of the violation. The other, appealing an adverse decision by the Director, was annulled following a hearing. This action was appealed by the Director to the Federal Court, which dismissed the litigation because it was not filed within the 30-day limit.
One major disaster, a widespread explosion and coal-mine fire that caused the death of 16 men, occurred during the year. This is the second major disaster (one in which 5 or more persons are killed) in 3 years of operation under the antidisaster provisions of title II of the act. The other was a dust explosion, which in 1953 caused 5 deaths.
Preliminary figures indicate that the number of fatalities in coal mines dropped from 460 in 1953 to 395 in the calendar year 1954, but the frequency rate per million man-hours of exposure increased from
204	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
0.84 to 1.04. During the first 6 months of 1955 the preliminary fatality frequency rate was also 1.04. This unfavorable trend is usually experienced during periods of tight markets and marginal operation of coal mines and is influenced by the decreasing man-hours now required for coal production.
Control of fires in inactive coal deposits.—Since 1949 the Bureau of Mines has engaged in controlling fires in inactive coal deposits on private property and the public domain.
Of the 196 known fires in inactive coal deposits, 46 have been controlled or are being controlled. Of these, 26 are on the public domain and 20 on private property. The Bureau estimates that one quarter of a billion tons of coal have been conserved at a cost to the taxpayers of less than 1 cent a ton.
During the year 8 fire-control projects were completed; 6 were on the public domain and 2 on private property. Five additional fires were being controlled at year’s end.
New fire-control projects will be started during the coming year under funds appropriated by the Congress.
RIVER-BASIN ACTIVITIES
The Bureau continued to cooperate with other Federal, State, and private agencies to develop resources of United States river basins. Bureau investigations assured that the mineral industry and mineral potential in each region received adequate consideration in planning water and power development.
Arkansas-'Wliite-Red River Basins.—Bureau field studies of all the more important mineralized areas in these basins culminated in a comprehensive report, Minerals and Geology of the Arkansas-White-Red Basins, written by Bureau engineers in cooperation with the Federal Geological Survey and various State officials. Presenting long-range plans for developing the mineral resources of the area, it was part of an all-resources inventory report and development plan for the basins requested by the Congress in the Flood Control Act of 1950. The entire report by all agencies was completed in June 1955.
Five special treatises describing in detail the mineral situation in major subareas were submitted to cooperating agencies, as were many special reports on mineral resources in specific proposed water- and power-project areas.
Procedures used in evaluating mineral-production losses because of inundation in reservoir areas were studied and the findings incorporated in a preliminary report.
'Missouri River Basin.—Continuing lignite-storage studies revealed that weathering of the surface of lignite piles causes heating, which
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	205
is aggravated by wind and drifting of lignite dust, making erection of “snow fences’" and periodic leveling of drifts necessary. Carbonization and tar-yield studies were made of samples from many lignite deposits.
Commercial development of petroleum and natural gas in the Missouri Basin was exceptionally active during the year. Brought into production were 4,205 new wells, 122 new oilfields, 50 new gasfields, 6 natural-gasoline plants, and 3 refineries. Reports on petroleum and natural gas in the Williston Basin, the Cheyenne River Division, and the Missouri-Souris Division were prepared for the Missouri Basin Field Committee.
Seven reports on metallic and nonmetallic resources of the Basin were presented to the committee. They included: Mineral Resources of the Powder River Division (Montana and Wyoming), Missouri Basin Chromite, Cement Industry Feasibility Study, A Review of the Aluminum Industry, Gypsum in Wyoming and Colorado, Lightweight Aggregates in North and South Dakota, and Mineral Resources in the Northern Missouri Coal District.
New England-New York Survey.—In cooperation with the Federal Geological Survey and State geologists, mineral-industry studies were prepared for inclusion in a 46-volume resources inventory and development plan prepared by the New England-New York Interagency Committee.
A study of sources of waterborne mineral wastes was conducted in the New England-New York work. In this study mineral wastes were inventoried and sampled at 1,025 mineral-industry plants. Technical assistance was given at several plants.
Other river basins.—Special studies, reviews, and reports were prepared for many other areas, including Alaska, in connection with water and power development, both Government and private.
FOREIGN ACTIVITIES
As the gap between domestic production and domestic consumption of many mineral commodities has continued to widen, work of the Bureau’s Foreign Activities Division came into sharper focus during the year.
Bureau undertakings in this field include foreign fact-finding and analysis, technical assistance to underdeveloped countries, and training of foreign technologists in Federal laboratories. The importance of these phases of the Bureau’s work has been growing in recent years, reflecting great contribution by foreign sources to United States mineral supply, expanding investment by American capital in the development of foreign minerals, and active participation of our Government
206	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
in international economic affairs. In recognition of this trend, the activity was given division status in reorganization of the Bureau on January 1, 1955.
Service to industries.—American industries, planning future operations, drew heavily on the Bureau’s ability to analyze foreign mineral developments and their effect on the economy of this and other countries. The extent of utilization of foreign-produced minerals by the land of origin and by competing nations, the probability of increased or decreased output, technologic advancements, and market trends for American-made mining machinery and related equipment— all entered into the fact-finding program of the Bureau’s specialists.
During the fiscal year 1956 a small increase is planned in the headquarters staff of foreign minerals specialists in Washington and in its corps of expert observers assigned to nations where developments in the production and utilization of minerals are significant. The expansion is necessitated by the growing number of requests from industry, other Government agencies, and foreign governments for data and advice on international mineral affairs and reflects congressional instructions to certain Federal agencies concerned with foreign minerals to look to the Department of the Interior for information and guidance.
Investments by American business in the development of foreign mineral resources appear destined to grow with the rapidly increasing demand for minerals in the United States. Depletion of resources has combined with growing industrial demands in recent decades progressively to widen the gap between production and needs in several raw materials. Examples of primary importance are copper, lead, zinc, and petroleum, which now are imported in substantial quantities, whereas before World War II the United States was virtually self-sufficient in these vital commodities.
Technical assistance.—In cooperation with the Foreign Operations Administration (now the International Cooperation Administration) the Bureau conducted technical-assistance projects in 11 countries— Afghanistan, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, India, Israel, Liberia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, and the Philippine Islands. In the fiscal year 1956 projects will be undertaken in Egypt and Indonesia, and work at Nepal will be resumed after a year’s lapse. Most of these assignments are filled by a single specialist for each country, who serves in an advisory capacity. The Bureau considers accomplishments in technical progress and in consolidating good will with the host countries to be outstanding, even though the outlay for such services has been modest.
From time to time, technical assistance is provided under direct contracts with foreign governments at their expense in fields where
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 207 the Bureau has specialized knowledge not available from private consultants. Typical is an agreement with Brazil under which unique knowledge attained by the Bureau in the field of oil-shale mining and retorting is helping Brazil in developing her oil-shale resources. During the year Brazilian officials expressed appreciation for the help received and requested a 2-year extension of the contract.
Foreign trainees.—The training of mineral technologists from foreign countries in the laboratories, pilot plants, and other installations of the Bureau continued as an important part of the Government’s foreign-assistance program. During the year 12 trainees from 7 African, Asiatic, and Latin American countries completed courses ranging from a few months to a year. At the year end 11 were receiving such training, and plans call for doubling the number next year.
Almost without exception, men trained by the Bureau have attained positions of high responsibility upon return to their native lands and have continued to maintain friendly relationships with their former associates and instructors. Exchange of technical information has been mutually helpful.
MINERAL ECONOMICS
The Bureau’s long-range analyses of economic factors affecting the mineral industries became increasingly significant during the year. Special emphasis was placed on methods of expanding supplies, both domestic and foreign, to meet emergency conditions and estimation of total requirements and use patterns in peace and war.
Studies were undertaken to determine major economic factors influencing the welfare of the lead and zinc, antimony, fluorspar, and coal industries. Factors investigated included long-term domestic and foreign market trends, imports, domestic and foreign primary and secondary production, and relations among national economic activities and prices, production, and consumption of these commodities. Various potential assistance programs were evaluated and estimates made of their cost to taxpayers and consumers and the probable benefits to the mining industries and the industries serving them. Possible consequences of these proposals on price and cost structures and consumption patterns also were estimated.
In studying foreign supply factors for other minerals, trends of imports, the impact of tariffs on imports, and Government actions concerning international trade in minerals were under continuing analysis and review. The role of foreign supply was assessed as part of the total resource base for individual minerals. Long-run results of foreign trade-liberalization policies on prices of minerals and on
208
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
foreign investment in minerals and potential aftereffects of built-up foreign capacity were summarized.
Research in minerals taxation involved such items as the treatment of expenditures at various stages in developing mineral properties, financial relationships between percentage depletion and loss carryover, and estimation of the effect of different percentages of depletion allowance on mineral production, exploration, and development. The relative tax advantages of selecting oil payments as against an overriding royalty were computed for specific situations. Many tax proposals were examined in cooperation with the Treasury Department to determine their effects on mineral industries.
Assistance wTas given the newly created Office of Minerals, Mobilization. Analyses were made of the supply-requirement position of the Nation for certain critical metals and minerals under partial and full mobilization. Work was begun to establish mobilization programs and to estimate their economic implications for all critical minerals. Economic analyses for reports to OMM were completed on antimony, fluorspar, battery-grade manganese, tungsten, and selenium.
The Bureau’s contribution to the Federal interindustry research program neared completion with publication of final reports on demands for and plant-investment requirements of selected strategic minerals.
PUBLIC REPORTS
Keeping industry, educators, research workers, and others informed of its advances in mineral technology, the Bureau of Mines continued to issue many formal reports during the year in fulfilling a basic requirement of its organic act.
The 653 manuscripts approved and edited during the fiscal year 1955 compared with 587 the previous year and were related to all phases of the agency’s work.
Among the 215 reports sent the Government Printing Office were 99 technical bulletins, 94 Minerals Yearbook chapters and 3 bound volumes with extensive indexes, and 19 miners’ circulars, handbooks, and miscellaneous guides. The 163 manuscripts prepared for processing included 85 reports of investigations and 35 information circulars—13 more than in the previous year—together with 15 issues of Mineral Trade Notes and 28 miscellaneous reports, such as materials surveys and chapters of the Bureau’s Administrative Manual. In addition, 275 papers for technical and safety societies and articles pre pared for the trade and technical press were edited.
During the year the Bureau’s industry-sponsored technical-educational motion pictures continued in high demand and were used in thousands of schools throughout the Nation and in Alaska and
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 209
Hawaii in regular audiovisual programs. Films were shown 210,103 times to more than 57 million persons, either at group showings or on noncommercial television programs, compared with approximately 31 million the previous year. The number of individual prints available for circulation increased 11 percent, but demands for films remained higher than the availability of copies.
Texas and Its Natural Resources, one of the most popular films in the Bureau’s library, was revised during the year, and several new subjects were in production at the year end.
Besides Pittsburgh, Pa., Bureau films were circulated through nearly 200 nonprofit subdepositories at leading educational institutions, libraries, visual aid centers, and Armed Forces installations.
ADMINISTRATION SUMMARY
Following detailed studies of the activities and organization of the Bureau of Mines, changes in its organizational structure were made during fiscal 1955. The number of regions was reduced from 9 to 5; helium activities were separated from other Bureau functions and placed under an Assistant Director; all health and safety activities were placed under direct supervision of an Assistant Director with divisions for health, safety, and coal-mine inspection; a program staff was created in the Washington office in charge of an Assistant Director; and a Division of Foreign Activities was set up. During the year, management of the Bureau’s anthracite program was placed under direct charge of the Division of Solid Fuels in Washington.
A summary of Division of Administration activities follows:
Property
Property inventories were completed at all Bureau stations during the year. A central warehouse was set up in Denver, Colo., for storing heavy equipment needed in future programs. Also, central drillcore-storage warehouses were established at Denver Colo., and Minneapolis, Minn., and an area drill-core-storage warehouse at Bauxite, Ark. The Bureau’s motor-vehicle fleet had been reduced by 67 at the year end—almost a 7-percent cut from the previous year’s 988— without impairing efficiency. Still further reductions are planned. The Bureau disposed of $175,000 in excess property during the year and collected $9,790 from the sale of scrap.
The Procurement Manual was distributed and is in use throughout the Bureau.
210	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Property records of the Bureau of Mines, as of June 30, 1955, show
accounts as follows:
Automotive equipment-------------------------------------------$2’ ^22>	94
Canvas, composition, leather, and rubber goods----------------- 21, 270.10
Drafting and precision-engineering instruments------------------- 120,751.38
Electrical equipment------------------------------------------- ^28,	523.	86
Hardware------------------------------------------------------- ~)2^'2^~>'
Household furnishings------------------------------------------ 134>	910-	73
Laboratory apparatus and appliances---------------------------- 8, 078, 513. 38
Medical and surgical appliances------------------------------ bU>db
Office furniture, appliances and floor coverings------------- 2, 845, 431. 82
Photographic and projection apparatus------------------------ 346, 457. 01
Powerplant and general shop equipment------------------------ 4, 309,477. 73
Real estate__________________________________________________3h 2^2,	37
Specialized equipment---------------------------------------- 5, 866, 354. 56
_______________________________________________________ 56,173, 980. 44
A records-control schedule, covering departmental records, field records, and general administrative records, was issued as a guide in carrying out the Bureau’s records-management program.
Finance
One of the primary results obtained from the cost-finding accounting system of the Bureau, which has been in operation for the past fiscal year, is data on the costs of maintaining various facilitating services throughout the Bureau. Information has been developed that will aid materially in effecting economies in overhead expenses, which in turn will provide more efficient utilization of the funds appropriated for research work.
The total funds available to the Bureau of Mines for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1955, including direct appropriations, prior year balances available, reimbursements, advances, and transfers from other Government agencies, proceeds from helium operations, and contributions to trust funds from non-Government sources, were $38,432,721. Of this amount $27,796,105 was obligated, leaving an unobligated balance of $10,636,616, much of which was construction money destined for a new helium plant.
Funds available to the Bureau of Mines for fiscal year 1955, by source of funds
Direct appropriation------------------------------------------481, 000
Prior year balances available--------------------------------- 4, 224, 843
Less transfers and returns------------------------------------ 453, 424
Reimbursements from other Government agencies----------------- 219, 652
Advanced or transferred from other Government agencies-------- 5, 408, 467
Proceeds from helium operations------------------------------- 4, 095, 952
Contributions from trust funds from non-Government agencies---	456, 231
Total, Bureau of Mines.
38, 432, 721
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4- 211
Obligations incurred by the Bureau of Mines in the fiscal year 1955, by
appropriation
Conservation and development of mineral resources__________________$13, 297, 250
Health and safety__________________________________________________ 5 945 433
Construction ______________________________________________________ jpg ggy
General administrative expenses____________________________________ 960, 762
Working funds (includes all consolidated and allocated working
funds)---------------------------------------------------------- 5,222,714
Administrative expenses, Mutual Security Act, executive (transfer
to Interior)---------------------------------------------------- 26,970
Technical assistance, American Republics and non-self-governing
Territories of the Western Hemisphere, executive (transfer
to Interior)____________________________________________________ 1______4 247
Technical cooperation, general, executive (transfer to Interior)___	283, 756
Mutual defense financing, defense support, economic and technical assistance, Formosa and the associated States of Cambodia, Laos,
Viet Nam, executive (transfer to Interior)______________________ 424
Mutual defense financing, defense support, economical and technical
assistance, Europe, executive (transfer to Interior)____________ 2, 580
Economic and technical assistance, defense support, Asia and Pacific other than Formosa and the associated States of Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam, executive (transfer to Interior)_____________________ 44,244
Economic and technical assistance, Near East and Africa, executive
(transfer to Interior)__________________________________________ 1 —1, 338
Development and operation of helium properties_____________________ 2, 378,100
Contributed funds__________________________________________________ 432, 740
Total obligations incurred____________________________________ 27, 796,105
1 Disbursement less than carryover obligation.
Personnel
Reorganization.—The reorganization required considerable personnel planning and oral and written instructions to both the Washington office and the field and a tremendous amount of processing, which involved, for the most part, the preparation of numerous position descriptions and an unusually large number of personnel actions to reflect current assignments under the reorganization.
Manual.—Nine chapters of the Bureau of Mines Manual were issued. In addition seven chapters were completely revised in line with current statutes and regulations.
Schedule and number of paid employees
	GS	CFO	Ungraded	Total
Departmental	... _ _ . _ _ 		581 2,937			581 3,681
Field	 			 ...		97	647	
Total	 _ . 					
	3,518	97	647	4,262
				
364841—56----17
212	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Classification.—Greater emphasis was placed upon desk audits of positions, field surveys and inspections, and conferences and discussions with supervisors and employees to assure compliance with classification procedures. In line with this emphasis on-the-spot studies were conducted of positions at 12 field stations.
Employee safety.—Efforts have continued to reduce to a minimum the number of accidents and the severity of resulting injuries in all phases of Bureau operations. A report of accidents and man-hours of exposure was devised to show accident cause and injury classification as an aid in directing accident-prevention efforts.
Incentive awards.—Following are some of the attainments under the incentive award program showing increased employee participation and increased savings to the Government:
Number of suggestions received during the year--------------------- 245
Number of suggestions receiving awards----------------------------- 66
Total of cash awards granted_______________________________________ $1,160
Suggestions resulting in estimated annual savings------------------ 19
Total of estimated annual savings----------------------------------$72, 297. 50
Suggestions that resulted in intangible savings-------------------- 47
OFFICE OF OIL AND GAS
Hugh A. Stewart, Director
☆ ☆ ☆
THE Secretary of the Interior and the Assistant Secretary, Mineral Resources, were leaders in obtaining coordination of oil and gas policies and the administration thereof, and provided leadership in serving as channel of communication with the petroleum and gas industries.
They were active participants in meetings of the Defense Mobilization Board and the Presidential Advisory Committee on Energy Supplies and Resources Policy. In February 1955, the President’s Advisory Committee made its report and recommendations aimed at strengthening the national defense, providing orderly industrial growth, and assuring energy supplies for our expanding national economy and for any future emergency.
They participated in meetings of the National Petroleum Council and the Military Petroleum Advisory Board, both industry advisory groups, established by the Secretary of the Interior, from which the Federal Government receives advice and information on a wide range of petroleum and gas matters affecting the national economy and the defense of our country. In addition, they have personally presented the Department’s important oil and gas policies and views with respect to significant departmental activities directly to the Congress, and to the petroleum industry in public addresses.
The Secretariat was supported by the Office of Oil and Gas, where through the Director and the Federal Petroleum Board, the Department maintained active and close cooperation with the States in enforcement of their oil and gas conservation laws through administration of the Connally Act, and by the regular participation of the Director, as the Department’s official representative, at meetings of the Interstate Oil Compact commission.
Executives of this Office were engaged in the work of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Petroleum Planning Committee and
213
214	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
its Working Group, and participated in several meetings held in Europe. An Assistant Director of this Office served as adviser to the United States Delegation at meetings of the NATO Petroleum Planning Committee and an executive of the staff was chairman of the Working Group.
Through the Office of Oil and Gas the National Petroleum Council has cooperated with the Federal Government for almost 10 years. The NPC provided valuable reports on the petroleum productive capacity of the United States, petroleum imports, petroleum storage capacity, shale oil, use of radio and radar in the petroleum industry, and matters concerned with assuring an adequate petroleum supply in event of an attack upon the United States.
Also, the National Petroleum Council published two important manuals as a service to Government and industry. One, Disaster Planning for the Oil and Gas Industries, is a manual primarily for use of management in connection with disaster planning. It contains ideas and suggestions to guide companies in the formulation of plans and programs of advance preparations to reduce damage to and facilitate the rehabilitation of refineries, and in providing continuity of company operations in event of disaster. The other manual, Security Principles for the Petroleum and Gas Industries, is a guide for industrial defense planning for use at the plant level to provide uniformity, eliminate inconsistencies, and furnish policy guidance for establishment and administration of security programs in the oil and gas industries.
Through the Office of Oil and Gas in cooperation with the Military Petroleum Advisory Board, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Defense, and the Office of Defense Mobilization have for their guidance the first petroleum report ever prepared which considers enemy attack damage resulting from the use of ultramodern weapons of warfare. That report is a milestone in petroleum defense preparedness planning. The report is the basis for many detailed technical studies under way by this Office and committees of MP AB.
Functions and responsibilities authorized by the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, vested in the Secretary of the Interior and delegated to this Office concern petroleum and gas. The Voluntary Agreement Relating to Foreign Petroleum Supply, as amended, dated April 15, 1954, and its implementing adjunct, the Foreign Petroleum Supply Committee, continued in existence throughout the fiscal year under the supervision and direction of a Director appointed from the Office of Oil and Gas by the Secretary of the Interior. Information covering foreign petroleum operations which is indispen-
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 215 sable to Government was received throughout the fiscal year through the Committee and its four subcommittess, namely, Production Subcommittee, Refining Subcommittee, Supply and Distribution Subcommittee, and Statistical Subcommittee. These subcommittees gathered information and prepared reports on various aspects of petroleum operations in friendly foreign nations, pursuant to specific requests of the Secretary of the Interior or the Director of the agreement. These activities increased with progressive intensity during the fiscal year, primarily because of the increased requirements of the Department of Defense for foreign petroleum data for use in connection with strategic planning. The information and estimates supplied, covering more than 80 foreign nations and areas, concerned the foreign aviation gasoline supply position reported periodically on a 2-month forward basis, requirements of petroleum products for 1954 extended on a wartime basis through several years, crude oil producing operations under normal and wartime conditions, petroleum products consumption and supplies, petroleum refining capacity, and civilian terminal and storage facilities throughout the free world. These are comprehensive reports. Significant is the report on foreign civilian terminal and storage facilities which was the first of its kind ever prepared for use of Government. It consists of four volumes totaling 3,388 pages of statistical data on 1,084 terminals in 120 countries. Although the report was prepared at the request and mostly for the use of the Department of Defense, it was supplied to other Federal agencies having need for such data. As the fiscal year ended, the committees were working on revisions of this report, and on the preparation of other reports to comply with Government requests for information.
The Secretary of the Interior appointed 62 persons to serve on the Gas Industry Advisory Council which was available to obtain the advice and counsel of the gas industry in connection with the discharge of the defense responsibilities with respect to gas delegated to the Secretary of the Interior under the Defense Production Act of 1950.
Industrial expansion goals for expansion of the petroleum and gas industries were maintained throughout the fiscal year. Progress had been made toward reaching the goals which had been established for (.«) increasing United States refining capacity, (5) increasing natural gas liquids capacity, (	247
and 382 unattached men and women), in addition to all other relocation services. The remainder of 1,046 (comprising 623 persons in 120 family groups and 423 unattached men and women) financed themselves but received full guidance services including assistance in obtaining employment and housing at the point of relocation.
On the reservations, there was a marked and active interest in relocation throughout the year. Available relocation assistance funds were insufficient to serve all persons who were determined to be in need and who requested relocation services. At the end of the year* a sizable backlog of applications was on hand and awaiting the availability of fiscal year 1956 funds.
During the year, field relocation office staffs were in contact with over 3,500 employers. Indians placed in various jobs earned average beginning hourly wages of $1.62 for men and $1.07 for women. Vital statistics among the people relocating in fiscal 1955 showed 808 school-age children relocating with their families, 96 births, and 8 deaths.
On December 27, 1954, the Branch of Relocation was assigned the responsibility for development and activation of a program of relocation combined with vocational training for members of tribes covered by enacted terminal legislation.
Contacts were made with a representative number of training institutions, and the new relocation and vocational training program was explained to them. Without exception, they indicated interest and a desire to cooperate. Agency relocation officers were assigned in Utah and Oregon, and applications were received in sufficient time so that on March 1, 1955, the first trainees and members of their families were relocated to destination points. Throughout the last third of the fiscal year, the agency relocation officers took a total of 170 applications. Of these, 113 were accepted and plans for relocation and vocational training were completed. Trainees were enrolled in 33 different courses.
LAW AND ORDER
In the field of law and order, the Bureau continued its negotiations seeking the extension of State law to Indian reservations. The act of August 15, 1953 (Public Law 280, 83d Cong.), which had excepted from State jurisdiction the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin, was amended at the request of the Menominee Tribe to accomplish the extension of State jurisdiction to that reservation. The legislature of the State of Nevada enacted a statute pursuant to Public Law 280 for the purpose of assuming jurisdiction by the State over the Indian country therein. This statute was to become effective 90 days after July 1, 1955. The statute contains provisions
248	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
whereby any county which does not wish to assume jurisdiction may be relieved of that responsibility by proclamation of the Governor. At the end of the fiscal year, no such proclamation had been issued by the Governor.
Amendments were proposed in the Congress to Public Law 280 which would require Indian consent before the extension of State jurisdiction to any Indian reservation. The Department, however, recommended an amendment which would require consultation rather than consent. Prospects for enactment of either type of amendment at the 1955 congressional session appeared rather slim at the close of the fiscal year.
Proposals were made in the legislature of Idaho and Washington which would have provided for amendment of the constitutions of those States to enable them to acquire jurisdiction over Indian country as provided in Public Law 280. However, the proposals were dropped by the legislatures because of objections by the Indian people.
The act of May 31, 1946 (60 Stat. 229), conferred criminal jurisdiction on the State of North Dakota over the Devils Lake Reservation. However, in February of 1955, the Supreme Court of North Dakota handed down a decision holding that the purported transfer of jurisdiction was ineffective and that the State did not acquire any jurisdiction over the Devils Lake Reservation. It, therefore, became necessary for the Bureau to reassume the burden of law enforcement on the Devils Lake Reservation.
During the year, six Indian tribes adopted resolutions pursuant to the act of August 15, 1953 (Public Law 217, 83d Cong.), for the purpose of legalizing intoxicants within the reservation. This brought to 28 the total number of Indian tribal groups which have acted to exercise the local option afforded Indian groups by the provisions of the statute. Although the Indians have generally welcomed removal of discriminatory legislation outside of Indian country, they have shown a marked tendency to move slowly in the legalization of intoxicants within their reservations.
TRIBAL AFFAIRS
During the fiscal year, a new Branch of Tribal Affairs was formed in the Bureau’s Washington office and placed in the Division of Community Services. The Branch took on certain functions previously performed by the coordinating staff relating to self-government, including chiefly advice and assistance to Indian tribes in connection with the development and operation of tribal business and tribal government organizations. Most of the Indian tribes operate under some form of constitution and bylaws recognized by the Department.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4- 249
Many are organized as well as incorporated under the Indian Reorganization Act, the Oklahoma Indian Welfare Act, and the Alaska Act.
In fiscal 1955, many such groups found it necessary to amend their organization documents in order to bring them more in harmony with their growing activities and responsibilities, or with other changing conditions. For example, the native village of Mekoryuk in the Territory of Alaska, which consists of a group of Eskimos having a common bond of residence, enlarged its organization to include all eligible natives residing on the Nunivak Island.
Per Capita Payments
On March 13, 1953, the Assistant Secretary of the Interior stated his belief that payments of current tribal income should be made by Indian tribes on a pro rata basis to the individual tribal members with due regularity where such payments are consistent with the point of safety and the protection of the tribe as a whole. In accordance with this policy, more than $10,084,300 was distributed through per capita payments to approximately 42,495 tribal members. The per capita shares ranged from $50 to $500 and four of the tribes— Uintah and Ouray, Klamath, Southern Ute, and Ute Mountain—made more than one per capita distribution during the year.
Tribal Enrollment
With the enactment of terminal legislation, the preparation of tribal membership rolls and the determination of the status of enrollees and applicants in the affected tribes became a matter of considerable importance. Generally, the legislation provided for the closing of the membership rolls as of midnight of the date of enactment and provided for preparation of a proposed roll of members of the particular tribe concerned within a specified time. If not done within that time, the Secretary was required to prepare the membership roll. The legislation required that the roll be published in the Federal Register, and thereafter, persons claiming membership in the tribe, or an interest in tribal assets, had a specified time within which to appeal to the Secretary protesting the omission from or inclusion on the roll of the name of any person. Rolls of this character were published for the Ute Indians of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in Utah, for four scattered bands of Paiute in Utah, the Klamaths of Oregon, and the Grand Ronde Tribes of Oregon.
Legislation enacted in the 83d Congress required the Secretary to complete by June 30, 1955, the revision of the roll of the Indians of
250	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
California, which imposed a heavy burden on the Department in view of the large number of applications which had been filed. Amended regulations had to be issued, and approximately 2,000 appeals from the decision of the area director at Sacramento had to be considered by the Bureau’s Washington office, with a second appeal in a number of cases to be determined by the Solicitor of the Department, acting for the Secretary. All appeals were disposed of by the June 30 deadline.
REALTY TRANSACTIONS
Over 26,000 Indian land transactions were processed during the year. Included in this total are 12,186 surface leases and 3,128 mineral leases. There were 2,594 transactions which resulted in removal of 521,771 acres from Bureau jurisdiction in response to requests from the Indian owners. This was accomplished by 1,741 sales to nonIndians and by the issuance of a total of 853 patents in fee, removals of restrictions, and certificates of competency, which transferred to the Indian applicants the responsibility for management of their trust and restricted properties. Eighty-seven tracts of land covering 10,165 acres were purchased from non-Indians for tribes and individuals.
In addition, there were 1,704 transactions completed which had no material effect on the overall acreage of land in trust or restricted status. These included sales between individual Indians, exchanges between individual Indians, sales from individuals to tribes, exchanges between individuals and tribes and conveyances of title as gifts.
The real estate sections of the Indian Affairs Manual and corresponding portions of the Code of Federal Regulations covering patents in fee, certificates of competency, removal of restrictions, and sale of allotted and purchased lands and related forms were revised during the year in order to simplify procedures, permit a wider latitude of action by the individual, and more closely aline the Bureau’s real estate activities with accepted commercial practices. New appraisal procedures were also adopted so that the Bureau may more effectively carry out its trust responsibilities.
As of June 30, 1955, field offices of the Bureau reported an uncompleted workload or backlog of 13,213 Indian requests or applications for various types of realty transactions. Included in this total are 1,010 requests for patents in fee, 5,681 requests for supervised sales, 593 proposed exchanges of various kinds, 154 proposed partitions, 395 requests for removal of restrictions, 126 applications for certificates of competency (which, in effect, remove the lands owned by the applicant from trust status), 1,475 proposed surface leases, 703 pro-
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 251 posed mineral leases, 392 rights-of-way actions, and 2,477 probate inventories and postings.
Mineral Leasing
Discovery of oil in the Williston Basin (which includes considerable Indian land in Montana and the Dakotas) in 1951 set off one of the greatest oil booms of recent years. The lease play (preceded by large-scale geophysical exploration) and deep test drilling necessary to prove the field, show the desirable results that can be obtained where there is competitive judgment and free investing. Not only is this true of the Williston Basin but also other areas in which there has been large-scale exploration during the past 5 years.
Not so many years ago, it was felt that operations on the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma had passed their peak. Today, however, increased interest in oil and gas operations on this reservation is an outstanding feature of the midcontinent field. During the past 5 years, the total income from bonus rentals and royalties at Osage has risen from slightly in excess of $4,000,0000 to approximately $9,500,000.
In the southwest region, there is every indication of future record development and extension of the gasfields. A number of gas and oil wells have been brought in and the market for the gas appears assured by commencement of construction work on a pipeline from the San Juan Basin to the Pacific Northwest.
During the year, 2,997 oil and gas leases on Indian land were approved.
In the field of minerals other than oil and gas, the search for uranium is of top interest. The large number of prospectors and miners searching for uranium has presented a number of administrative problems. With a view to assisting in meeting the Nation’s needs for uranium and at the same time protecting the rights of the Indians, a special procedure has been set up for the issuance of short-term prospecting permits on definitely described tracts with a right to a lease on a limited acreage.
The greatest interest centers in the Navajo Reservation, N. Mex. and Ariz., and the Pueblos in New Mexico, Wind River Reservation, Wyo., and the Spokane Reservation, Wash. The deposits in these areas are of economic importance. There is, however, widespread interest in prospecting for uranium on other Indian reservations.
The phosphate deposits on the Fort Hall Reservation, Idaho, are being explored steadily. The improvement in the lead and zinc market has proved beneficial in bringing additional royalties to the Indians of the Quapaw Reservation, Okla.
252	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
The total revenue received by Indians from bonuses, rents, and royalties on oil and gas and other mining leases during the year was more than $29 million.
IRRIGATION
The irrigation program for the fiscal year 1955 included studies and investigation for the development and utilization of land and water resources on Indian reservations; the protection and establishment of Indian water rights; construction, extension, and rehabilitation of existing and authorized Indian irrigation projects; the study and review of operation and maintenance assessment rates on a number of projects with a view to placing the projects on a self-sustaining basis; negotiations with landowners and water users to work out plans to take over operation and maintenance work; and regular routine operation and maintenance of projects.
The determination of water rights and the construction of adequate and proper irrigation facilities for all irrigable lands on Indian reservations are the responsibilities of the Federal Government and are necessary prior to the termination of Federal trusteeship so that as many as possible of the Indian families living on reservations can obtain a sustaining economy. To this end, irrigation development work has progressed as rapidly as funds would permit.
During the fiscal year, approximately 8,300 acres of new lands were provided with irrigation facilities and by the rehabilitation of irrigation facilities approximately 10,500 acres of land were provided with a stable and supplementary water supply. The work involved drilling and equipping of Id new wells, the rehabilitation of 35 old wells, the construction of approximately 42 miles of canals and laterals, the replacement and construction of approximately 97 various types of water control structures and the installation of approximately 77,300 feet of steel and concrete pipeline. In addition to the foregoing irrigation development work, 31 miles of power distribution lines were extended to serve an additional 218 customers on the Colorado River, Flathead, and San Carlos projects. Crops produced on the various projects during the calendar year 1954 were valued at $50,239,000.
The more important irrigation developments during the fiscal year 1955 were on the following projects:
Colorado River project, Arizona.—During the fiscal year 1955, the work on this project included the subjugation of 2,000 acres and the construction of incidental minor structures (nearing completion); construction of 4 miles of drains; the drilling and equipping of one drainage well; and the extension of the power distribution system to provide electrical energy for 15 new customers.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 253
No additional colonists were brought in during the fiscal year 1955 because of the indefinite status of the land tenure.
San Carlos project, Gila River Indian Reservation, Arizona.—The extreme drought conditions experienced on this project over the past several years were continued during the 1954 irrigation season. Out of a total of 100,000 acres under constructed facilities, only 45,980 acres were cropped in calendar 1954 because of the water shortage. The underground water continued to drop at an alarming rate, causing an increase in the use of electrical energy for project pumping.
The work on this project included the drilling of four new wells; replacing and lowering pump bowls in 24 wells; lowering of pump bowls in 12 wells, and the enlarging and extension of the power system to service an additional 124 customers.
California.—The work throughout the State consisted primarily of the development of water supplies for irrigation and domestic purposes on the various and scattered reservations and rancherias. The irrigation and domestic water systems on the San Manuel Reservation, Auburn, Cedarville, Laytonville, Point Arena, Robinson, Guide-ville, and Rohnerville Rancherias were completed and turned over to the Indians who have assumed responsibility for their operation and maintenance.
Blackfeet project, Montana.—The work on this project was the continuation of the enlargement and rehabilitation of the main canal and distribution system to provide for the delivery of a firm water supply to 21,500 acres, an increase of approximately 10,500 acres.
Flathead project, Montana.—The work on this project included the extension and rehabilitation of the irrigation distribution system to serve an additional 800 acres and the extension of the power distribution system approximately 17 miles to service additional 79 customers.
RANGE MANAGEMENT
The major problems in range management during the past year were centered in the Southwest and were of particular importance on the Navajo, United Pueblos, Fort Apache, and San Carlos jurisdictions. Continuing heavy grazing pressures accompanied by prolonged drought were largely resonsible for these problems. Elsewhere, however, forage utilization on Indian lands generally has been in accord with the principles of conservation. Of the 44 million acres of Indian rangeland with a rated grazing capacity of approximately 880,000 cow-units, slightly more than 33 million acres with a capacity of about 559,000 cow-units were used by Indian livestock operators. The total use value of the grazing privileges would include approximately $2,900,000 actually collected in cash fees and an estimated
254	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
$3,500,000 worth of free privileges granted to Indian operators. About 80 percent of the cash collections for grazing privileges were made in Montana and South Dakota and slightly more than 70 percent of the free-use value was made available in Arizona and New Mexico.
The estimated value in the take in fish and wildlife resources is in excess of $2,000,000.
SOIL AND MOISTURE CONSERVATION
In fiscal 1955, operators of 12,000 Indian farms and ranches comprising 26,705,959 acres participated in 221 soil conservation district programs. Many Indians are members of district boards of supervisors and take an active part in the direction of community conservation plans and work. Many Indian conservation enterprises have been formed to expedite application of works on the ground. The Navajo Tribal Council voted $70,000 of tribal funds to assist in conservation work during the year. The Fort Apache Council voted $60,000 and many other tribal groups came in with lesser amounts. Additional tribes begin contributions each year.
Many Indian allotments on irrigation projects have either been idle or beneficial use has not been made of the land or available water because the land had not been leveled or put into a condition to use water effectively. The land was waterlogged, alkaline, or otherwise unsuited for irrigation. The additional soil technicians made available during the year gave particular attention to the survey of such lands, and preparation of recommendations for remedial treatment. In following out these recommendations, 9,759 acres were leveled, 11,488 acres were drained, and alkali conditions were corrected on 12,069 acres bringing lands so treated into a high state of production. Lands unfit for profitable irrigation were removed from projects on the basis of these surveys and recommendations. In addition, work was accomplished on 1,067 pounds, 41,739 acres of waterspreading, 95,649 acres of reseeding, 65,065 acres of brush eradication, and attendant conservation practices. Introduction of these measures, to which the Indians contribued more than the Government, is controlling erosion, reducing flash floods and utilizing the floodwater for the production of forage and water for livestock. Livestock distribution is being improved, grazing capacity increased, and use of range facilitated by these works.
FORESTRY
About 518 million board-feet of Indian-owned timber, with a stumpage value in excess of $8,500,000, were cut under contract or used by
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 255
Indian tribal sawmills during the calendar year 1954. An additional 130 million board-feet were cut by Indians and non-Indians for local use. As in previous years, the greatest concentration of timber sale activity was in the Pacific Northwest. The Indian forests in California, the Southwestern States, the Lake States, and Montana also contributed substantial volumes of timber to the forest products industries of their regions.
For many years the Indian Bureau has recognized the need of more dependable information regarding the quantity and quality of Indian forest resources. Recently, some tribes have made their own funds available to pay for forest inventories in order to provide this needed information. The first of these inventories to be completed was on the Navajo Reservation in the late fall of 1952. A forest management plan was prepared on the basis of this newly acquired information in April 1953 which reveals that a substantial increase in annual cut can be made without violating sustained-yield management principles. Engineering consultants, paid from tribal funds, are now engaged in a study to determine the desirable extent and direction of expansion of timber harvesting activities.
Similar aerial and ground surveys were completed during the past year on the Hoopa Valley and Tule River Reservations in California and on the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona. Forest management plans for these reservations are in preparation.
The three tribal sawmill enterprises—on the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin, the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota, and the Navajo Reservation in Arizona—have continued to operate successfully, doing a combined business in excess of $3 million annually. In addition to providing a profitable outlet for forest products of the reservations, these mills provide employment opportunities for tribal members.
During the 1954 calendar year, 868 forest fires occurred on 39,439 acres of Indian forest and range land, or about 0.07 percent of the 58 million acres (including over 9 million acres of intermingled nonIndian land), requiring protection. The cost of suppression of these fires exceeded $120,000. The number of fires for that year was 65 less than the average number for the preceding 4 years, and the suppression costs were $62,000 less than the average for the same period. The timber, forage, and other values destroyed in calendar 1954 are estimated to be about $160,000. Suppression costs and amount of damage were well within the acceptable limits for the year.
Less dramatic than the forest fires, but even more destructive, were the depredations by forest insects and disease. Bark beetles exacted a heavy toll from several reservation forests particularly on the Yakima Reservation in Washington, the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon, and to a lesser extent on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona
256	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
and the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina. Direct action against bark beetle epidemics through sanitation-salvage logging operations was undertaken on several of the reservations and a modest amount of direct control work was performed.
The principal forest diseases against which effective action was taken were the white pine blister rust, in the Lake States, and the dwarf mistletoe on the Mescalero Reservation in New Mexico.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
As indicated earlier, responsibility for extension work among Indians was taken over during the year, under contract arrangements, in 11 of the 18 States where the Bureau has had an extension program. Greater emphasis was also placed on the education phases of the Bureau’s extension program and on bringing Bureau methods and procedures more in line with those used by the State extension services. In this connection, the Bureau adopted for the use of its extension workers, in the respective States in which they are workers, the same forms for building Indian extension programs and reporting the work as the State extension workers used in making their programs and reporting their work. The change in the use of forms is helping and simplifying the transfer of the Bureau’s extension work to the various States.
In calendar 1954, Bureau extension workers made 48,601 farm and home visits, received 53,490 office calls and held or participated in 3,916 meetings for adults with an attendance of 165,380.
In promoting crop improvement work, extension agents assisted some 20,000 individuals to adopt better farm practices with reference to improved varieties, soil culture, use of fertilizers, planting, harvesting, irrigating, control of injurious insects and plant diseases and better farm planning.
Livestock production, especially beef cattle, is the Indians’ largest single agricultural enterprise. The progress Indians have made in the improvement of their livestock has been outstanding and has contributed very greatly to their agricultural income. Extension workers assisted approximately 21,000 farmers and stockmen during the year in the improvement of their livestock production and management practices, such as selection and breeding, feeding, marketing, control of livestock diseases and parasites, and the use of more efficient business methods.
Home Extension Work
Bureau home agents gave assistance to families in the construction or remodeling of 851 homes; in providing household furnishings for
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 257
802; in selection, use and care of home equipment for 1,092; in providing water and/or sewage systems for 579. In planning and producing the home food supply, assistance was given to 2,180 families, and 3,710 were assisted with meal planning preparation, preservation and storage of food, with special emphasis on child feeding. Clothing construction work was done with 7,414 families and 3,413 were aided in selection, buying, and mending of clothing. Safety, first aid, and sanitation practices were conducted with 2,729 families. Family and community recreation and development were stressed.
4-H Club Work
During 1955, Bureau Extension personnel sponsored 289 4-H Clubs with a membership of 3,450 enrolled in projects approved by the respective States. Bureau agents reported 395 members having health examinations because of participation in the extension program. Indian youths participated in fairs, tours, county and State contests with 378 attending a 4-H Club camp and 369 engaging in community activities.
ROADS
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1954 provided contract authorization in the amount of $10,000,000 for construction and maintenance of Indian reservation roads and bridges for each of the fiscal years 1955,1956, and 1957. The authorization made it possible to speed up construction work on most reservations and also to develop realistic long-range plans of operations and to integrate those plans with the long-range plans of the local governments.
The road construction program on the Navajo and Hopi Reservations amounted to $2,592,000 for the construction of part of the system of roads authorized by the Navajo-Hopi Rehabilitation Act. The Bureau total road construction program consisted of $7,956,672 allotted to 9 areas serving 24 States. Two hundred and sixty-four miles of reservation road were graded and drained; 349 miles were surfaced; and 950 running feet of bridges were constructed. One hundred and seventy-two miles of road were constructed and removed from the Indian Bureau system under agreements with counties whereby the Bureau agreed to construct the roads according to a specified standard and the counties agreed to include the constructed mileage in their local highway systems and to assume full maintenance responsibility.
The Bureau’s road maintenance program in fiscal 1955 included surface maintenance, snow removal, flood damage repairs, and repairs to bridges on 18,446 miles of Bureau roads.
258	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
CREDIT ACTIVITIES
The Bureau continues to maintain a credit program for the benefit of those Indians who are unable, because of lack of acceptable collateral or for some other reason, to obtain financing from the same sources as other citizens. At the same time, however, Indians are being increasingly encouraged to seek their needed financing from these normal sources and Bureau credit employees actively assist them in doing so.
Since many Indians now deal directly with lenders without benefit of Bureau assistance, full information on the amount of financing received by Indians from non-Bureau sources is not readily available. However, incomplete data indicate that the amount of financing they receive through regular commercial channels is steadily increasing and that dependence on the Bureau for financing is thus being reduced. The following tabulation shows available data for recent years:
	Financing from commercial sources (calendar year)	Additional loans by the United States (fiscal year)
1952			 		$22, 316,000 27, 665,000 33, 959, 000	$2,463,836 1,075, 755 453,322
1953		 	 - -		
1954					
		
The Bureau’s credit program is conducted mainly with two funds—■ tribal moneys and a revolving loan fund appropriated by the Congress. Tribes with funds available are required to use their own moneys to supply credit to their members. Tribes that do not have funds available, or whose funds are insufficient to take care of the credit needs of their members, may receive loans from the United States.
At the close of the 1954 fiscal year, the amount of tribal funds being used for credit purposes exceeded the amount of loans outstanding by the United States for the first time in the history of the Bureau’s credit program.
Tribal funds used for credit purposes
Revolving loan funds borrowed from the United States
1952________________________________________________________________________
1953________________________________________________________________________
1954________________________________________________________________________
$8.537,445 9,704, 611 9,669, 468
$11,335,261 10,190,941
9,505,193
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 259
III 1952, Indians were using for credit purposes about 75 cents of tribal funds for every dollar borrowed from the United States. By 1953, the amount had increased to 95 cents for every dollar, and by 1954 to $1.02.
Revolving Loan Fund
Through the 1954 fiscal year, $13,799,600 had been appropriated for the revolving loan fund out of authorizations totaling $17 million. No additional appropriations were made in either 1954 or 1955. Of the amount appropriated, $12,550,768 was available for loans. Repayments of principal and interest payments on loans are credited to the fund, and are available for further loans. A further source of revenue to the fund is cash received from livestock sales and settlements pursuant to the act of May 24, 1950 (25 U. S. C. 443).
The following tabulation summarizes operations under the revolving loan fund through the fiscal year 1954:
Receipts:
Appropriation available for loans__________________________ $12, 550, 768
Interest paid______________________________________________ 915, 954
Cash settlements for cattle________________________________ 1, 341, 232
Repayments on lonas---------------------------------------- 13, 586,132
Total-------------------------------------------------- 28, 394, 086
Expenditures:
Total loans made___________________________________________ 23,114, 070
Cash balance June 30, 1954.
Loans receiveable:
Total loans made June 30, 1953__________________$22, 660, 748
Additional loans 1954___________________________ 453, 322
Total loans made_______________________________________
Less:
Payments made to June 30, 1953----------- 12, 464,169
Additional payments 1954----------------- 1,121, 963
Total payments________________________________________
Cancelled to June 30, 1953_________________ 5, 582
Additional cancellations 1954-------------- 17,163
5, 280, 016
23,114, 070
13, 586,132
22, 745
Loans receivable June 30, 1954---------------------------------- 9, 505,193
The collectibility of some of the outstanding loans is questionable. Loans in Alaska accounted for $4,432,521 or about 47 percent of the unpaid balance, and this record was largely attributable to recent poor fishing seasons in southeast Alaska. Four Alaskan villages that
364841—56-----20
260	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
received loans for the acquisition and operation of salmon canneries suffered substantial losses in 1953. They were indebted for loans totaling $3,589,122 as of June 30, 1954. Only one village has any equity remaining in its cannery. The other three villages have sizable deficiencies, and the loans made by the United States to them are endangered. It was necessary to restrict activities of these canneries during 1954 because of the critical condition of the outstanding loans. An unpaid balance of $237,717 also remained on loans made to five other villages in southeast Alaska, on which substantial losses may be suffered. The remaining $605,682 owed on loans made in Alaska was, in the main, collectible.
A reserve of $1,105, 575 was established for loans of doubtful collectibility as of June 30, 1954. The revolving loan fund had a deficiency of $173,553.
Use of Funds by Tribal Organizations
Loans of revolving funds by the United States to Indian tribal organizations, and tribal funds advanced to such organizations for credit purposes, are used to finance tribal enterprises, and to make loans to individual members and cooperative associations of members. Repayments of principal and interest collected on such loans are available for further loans within the terms of the organizations’ agreements with the United States.
The following table shows the total credit operations of tribal organizations and the volume of business during 1954:
	Advances to enterprises	Loans to cooperatives	Loans to individuals	Total
Loaned or advanced to June 30,1953		$16,183,415	$1,344,813	$27,477, 229	$45,005,457
Additional 1954			' 336,853	25; 937	1,973,123	2,335; 913
Total to June 30, 1954				16, 520, 268	1,370, 750	29,450,352	47, 341,370
Repaid to June 30,1953				7,145, 692	1,181, 264	18,449, 633	26, 776, 589
* Additional 1954		449,448	26,132	2, 208', 121	2,683; 701
Total to June 30,1954		7, 595,140	1,207,396	20,657, 754	29,460,290
Canceled to June 30,1953		11, 401	13, 576	166, 375	191,352
Additional 1954			13,128	63; 397	76', 525
Total to June 30,1954		11,401	26, 704	229,772	267,877
Balance unpaid June 30,1953-			9, 026,322	149,974	8,861,220	18,037, 516
Balance unpaid June 30,1954		8; 913; 727	136; 650	8; 562; 826	17; 613; 203
Decrease		112,595	13,324	298,394	424,313
Tribal enterprises are operated by organizations for the benefit of all members of the tribe conducting the enterprise. The Alaska salmon canneries, Eskimo trading posts, stores, tourist courts, live-
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4- 261 stock herds, farms, and land enterprises are examples of the types of enterprises conducted. Cooperative associations differ from tribal enterprises in that membership is restricted to those Indians interested and engaged in a particular activity and does not comprise the whole tribal group. Livestock associations constitute the main type of cooperative undertaking. Generally, the livestock are individually owned, but are operated cooperatively.
There were 5,835 loans to individuals outstanding as of June 30, 1954, a decrease of 454 from the number outstanding the year previous. The repayment record was not satisfactory. Delinquencies increased from 5.20 percent of the amount due at the close of 1953 to 6.35 percent at the close of 1954. Over 33 percent of the total amount delinquent was on loans made in Alaska. Because of the high delinquency rate, it was necessary to restrict the credit activities of some Indian organizations.
BUILDINGS AND UTILITIES
Construction activities of the Bureau in the 1955 fiscal year were primarily concerned with completion of the Navajo emergency education program started in the latter part of the previous fiscal year. These completed facilities provided educational opportunities for an additional 3,384 Indian children. By using economical materials and methods of construction, a saving of $887,334 was made in the “NEEP” program. This saving was reprogramed to provide additional facilities, and this work was well under way at the close of the fiscal year.
A complete new school at Kayenta, Ariz., on the Navajo Reservation, was nearing completion at a cost of $1,086,000. The project includes an 18-classroom school building, two 268-pupil dormitories, dining hall and kitchen facilities, 42 quarters for educational personnel, and utilities for the new plant.
Major educational facilities provided in other areas included a dining hall and quarters at Warm Springs, Oreg., at a cost of $59,500; school building, gymnasium, dining and kitchen facilities and 12 quarters at Neopit, Wis., on the Menominee Reservation at a cost of $257,835 (tribal funds) ; and a heating system at Kearns Canyon, Ariz., on the Hopi Reservation at a cost of $137,980.
In addition to sanitary facilities provided in the Navajo program, sanitary conditions were improved in nine other locations at a cost of $338,292.
One 75-bed hospital was completed at Tuba City, Ariz., on the Navajo Reservation at a construction cost of $680,125. Fifteen quarters were constructed at Tuba City and the old hospital was remodeled to provide 15 additional quarters for hospital personnel, at a cost of
262	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
$218,886. The Bureau also remodeled and enlarged the hospital at Keshena, Wis., on the Menominee Reservation, to provide a 34-bed hospital. This project was financed by tribal funds. Health facilities on the Papago Reservation were increased by the construction of a clinic and a quarters building at Sells, Ariz., costing $34,874.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
The Indian Arts and Crafts Board continued to promote the economic welfare of Indian artists and craftsmen through a threefold program focused on educating the Indian craftsmen in modern commercial methods, fostering high-quality Indian products, and protecting both the consumer and the Indian producer from cheaply imitated wares.
While the individualism of the Indian craftsmen has been a major asset in production, it has been of little help in the marketing of their products. Originality of design and execution give Indian arts and handicrafts their charm; but in selling goods, the craftsmen need group action and technical assistance in promotion, production, marketing, and developing their own business organizations.
One of the principal functions of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board has been to encourage the formation of strong Indian-owned and Indian-operated production-sales organizations through which the Indians are taught modern merchandising methods without “commercializing” their products.
In calendar 1954, the Qualla Arts and Crafts Association at Cherokee, N. C., with the Board’s assistance, achieved a noteworthy record. By producing only the highest quality and selling exclusively the finest workmanship of the Cherokee craftsmen, this organization had total sales amounting to $35,602.08 for the period. It is sponsored by the board which maintains in residence at Cherokee an arts and crafts specialist who gives firsthand assistance in maintaining standards, in improving production and sales techniques, in promotion, and in organizational matters. With this technical guidance, a State charter was applied for and granted to the organization in 1954, making it a cooperative venture, entirely self-owned and economically independent.
Similarly, the Rosebud Arts and Crafts Association in South Dakota, with the assistance of the board’s regional representative, became a State-chartered cooperative. Plans are now under way to activate a similar sales and production organization for the Southern Plains Indians.
The Board through its staff of five regional arts and crafts specialists sponsors 18 organized Indian crafts groups and many hundreds of
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 263 individuals in the United States and Alaska, providing field assistance to each through the comparatively small staff. Specific areas of operation for the Board include Alaska, the Northern and Southern Plains States, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and the Southwestern States, lotal sales of the combined craft groups in calendar 1954 amounted to $451,005.44 as compared with $396,226.32 the preceding year.
Although the Board has accurate records only on sales made within the scope of its operations, it estimates that approximately $6 million worth of Indian arts and crafts altogether were sold in the United States during 1954. This is a substantial economic factor and an indication of the effectiveness of the Board’s overall program during the past 17 years to create better public recognition of the work of Indian artists and craftsmen in the United States and Alaska.
PROPERTY AND SUPPLY
The continuing study of Bureau operations that may be in competition with private enterprise resulted during fiscal 1955 in the closing out of more laundries, dairies, telephone and power systems. The services are now obtained commercially.
Fourteen Federal Indian schools were transferred to public school districts, and several others were in process of transfer under the act of June 4, 1953, at the close of the fiscal year.
The job of reevaluating Government quarters occupied by Bureau employees at field installations was completed and new rental rates were established in accordance with directives of the Bureau of the Budget.
A real property inventory was initiated in order to put the records of all federally owned real property in the custody of the Bureau on a current basis. These records, when completed, will provide data for reporting to Congress as well as for administrative use.
BUDGET AND FINANCE
Continued progress was made during 1955 in revising and improving the accounting system installed in bureau accounting offices in fiscal 1953, particularly in the revision of certain operating and other accounts to more adequately meet budgetary and program needs. In order to carry out the work of the Bureau more adequately and efficiently, certain housekeeping functions of the area offices at Anadarko and Muskogee, Okla., were consolidated at Muskogee, resulting in the discontinuance of the Anadarko accounting office. Accounting and
264	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
related work for the Flathead irrigation project in Montana were transferred from the Billings area office to the Flathead project, and a separate accounting office was established at Albuquerque to perform the accounting and related functions in connection with the construction of specific buildings and utilities projects. In addition, the accounting functions for the Cherokee Agency, North Carolina, were transferred from the Aberdeen area office to the central office to coincide with the responsibility for the Cherokee programs. Studies were continued to further improve, strengthen, and simplify budgetary and accounting requirements.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES
The relocation office of Oakland, Calif., was moved during the year to San Francisco, and two suboffices were established—one at Oakland and one at San Jose. This new arrangement should enable the Bureau to provide better service for Indians relocating in the bay area. , Consolidation of the overall direction of programs and the housekeeping functions of the Red Lake and the Consolidated Chippewa Agencies of Minnesota in a new headquarters at Bemidji was made during the year. It is expected to bring about a substantial saving in operating expenses.
The Cherokee Agency in North Carolina was placed directly under the central office for reporting purposes instead of clearing through the Minneapolis area office. The agency location in relation to the central office in Washington facilitates communication and overall supervision.
The construction of the Fort Randall Reservoir in South Dakota made it necessary to abandon the site where the Crow Creek Agency was located. The agency was moved to the Pierre Indian School at Pierre, S. Dak. The name has been changed to the Pierre Agency.
PERSONNEL
The Bureau established an executive development program designed to provide a fully rounded administrative background to Bureau field and Washington office employees who have demonstrated their ability to assume higher administrative responsibilities and who possess adminitrative potential. Employees included in the program are selected from the substantive program activity functions as well as the general administrative functions and are presently occupying positions at the GS-9 through GS-13 levels. The program is considered by the Civil Service Commission to be one of the broadest and most progressive ever approved by the Commission, covering both administrative and program officials.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Edward Woozley, Director ☆ ☆ ☆
PUBLIC LANDS
r I ’HE Department’s responsibility for stewardship of the public domain has evolved from an 1812 Congressional charge to the General Land Office: “* * * to perform all actions and things touching or respecting the public lands of the United States * *
Since 1946 when the General Land Office was consolidated with the Grazing Service, that responsibility has centered in the Bureau of Land Management which administers or participates in administering the vast residue of public domain and certain other lands—an area totaling some 826 million acres in the United States and Alaska.
The Bureau exclusively administers approximately 468 million acres of this total, most of which is unappropriated and unreserved. About 178 million acres lie in the United States, 290 million in Alaska.
In addition the Bureau has secondary responsibilities of varying degree in disposing of the natural resources in another 242 million acres reserved for national forests, national parks, national monuments, wildlife refuges, historic sites, irrigation projects, military or atomic energy use, power sites, and other public purposes; 58 million acres of privately owned lands in which the minerals are reserved to the United States; and 58 million acres of acquired lands—most of which was once part of the more than 1 billion acres that have been disposed of under the numerous public land laws since the founding of the Nation, but which have reverted to Federal ownership through purchase, exchange, transfer, condemnation, or donation.
Functionally, the Bureau of Land Management deals with the natural resources of the public domain. These are the land itself, the range grasses and other forage, the minerals (including oil and gas) and millions of acres of forest and woodland.
With respect to the land, the Bureau surveys, diagrams, plats, registers, transfers, patents, reserves for special purposes, classifies,
265
266	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
sells, and leases the public land in multifarious ways—and maintains the vast official record of all such transactions, including more than 6 million patents contained in nearly 12,000 volumes. These records are the original links in the chains of title to real estate actions both private and Federal.
In the production of forage for livestock and wildlife on the Federal range, the Bureau protects, restores, conserves, improves, and leases some 170 million acres of unreserved lands for grazing, browsing, and other purposes.
BLM acts as custodian of minerals in the public domain (including reserved lands), in acquired lands, in 58 million acres of privately owned lands in which the minerals are reserved to the Federal government, and in a recently added new frontier—the submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf. The Bureau is responsible for administering the thousands of complex laws governing mining and mineral leasing.
The Bureau of Land Management manages the forests of the public domain and O. and C. reverted lands of western Oregon for maximum sustained yields and sells these yields on a free competitive basis to private industry.
REORGANIZATION COMPLETED
Foliowthrough on the reorganization which was placed in effect during the previous fiscal year required considerable personnel management activity in redescribing positions, duties and performance standards in the training of supervisors and indoctrination of employees to different supervision, and in new and changed work procedures, in staff shifts to effect improved placements and in adjusting the staff in general to work operations in the changed organizational units.
In general, employee productivity and quality of work was maintained after due allowance for reasonable obstacles inherent in such a reorganization. The leadership ability demonstrated by the principal new crop of management officials, namely State supervisors, was significant during the first full year of operations.
On May 1, 1955, the Bureau installed a promotion plan designed to insure selection of the best available person for a given vacancy. The plan provides for formal consideration of all persons within the Bureau who meet minimum basic qualification standards for the job and, in addition, requires consideration of qualified applicants from outside.
With exception of one area administrator and one State supervisor the management staff of the Bureau remained intact throughout the year.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 267
The sixth annual BLM training conference was held in August at the Tony Grove summer camp of the Utah Agricultural College near Logan, Utah. Forty selected Bureau employees, representatives of the Department, the college, the Congress, the Forest Service and other Government agencies participated in the program.
Five management trainees, representing each area and the Washington Office, participated in the Department’s sixth management training program in Washington.
Employment in the Bureau on June 30 totaled 1,889 distributed as follows: Area 1, 461; Area 2, 554; Area 3, 480; Area 4, 169; Eastern States office, 92; and Washington office, 133.
MANAGEMENT PLANNING
With reorganization of the Bureau essentially completed and issuance of manualized procedural instruction well under way, the urgent necessity for modernizing the Federal Government’s public land records was the biggest single improvement problem confronting BLM in fiscal year 1955. The Bureau met it head-on by laying the groundwork for a two-phase modernization program that will be the first innovation in an antiquated records system predating establishment of the General Land Office in 1812.
The first step, planned for completion by the end of fiscal year 1956, calls for the preparation of a control document index at a cost of $400,000, which amount was made available by Congress. The control document index will consist of microfilm copies of patents, orders of withdrawal and restoration, and other essential records mounted on aperture-cut tabulating cards.
The second step calls for the total revision of the basic land records over a 5-year period at an estimated cost of $5 million for the 17 Western States. The second step will be accomplished progressively on a State-by-State basis, and upon completion of the records for a State, the basic land records and the portion of the control documents index pertinent thereto will be completely decentralized to the field office concerned.
Under the new system, the present status record will be replaced by a two-part record developed with modern methods, techniques, and equipment, and using simplified procedures. The first part of the record is a narrative summary, chronologically arranged, of all essential actions and transactions affecting a single township. The second part is a township status plat which will show graphically the ownership status of lands and minerals at a glance.
Benefits to the Bureau, the whole Federal Government, and to all users of the public land records will be fourfold: The official record
268	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
of the public domain will be complete; lands conveyed, rights granted, and rights retained will be known; determination of land ownership and use status will be simplified; applications of all kinds can be handled more effectively, easily, and economically.
The Bureau also developed a completely new program planning system aimed at providing a more realistic basis for budget making and work accomplishment. Applied for the first time to the work program and proposed budget for fiscal year 1957, the new system establishes an up-the-line responsibility for proposing a program, based on the needs of all operating levels, and a down-the-line allotment of funds based on programs authorized. Besides providing incentive to accomplishment, the new program will afford a supervisory check of progress made with funds authorized.
FINANCE
Revenue from the management of public lands in fiscal year 1955 amounted to $239,548,730. This amount included some $142 million from the initial “sale” of leases on the Outer Continental Shelf and $97 million from public land receipts, an increase of $20 million over the prior fiscal year. Of the total amount, over $38 million was distributed to States and counties. The receipts were from varied sources, principally from oil and gas leasing, timber and land sales and grazing permits and licenses.
The Bureau’s appropriation for expenditure in fiscal year 1955 amounted to $15,451,574.
LANDS
The departmental and Bureau program to revoke unnecessary withdrawals of lands reserved for various purposes yielded increased results during the year with restoration of a total of 2,044,000 acres of public land. Approximately 1 million acres of the released lands are in Alaska. Additional millions are now in various stages of processing preparatory to their release. Withdrawals totalled 1,238,-000 acres. The major portion of this area (almost 900,000 acres) is accounted for by the Craters of the Moon and Saylor Creek gunnery ranges in Idaho, set aside for the Air Force. Withdrawals of lands within national forests as forest administrative, recreational, and related sites constituted an additional 121,000 acres to the total. Otherwise, withdrawals were held to relatively small areas. Genuine need of the land for public purposes had to be demonstrated in all cases as a criterion for granting any withdrawals.
A simplified format for opening public lands to entry upon revocation of a withdrawal, or otherwise, was approved and put into effect.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 269
The new language informs the public precisely when they may apply under the nonmineral land and under mineral-leasing laws, when they may make mining locations, and at what time their applications will be considered as filed. The form calls for actual dates rather than computation of dates when the various provisions of the order will take effect. The purpose of this is to inform the public specifically as to their rights and to avoid confusion and conflict, particularly in connection with mining claims.
New rules were also issued to insure greater publicity concerning applications for the withdrawal of public lands. In addition to publication of notice of such applications, local press information must be issued, individual notification must be given to those who have a record interest in the lands, and copies of the notice must be posted in the land and district offices of the Bureau and sent to the country recorder, the local post office, courthouse, and other locations generally frequented by the public. These procedures have been adopted to give the interested public full opportunity to be heard in connection with proposed withdrawals.
The Bureau cooperated in the intense search for uranium by expediting action on restoration of lands, wherever feasible, to mining location. This program was not without its problems. An area in the Pumpkin Buttes section of Wyoming, which included 7,520 acres of public lands and 38,920 acres of patented lands where the minerals had been reserved to the United States, was released from an Atomic Energy Commission withdrawal after an earlier revocation had been itself revoked due to the probability that violence might break out at the date set for the making of mining locations on the lands. The second order of opening, which was preceded by considerable publicity, went into effect without indication of adverse results.
As part of the program to cooperate with the States to assist and encourage them to seek satisfaction of their land grants, a number of Executive orders dating back to 1910 withdrawing the leasable mineral deposits in the public lands in Utah were modified to permit the grant made to the State for school purposes to attach.
Efforts to reduce the backlog of pending withdrawals and restorations met with some measure of success during the year. New applications and relinquishments were considerable but these, in the main, were kept current.
Land Adjudication
Land use and disposal applications continued to be received at an accelerated pace. New and reactivated cases were approximately 60 percent higher in number than in the preceding year, which in turn had set a record for the period since World War II.
270	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Chief source of the higher-rate-of-applications experience was the mounting demand for public lands of 5 acres or less under the Small Tract Act. This demand was highest in southern California and southern Nevada where “land locator” or “filing service” operators were extremely active. Small tract base applications were up approximately 50 percent from a year earlier, and applications for small-tract option purchases more than doubled the rate of the preceding year. In addition, a few direct-auction sales of small tracts were held during the year.
Applications for other types of land disposals or permitted uses continued at a fairly steady pace, except for substantial increases in the volume of desert-land applications, State indemnity selections, and public land withdrawals and restorations. Large increases occurred in reactivations of homestead and desert-land entry cases, reflected in final proofs filed by entrymen on entries that had been allowed in increasing numbers in recent years.
The number of land adjudication cases completed during the year nearly doubled the 1954 output and the improvement extended to all types of cases. The unrelenting influx of new work, however, once again defied all efforts to make inroads into the backlog of pending-work. This has been the annual experience of the Bureau since the beginning of the Korean conflict.
An important development pertaining to desert-land entries was the issuance of Opinion M-36263 by the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior on February 23, 1955. This opinion held that desertland applications cannot be allowed and that desert-land entries cannot be patented where the source of water alleged is percolating ground water within the State of Arizona. The reason given was that under the decision of the Arizona Supreme Court in the case of Bristor v. Cheatham (75 Ariz. 227; 225 P. 2d 173, 1953), percolating waters not comprising an underground stream with well-defined channel and banks and a current are not subject to use under the appropriation doctrine.
Misleading advertising by land-locating agencies, particularly in California and Nevada, unintentionally or otherwise caused numerous individuals during the year to believe that by merely paying a filing-fee they automatically gained title to 5 acres of desirable public lands near established communities with excellent opportunity for development, including roads, streets, water, electricity, and schools, and other public services or utilities. The speculative resale value of such tracts was emphasized by some of the locator services. To insure personal knowledge by the applicant of the topography and other features of the land, a regulation was issued on June 28,1955, effective July 5, 1955, by which personal inspection of the tract applied for,
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 271 or land within one mile of the tract, was required of all small-tract lease applicants.
Land Classification
The public domain land classification program of the Department has been decentralized to the field offices of the Bureau of Land Management. Land classification pursuant to section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act or other laws is essential before disposal or occupation of public lands may be made under homestead, desert land, public sale, exchange, or selection applications, and certain other applications. Allowance of applications is discretionary.
Of significance during the year was the issuance by the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, after review by the Office of the Secretary, of policy directives controlling the conditions under which lands will be classified as suitable or not suitable for disposal under the Desert Land Act and State indemnity selections.
The desert-land policy is to encourage development of suitable agricultural lands by private enterprise, consistent with the intent of the Desert Land Act and the Taylor Grazing Act. Development must be based upon a determination as to the highest and best use of the land. Land classified for disposal under the Desert Land Act must be, among other things, more valuable or suitable for the production of agricultural crops under irrigation than for the production of native grasses and forage plants.
The classification policy for State indemnity selections is to give a high priority to the satisfaction of State selection rights. Such selections will be approved unless, in accordance with prescribed criteria, they conflict with applications previously filed, with small-tract or recreational classifications, or with an active Federal management program, or they involve lands necessary to the effective management of other Federal lands.
The conduct of land classification investigations on an area basis as distinguished from individual applications, is one of the Bureau’s management improvement projects. The major objective of area classification is economy in operation through the consideration of all land-use factors affecting an entire geographical unit, such as a small subbasin. The overall approach permits assessment of all values and results in obtaining information necessary or action on all types of applications on hand or when received.
Smaller area classification projects are not limited to areas where disposals are being considered under the Small Tract Act. Area classification also applies where groups of tracts can be examined simultaneously pursuant to applications for homesteads, desert land entries, State lieu selections, public sale, or other forms of disposal.
272	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Such projects are also initiated on the Governmen’s motion, such as public sale disposal areas or to determine the classification of a range area that has been proposed for reseeding.
Most area classification work of the Bureau, owing to the great influx of applications, is done in response to the demand for land from applicants. In addition, however, the Bureau has continued its participation in the interagency public land inventory and classification program in the Missouri River Basin and completed its classification work in the Arkansas-White-Red River drainage area.
In the Missouri River Basin, a total of 12,501,217 acres of public lands and interspersed patented lands have been classified to date. Of this total 855,328 acres were classified during the current fiscal year. As a result, several land disposal areas have been delineated. A Bureau program of land disposal on its own motion was initiated in South Dakota with the public auction sale in June 1955 of 74 tracts totaling 11,000 acres in Haakon County. Major land pattern adjustments are underway for the simplification of control of lands among Federal and State agencies. Important data for land treatment measures in connection with range improvement and resource conservation are also being obtained.
Land classification studies in the Arkansas-White-Red River Basin resulted in the revocation of a withdrawal of 112,000 acres of principally woodland in Arkansas. The public lands involved are being systematically disposed of at public auction sale.
Area classifications were completed in a number of other instances, allowing decisions to be made on groups of individual applications affected thereby. The following examples indicate the kinds of issues that were involved in typical area classification projects.
On the basis of the Mojave Drainage Report involving 101,280 acres of desert land in Southern California, action was taken on 354 applications for desert-land entry. Of these, 185 applications covering 47,000 acres were found to be suitable for entry and 169 applications covering 54,280 acres were found to be unsuitable and were rejected.
An area of 150,000 acres of vacant public lands in Okanogan, Ferry, and Stevens Counties, Wash., was classified for State lieu selection and 20,000 acres in Benton County, Wash., were classified for disposal by public sale.
In the Amargosa Desert area, Nye County, Nev., 91,000 acres of vacant public lands were examined in connection with 37 pending applications for permits under the act of October 22, 1919.
Thousands of small tract applications have been filed in the vicinity of Las Vegas, Nev. Classification action for small tract uses in this area have been delayed by the attention that necessarily must be given to competing applications for desert-land entries, exchanges, other forms of disposal, including unpatented mining claims. A total
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 273
of 33,140 acres of land in the Las Vegas vicinity was classified for disposal under the small tract program during the year.
Butler Valley in northeast Yuma County, Ariz., involving 103,730 acres of vacant public lands, was examined for suitability for agricultural entry in response to 41 applications for desert-land entry. The study resulted in the rejection of all applications.
Lands Legislation
The existing body of public land laws relating to the disposal of public lands is a maze of separately enacted laws dating back more than 100 years and amended numerous times to reflect changing conditions and special situations. As a result, there is embodied in them a lack of uniformity, some inconsistencies and conflicts and numerous obsolete procedures. In addition, some of these obsolete laws are not consistent with modern-day operations of the executive branch of the Government. In cognizance of this situation, the Bureau directed its legislative efforts this year toward modernization of the public land law. This goal involved recommendation to the Congress for repeal of obsolete laws, for consolidation and simplification of all legislation dealing with specific matters, and for greater generalization of laws now having limited applicability.
Progress is being made along these lines. The first session of the 84th Congress accomplished the outright repeal of the Timber and Stone Act of 1878, and of outdated laws requiring shore-space reservations along bodies of waters in Alaska by enactment of Public Laws 206 and 213. Both of the repealed measures in recent years proved of extremely limited usefulness, required considerable administrative expense with few positive results, and were largely inconsistent with conservation legislation and policy.
Congress also provided a means to permit a firm accounting of the toal land claims against the Government in the form of scrip, lieu selection, and similar laws by passing Public Law 247 requiring the recordation of holdings and claims with the Secretary of the Interior. Recordation will permit an evaluation of the Government’s liability to holders of land claims and development of administrative and legislative proposals for the satisfaction of the “debt.” Previously, the 83d Congress passed Public Law 582 partially repealing the Carey Act which granted land to States for reclamation through irrigation. Public Law 582 provides means for settlement of the Carey Act grants to States. The State of Wyoming was the first to take advantage of the new law.
Several new bills to consolidate numerous laws are now in draft stage. Principal examples are proposals to consolidate, simplify, and modernize a whole series of laws relating to creation and disposal of
274	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
townsites on the public lands, and to rights-of-way for various purposes. Existing townsite laws include some which contemplate free settlement on the public domain, a situation which has not existed in the States since passage of the Taylor Grazing Act in 1934. Both proposals would repeal all existing laws on these matters and would substitute for them two single but comprehensive acts.
The 83d Congress made two significant amendments to generalize existing laws. Public Law 387 transformed the Recreation Act of 1926 from a limited recreation act to an act providing for disposals of lands for all public purposes, as well as recreation. Public Law 390 amended the Small Tract Act to make it more comprehensive both in terms of applicability and eligibility of applicants. Under consideration now is a proposal to amend the general public sale law to make it more comprehensive and workable.
Less comprehensive but useful measures passed by the 84th Congress were Public Law 76 which repealed the 160-acre limitation governing desert-land entries on lands valuable for nonleasable minerals, Public Law 77 which authorized the transfer of certain lands in Wyoming to that State for National Guard purposes, Public Law 191 to give Miles City, Mont., an additional 5 years to purchase certain lands, Public Law 215 which permits management and disposition of the so-called Choctaw-Chickasaw lands in eastern Oklahoma, Public Law 226 which permitted existing desert-land entrymen utilizing percolating waters in Arizona to perfect their entries, Public Law 258 which authorized issuance of patents to riparian owners along the Indian River, Fla., and Public Law 263 which permits the State of Utah to select mineral lands in exchange for certain State lands within the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. The Congress also passed several private laws.
This is only a small part of all the bills the first session considered, indicating that the Congress despite the vast scope of existing law, must continue to delve into many new matters concerning disposal of public lands. Some of this is inevitable because changing times and special situations often require remedial legislation. Also equity and justice sometimes require deviation from the general rules in certain cases, and Congress reserves the right to consider those proposals which do not fit into the established complex of the public land laws. The Bureau, however, does follow a policy in the consideration of individual proposals to recommend either invoking of existing law or amendment of general law to make it more comprehensive and reduce to a minimum the need for the Congress to concern itself with individual transactions. Modernization of the public land laws will be a continuing goal of the Bureau’s legislative program in the future.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 275
Regulations and Procedures
The problems resulting from the existence of a vast body of public land laws are multiplied by the changing patterns of land-use and conflicting demands. Administration of the public land laws requires well-conceived guide materials for assistance to field officials in solving day to day operating problems. These are essential both to the public administrator who must make the decisions and also to applicants who should be fully apprised of their opportunities, rights, and privileges. Consequently, the Director’s staff during the year placed high priority on the issuance of policy statements, manual procedures, and regulations.
A source of major difficulty last year and previously was the conflict between State selections and other applications. Since State selections in some of the States are often made on behalf of private individuals, there frequently arises a conflict between an applicant under State law and an applicant under Federal law. An overriding consideration to the solution of the problem is the obligation of the United States to satisfy the grants made by the Congress to the States. The various equities were carefully weighed and a policy statement was issued outlining fair and equitable rules for the disposition of such conflicts.
Another area of considerable difficulty was the application of the Desert Land Act of 1887 to present conditions in the West. Here again the problem is multilateral. Control of water is under State law which must be observed and respected. Stability of communities often rests on stability of water use. Proposals for water development may threaten the continued use of the land by existing users. To guide the Bureau in this situation and to inform the interested public of governing rules, the Bureau issued a policy statement covering operations under the Desert Land Act.
Other important policy statements issued during the year related to homesteading, small tracts, and disposals under the amended Recreation Act.
Work on the issuance of procedural guides through the Bureau Manual pioceeded at an accelerated pace. "Whereas the Lands volume was nonexistent in the spring of 1954, it now contains 54 releases, with several more in process. These up-to-date directives, which incorporate basic policy, have provided field personnel with a principal reference source, have streamlined operations and resulted in greater work output per man. The regulatory and procedural improvements applied to several fields of operation, including small tracts, disposals for public purposes, and withdrawals and revocations.
364841—56---21
276	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
MINERALS
A major accomplishment during the past fiscal year was the complete decentralization of mining and mineral leasing cases to the various field offices principally in the Western United States. This was accomplished in line with the reorganization plan recommended by the survey team appointed by the Secretary, whose recommendations were adopted, approved, and ordered to be put in effect by the Secretary.
New legislation was introduced and enacted which will have the effect of encouraging new expansion of mineral activities and providing for the multiple use of the same tracts of Government lands for diverse mineral purposes.
In the administration of these various laws, BLM performs a basic, necessary function which contributes greatly to the proper conservation and development of the Nation’s mineral resources so that they will serve not only the needs of the present generation but of generations to come.
Two of the most important new measures enacted are Public Law 555 and Public Law 561, both of which amended the 1920 Mineral Leasing Act.
The most important changes to the 1920 act brought about by these modifications are the increase in the acreage limitations on oil and gas leases and options, and the provision for terminating automatically for nonpayment of rent all noncompetitive leases on which there is no well capable of producing oil or gas in paying quantities on the anniversary date of such lease.
Enactment of Public Law 585 on August 13, 1954, was a major contribution to more efficient administration of mineral resources. It establishes a system of multiple mineral development by permitting mining and mineral leasing on the same tracts of public domain lands, and on patented lands in which the United States reserves title to the minerals.
Prior to the enactment of Public Law 585 the United States mining laws and the mineral leasing laws were mutually exclusive. A mining claim could not be filed on lands embraced in an oil and gas lease, nor could an oil and gas lease be issued by the Government for lands contained within a valid mining claim. This is now permitted under the provisions of Public Law 585.
The Bureau is responsible for implementing such new legislation by the preparation of regulations. The mineral leasing regulations were completely revised and new forms prepared, as well as new procedures for the guidance of the field personnel engaged in the adjudi
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 277
cation of matters under the United States mining laws and mineral leasing laws.
The Bureau of Land Management engaged in numerous conferences with representatives of other governmental agencies which are vested with surface jurisdiction over certain lands, the minerals of which are subject to disposition by this Department and Bureau pursuant to various mineral leasing laws. These conferences resulted in a better understanding between the various Government agencies and this Bureau, and in the preparation of streamlined procedures for rendering more efficient service to the public.
Under the amended Atomic Energy Act of 1955, the Atomic Energy Commission is vested with authority to issue uranium leases covering public lands. The Commission has evinced a desire to transfer its leasing functions to BLM because of the Bureau’s experience in mineral resource administration. It is expected that during the 1956 fiscal year these negotiations will result in a delegation of authority to the Bureau from the Atomic Energy Commission to handle such matters on a reimbursable basis.
Adjudication of Mineral Cases
The mineral activities of the Bureau increased substantially during fiscal 1955. On June 30, 1955, there were outstanding approximately 95,900 oil and gas leases on the public domain covering 71,700,000 acres. There were also outstanding 3,176 oil and gas leases on’acquired lands of the United States covering 3,007,824 acres. A total of 1,218 permits, leases, and licenses for other minerals embracing 1,332,655 acres were issued on public domain and acquired lands.
During fiscal year 1955, new and reactivated noncompetitive oil and gas lease offers and applications for lease totaled 37,861 cases, and 38,676 were closed during that period. Approximately 18,505 oil and gas lease assignments were closed during the period.
As the result of the continued and greatly expanded search for uranium and other critical materials on the public domain, activities under the United States mining laws were greatly increased at a time when the various land offices were shouldering the additional burden of processing all applications under the mining laws. During fiscal 1955, 334 mining patent applications were received, as against 243 in fiscal year 1954 and 156 mineral entries were approved and patented as against 106 during fiscal year 1954.
Table No. 1 summarizes the number of mineral cases adjudicated in the continental United States and in Alaska during fiscal year 1955.
278	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Revenues
Mineral leasing is the chief source of revenue derived by the United States from the use and disposal of the resources on the public lands. The revenues realized in fiscal year 1955 from royalties, rentals, and filing fees under the mineral leasing acts totaled $59,861,932.39, compared with $55,861,932 in fiscal year 1954. Another major source of receipts was bonus bidding for the right to lease lands in known oil and gas areas. A summary of the bonuses received from mineral leasing by States on lands within known geologic structures, as well as on the Outer Continental Shelf is contained in table No. 2.
Outer Continental Shelf
Interest in the leasing of submerged lands in the Outer Continental Shelf was the highlight of fiscal year 1955. As of June 30, 1955, 492 leases were outstanding covering 1,583,000 acres of OCS lands.
Important developments were establishment of an Outer Continental Shelf office of the Bureau at New Orleans, La., and the delegation of authority to the manager of that office to take action on mineral leases under the Outer Continental Shelf Act of August 7,1953.
The first two sales of mineral leases in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana and Texas were held on October 13 and November 9, respectively, in Washington, D. C., resulting in the issuance of 114 leases covering 461,869.86 acres of oil and gas lands and 25,000 acres of sulfur lands. Total bonuses and rentals of $142,404,630.48 were covered into the Treasury. Of the 404 applications filed to conform State issued mineral leases under section 6 of the act, less than 50 remained to be processed; most of these were Texas State leases awaiting official determination of the outer boundaries of that State.
A number of bills and resolutions introduced in the 84th Congress, proposing various amendments to the OCS Act, were received for analysis and recommendation. New regulations for rights-of-way for pipe lines on the OSC were proposed and published in the Federal Register.
During the year, the sum of $22,041,994.66, which represented the amount owing to the State of California under the Submerged Lands Act from operations on the submerged lands along the coast of California, was duly paid by the Federal Government from funds in escrow.
A vast increase in mineral activities during the 1956 fiscal year is anticipated.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4- 279
Table 1.—Mineral adjudication operations in continental United States and Alaska, fiscal year 1955
Type of case	Unclosed cases July 1, 1954	New and reactivated cases, fiscal year 1955	Cases closed during fiscal year 1955	Unclosed cases June 30, 1955
Public domain lands:				
Oil and gas leases (noncompetitive)			11,113	35, 538	36,692	9,959
Oil and gas leases (competitive)	_ 	 __	1	‘479	408	72
Mineral leases	 		112	485	392	205
Mineral permits		1,757	1,446	1,394	1,809
Acquired lands:				
Oil and gas leases (noncompetitive)		 		3,797	2,323	1,984	4,136
Oil and gas leases (competitive) __ _ __ 	 			' 121	13	' 108
Mineral leases	.’ ....			 		7	5,809	173	5,643
Mineral permits	 _	_ 				'890	17	'873
Mineral locations (patent applications)		641	360	295	706
Mineral locations (miscellaneous)					14	229	215	28
Oil and gas assignments (record title)		 _ - __ ---	1, 536	23, 552	18, 505	6,583
Resource sales...		 	 _	.		 			34	71	58	47
Outer Continental Shelf leases (sec. 6)			230	185	45
Outer Continental Shelf leases (sec. 8)					109	109	
Total		19,012	71,642	60,440	30,214
Table 2.—Competitive leases, fiscal year 1955
Mineral and State	Total1		Acquired lands		Public domain	
	Acres	Bonus	Acres	Bonus	Acres	Bonus
Oil and gas: Colorado		801. 36 360. 06 1,381,767. 23 40 00 5,113. 90 6, 908.17 202, 508. 70 2,921. 69	$58, 527. 89 5, 629. 41 116,378,476.00 3, 044. 40 180, 261. 69 76,482.07 23,357, 929.48 509, 359.86			801. 36 360. 06	$58, 527. 89 5, 629.41
Louisiana		_ ..						
Outer Continental Shelf. Michigan . 	 .						
					40.00 5,113. 90 6, 908.17	3,044. 40 180, 261. 69 76,482. 07
New Mexico _									
North Dakota	 Texas: Outer Continental Shelf				—			
Wyoming						2,921. 69	509,359.86
Total, oil and gas	 Other minerals: Coal: Kentucky	 Manganese: Virginia	 Phosphate: Montana	 Sodium: California	 Sulfur: Louisiana, Outer Continental Shelf							
	1, 600, 421.11	140,569,710.80	__ --- ___		16,145.18	833, 305.32
	458. 00 2,291.00 560. 00 10. 00 25, 000.00	503. 80 1,500 00 2, 800. 00 410,000. 00 1, 233, 500. 00	458. 00 2, 291. 00	$503. 80 1, 500. 00	560. 00 10.00	2, 800.00 410, 000. 00
Total, other minerals	 Grand total							
	28,319. 00	1,648,303. 80	2, 749. 00	2,003. 80	570. 00	412, 800. 00
	1, 628, 740.11	142,218,014.60	2, 749. 00	2,003.80	16,715.18	1, 246,105. 32
i The total column includes Outer Continental Shelf data not shown elsewhere.
RANGE MANAGEMENT
Fiscal year 1955 was marked by generally unfavorable climatic conditions for livestock operations throughout the public land range area, with the exception of parts of Montana. Severe drought continued to plague the Great Plains, Intermountain, and Southwest ranges. Scattered storms brought temporary local relief but failed to overcome
280	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
the effects of a cumulative deficit in moisture. The drought in some areas, notably Wyoming and parts of the Southwest, was the worst in history.
Aggravating the drought was a long, hard winter in the Northern States, with short feed supplies causing a sharp decline in the condition of livestock. Many operators were forced to dispose of part or all of their breeding herds. The Bureau remitted grazing fees to numerous operators whose ranges failed to produce sufficient forage to sustain their herds. A new regulation was placed in effect to enable the remission of rentals on section 15 grazing leases, a provision heretofore unnecessary.
The severe winter was followed by a long-delayed spring and tardy development of range forage. Turnout dates for livestock were the latest in history in some areas. Indications of a break in the drought occurred when late spring rains improved forage and stock water supplies in many range areas. There were still localities where the drought continued unabated and livestock operations were in a critical state, however.
Progress in Range Administration
The highlight of grazing administration in the past year was the adoption of a new formula for determining grazing fees. Instead of basing fees on administrative costs, the new formula provides for charging grazing fees equal to the average price per pound of cattle and sheep at Western markets. The new formula will become effective on January 1, 1957. For the calendar years 1955 and 1956 an arbitrary increase in fees of 25 percent was agreed upon. Beginning with 1955, the range improvement fund will be derived from 25 percent of the grazing fee per animal unit month, rounded to the nearest whole cent.
Revision of the Federal Range Code for Grazing Districts was another major accomplishment of the past year. This undertaking has been in progress for several years in order to improve the enforcement of the Taylor Grazing Act and to bring the language of the regulation into line with existing practices. The National Advisory Board Council and the grazing district advisory boards cooperated in developing and drafting the revision.
The adjustment of grazing obligations on the Federal range to the grazing capacity continued to receive primary attention. Encouraging progress was made in the reappraisal of grazing privilege adjudications with the support of new range inventory and dependent property survey data. There has been a general tightening of dependent property survey standards and more exactness in assembling the information. The result has been a steady decline in unqualified demand and improper grazing practices on the Federal range.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 281
A noteworthy increase in cooperation and team work between Bureau employees and stockmen users of the Federal range has facilitated stocking adjustments, dependent property surveys, trespass control, and other range activities. This development is doubtless due to an increasing conservation-mindedness among stockmen generally, possibly attributable in part to the prolonged drought.
With an accelerated adjudication program, many adverse decisions have been rendered, and while the backlog of pending grazing appeals has grown, the increase is not proportional to the number of users affected. Satisfactory agreements were often reached when range managers and permittees worked together on the ground to make necessary adjustments in use.
Wildlife Management and Recreation
The management of wildlife is strictly on a basis of cooperation between the BLM as the administrator of vast public land acreages, supporting large wildlife populations, and the respective States recognized as the owners of the wildlife.
Cooperation starts with joint consideration of all aspects of management by the State game departments and the Bureau and other land-managing agencies or individuals. This work goes on constantly and usually culminates in a series of annual meetings held in the respective States where full and frank discussion of all points of controversy are compromised or settled. Bureau representatives attend local and national meetings to present our story of management of the public range lands. Wildlife problems of mutual interest to other agencies such as the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service receive constant attention. Joint investigation and study of problem areas is made as, for example, on the Fort Peck Game Range in Montana. Here a four-way agreement among the Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, State of Montana, and the BLM is necessary to provide coordinated management of the area.
The general public must also be kept informed as to the status of wildlife. Cooperation with the public is provided for by the system of local State and national advisory boards serving the Bureau, each of which now has wildlife representatives. The Bureau broadened the scope of this representation during the past year by having for the first time three wildlife representatives on the National Advisory Board Council which acts in an advisory capacity to the Director’s office in Washington.
In the field of recreation the Bureau’s activity is chiefly confined to Alaska, although extensive cooperation is given other Federal,
282	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
State, and local groups in the States. In Alaska the Bureau cooperated with the Territorial Department of Fisheries and the Fish and Wildlife Service in the selection of lands for reservation as public recreation and service sites along the Alaska Highway.
Range Studies
Enlightened management of the rangeland calls for basic knowledge of the land and the vegetation which it is supporting. Studies to determine existing conditions are usually referred to as range inventories. The Bureau is making every effort to step up this program and range forage inventories are now being made in most range districts which have not completed this work.
Foilowing inventory must come studies to determine why the range and soil is in the condition it is in; what is the overall trend of condition, up or down; and what method of treatment or type of use must be made to improve it.
The Bureau is rapidly expanding the scope of such work. Range studies have been spotlighted as a necessary program for every field office. They are being made on a varying scale—intensive, in critical or key areas, and extensive elsewhere, in order to provide as much coverage of range as possible. A Bureau employee has devised a new approach to extensive study of the range which will make it possible to ascertain conditions on a much greater acreage than has hitherto been possible. This year marked the first attempt by the Bureau to assemble a report of range condition and trend of all Bureau lands, exclusive of Alaska. This report will be submitted each year and steady improvement is expected as to reliability of information and scope of country studied.
Range studies of this nature are often made jointly with private individuals or groups, States, or other Federal agencies. Cooperative vegetal studies of our ranges have been set up in many areas. An example is the Little Hills Experiment Station in Colorado, where a series of deer and livestock enclosures are undergoing careful study and recordation of use to determine the degree of livestock-big game competition for forage and other management factors. Cooperative study of game ranges by the use of intensive line transect stations has been set up on BLM-national forest-private ranges in eastern California and western Nevada under the leadership of the California State Game Department.
In Alaska the Bureau is cooperating on a research project with the Alaska Agricultural Experiment Station and other Federal agencies to reevaluate the physical and economic bases for range land use and development on Kodiak and adjacent islands.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	283
Soil and Moisture Conservation
Conversion of S. and M. C. activity to watershed protection planning was virtually completed at the end of the fiscal year. This conversion places the Bureau’s soil conservation program in readiness for the first year of the Department’s 20-year program of conservation treatment for all Interior lands in continental United States. The Bureau now has reasonably reliable estimates of the total conservation requirements for all public lands in the major western river basins. These estimates will enable the establishment of watershed priorities and the orderly scheduling of operations.
The conversion to watershed planning is also timely in that the Bureau’s program is immediately susceptible of close coordination with the Department of Agriculture’s watershed protection program authorized by Public Law 566, 83d Congress. This law directs Interior to cooperate with Agriculture in providing for public lands in watersheds eligible to receive assistance under the act. During the past year this program was just getting under way with one or two watersheds containing public lands approved for planning in each of the Western States. As the program develops it is anticipated that it will become an important supplement to the Bureau’s soil conservation activity.
The preparation of community watershed plans, the next step in converting the Bureau’s program to a watershed basis, has proceeded according to schedule. Most of the grazing districts are working on at least one plan and several have been completed and submitted for approval. These plans are usually cooperative endeavors with our Federal, State, and local agencies with an interest in the watershed participating in planning phases.
Range reseeding occupied a prominent place in the 1955 fiscal year conservation operations as a result of congressional action. The Dworshak bill, Public Law 524, transferred 252,000 pounds of surplus forage seeds from the Commodity Stabilization Service to the Bureau for seeding public lands. Also, a House recommendation earmarked funds for aerial seeding either with or without pelletized seed. The two actions were combined to the extent of using some of the surplus seed for aerial seeding. A total of 37,500 acres of depleted range located in eight Western States was covered in the aerial seeding program. Of this total, 2,000 acres at two locations in Idaho were seeded with pelletized seed as a large scale trial of this method. Preliminary results based on careful check plots, installed and recorded by the Agricultural Research Service show no advantage in using pelletized seed.
Range users have customarily cooperated with the Bureau in placing conservation works on the public lands by contributing labor, mate
284	> ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
rials, and funds. During the past year interest in range conservation work has increased markedly and users have been more cooperative. This fact was noted above under progress in grazing administration and is equally true of other range management programs. The greater interest in conservation practices can be attributed in part to the success of past Bureau efforts to restore and improve the public land ranges. Also important, is the educational influence of pilot soil conservation districts, some of which have been operating for four years and are receiving favorable local publicity. The Bureau has consistently supported the pilot district movement and is abreast of scheduled conservation work on public lands included in such districts.
Range Improvement
A revised policy governing the distribution of range improvement funds shifted the emphasis in 1955 from new construction to the maintenance of existing improvements. A substantial part of the maintenance load, however, is borne by range users under cooperative agreement permitting new construction to proceed at near normal level. The accomplishments in this program during the past year in a measure reflect the accelerated effort on range adjudication since fencing generally received the major emphasis. With range lines and allotment boundaries permanently established, there is an understandable desire on the part of the users to fence the range. The usual practice followed by the Bureau is to furnish the wire, with the users furnishing other materials and labor to construct the fence.
Private construction of range improvements on the public lands authorized by section 4 and section 15 permits increased in volume over previous years. Here again the Bureau’s stepped-up adjudication program is reflected in the amount of fencing completed and the installation of stockwater facilities and other improvements.
Halogeton Control
Encouraging results have been obtained in the Bureau’s halogeton control program. While this poisonous plant is still a serious threat, definite progress has been made in slowing down its rate of spread to new lands and in some areas the plant is being successfully controlled.
Between 1952 and 1954 the acreage of Bureau land infested jumped from a little over 1 million acres to more than 4 million acres. Recent surveys disclose that the exterior boundaries of the gross area of infestation have not been materially extended since 1954, except in areas where control measures could not be carried out. There have been sharp increases in untreated areas, areas within or near major infestations, and new spot infestations, widely scattered, are occurring.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4	285
Major emphasis has been placed on the seeding of infested and threatened ranges to hardy perennial grass as the most practical way to control halogeton. The hardy grass crowds out or prevents the spread of halogeton and produces forage for livestock removed from areas of infestation that are unsuitable for reseeding.
Approximately 81,000 acres of rangeland were seeded in fiscal year 1955, bringing the total acreage seeded since inception of the program in 1952 to about 403,000 acres. In all reseedings the Bureau has been successful in obtaining the full cooperation of the range users in project development and subsequent management and use. Range users have contributed seed, fencing, labor, and funds to help in financing the project. Contributions have been averaging about 24 percent of the total cost of the project.
An unsually high degree of success has been obtained in the reseeding program thus far, and the successful seedings in all cases are eliminating halogeton or reducing the volume present below critical quantities. As the grass becomes more firmly established with maturity it is anticipated that halogeton will be completely eliminated, except in small areas of poor soils where it is not possible to obtain a dense vigorous stand of grass. Several of the reseedings were grazed by livestock for the first time in the fall of 1954 and the spring of 1955. This made it possible to reduce the grazing use in the surrounding range and allow for its gradual improvement. In areas where reseedings have been able to absorb a relatively high percentage of grazing capacity of an area, significant improvement can be seen in the native range as a result of the reduced use.
Chemical Control of Halogeton
In the Bureau’s chemical program, the objective is to eradicate small isolated spot infestations, prevent seed production and reduce the rate of spread in perimeter areas and along avenues of spread. About 83,500 acres have been treated since 1952 and about 15,000 acres are sprayed on an annual basis. Several small spots have been eradicated and infestations along avenues of spread and in perimeter areas have been materially reduced.
In 1954 and 1955 research agencies developed important basic information on the life history of the plant and on the proper application of chemicals to the weed which will enable the Bureau to carry out a more effective control program in 1956 and in future years. The Bureau’s chemical control program is largely carried out as a coordinated cooperative program with local and State weed and plant pest control groups, State highway departments, railroads, private landowners, and others.
286	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Other Halogeton Control Methods
In the drier, poor soil areas of the Federal range where reseedings cannot be successfully established, the Bureau is attempting to control halogeton by better range management. The objective is to improve the hardy native range plants in vigor and density to such a degree that halogeton will be crowded out. Management fences to control grazing, water spreading, and contour furrowing projects to catch and utilize additional moisture and reduction in grazing use are practices used in this program. While this is a long-range means of control it will be more permanent when once accomplished. Since inception of the program more than 1,000 miles of protection and management fences have been built and more than 87,000 acres have been included in forage development projects. In several of these areas it appears that the native vegetation is gradually crowding out halogeton.
In addition to the Bureau’s control program, surveys are carried out annually to determine areas of infestation, avenues of spread, and appropriate control measures. Good cooperation has been obtained from State and local people and agency representatives in reporting new infestations.
The Bureau also cooperates with the State land-grant colleges and research agencies of the Department of Agriculture on an annual basis in research programs designed to find better methods of control. Considerable information has been developed that has greatly benefited the Bureau’s control program. This important phase of the program will be continued in the future.
During the fall of 1954 and winter of 1955 the Bureau made an appraisal of its halogeton control program to determine its good and bad features and to obtain suggestions from others that would aid in improving future work. State and local committees composed of personnel from the State colleges, extension services, the Department of Agriculture, State fish and game commissions, key ranchers, and other local and State people assisted in making the appraisal. They commended the Bureau on its overall approach to the halogeton problem and urged that an aggressive program be continued until halogeton is controlled.
FORESTRY
The Bureau manages approximately 161,500,000 acres of forest and woodland in the United States and Alaska. Of this, approximately 36,496,000 acres are in the continental United States, 6,376,000 acres being commercial forest land and 30,120,000 acres, noncommercial or forest woodland. The 125,000,000 acres in Alaska contain
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES > 287
40,000,000 acres of commercial forest land and 85,000,000 acres of woodland.
This tremendous acreage is estimated to embrace almost 260 billion board-feet of timber on the commercial forest lands alone with another 212.5 billion board-feet standing on the less productive woodlands. Although no accurate inventory has been made of a large portion of this area, Bureau foresters estimate that the productive capacity of these forest and woodlands approximates 3.5 billion board-feet per year, or enough lumber and equivalent wood products to construct 350,000 five-room homes each year in perpetuity. The drain of forest products from this great reservoir was 763 million board-feet in fiscal year 1955.
Bureau Timber Sale Business
The value of timber sold from Bureau forest lands in fiscal year 1955 was the greatest in the history of the Bureau. The volume disposed of in fiscal year 1955 and the sale value were 763,243,000 board-feet of timber and $19,903,301.45, respectively, compared to 696,115,000 board-feet of timber valued at $12,627,521 sold in fiscal year 1954. These figures include timber involved in trespass settlements.
Timber from the Oregon and California Railroad and Coos Bay Wagon Road grant lands accounted for 644,608,000 board-feet of the total sold and $18,337,387.55 of the total value. Public domain timber sales and other types of disposal accounted for the remainder, 118,635,000 board-feet of timber valued at $1,565,913.90.
During this period, the Bureau expended $2,644,840 for the management and protection of these lands. This represents a ratio of expenditures to income of 1 to 7.5 or $7.50 earned for every dollar spent on management and protection. Even after distributing substantial shares to the various public land States and counties, the Federal Treasury realized a net $3,347,000 income for fiscal year 1955.
In addition the Bureau expended $2,500,000 on the construction of timber access roads on O. and C. lands in western Oregon. These roads are designed to tap a tremendous volume of salvage timber in inaccessible areas which would be lost entirely if not salvaged soon. This expenditure is in the nature of a capital investment, using funds which normally would have been distributed to the O. and C. counties in Oregon. This investment will be repaid in full with net gains both to the counties and the Federal Treasury through higher sales revenue resulting from wider, more efficient harvesting. From its inception in fiscal year 1951 approximately $8,550,000 has been spent on this program as of June 30, 1955. As a result approximately 113 miles of heavy-duty logging roads have been built or are under construction.
288	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Public Domain Forests
The Bureau is faced with several distinct and separate problems in its efforts to conduct a financially sound and conservationwise forest management program. These may be simply described as problems of land ownership and economic development.
In most of the public land States, the forest land administered by the Bureau is admittedly the poorer forest land, remnants of the once all-inclusive public domain from which were carved the national forests and extensive private holdings. These scattered stands have many important values only one of which is the actual yield of forest products. The value of forested land for watershed protection, scenic or recreational use, wildlife and grazing, can be destroyed or at least seriously impaired by timber cutting which has not been planned with consideration of these factors. The forest and woodlands of the public domain within the United States, not counting the O. and C. lands, constitute approximately 41/2 million acres covered with saw timber stands and 30 million acres covered with woodland types. Development of a high-level sustained-yield rate of cutting has not been achieved as yet. Increasing demand for the products grown on these lands assures a ready market. Continued and increasing effort by the Bureau is called for to realize the full productivity of these lands. At the present time, timber operations are at about 20 percent of what could be considered an adequate management level on these public domain lands.
Establishment of a district forestry office at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to facilitate all management activities over more than 200,000 acres in northern Idaho was a major step forward in an expanding forest management program.
Lack of adequate inventories still hampers attainment of a w’ell planned management program. During the past year some small gains were scored in this activity but they were far from adequate in view of the tremendous need and the total job ahead.
In general, the limiting factors in the administration of a management program for these lands during fiscal year 1955 were the capacity of available manpower to provide even minimum conservation measures essential for proper utilization of existing timber as well as future growth, and the inadequate knowledge of the extent of the resource.
In spite of these handicaps, values realized from these lands continued to rise during the past year. Income exceeded expenditures by over 2 to 1, thus emphasizing future possibilities.
The last major reservoir of untouched timber under the American flag is located in Alaska. The more than 125 million acres of forest
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 289
and woodland under the jurisdiction of the Bureau in Alasaka hold promise of a great contribution to the economic welfare of the nation. At the present time one of the major concerns of the Bureau in its management of these lands is their protection from fire. On a much smaller scale the Bureau conducts a timber sale program fulfilling the requirements of local sawmills and settlers. During the past year, the timber sale business in Alaska realized an income of $19,130.
During the past year the Bureau has developed a specific forestry program for Alaska which outlines in detail the needs of the territory in research, forest inventory and resource development. The plan calls for doubling of the forest management and fire protection activities of the Bureau in Alaska. Efforts will be made to place this new program into effect during the next few years.
O. and C. and CBWR Land
The O. and C. Act of August 28, 1937 required that the forests on the O. and C. lands in western Oregon be managed in accordance with the principles of sustained-yield management. This was the first instance of Federal lands being specifically earmarked by Congressional action for application of sustained-yield forestry. Every year since then the volume of timber sold and the value of that timber have increased.
As a comparison, the Bureau in fiscal year 1947, 9 years ago, sold 448,722,000 board-feet of timber valued at $3,085,425. This was 84 percent of the presently established sustained-yield allowable cut of 534,451,000 board feet per year. During fiscal year 1955, the Bureau sold 644,608,000 board-feet valued at $18,337,387. This was close to the presently established allowable cut. A large volume of this timber was salvage material. Sustained-yield forestry proved to be a lucrative business on the O. and C. lands during fiscal year 1955.
In addition many other management activities were carried out during the past year. Several thousand acres of forest land were planted with Douglas-fir seedlings to assure a continuing high level of productivity 100 years from now. Also, additional thousands of acres of cut-over forest land were seeded to Douglas-fir and other species. Closing the gap between cutting time and the reestablishment of a new stand permits higher annual cutting ratio in the presently mature timber in addition to more efficient management in the future.
In the closing days of fiscal year 1954, Congress directed the Bureau and the Forest Service to effect an exchange, based on equal value, of the lands administered by the two agencies where such lands were intermingled. This exchange involves almost 1 million acres of forest land, half being national forest and half O. and C. land. When com
290	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
pleted, this exchange will remedy the overlap of jurisdiction of the two agencies in western Oregon by blocking up the lands affected. It will also improve the administration of these lands by more efficient groupings of land and by reduction in the public confusion over management rules and practices of the two agencies operating in the same area. Congress imposed a 2-year time limit for the completion of the exchange. During the past year almost all the field work has been completed and it is expected that the exchange will be consummated well within the period set by Congress.
T respass
The scattered nature of many Bureau of Land Management lands emphasizes the difficulties experienced in the development of an adequate trespass control program. Recent Bureau decentralization has contributed greatly to progress in this activity but increasing use of the public lands also increases the possibilities of overt or inadvertent trespass. This was true during the past year and will continue to be true as long as the use and the value of the public land resources continue to rise. More adequate supervision of land-use would do much in alleviating this problem.
Access Roads
The Federal access road program initiated on the O. and C. lands during fiscal year 1951 continued at an accelerated pace during the year. The Bureau is attempting to carry out this program with the full cooperation of the local landowners. During the past year several long-term agreements were negotiated which assured the early completion of road construction into heavily damaged stands of mature Douglas-fir.
Forest and Forage Protection
Adequate protection from fire, insects, and disease is essential to successful management of the Bureau’s extensive timber and forage resources.
The emphasis placed on fire protection during the past several years by the Bureau of Land Management is showing results in both the United States and Alaska. In spite of the limited funds appropriated for protection, much has been accomplished to improve fire control for the forest lands under BLM jurisdiction—some 225 million acres, in Alaska and 180 million acres in the United States.
Since formal protection was extended to Bureau lands, cooperation with other agencies, Federal, State, county, and private has been considered essential. In the United States the great extent of BLM
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	291
lands intermingled with other ownerships has made cooperation in fire control imperative.
Development of better fire plans has made possible efficient operation on most fires while keeping the manpower requirements at a minimum. Use of mechanized fire equipment which minimizes manpower requirements on most fires has made possible a marked reduction of fire severity, i. e. acreage burned per fire.
Very high frequency (VHF) radio has been used successfully to furnish dependable communications in the severe fire danger districts of Idaho and eastern Oregon. VHF radio has also been installed on one district each in Montana and Arizona and on two districts in Nevada. Radio telephone is used successfully in one district each in Nevada and Utah. Both VHF radio and radio telephone permit noise-free reception during periods of high electrical activity common during electrical storms and other periods of high fire danger. At present long-haul transmission makes medium frequency radio more adaptable for use in Alaska. All radio equipment except that in the aircraft has been rebuilt from radios obtained from military surplus..
High-pressure pumpers mounted on multiple drive trucks have proved so satisfactory in suppressing grass and brush fires that they have been adopted by the Bureau as standard fire-fighting equipment. As funds become available, all districts will be equipped with these pumpers. The Pacific Marine type pumpers are better suited for use in the forests of Alaska, although in some places the high pressure, pumper has also proved to be equally effective in Alaska.
Three Grumman amphibian aircraft were acquired in 1953 through transfer from the Navy for use in Alaska fire control. These aircraft have ben used very effectively to transport fire fighters and equipment to lakes and airstrips near fires, thus reducing the elapsed time for discovery to initial attack. With three 4-place, wheel-type planes for patrol, scouting of fires, and for air-to-ground radio contact with fire fighters on the fireline, the efficiency of the fire organization has been greatly increased. Further progress has been made in aerial cargo dropping. Tools, equipment, and food have been supplied in this way to men on the fireline.
Contract protection of nearly 4 million acres of public domain, forest and woodlands in the States of California, Idaho, Oregon,. Montana, Washington, Arkansas, and Minnesota was continued. These lands are scattered and intermingled with ownerships of other agencies having protection organizations. For the Bureau to protect these lands under force account would be a duplication of effort. An additional 2,142,000 acres of BLM-administered O. and C. lands in western Oregon bearing high-value Douglas-fir saw timber are protected by contract with the State of Oregon and the Forest Service.
364841—56--22
292	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Greater emphasis has been placed on improvement of the fire training program by extending the training to per diem guards and by requiring a larger number of Bureau of Land Management employees to attend the training schools. Bureau of Land Management attendance at fire training schools in cooperation with other agencies has also been increased.
Insect control.—Insect infestations are difficult to detect and may be present for several years before damage is noticeable. They often reach epidemic proportion before adequate control measures can be effected. While far less spectacular than fire, annual damage by insects exceeds that of fire and the ravages are much more difficult to control. The infestation of Douglas-fir bark beetle in the Douglas-fir region of western Oregon, California, and Washington during the past 4 years reached its peak toward the close of 1954.
Favorable breeding conditions were created by numerous fires in western Oregon and the extensive blow-down by the heavy wind storms of 1951, 1952, and 1953. There were over 10 billion feet of blowdown timber distributed over an area of 13^ million acres with an estimated 3 billion feet on the 1.4 million acres which are under BLM jurisdiction. Because much of the blowdown is inaccessible and in small scattered pockets, it cannot be salvaged economically. This condition continues to create a breeding ground for the beetles. At present there is no effective means of control other than removal of the fire-killed and wind-thrown timber to minimize their spread. To make salvage operations possible, it was necessary to build access roads into the larger bodies of damaged timber.
Since 1952, approximately 1.3 billion feet of damaged timber have been salvaged from areas that could be reached from existing roads. By the fall of 1955, approximately 50 miles of access roads were ready for use, providing access to large bodies of previously inaccessible, beetle-damaged timber.
A beetle infestation in northern Idaho resulted in considerable damage to spruce timber on Bureau of Land Management lands. More than 20 million board-feet were salvaged during the past year.
The spruce budworm infestation in the Ochoco and Malheur National Forests and in the Powder River and Baker watersheds in eastern Oregon will receive treatment in fiscal year 1956. This will affect approximately 14,000 acres of BLM lands adjacent to or intermingled with the national forests and lands of other ownerships.
Disease control.—As high demands on timber continue, it becomes more important that prevention and control of disease in all kinds of timber should be given increased attention. The only known epidemic tree disease affecting Bureau-managed timber is white pine blister rust, a disease common to the 5-needle rmies. A blister rust control
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 293
program was started in 1942 on 150,000 acres of commercial sugar pine near Medford, Ore. The present project area is 98,419 acres. During the last field season, 2,131 acres were treated with initial eradication and 10,788 acres with reeradication.
As a sanitation measure, timber sale contracts for BLM timber in New Mexico stipulate the removal of all mistletoe and conky trees along with other merchantable timber. Further damage to young timber is thereby reduced.
CADASTRAL SURVEYS
The Bureau of Land Management is the official agency for conducting the cadastral surveys of the public lands. These surveys determine the official marking of land boundaries and are therefore basic to the management of the lands and the development of resources throughout the Western States and Alaska. The intermingling of privately owned lands with the public lands has made this function one of outstanding importance as the boundaries of the public lands must be known and actually marked on the ground before the agency administering those lands can successfully carry on its operations.
Most of the public lands are situated in the 11 Western States. In those States there are more than 100 million acres of public land over which the cadastral survey “net” has never been extended. In addition, over 50 million acres of public land in the 11 Western States are in need of resurvey to rehabilitate and redefine the corners and lines marking the boundaries of the public lands. On the other hand, more than 1.3 billion acres comprise the total area which has been surveyed.
The cadastral survey program of the Bureau of Land Management for fiscal year 1955 was designed to aid in the development and conservation of the natural resources, to provide homesites for our increasing population, and to mark out on the ground the boundaries of lands which the States were granted for benefit of their schools. Consideration was given to making surveys and resurveys in those areas which would result in the production of revenue, as well as stimulus to private industry. In Oregon, for example, the timber sale program has been retarded because surveys are necessary to define the boundaries between private and Federal lands, for settlement of trespass, and for the determination of the boundaries of sales units.
A major item in the program included the survey of school sections. By provision of law, the States situated in the area of the public domain are entitled to certain specified sections in each township for school purposes. The sections must be surveyed before the States can secure title to them. The vast increase in the development of the re
294	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
sources of the public lands has created an increasing demand for their survey since the removal of those resources depletes the value of the land and would tend to reduce the future returns to the States of revenue from their school lands.
The subdivision of areas into units of 5 acres or less to meet the demand for homesites and the resurvey of areas for oil and gas leasing and exploration, where the original survey monuments have been obliterated, constituted a material part of the program. In Alaska, surveys were made primarily for settlement purposes and to accommodate the expanding economy of that Territory.
Surveys in Continental United States
Cadastral survey projects completed during the past fiscal year consisted of the survey or resurvey of 1,241,734 acres of land. The surveys included such essential work as the identification of the sections granted to the States for their schools; the survey and resurvey of mineral lands as an aid in the development of those resources, principally oil and gas; the resurvey of forest areas to define the boundaries of timber management units and provide a basis for timber sales; the survey of grazing lands for range improvements; and the survey of small tracts to provide home and business sites to meet the demands for our increasing population. Additional projects were carried on by BLM to facilitate the land management activities of other Federal agencies such as extensive resurveys for the Bureau of Reclamation in the Missouri River Basin; the establishment of the boundaries of the Coronado National Memorial in Arizona, and the Everglades National Park, Fla., for the National Park Service; the subdivision of areas in Arizona to accommodate the transfer of lands by the Department of the Air Force; and resurveys for the National Forest Service in Colorado.
The program also included miscellaneous surveys and investigations including the survey of islands and omitted land areas. Numerous maps and diagrams were prepared for the Department of Justice in connection with pending litigation involving claims by the Indians.
The survey of school sections made almost a quarter of a million acres of new lands available to three western States. Although there are large areas of unsurveyed land remaining in all the western States, the need for completing the original surveys in order that the States may obtain title to the school lands exists primarily in Utah, Arizona, and California. In the other western States the unsurveyed areas are located principally in permanent reservations such as national forests, Indian reservations, national parks and monuments, etc., and title to the designated school sections would not pass to the
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 295
States even when surveyed. Furthermore, indemnity selections have been taken by the States for a large portion of the designated unsurveyed school sections in the reservations and the school land grant to those States, to a large extent, has been satisfied.
In order to make the maximum quantity of school lands available to the States, the Bureau adopted the plan of surveying and monu-menting only township boundaries and only the boundaries of the school sections in each township, instead of making a complete sub-divisional survey. Since there are 36 sections in each township, not more than 4 of which are designated school sections, this method made it possible to survey nearly three times more school sections than could have been surveyed if the townships were completely subdivided. In general, the program of work was based on the desires of the States to cover the areas of greatest value and interest. During the year, the school sections surveyed and marked on the ground totaled 137,840 acres in Utah, 60,160 acres in California, and 39,520 acres in Arizona—an aggregate of 237,520 acres.
Outer Continental Shelf
During the fiscal year, leasing maps were completed covering approximately 12 million acres of the Outer Continental Shelf offshore from Louisiana and 8 million acres lying in front of Texas. These maps in general cover the area extending seaward from the coastline to a depth of about 120 feet. They are basic for determining location on the ground and for providing descriptions and areas for the water-covered areas being leased for oil, gas, and sulfur as result of the passage of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act on August 7, 1953.
Alaskan Surveys
The basic requirement for land settlement in Alaska, as in any other public land area, is the establishment by cadastral survey of the boundaries of the tracts to be settled upon. The field program was designed to meet the needs of the increasing population in the Territory and to accommodate the expanding economy. Less than 1 percent of the vast area of Alaska has been surveyed and the need for accelerating the cadastral surveying programs is pressing. During fiscal year 1955 funds allocated to Alaska for cadastral survey were increased approximately 60 percent over the allocation in fiscal year 1954.
The program for the fiscal year included the survey or resurvey of approximately 75,000 acres of land under the rectangular system, compared to 22,000 acres in fiscal year 1954. In addition the pro
296	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
gram included the survey of 297 small tracts, 32 miles of highway and railroad traverse, 38 homesteads, 33 homesites, 10 trade and manufacturing sites, 7 headquarters sites, 1 Alaska Public Sale Act, 1 Territorial airfield, 1 United States reserve, 4 recreation sites, 423 lots in 4 townsites, 2 Indian allotments, 2 miscellaneous surveys.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
John L. Farley, Director
☆ ☆ ☆
IN EXERCISING Federal responsibilities for the Nation’s fish and wildlife resources, the Fish and Wildlife Service this year has strengthened its teamwork with State and Federal agencies, other organizations, and industry. Under the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act, promotional service and biological and technological research is benefiting the fishing industry. Wildlife and fish restoration under the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts continues to improve those resources. Closer relations with the States have been achieved in the administration of migratory bird laws.
UTILIZING THE COMMERCIAL FISHERY RESOURCES
The Service’s commercial-fisheries activities in exploration, technology, market development and education, statistics, market news, and economics were expanded considerably during the year. Funds were made available by the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act to strengthen the American fishing industry, with emphasis on research and marketing.
Continuation of tuna explorations by the research vessel Oregon produced valuable information on the distribution and seasonal availability of various species of tuna in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent waters of the Caribbean Sea. Technical assistance and advice were furnished to a number of commercial fishermen who converted their vessels to enter this new fishery, first discovered by the Oregon in 1954.
In Alaska, the exploratory vessel John N. Cobb completed a survey of potential summer fishing grounds in the Prince William Sound region. Commercially important discoveries were made of Pacific Ocean perch, sablefish, shrimp, and king crabs.
The trawler Delaware completed a number of exploratory cruises in deep waters of the Gulf of Maine. Good catches of large ocean perch and large lobsters were made, and a shrimp resource formerly fished
297
298	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
was relocated in more northern waters. Research on Maine herring was started, with transfer of the research vessel T. N. Gill to Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Bluefin-tuna exploration was continued, with several good catches despite two hurricanes that disrupted the project.
At the Coral Gables, Fla., gear-research station, midwater trawls and shrimp trawls were successfully studied in operation with underwater television equipment. Recordings of sounds produced by commercial varieties of shrimp were obtained for the first time.
The program for the development of voluntary Federal standards of grade and condition of fishery products, begun last year, has moved ahead with gathering momentum. The standard for Maine sardines was completed and is in use by the State and the Maine sardine industry. Standards are being developed for frozen cooked fish sticks; fish blocks, the raw material from which fish sticks are usually made; and breaded shrimp. Industry cooperation in the development of these standards has been marked.
Interest centers around research on new uses for fish oil and development of a quality index for fish meal. Twenty contractors are busy on segments of this research. In addition to the work at Service laboratories, a field study at a reduction plant is being conducted jointly with the industry. The effect of season, locality of capture, size of fish, processing variables, and storage conditions on the meal, oil, and condensed solubles will be determined.
Two special market-promotion campaigns were conducted to move the surplus stocks of small haddock fillets and canned tuna. Emphasis was given to increasing the use of these fishery products by institutions. A special citywide fish-promotion program was conducted in Columbus, Ohio. This was a joint trade association and Government-sponsored campaign to test the effectiveness of concentrated promotion.
Three educational motion pictures were undertaken during the year. Two of the pictures are being financed by private industry. One will show the use of outboard motors in the commercial fisheries while the other will show various methods of preparing shrimp for the table. A contract was awarded for the third film, Government-financed, which will be on the nutritional values of fishery products.
A special study on the marketing of fishery products of Florida is being conducted, under contract, by the University of Miami.
Home economists of the College Park and Seattle test kitchens presented 131 fish-cookery demonstrations to school lunchroom personnel in 17 States. Thirteen demonstrations were presented to nonschool groups.
General statistical surveys for 1953 were completed for all sections of the United States except the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Similar surveys for 1954 were started for all sections.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES >	299
Issuance of monthly bulletins on landings of fishery products in Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas was continued. Arrangements were completed for similar bulletins for North Carolina and California. Monthly bulletins were published also on domestic freezings and holdings of fishery products, production of fish meal and oil, documentation of fishing vessels, and United States foreign trade in fishery products. Quarterly reports on the yield of fish sticks and annual bulletins on the production of canned fishery products, byproducts, and packaged fish were released.
A study was started to develop means of improving the collection and publication of statistics on freezings and cold-storage holdings of fishery products. To obtain needed information on the South Atlantic and Gulf shrimp fishery, our most important fishery in value of catch, collection of detailed operating-unit and catch statistics was undertaken.
To aid in the orderly marketing of fishery products and byproducts, marketing specialists in fishing, distribution, and consumption centers collect daily production and marketing information. This information is disseminated while it is timely and current, through daily reports by the seven Fishery Market News Service field offices located in Boston, New York City, Hampton (Va.), New Orleans, San Pedro, Seattle, and Chicago. Market News “Fishery Products Reports” provide a 17-year daily record of fishery production, marketing, and price data. These reports are used extensively in the fishery industries, in conservation work, in granting loans, in supplying background data for governmental actions, in research, and in determining the economic importance of the fisheries. Keeping pace with changing marketing trends, more marketing information on consumer-packaged fishery specialties is now being collected and disseminated. Studies were begun on the marketing of fishery products in key consumption centers other than those now covered.
The monthly periodical, Commercial Fisheries Review, continued to feature articles and news of trends and developments in the fishery industries of the United States and foreign countries.
Regulatory activities and reports on fishery cooperative marketing associations were continued in accordance with the authority vested in the Department by the Fishery Cooperative Marketing Act of 1934. On June 30, 1955, there were 84 active fishery cooperative marketing associations in the United States and Alaska as compared with 81 a year earlier.
Studies were continued on fish consumption, including consumer preferences for fish sticks and breaded shrimp, increased express and railroad charges for icing shipments of fresh and frozen fish, and imports of groundfish fillets and tuna. A study of the economics of
300	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
distribution of Pacific coast fish in the Pacific Coast States was begun to determine (1) marketing practices and prices of different varieties of Pacific coast fish in the major Pacific coast consuming centers, and (2) the market potential for Pacific coast fish in the Pacific Coast States. The project will survey major fish markets in California, Oregon, and Washington to determine sources of supply, marketing channels, turnover of inventories, consumer preferences, and prices.
A survey was begun also of the fishing industry’s hull insurance and protection and indemnity insurance problems. Rates and premiums have reached phenomenal levels in many segments of the industry. Vessel operations on all coasts have been hampered by this condition. Recommendations resulting from the project should lead to lower insurance costs for commercial fishermen.
A nationwide survey of merchandising practices in the shrimp industry has been started, aimed at improving production, processing, and distribution of shrimp products. Efficiency of vessels, motorboats, and processing plants will be studied by qualified engineers; time and motion studies will be undertaken with the intent of reducing costs of production. Transportation, warehousing, and refrigeration problems will be studied to improve the competitive position of the shrimp industry among the food industries.
MANAGEMENT OF THE ALASKA COMMERCIAL FISHERIES
In 1954 the commercial fisheries of Alaska, administered through the Fish and Wildlife Service, yielded products with a total value of $78 million, as compared with $70 million in 1953. The salmon fisheries which accounted for 88 percent of the total were severely curtailed in certain areas by regulatory measures designed to reserve more of the stocks for the spawning grounds and thus reverse downward trends in abundance. Patrol and stream-guard coverage was stepped up to ensure the success of this program. The total salmon pack in 1954 was 3,094,753 cases, down 12.18 percent from the 5-year average.
During the calendar year 1954, there were employed in the administration of commercial fisheries 29 fishery-management biologists and enforcement agents, 268 stream guards, patrolmen, and fishery aids, and 5 seasonal employees of the Alaska Department of Fisheries. Water transportation was provided by 7 seagoing vessels, 20 boats of smaller sizes, and about 150 outboard skiffs. Seven amphibian airplanes logged 2,630 hours of flight time.
In 202 cases involving violation of the Alaska fishery laws, of which ‘6 cases are still pending, 286 fishermen and 1 fish buyer were involved.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-	301
In cases disposed of, 277 defendants were found guilty, 2 were acquitted, and 7 were dismissed. Fines totaled $32,035, of which $2,885 was suspended. The cases involved 21 purse seines, 99 gill nets, 6 beach seines, 5 traps, 4 halibut boats, and 1 fish buyer. Jail sentences totaled 3,422 days, of which 3,232 days were suspended. Sales of confiscated fish netted $4,929.96.
In addition to the above, 63 sport fishermen were involved in personal-use violations, 35 for snagging salmon, 14 for sport fishing for salmon in closed areas, 8 for exceeding the bag limit, and 4 others involved in combinations of the foregoing.
To determine the timing and size of the salmon runs, 25 weirs were operated in 1954; this was an increase of 1 from 1953. By area, 9 of these were operated in southeastern Alaska, 11 in central Alaska, and 5 in western Alaska. Weirs to count downstream migrants as well as migrant-sampling traps were again used to measure survival from spawning.
Pribilof Islands Fur-Seal Industry
In 1954, the Pribilof Islands fur-seal industry produced 63,882 fur-seal skins, 2,787 fewer than in 1953. The Provisional Fur-Seal Agreement of 1942 between the United States and Canada provides that 20 percent of the annual take of skins shall become the property of the Government of Canada. In 1954,12,776 sealskins were shipped to the order of that country. In addition to skins, production on the islands included 330.5 tons of fur-seal meal and 41,396 gallons of oil. The meal and oil were sold later in the year by competitive bidding for a gross total of $53,166.
Public auctions of United States Government-owned fur-seal skins were held in St. Louis, Mo., twice during the fiscal year. On October 18, 1954, 26,590 skins were sold for $2,045,346, and on April 25, 1955, bidders paid $2,296,757 for 24,746 skins.
MAINTAINING THE INLAND FISHERIES
Major emphasis in the past year was placed on the management of waters, through close cooperation with the States, in such a manner as to obtain the greatest return of hatchery-reared fish to the creel. The Fish and Wildlife Service operated 89 hatcheries, where 24 species of fish were propagated for distribution to inland waters. The Service liberated a large percentage of these fish in waters on Federal land, near military installations and veterans hospitals, and on State-Federal management areas. The fishing pressure on game fishes continued to mount, reflecting the demands of an increasing population and a growing appreciation of the sport of fishing as a source of relaxation and recreation. Improved fish-cultural tech
302	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
niques were largely responsible for an increase in the weight of fish produced for stocking, and better management made possible more efficient utilization of the product.
As more information became available on the restocking needs of management areas, the production of certain species was expanded; in many instances, the production of the larger, more efficient units was increased to meet the needs of the areas concerned. The production of legal-sized trout was an important part of the program; the need for warm-water species remained high; and the maintenance of salmon runs continued to be of major importance.
Congress provided funds for initiating an improvement program at the Inks Dam (Texas) station and for continuing the construction of a new unit at Frankfort (Kentucky), as well as for repairing flood damages at the Craig Brook (Maine) station.
The lower Columbia River fisheries development program, designed to mitigate the damage caused by Federal and other dams to the salmon fisheries of the river, completed the seventh year of operation with significant results apparent. Major fishways completed in several lower Columbia River tributary streams permit adult salmon to pass upstream to many miles of spawning area heretofore inaccessible to the salmon.
Two salmon hatcheries were completed, one in Washington and one in Oregon, and other projects under construction were continued. Some 50 irrigation diversions were screened to prevent entrance and loss of young salmon.
The program of providing maxinrum spawning area for salmon in the lower Columbia River is producing results. Biologists have observed increased spawning activity and greater numbers of young salmon. The full results of the program will not be apparent for a number of years.
More than 18.5 million angling licenses were sold in the 48 States in 1954. This was a gain of more than 5 percent over the previous record year and 2% times the number sold in any year before 1946. Greater numbers of legal-sized trout were produced at Federal hatcheries to maintain the stock of these popular sport fishes in areas where the pressure is so great that native stocks have been depleted. The studies on trout nutrition and the training program for trout cul-turists were continued at the Cortland (New York) fish-cultural station in cooperation with the State of New York and Cornell University. These activities played an important part in decreasing the cost per pound of trout produced at Federal and State hatcheries throughout the country. The increased production of trout at a number of hatcheries with expanded rearing facilities was of particular importance in the past year; the incidence of disease in trout stocks was held below normal.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	303
Drought conditions in the central and southern regions of the country emphasized the importance of small ponds and reservoirs. Increased pond construction brought increased demand for warmwater fish to stock the ponds. Eradication of rough fish from large water impoundments and even from entire watersheds also increased the demand for warm-water fish, especially predator species. The Service received a record number of applications for bass and bluegill during the year, and the demand for pike and channel catfish far exceeded the production. In cooperation with the States, the Service stocked large impoundments in the Southwest with wall-eyed pike fry, a measure which contributed greatly to the value of the fishery. The training of warm-water fish culturists continued at the Marion (Alabama) station, and improved techniques in the control of pond weeds, fertilization, and management of rearing ponds formed part of the training program at this station.
The program of lamprey eradication in the Great Lakes is expected to make possible the restoration of the lake trout fishing through a concerted restocking effort on the part of the States, the Federal Government, and Canada. The Fish and Wildlife Service propagates lake trout at two hatcheries now, and additional facilities will be made available for rearing this species when the restocking program is fully effected.
The Branch of Game-Fish and Hatcheries has continued to employ a small staff of fishery-management biologists. The objective has been to improve fishing through the application of management techniques. Through extension-type services, these biologists have provided fishery-management guidance to numerous public agencies. The improvement of hatchery operations and fish-distribution programs has been a staff function of the biologists; their principal effort, however, has been directed toward planning and guiding cooperative fishery-development programs for waters on Federal-con-trolled areas. Fishery-management assistance to Federal areas—primarily Defense installations, Veterans’ Administration hospitals, national forests, Indian reservations, and wildlife refuges—has been a notably popular and successful venture. Currently more than 200 Federal installations are being assisted.
Demands for hatchery fish continue to exceed the productive capacity of State and Federal hatchery systems. Hatchery production is undergoing changes to meet the requirements imposed by continuously growing sport-fishermen pressure, construction of farm and ranch ponds and great reservoirs, and development of new cooperative management areas and fishery-management techniques. To some extent, these changes are reflected in data on production and distribution, summarized in the attached tabulations.
304	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 1.—Fishes and fish eggs distributed: Calendar year 1954
Species	Eggs (number)	Fry (number)	Fingerlings		Fish 6 inches or larger		Total weight fingerlings and larger	Total number fish and fish eggs
			Number	Weight	Number	Weight		
				Paunds		Pounds	Pounds	
Largemouth bass 				374, 500 522, 000	11, 328,090 204, 220	24, 752 700	15,190	2,274	27, 026 700	11, 717, 780 726 220
Smallmouth bass										
Bluegill1			 -			12, 881, 340 1, 793,320 50	30. 822	8,570 40	1,381	32, 203	12, 889, 910 1, 793, 360 550
Redear sunfish. . _ _				4, 436 5		17	4,453 240	
Black crappie. 							500	235		
Channel catfish..			315, 000	600, 200 260, 680	3,686 462	8, 470	786	4,472 462	923, 670 260, 680
Bullhead 	 									
Walleye . _ 	..		2, 520, 000 7, 781, 920	1, 065, 340 111, 430 523, 680 5, 764, 600 49, 940 16, 360 231, 630	1, 473 469	20	2	1, 475 506	3, 585, 360
Northern pike..	. .	2, 865, 000 860, 700 6, 358, 380				1,240 31, 280 2, 323, 500 34,150	37		10, 759. 590
Cutthroat trout	 .				7,230 62, 910		4,840 459, 652 2,853	12, 070 522, 562	1, 415. 660 14, 446, 480 84, 090 16. 360
Rainbow trout	.. ..								
Kamloops trout ..				2, 485 38			5, 338 38	
Beardslev trout	 _								
Steelhead trout						8, 383	48, 360	6,872 32	15, 255	279, 990 864,100 11,417,060 5, 328. 590 778, 800
Lake trout	..				863,100	8, 965	1,000 929, 720 459,100		8, 997 217,196 111, 451	
Brook trout	 ...	7,239, 500 2, 884, 730 428, 800 500, 800 556, 750	260, 000	2, 987, 840 1, 984, 760	34,208 13, 617		182, 988 97,834		
Brown trout.. ....								
Grayling 				350, 000 8, 527, 400 150, 940						
Chum salmon									9, 0' 8,200 1,856,920 4, 654, 940 983, 970
Coho salmon. _ 				1, 054, 720 3, 704. 840 983, 970	11, 936 20, 748 237	94, 510	6,444 1,214	18. 380	
Sockeye salmon		 _	913, 950				36,150		21, 962 237	
Kokanee		...								
Chinook salmon. ....	20, 360, 950	298, 520 87, 760	73, 564, 240 260, 750	364,147			364,147 4,570	94, 223, 710 351, 690
Atlantic salmon. _. _ _				4, 306	3,180	264		
								
Total	 . 		42, 969, 560	21,188, 040	120, 235,100	606, 015	3, 994, 980	767, 725	1, 373, 740	188, 387, 680
								
i Approximately 10 million bluegill, weighing 10,000 pounds, have been distributed but not recorded at the time of this report.
Table 2.—Land acquired or in process of acquisition for fish-cultural stations, fiscal year 1955
[In acres]
State and station	Acquired			Pending title conveyance
	By other than purchase	By purchase	Total	
Georgia: Warm Springs....
Nebraska: Crawford_______
Oregon: Eagle Creek______
Washington: Spring Creek
Total______________
600	2	602	6
RESEARCH IN FISHERY BIOLOGY
Coastal Fisheries
Using methods developed in its 5-year study of the Atlantic coast shad, the Service was able to predict Connecticut and Hudson River shad runs within 15 and 3 percent, respectively. Recommendations for regulations to conserve these fisheries have been made through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and catches and spawning escapements are both increasing. With this year’s investigation of the Edisto River in South Carolina, surveys of all the major Atlantic coast shad streams have been completed.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES
305
New fish facilities at Holyoke Dam on the Connecticut River have proved successful. After a century’s absence, shad in subtantial numbers this year reached their ancestral spawning grounds above the dam, with a total of almost 5,000 counted through. Design of the fishways was a cooperative enterprise of the Service and the Holyoke Water Power Co.
The Service has continued to act as coordinator of the Atlantic coast cooperative striped bass program, in which 10 States now participate. Greatest progress has been in identifying stocks of the fish; current work covers continuation of stock identification, plus studies of spawning, migrations, and life history.
To find the reason for poor survival of Atlantic salmon in recent years, biologists are making a thorough study of environment in the Sheepscot River and its estuary in Maine. It has been found that the river exerts but slight influence on its lower estuary, indicating the importance of marine climate to estuarial survival of Atlantic salmon.
A new method of evaluating brood size has been developed to improve forecasts of Alaska pink salmon abundance: The young salmon, newly migrated to salt water from their natal streams, are enumerated as seen in the many fish traps along the shores. This method should prove much more accurate than the counts at stream mouths formerly used, since much of the widely fluctuating marine mortality has already occurred by the time salmon are big enough to be found in traps.
Encouraging results have been obtained from the experimental fertilization of a small lake (Bare Lake) on Kodiak Island, Alaska, to increase red salmon production. The 1955 downstream migration of young red salmon was the largest on record, and the fish were longer and heavier than those of previous years.
Activities related to the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission have extended the investigation of the marine life of the salmon. Five research vessels (John N. Cobb, Paragon, Mitof, Memento, and Starling) operated by the Service, by charter, and by contract to the University of Washington, are covering thousands of square miles of North Pacific Ocean in the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska mainland, in a study of distribution, abundance, and identity of oceanic stocks. Samples for comparison with high-seas fish are being taken along the coast from the Aleutian Islands to the Columbia River.
In the Columbia River, electrical means of guiding salmon safely over dams are being further developed. The first crude field-scale models of electrode arrays are being refined to increase the precentage of fish guided and to decrease mortality. Electrical devices to kill predatory fish, or to keep them out of critical areas (like hatchery
306	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
release points) have been proved feasible and are being further developed.
At Bonneville Dam a research facility to solve salmon fishway design problems is being built in cooperation with the United States Army, Corps of Engineers. This structure will provide a flume 24 feet wide, 24 feet deep, and 104 feet long, for the solution of biological problems of fish passage through full-scale fishway models.
Shellfisheries
Clam investigators in New England continued to apply major effort to the problem of the predatory green crab, cause of the decline in soft-clam production. On the advice of biologists, towns in Massachusetts and New Hampshire built clam fences this year.
Studies of hard clams (quahaugs) in Rhode Island showed a decline in abundance last year, and efforts are being made to find the cause.
Oyster investigations in the New England, Chesapeake Bay, and Gulf of Mexico areas continued to supply needed information to growers. With funds available under the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act, new studies of oyster predators were started to develop techniques of eradication or control. Part of this work is being carried out by contract with universities and State fishery agencies.
Inland Fisheries
The Great Lakes Fisheries Convention was ratified by the United States and Canada in June 1955, and the Commission may be operating within the next year.
Control structures operated up to June 30, 1955, indicate that the adult sea lamprey population in Lake Superior has more than doubled since 1954. Abundance in Lakes Huron and Michigan continued to be high.
In a 4-year search for methods to control the sea lamprey in the Great Lakes, electrical and mechanical devices have been developed that are economical and effective in blocking spawning runs of adult lampreys.
In search for chemicals lethal to larval lampreys but innocuous to fishes, about 5,000 compounds have been tested and 8 show promise. Their toxicity is under study to determine their margin of safety to aquatic animals; field tests will follow.
The research vessel Cisco completed fishery-limnological surveys of southern Lake Michigan in November 1954, and began a similar program in northern Lake Michigan in May 1955. These surveys permit a comparison of the present stocks of fishes and the present
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	307
ecological structure with those of 1930-31 when the last survey was conducted. The lake trout is nearing extinction in Lake Michigan. Only 7 lake trout were taken in iy2 million linear feet of gill net in April and May of 1955; in 1930-31, 16,200 were taken in the same amount of net. The commercial chub catch increased from about 2 million pounds in the early 1940’s to 11 million in 1953.
The probable source of the virus infection of blueback salmon that caused serious losses in hatcheries the last few years was the viscera used in the diet. The viscera were eliminated from the diet in the 1955 rearing season and no virus disease appeared. Experiments are under way to make viscera usable as a cheap hatchery food.
Studies on bacterial diseases of fishes are being continued by Service microbiologists and histopathologists. Several diseases havo been identified; new methods of treatment are being tried, and several new drugs appear promising. Search for disease-resistant strains of trout is under way at Leetown, W. Va.
The Service is continuing the fishery research on Yellowstone Lake, in Yellowstone National Park, one of the most productive lakes in the United States, famous for its wonderful black-spotted trout (cutthroat) fishing. For several years the average catch per angler and the average size of the fish became progressively smaller. This decline accompanied increase in the number of park visitors, with consequent increase in fishing pressure. More than 200,000 people fish the lake each year; in addition, large native populations of pelicans, ospreys, cormorants, bear, otter, etc., feed largely on fishes of Yellowstone Lake.
Studies begun in 1950 have revealed that the trout population is composed of a number of separate races, each of which spawns in a particular stream. Depletion falls heaviest on a few races because anglers have concentrated at two points on the lake. Exeprimental regulations were placed in effect, shortening the fishing season and lowering the creel limit. In addition, trout eggs and fry were no longer collected at the lake for shipment to nearby States; instead, all fish were allowed to spawn naturally.
Several years’ study will be required to measure how much the regulations affect abundance. Early results indicate that the decline has stopped. Studies will also be undertaken to determine the factors that make Yellowstone Lake extremely productive; if these can be determined, it may be possible to improve the productivity of other bodies of water.
Marine Fisheries
The regulation requiring a minimum mesh of 4% inches in the cod ends of otter trawls fishing for haddock on New England banks has proved highly successful. Large-mesh nets are releasing baby had-
364841—56---23
308	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
dock precisely as had been predicted on the basis of experiments by the Woods Hole, Mass., laboratory. Furthermore, they have proved so efficient in capturing larger sizes of fish that they have found wide acceptance in the fishing industry. The International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries at its 1955 annual meeting recommended extending regulation of mesh size to Nova Scotian and Newfoundland banks. The 1952-year class of haddock has proved to be highly successful, and 3-year-old haddock are now abundant on Georges Bank. This year class will provide an excellent opportunity to test the conservation benefits of the 4V2-inch mesh, since large numbers of this group should have escaped capture during the 1954 season.
With funds provided under the Saltonstall-Kennedy Act, research was begun on Atlantic herring, yellowtail flounder, whiting, and sea scallop; research on ocean perch (redfish) was expanded. Initial studies have shown that small whiting will escape unharmed through meshes of a cod end of trawl nets; conservation of this species will be possible through the use of nets with the proper mesh.
Atlantic-coast menhaden studies were commenced under the Saltonstall-Kennedy program. The menhaden is the object of the largest fishery in America. Biologists have been stationed at the main fishing centers to obtain information necessary for determining the success of annual broods. First results from surveys indicate that menhaden are shore-bound fish which require the environment of the bays and inshore waters along the Atlantic coast.
Two years of cruises along the South Atlantic coast by the research vessel Theodore N. Gill were concluded in December 1954, and this vessel was transferred to Maine for herring investigations. Analysis of data on numbers of fish eggs and larvae indicates that the most productive areas south of Cape Hatteras are on the inner shelf adjacent to mouths of rivers.
Studies of the red tide along the west coast of Florida were continued. Field surveys revealed the presence of Gymnodinium brevis, the red tide organism, in low numbers through the winter of 1954-55. Experiments show that copper in concentrations of .05 parts per million is lethal to G. Brevis and is the best known control chemical now available. Experiments in the laboratory, where G. Brevis is now maintained in culture, show that a delicate balance between sulfur compounds and copper may be the key to red-tide outbreaks in Florida waters.
Shrimp research in the Gulf of Mexico has been expanded through the Saltonstall-Kennedy program. Initial studies on shrimp tagging and a study of shrimp anatomy are under way by contract with two Gulf universities.
Analysis of data collected by the research vessel Alaska on cruises in the Gulf of Mexico indicates that carbohydrates are sometimes more
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 309
concentrated below 200 meters than at the surface, and that photosynthetic activity probably takes places at those dark depths; this suggests that an abundance of fish might occur there.
A change of sea conditions caused the Pacific sardine to spawn in greater numbers off California than in several years. About 230,000 tons of fish (2.3 billion individuals) were off southern California during the 1954 spawning season. The increased abundance resumes a pattern that had been interrupted for at least 2 years.
Anchovy larvae were more abundant in waters of California and Mexico in 1954 than in earlier years. The 1953 and 1954 year classes of anchovy appear to be partially successful. Pacific mackerel larvae were in southern California waters in greater numbers than in recent years and the partial return of this species parallels that of the sardine.
A census of the California gray whale was taken from Point Loma and La Jolla, Calif., as the whales passed southward to Baja California lagoons to calve and breed. The estimate was 4,500 whales.
Records of Japanese fisheries operations and the Pacific oceanic fishery investigations fishing show that when fishing is poor at the longitude of Christmas Island, better fishing is to be had to the east or west. This suggests that Central Pacific yellowfin tuna stocks move about in response to changes in the environment. On the average, the vicinity of Christmas Island supports the densest population of yellowfin. The average distribution of yellowfin has been found to agree with distribution of animal plankton.
Studies of the identity of tuna stocks of various parts of the Pacific suggest that along the equator yellowfin are relatively nonmigratory. This is an important factor in determining effects of fishing on Pacific tuna stocks.
Initial surveys of the albacore of the North Pacific, started under the Saltonstall-Kennedy program, have been completed. In the fall of 1954, large numbers of small to medium sized albacore were found associated with the transition between the sub-Arctic and North Pacific waters. Albacore were found in considerable numbers in the area between 180° and 160° W. and 30° to 37° N. during the winter and spring months although they were not in sufficient abundance to support an American commercial fishery.
MANAGEMENT OF WILDLIFE
Again this year the game-management program of the Service emphasized cooperation with the States. This coordinated effort involved both the technical phases aimed at better understanding of
310	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
the biology of migratory birds, and public relations and public education to strengthen support of the regulatory program.
This year 17 States participated in an enlarged waterfowl-banding program in Canada; this compared with 11 States last year. Banding is essential to a clear understanding of the migration patterns of waterfowl, and information from banding will soon permit more definitive regulations. The extremely favorable water conditions in Canada, which permitted a bumper crop of birds, lessened the opportunities for a thoroughly effective trapping and banding program; but a great deal was accomplished, particularly in the Maritime areas where for the first time a sizable banding program was initiated.
Our cooperative ties with the States were strengthened by a series of May and June meetings of technical and administrative personnel in all 48 States as they are represented in the Flyway organizations. In these meetings across the country the regulatory program of the Service was reviewed well in advance of the August meeting at which regulatory revisions for the current year are proposed.
During the year, 207 cases involving violations of the Alaska game law were concluded, in addition to 5 cases involving the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and 2 of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act which were disposed of in Alaska. Fines aggregated $18,412 (of which $2,403 were suspended) ; jail sentences totaled 1,862 days (of which 1,802 days were suspended). Seizures included 43 firearms, 73 traps and snares, 16 game birds, 254 fishes, 80 game animals, 36 skins of fur-bearing animals, 2 shotguns, 1 net, 1 ax, and 1 knife, and 68 hunting and fishing licenses.
In addition to the violation cases concluded in Federal courts, United States game management agents (acting as deputy State game wardens) individually, or in cooperation with State game law enforcement officers, assisted in the apprehension and conviction in State courts of 5,485 persons charged with violations of State game and fish laws, resulting in imposition of fines and costs aggregating $148,345.66. Of these cases, 2,971 involved the unlawful taking of migratory birds and interstate shipments of game animals and fish which were subject to prosecution in Federal courts under applicable Federal laws.
Game management agents of the Service continued to cooperate extensively with law-enforcement officers of other Federal agencies and State agencies in fish and game resource conservation. An example of this type of cooperation is the assistance by a Service agent to rangers of the National Park Service in the apprehension and prosecution of 8 individuals for taking overlimits of trout in Yellowstone National Park, resulting in fines aggregating $270. In Louisiana a Service agent, with State law-enforcement officers, assisted the United
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 311
States Forest Service in apprehending 5 individuals and obtaining conviction in Federal court for hunting and possessing deer on a Forest Service game management preserve during closed season. Fines and sentences aggregated $600 and 300 days in jail (of which 180 days were suspended), and 15 years’ probation. In other actions, 18 persons were apprehended for transporting firearms within the preserve; 9 were convicted in Federal court, resulting in fines aggregating $900, suspended jail sentences totaling 540 days, and 45 years’ probation. Of the rest of these cases, 8 were declined prosecution by the United States attorney because of extenuating circumstances and 1 case was pending at the end of the fiscal year.
A Service agent cooperated with officials of the Bureau of Customs at Miami, Fla., in the recovery of 44 spotted-breasted orioles which had been allowed entry without realizing that they were one of the numerous species protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These birds had been shipped from Nicaragua and were intended for the caged-bird traffic. No action was taken against the importer since he apparently had acted in good faith and had been misled through misrepresentations by the exporter. The birds were repossessed and donated to a municipal zoo.
At the end of the fiscal year the following most common migratory-bird permits were in effect: Propagating 3,414; scientific collecting, 1,641; bird banding, 3,588. Individual actions involving the issuance of new permits, renewals, cancellations, revocations, and amendments in connection with these permits and others, excluding bird-banding permits, totaled 3,492.
During calendar year 1954, 10,223 ducks and 1,762 geese were sold by permittees for propagating purposes; 14,252 ducks and 575 geese were sold for food; and 16,534 ducks and 777 geese were liberated. On December 31, 1954, migratory waterfowl involving a total of 50,498 of all species were being held in captivity for propagating purposes. Reports from permittees revealed that 724 wild doves and 83 bandtailed pigeons were being held for experimental breeding purposes. For scientific puropses, 17,318 migratory birds, 18 sets of eggs, and 2,275 eggs not in sets were collected. Although permittees are allowed to collect specimens of migratory birds and their eggs for scientific purposes, the permits require that all specimens which can be preserved shall ultimately be donated to a scientific or educational institution.
Under regulations pursuant to paragraph 1518 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the act of July 17,1952 (66 Stat. 755,19 U. S. C. sec. 1001, par. 1518), 18 permits were issued to authorize the entry, under quota, of skins bearing feathers of certain species of foreign wild birds. Imports were as follows: Pheasant skins, 4,000; gray
312	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
jungle fowl skins, 2,470; mandarin duck skins, 101. The skins of gray jungle fowl and mandarin ducks were for use in the manufacture of artificial flies for fishing while the pheasant plumage lawfully may be used for millinery as well as for fishing flies.
Table 3.—Cases disposed of in Federal Courts (exclusive of Alaska) involving violations of wildlife conservation laws administered by the Fish and 'Wildlife Service, fiscal year 1955
	Pending July 1,	New	Pending June 30,	Terminated	Fines and	Jail sentences	Probation
	1954	cases	1955		costs	(days)	(days)
Migratory Bird Treaty Act		127	1,093	266	i 954	$50,909	1,649	18,250
Migratory Bird Conservation					760		7,665
Act		21	41	13	2 49		420	
Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp					1,240	360	12, 775
Act		11	32	8	35			
Lacey Act		 Black Bass Act			3 2	—	1	2 2	2,000 1,600	60	730
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries					430		
Act		8	2	5	5			
Halibut Act		1	2		3	650		
Upper Mississippi River Wild							
Life and Fish Refuge Act			3		3	75		
Assault Act			9	5	3 4			
Total				173	1,182	298	1,057	< 57,664	3 2,489	3 39, 420
i Of the 954 cases involving violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act terminated m Federal courts during the fiscal year, 765 represent convictions resulting in fines, costs, and jail sentences as reflected under the appropriate column headings, 2 were closed because of the deaths of the defendants, 25 defendants were adjudged not guilty, 41 were dismissed, 8 were disposed of without prosecution following a warning by the United States attorneys, and 113 were closed without prosecution because of insufficient evidence or extenuating circumstances which warranted withholding of prosecution.
2	Of the 49 Migratory Bird Conservation Act cases terminated, 24 represent convictions resulting in fines, costs, and jail sentences as reflected in the appropriate column headings, 2 defendants were adjudged not guilty, 17 cases were closed without prosecution because of insufficient evidence, and 6 cases were nol prossed.
3	These cases were closed without prosecution because of insufficient evidence.
i Includes $425 suspended.
5	Includes 2,133 days suspended.
6	Includes 365 days suspended.
WILDLIFE RESEARCH
Wildlife research is of necessity a continuing program. New useful facts are still to be learned about all species; old ideas need constant reappraisal to assure continued effectiveness under changes brought about by a rapidly increasing human population. Superficially, studies of the same species year after year may seem repetitious ; actually, promising leads for investigation are seldom wanting, so diverse are the contacts of wildlife with human activities.
Public land-management agencies are seldom free of wildlife problems that, according to interagency cooperative agreements, should have the attention of Service research biologists. In the Pacific Northwest, direct seeding of Douglas-fir and other conifers offers the main hope for perpetuating great forest industries, but woods mice and other small rodents, by eating the seeds, are blocking reforestation. In the search for a satisfactory repellent, hundreds of chemicals have been tested, and more than 40 research scientists in almost as many organizations contributed valuable tree seed, experimental chemicals,
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	313
manpower, equipment, and even funds, to support the project centered at the Wildlife Research Laboratory in Denver. In Oregon a population of deer mice is being studied intensively in a logged, burned, and poisoned Douglas-fir area to determine the effectiveness of control measures.
Direct seeding is similarly important in southern pine forests from Virginia to Florida and east Texas, but here birds migrating into the area in large numbers and eating newly planted seeds have caused many failures. For the past 3 seasons Service biologists have cooperated with foresters of the Southern Forest Experiment Station to study bird repellents. During the unfavorable 1954-55 longleaf-pine planting season in central Louisiana, each of 3 chemical treatments protected seedlings in direct-seeded plots while untreated plots were severely damaged by birds.
Repellents to reduce blackbird depredation in rice, corn, and other crops are being investigated, but for the present the use of frightening devices and a change in plant varieties or planting time have given most relief. The rope firecracker in particular has often provided economical protection. Wholesale blackbird reduction advocated by some whose crops are damaged is impracticable because of the tremendous range and numbers of the various blackbird species. Local reductions may prove feasible if data now being accumulated show depredations to be mainly from resident flocks.
Repellents that will keep rabbits, deer, rodents, and other wildlife from damaging not only direct seedings but forest plantations, orchards, shelterbelt plantings, and agricultural crops are important alike to farmers, foresters, and wildlife managers. Recent laboratory and field tests demonstrated the value of several new compounds. Field tests in the Northwest showed 30 to 87 percent of untreated Douglas-fir seedlings were damaged. Similar success was achieved in the Plains States with Chinese elm and other tree and shrub species used in game-cover and shelterbelt plantings. Although these tests give cause for optimism in some cases, in others, costs of application may be prohibitive. In Montana, reforestation difficulties center around the preference of deer, squirrels, mice, hares, and other animals for ponderosa pine over less valuable tree species. By eating seeds, cutting cones, nipping seedlings, and in other ways, these animals can prevent pine predominance in timber stands, thereby causing serious economic loss. In the Lake States, similar problems occur; in the Northwest, bears girdle maturing Douglas-fir trees; countrywide, porcupines are the bane of foresters. In extensive areas, repellents seem to have little to offer. On the other hand rodent repellent treatments for packaged goods, a subject of tremendous interest to food producers and handlers, show promise. Commercially
314	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
prepared boxes have been made for field evaluation, and some of the compounds have been incorporated in electrical insulation, plastics, and fabrics, a program being supported by the Quartermaster Corps.
Insecticides are used at the rate of some million tons a year, and some of them affect wildlife adversely. Tests at the Patuxent Research Refuge showed that although ill effects were not apparent from feeding small, nonlethal doses of DDT to quail for a period of several weeks, reproduction was markedly reduced and chicks from these test birds failed to survive even though fed no DDT. In a different phase of the insecticide story, mosquitoes are exhibiting a growing resistance to DDT and related insecticides and consequently are giving impetus to the drainage of wetlands as a control measure; this in turn conflicts with waterfowl-conservation efforts. Cooperative studies with the Department of Agriculture and several State agencies are under way to gather biological information as the first step in resolving such conflicts.
Loss of waterfowl breeding and nesting grounds makes imperative the improvement in quality and productivity of remaining marshes. Waterfowl habitat research has been concentrated on (1) controlling weedy marsh plants, and (2) managing water supplies better. Small-scale tests with new herbicides and adjusted water levels have shown methods by which cattails, reeds, and needlerush may be controlled. These methods applied on a large marsh in Delaware have helped to convert it into one of the most attractive areas for waterfowl on the north Atlantic coast, and similar demonstrations are being arranged elsewhere through State cooperation.
Of particular interest in marsh management is the nutria {Myocastor coy pus}, a large rodent imported from South America for its potential value as a fur bearer. A cooperative study with the Louisiana Wild Life and Fisheries Commission provides information about molting and priming of the fur, relationships to muskrats and other marsh dwellers, and effects on marsh vegetation.
Other fur-animal investigations have dealt mainly with sea otters and fur seals, particularly the food habits of these animals as they relate to commercial fisheries. Canadian, Japanese, and United States representatives at a meeting in Tokyo in November 1954 completed a joint report of the investigations made in 1952 in the North Pacific of the distribution and food habits of fur seals. In 1954, on the Pribilof kill fields, where chances of taking stomachs containing food were less than one in a thousand, 27 were obtained. The contents, 94 percent of which was the sandfish Trichodor^ contained no commercial fish species except 2 small cod. In June 1955, a study was begun of the pelagic feeding habits of the seals with particular reference to the salmon gill-net fishery.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-	315
Mortality of fur-seal pups from hookworm is appalling, amounting in 1954 to nearly double the 63,882 animals taken for pelts. To reduce this loss a soil treatment to kill hookworm larvae is being sought. A 5.5-acre test of creosol and cresylic acid compounds decreased the number of larvae, but pup mortality was not appreciably reduced. A smaller test of 3 borax compounds was made, but effectiveness will not be known until the summer of 1955.
Under current policy the number of bull seals spared appears adequate to maintain a high ratio of pregnancy among sexually mature females. Even so, a study of the age and reproductive condition of 607 females from rookeries and 625 from hauling grounds showed that about 20 percent of the females bear their first pup in their sixth year.
A project to reestablish sea otters in former habitat made doubtful progress when 19 survivors out of 28 captured on Amchitka were released at Otter Island in the Pribilofs on April 9, 1955. Of these, 3 succumbed in the ice-packed waters. The fate of the remaining 16 should be known this summer.
Addition of a permanent investigator and several seasonal assistants gave impetus to avian botulism research, at Bear River in Utah and Tule Lake in Oregon. No major outbreaks occurred in 1954, but studies of hospitalization practices, limnobiology, and detection of toxic areas, as well as bacteriological tests of Clostridium, botulinum, type C, continued in cooperation with the Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Public Health Service. Continued research on Canada geese at Pea Island Refuge revealed that the gizzard worm is a serious hazard to their survival there. Infective larvae of this parasite have been identified, and their period of development into an adult state in goslings has been found to be as short as 14 days. Infections of gizzard worms and flukes, which were thought to take place only on breeding grounds, were found to occur at the refuge during the winter. At Patuxent Research Refuge, where Trichomonas gallinae infections in mourning doves have been higher than in previous years, the susceptibility of native birds other than doves to this parasite is being tested.
Bird banding is yielding more and better information essential to the realistic management of important migratory game birds. About 176,000 birds were banded during the year, with special attention to migration of the mallard and mourning dove. Research continued on the effects of hunting and other depletion factors on dove populations. To learn more about the habitat necessary to support breeding and wintering waterfowl, intensive studies of environment and food supply were conducted in the Chesapeake Bay area. A technique of censusing woodcock by recording the calling males under measured and uniform conditions in sample areas is being tested in cooperation
316	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
with 238 State and university biologists in 16 States and 3 Canadian Provinces. A method of measuring fluctuations in Wilson Snipe populations also is being studied.
An important accomplishment in wildlife literature was the issuance of Wildlife Abstracts, 1935-51, a 435-page book which annotates publications abstracted in Wildlife Review, Nos. 1 through 66. As the only compendium of the kind in the wildlife field, it should prove helpful to all organizations and individuals concerned with wildlife management and conservation.
The Cooperative Wildlife Research Units, which the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wildlife Management Institute, land-grant colleges, and conservation departments of 16 States and Alaska operate as partners, continued their program of research, training, and conservation education.
During the 1953-54 school year, 202 wildlife students, including 71 with advanced degrees, were graduated. More than a fourth went into military service; 15 percent returned to school for further training; others obtained positions with State and Federal conservation agencies or educational institutions. Since the units were established, more than 2,200 wildlife majors have been graduated from the unit schools, and many have advanced to key positions in the field.
Research was conducted by unit personnel on waterfowl, fur and game animals, habitat improvement, and many other phases of wildlife management. Results of completed projects were summarized in 129 publications which received wide distribution. These, together with lectures, radio and TV broadcasts, and hundreds of letters written in reply to requests for wildlife information, provided facts useful both to wildlife technicians and the public.
MAINTAINING THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES
Although there has been little in the way of direct appropriations for acquisition and development of new refuge areas since 1940, the Service has continued to make some progress in expanding the refuge system, largely through the use of suitable areas acquired by other Government agencies for other public purposes.
In the past, refuges were superimposed on 23 reservoir projects of the Bureau of Reclamation, 5 projects of the Corps of Engineers, 2 of the Tennessee Valley Authority, 2 of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1 of the State of Tennessee, and 1 of the South Carolina Public Service Authority. Recently, the 204,000-acre Stillwater National Wildlife Management Area was established in Nevada on lands of the Truckee-Carson irrigation district, while the 141,000-acre Loxahat-chee National Wildlife Management Area was created on lands con
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 317
trolled in part by the central and south Florida flood control district. During this fiscal year, the 10,800-acre Kirwin National Wildlife Management Area in Phillips County, west-central Kansas, was established on a Bureau of Reclamation impoundment. This is the first Federal refuge in that State. The Kirwin Management Area is strategically located in the Central flyway, lying between the refuge areas of western Nebraska and the famous Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge of north-central Oklahoma. Both ducks and geese will utilize the area, although management for geese will be of primary importance because of the critical habitat situation for these birds in the Central flyway. It is expected that the Kirwin vicinity will become one of the best waterfowl shooting sections of Kansas. Under the provisions of a cooperative agreement signed last year, the Service assumes responsibility for the development of the recreational aspects of the area. Access roads, parking facilities, and picnic areas with tables, fireplaces, and comfort stations will be provided. Permits will be granted for boat rental and sale of bait to fishermen. Camping and trailer parking will be permitted.
A smaller refuge, in a critical area where land prices prohibited acquisition, was received as a gift to the Government. Mrs. Elizabeth Alexandra Morton Tilton of Southampton, N. Y., donated 112 acres of land at the eastern end of Long Island for establishment of a national wildlife refuge. A sandspit connects the refuge with the Long Island mainland. The property faces richly vegetated shoal waters which serve as an excellent feeding area for waterfowl.
Some land was purchased with Duck Stamp funds for two new refuges. An initial tract of 1,440 acres was secured in Stafford and Rice Counties, Kans., for the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. In LaSalle Parish, La., 5,199 acres at the northeast end of Catahoula Lake will form the foundation of the Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge.
During the past 15 years this Service has been negotiating with the Corps of Engineers for the transfer of jurisdiction over wildlife on lands acquired by the corps within the limits of the Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge. This area, extending for 284 miles along the river from Wabasha, Minn., to Rock Island, Ill., contains 197,444 acres in four States, and was established by act of Congress on June 7,1924. Because of the extent of the area to be included, the limited funds appropriated for acquisition were expended only for tracts that owners were willing to sell. When the Corps of Engineers was authorized to establish the navigation project, the Service had purchased a number of scattered holdings along the river. Few of these were sufficiently consolidated to be satisfactorily managed for waterfowl. By agreement with the Corps of Engineers, the Service discontinued acquisition of lands with the understanding that the
318	4- ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
remaining lands to be acquired would eventually be made available to the Service for wildlife purposes, in return for which Service lands would be available to the corps for navigation purposes.
Inasmuch as it would have been economically infeasible and unnecessary to prohibit hunting on the acquired lands within the exterior boundaries of the Upper Mississippi Refuge, public hunting was allowed except in areas where there were sufficiently large blocks of land to serve as closed areas. Some of these units were selected wholly on the basis of size, regardless of their suitability for waterfowl management, and have so existed for many years. It was only recently that these negotiations were consummated and that the Fish and Wildlife Service has been in a position to select the better areas for intensive waterfowl management.
The Service is farming 98,925 acres to raise food for the hordes of ducks and geese that frequent the refuges. At certain times of the year about one-half of the continent’s waterfowl population is dependent on these areas. During one period in December 1954, a total of 850,000 geese and 2,845,000 ducks were concentrated on three national wildlife refuges, one State refuge, and several hunting-club areas in the Sacramento Valley of California. To feed these birds and guard against their damaging adjacent ricefields, Service personnel in 1954 planted 2,441 acres of rice, millet, and barley, which produced over 100,000 bushels, on Sacramento, Colusa, and Sutter National Wildlife Refuges.
In addition to this vital function, the national wildlife refuges are a haven for picnickers, hunters, fishermen, photographers, and bird watchers. More than 5 million persons visited the refuges in 1954. Parts of 32 waterfowl refuges, with 527,207 acres, were open to shooting that year. Some of these were large areas like Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges in northern California, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah, and Upper Mississippi River Wild Life and Fish Refuge. In addition, 34 refuges with 2,100,-000 acres were open for big-game and upland-game hunting. Bow-and-arrow hunting is gaining in popularity and was permitted on 10 refuges. The first archery season on wild turkey occurred on Bulls Island, within the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina, last year.
Water fowl for tomorrow and continued opportunities for hunting them present a real problem. There were 25 percent more duck hunters during the past 5 years than during the 5 years preceding. If the duck populations hold out and if places to hunt remain available, provision will have to be made for 4 million duck hunters by 1975, or almost twice the present number. There are two great destructive forces now besetting the waterfowl resources—on the one hand the
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 319 number of hunters and on the other the accelerated destruction of waterfowl habitat in public and private ownership. Waterfowl habitat is being destroyed faster than conservation agencies can restore it. The most effective method found for combating habitat loss is increased use of suitable lands on refuges for intensive crop production to feed ducks and geese. Other benefits to existing habitat are being secured through the eradication of pest plants, such as cattail, saltcedar, and noxious weeds. This work entails the use of aircraft for spraying and reseeding, power and hand spraying rigs of various types, and mechanical equipment for cutting or removing noxious plants. Loss of habitat through fire continues as a problem and reached disastrous proportions early in 1955 on the 329,110-acre Oke-fenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southern Georgia. A 3-year drought created an extremely serious condition in the swamp. In 1954, loss of 42,516 acres of timber resulted from 11 fires, 10 of them caused by lightning. Fires this year burned over 65 percent of the swamp with varying degrees of intensity. The policy, followed by the Service since acquisition of the area in 1937, of maintaining the swamp in a completely hands-off and natural condition, must now be relinquished to provide higher water levels. A much more effective fire-control organization, embracing the refuge and surrounding land, is now being organized.
The national wildlife refuges are constantly threatened by encroachments of various kinds. One group or another wants to take over or use the refuges for some kind of special or selfish interest. Expansion of military establishments has involved several refuges. A military public works bill included authorization for expansion of Fort Sill by transferring 10,700 acres of the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma. This area includes several lakes and one of the most intensively used recreational sections of the refuge. In 1954, more than 850,000 persons visited Wichita Refuge.
Military use on several other areas has been worked out under memorandums of understanding, with little damage to the refuges or disturbance to wildlife.
320	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Table 4.—Land acquired or in process of acquisition for wildlife conservation purposes under the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, by exchange, and by other acts of Congress, fiscal year 1955
[In acres]
State and refuge	Acquired			Pending title conveyance
	By other than purchase	Ry purchase	Total	
California:				3
				118
				1,157
Florida:		16,887	16,887	
		1,327	1,327	
		18 100	18 100	—
	280	243 59	243 339	80
				1,440 250
				
				5,199
				1
	2,482		2, 482	
		2,961	2, 961	94
Minnesota:		136	136	160
				404
	1,934		1,934	603
		14	14	
Montana:	43 1	—	43 1	—
				48
New York:	112	—	112	8
North Dakota:		490	490	
		492 80	492	1,333
Oregon:	280		280	
		2,686	2,686	1, 670
South Carolina:				51
				72
				5
		2, 278	2,278	970
Texas. Lacuna Atascosa						750
				25
Washington:_		185 5 60 97	185 5	41
Wisconsin:			60 151	—
	5,266	28,118	33,384	14,482
	1					
Table 4.__Acres of public domain reserved for wildlife conservation purposes
and administered by the States
State and unit
Arizona: Gila River--------
Colorado: South Platte River. Idaho: North Lake----------
Utah: Topaz Lake-----------
Washington: Colockum-------
Total-------------——
Acres
6,896
120
2, 392
3, 662
3,695
16, 765
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 321
FEDERAL AID TO STATES FOR THE RESTORATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
Wildlife Restoration
For the 17th consecutive year, the cooperative wildlife restoration program continued to pay a key role in the Nation’s wildlife conservation efforts. Financial support for the program, from the excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition, amounted to $10,266,257, a decrease of 15 percent from last year. Federal funds carried over enabled the net obligation by the States and Territories of $11,153,472 in 706 projects. Improvement of wildlife habitat continued to be the principal interest. Studies to gather additiorfal knowledge of wildlife management received substantial attention, as did acquisition of wildlife areas, maintenance of completed projects, and coordination of programs at the State level.
Reflecting the increasing interest in waterfowl restoration, every State undertook development of waterfowl areas last year to create nesting, feeding, or resting areas. Eight States performed construction work to create small marshes for ducks, while others worked on areas ranging up to 18,000 acres. Nineteen States, using captive goose flocks, are engaged in establishing or reestablishing goose concentrations where feeding and resting areas have been developed for these birds. Eleven States combined fisheries and wildlife restoration funds to create impoundments that will benefit both fish and waterfowl.
Habitat improvements for farmland wildlife such as rabbits, quail, and pheasants were carried out on private lands through cooperative agreements in 36 States. The trend toward quality rather than quantity continued. Manipulation of the habitat in forested areas increased deer browse and furnished herbaceous food in scattered patches, together with openings for grouse and turkeys. Activities included selective logging on private and public forests, reseeding browse and forage plants, fencing, and construction of access roads and trails.
Trapping and transplanting efforts were concentrated mostly on moving deer and wild turkeys into suitable but vacant ranges in the South. The State of Oregon secured 20 of the rare California bighorn sheep from British Columbia in an effort to restore this subspecies. Thousands of wildlife watering devices have been installed in the arid States and Hawaii to overcome local moisture deficiencies. Six of these installations in Nevada were found to be watering a population of 2,800 Gambel’s quail where none had been present before.
During the year, 72,500 acres were purchased and 145,000 acres leased for wildlife purposes by 32 States. Primary emphasis was on
322	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
big-game ranges and management areas for forest and upland small game species. More than 8,800 acres were acquired in combination fish and wildlife projects.
Wildlife investigations were conducted in 45 States. Of those States, 38 emphasized collection of data on wildlife populations, production success, and harvest results to serve as the basis for annual hunting regulations. Waterfowl research stressed breeding-ground and winter populations surveys, migration studies, and hunter bag checks. Appraisals of the effectiveness of restoration activities for •waterfowl and upland forms received attention in 40 States.
Revegetation of big-game winter ranges, particularly in the West, has posed many problems. Eight States engaged in studies to speed up the conservation of useless brushlands and overbrowsed ranges to productive range lands. Much progress has been made as a result of these studies. For example, bitterbrush, an important source of food for big game on western ranges, can now be reseeded successfully as a result of seed treatment that ensures early germination.
The publication of results is imperative if the interested public, administrators, and wildlife managers are to profit from project findings. During the year, 389 articles, bulletins, and books were published on the results of Pittman-Robertson activities.
Fish Restoration
Funds for the Dingell-Johnson program, from the excise tax on sport-fishing tackle, permitted the apportionment of $4,532,800 to the States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Funds carried over from the preceding year enabled net obligations to reach $4,692,000, an increase of 30 percent over last year. The number of projects undertaken by the States showed a pronounced rise, from 301 to 372. For the first time in program history, physical development and habitat improvement projects exceeded research activities in the amount of funds obligated. Scientific investigations continued to occupy a prominent spot in the program, however, with nearly $2 million obligated for urgently needed fact-finding activities.
In fishery development, the creation of public fishing lakes continued to receive major attention. Construction was carried out on 28 areas where 3,250 acres of fishing waters will be impounded to expand presently inadequate fishing facilities. Elimination of undesirable fish populations by chemical treatment was conducted on 30 lakes by 13 States. Fishing of high quality will be assured following restocking in nearly 17,000 acres of lakes and 370 miles of stream. Access roads and other improvements to make waters available to fishermen were under construction in 16 States and Alaska.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 323
Stream-improvement and watershed-development projects were financed in 7 States. The activities included erosion control, such as streambank protection, gully stabilization, fencing and tree planting, channel development, removal of log and rock barriers, and construction of fishways.
Twenty-one States purchased land for public fishing lakes and for access by anglers. Nearly 2,700 acres were acquired and an additional 56,000 acres have been leased for fisheries projects. More than 8,800 acres have been bought for combination fish and wildlife projects.
Perhaps the most notable trend of research activities in the fisheries field was the widespread interest in testing partial population poisoning to perfect and evaluate it as a fish-management tool. The method consists in water treatment with a toxic chemical in such a dilution that only undesirable fish, like shad and stunted panfish, are affected. Improved growth by more desirable species and increased angling success have followed most applications of this technique.
Surveys to produce information on fish numbers, species, and growth rates, and on water conditions in lakes and streams continue to occupy a prominent place in the program. Reservoirs also are under examination because of their importance as public fishing waters and because management techniques must be devised to ensure maximum production from these waters if they are to absorb their proper share of the Nation’s sharply rising angling pressure.
A number of projects provided for detailed study of individual species of fish, mostly those that helped to give prominence to the fishing possibilities of an area but which subsequently declined in abundance. Creel censuses and fish population studies are under way, along with experiments* in fish culture and stocking. Marine problems are the concern of a growing list of fishery projects on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AND WILDLIFE NEEDS
Of 265 reports this year by the Service on water developments planned by Federal agencies or by other interests under Federal permit, 102 were on Corps of Engineers projects, 55 on Bureau of Reclamation, 14 on Department of Agriculture, 52 on power projects requiring license from the Federal Power Commission, and 42 were special and miscellaneous studies.
Two important agreements were completed during the fiscal year. The first of these, with the Corps of Engineers, is designed to promote conservation of fish and wildlife resources in the development of flood-control, navigation, and multiple-purpose projects. The second, with the Soil Conservation Service, sets procedures for encourag-
364841—56---24
324	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
ing the coordination of fish and wildlife conservation with soil and water conservation works carried out by local organizations with Federal assistance as provided by the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of August 4,1954.
In September 1954 the International Association of Game, Fish, and Conservation Comissioners, representing the 48 State fish and game departments, adopted a resolution requesting the Fish and Wildlife Service to arrange for a nationwide economic survey of hunting and sport-fishing activities. The Service contracted with Crossley, S-D Surveys, Inc., for a survey of hunting and fishing expenditures by sportsmen during 1955. This will be the first nationwide survey of this nature. The results will be published after completion of the survey in June 1956.
In line with the Coordination Act of 1946, plans were completed this year for the use of six reservoir areas for wildlife management. Lands have been made available to the State conservation departments at Garrison Reservoir and Lake Ashtabula in North Dakota, Willow Creek Reservoir in Colorado, Conemaugh Reservoir in Pennsylvania, Angostura Reservoir in South Dakota, and Cedar Bluff Reservoir in Kansas. In addition, a Federal refuge has been established at Kirwin Reservoir in Kansas, and one is planned for part of the Snake Creek arm of Garrison Reservoir. At Garrison, after extensive negotiations, the Corps of Engineers initiated development of wildlife habitat to compensate for part of that flooded by the reservoir.
The inventory of wetlands completed last year has been enhanced by a followup inventory of permanent water areas. Together, these surveys provide the most comprehensive summarization ever compiled of habitat available to waterfowl and. other wetlands wildlife. Individual State reports are available for limited distribution, and a national summary is being prepared for publication. These data provide the background for a nationwide wetlands habitat preservation program now under way. The program has been designed to discover conflicting interests in wetlands use and to determine how these may be reconciled and how the impact of land-use changes detrimental to wildlife may be reduced.
Other important actions relating to water developments include the start of construction by the Bureau of Reclamation of a fish hatchery at Nimbus Dam in California to compensate for the loss of salmon spawning beds, and passage of a law expanding purposes of the Central Valley project in California, to include use of project waters for fish and wildlife purposes. The joint Federal-State surveys of the Arkansas-White-Red Basins and the New England-New York area were completed, and special studies were begun on the relation of fish and wildlife to specific major power projects in Oregon, Wash
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES
325
ington, and Idaho. Other studies were pursued on fish and wildlife resources in certain Alaskan watersheds and in the Rogue River Basin of Oregon, and on the impact of dams on the striped-bass fishery of the Roanoke River in North Carolina. In connection with the proposed Garrison irrigation project in North Dakota, particular attention has been given to the protection of existing national wildlife refuges and to potential fish and wildlife developments.
CONTROLLING DAMAGE BY ANIMALS
The fiscal year 1955 was the 40th of Federal participation in organized predator and rodent control in cooperation with State, county, municipal, and other organizations. As in the past, farmers, ranchers, sportsmen, and other groups were benefited by techniques evolved over the years. Control is necessary not only to prevent losses to livestock and crops, but also to suppress outbreaks of rabies and other diseases spread by wild animals.
Major effort was devoted to the continuation of long-established projects for the protection of livestock, poultry, and game from predatory animals, particularly coyotes and bobcats. While many instances of predation upon sheep, goats, calves, and domestic fowl occurred during the year, prompt action prevented these losses from reaching serious proportions. For example, although heavy storms in the Sierra Nevadas of California in January 1955 caused a downward drift of coyotes into the San Joaquin Valley, hunters stationed in the area were able to catch most of the animals, and losses to wintering bands of sheep and to 2% million turkeys, raised on valley ranches, were less than during the previous year.
In several of the Western States, control work was handicapped by drought, fluctuations in livestock numbers, and reduction in cooperative funds for the employment of field personnel. In Utah, particularly, the hunter force was inadequate to prevent a buildup of coyote populations. Experience indicates that such conditions are costly, since losses through increased predation are much greater than the temporary savings from reduced expenditures. Predator control in Alaska was carried out on a reduced scale during the year. Satisfactory increases in the once depleted Nelchina and Peninsula caribou herds were attributed largely to earlier wolf-control measures by the Service. Emphasis was shifted to protection of caribou and reindeer in the Arctic range and other big-game species in southeastern Alaska. The latter activity was partially financed by the Territorial government.
Field employees assisted the public in the control of various species of rodents and other small mammals. Native mammals that fed upon
326	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
agricultural crops in various sections of the country included jack rabbits in Idaho wheatfields, pocket gophers along Arizona irrigation canals, cotton rats in South Carolina watermelon fields, moles in urban lawns, white-footed mice in west-coast reforestation projects, and tree-girdling mice in New England orchards. Rising costs of labor and materials intensified the need for more efficient procedures. This problem was partially solved for fruit growers by perfection of a mechanical device for poisoning mice in apple orchards.
Little change occurred in the high postwar level of rabies outbreaks among wild animals. Whereas the trend was downward for dogs, cases reported for wildlife increased from 311 in 1944 to 1,694 in 1954. County wide projects to control rabid foxes were carried out in parts of Virginia and North Carolina after 7 persons were bitten and 37 rabid foxes were killed over a 2-month period. Similar outbreaks, with resultant losses to livestock, took place in many States, particularly in the Southeast and in California. During the past 2 years, 6 kinds of bats have been found to be carriers of rabies. The role these bats play in spreading the disease to other animals is as yet unknown.
It is recognized that, owing to control measures, the extent of damage encountered in many other parts of the world no longer occurs in this country. For example, recent famine conditions in several Philippine provinces were largely the result of 90-percent loss of rice crops to rats. Several countries plagued by such wildlife-damage problems requested help during the year. Canada, Mexico, the Union of South Africa, the Philippine Islands, and Caribbean areas were assisted in combating losses caused by animals, ranging from wolves in the Arctic to rats and mice in the Tropics.
American food industries were confronted with domestic rodent problems aggravated by surpluses of wheat, corn, and other cereal grains.
At many storage sites rats and mice increased in numbers, consumed or contaminated much of the product, and infested surrounding communities. Service personnel assisted the dried-fruit and grainhandling industries in combating such situations. They participated in numerous meetings and community rat and mouse control projects as part of a current nationwide grain-sanitation program sponsored jointly by industry and government. The first two developed anticoagulant rodenticides, warfarin and pival, were widely used in control operations, and there was reduced demand for the more hazardous, highly toxic chemicals. As a result of this trend, the manufacture of Compound 1080 was discontinued. Extensive field tests with a new anticogulant rodenticide, fumarin, were made in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 327
Cooperative predator and rodent control operations during the year entailed expenditures of $935,924 from regular departmental appropriations, supplemented by $1,321,572 from cooperating States and $2,952,978 from cooperating counties, livestock associations, and others. The recorded catch of predatory animals by Service and cooperative personnel was 55,204 coyotes, 2,658 wolves, 19,249 bobcats and lynxes, 874 stock-killing bears, and 195 mountain lions. In rodent control operations, 10,554,715 acres of land were treated for elimination of prairie dogs, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, jackrabbits, field mice, cotton rats, kangaroo rats, porcupines, woodchucks, and moles. In addition, 418,671 premises were treated in cooperative campaigns for the control of rats. Special equipment and supplies used in both predator and rodent control, and 337,193 pounds of rodent-bait materials, were distributed by the Service’s supply depot at Pocatello, Idaho.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN CONSERVATION
International Technical Cooperation
The Fish and Wildlife Service continued to cooperate closely with the Foreign Operations Administration in technical assistance to friendly nations. Fishery development projects were carried on in Mexico, El Salvador, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Liberia, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Indonesia. On January 15,1955, employees of the Service assigned abroad under this program were transferred, with minor exceptions, to the Foreign Operations Administration. The Service assists the Administration by providing technical information, recruiting competent technicians, and supervising the instruction of foreign students in the United States.
In India, mechanization of small boats has increased production by cutting down the running time to and from the fishing grounds. Special motor and railroad vehicles permit the rapid transport of fresh fish to inland areas. In addition to the usual fishing near shore, purse seining in more distant waters has been done experimentally. This kind of program in India should help to increase the present low per capita consumption of 4 pounds per annum, compared with 16 pounds in Ceylon, and 70 pounds in Burma.
The fishery terminal planned for Karachi, Pakistan, has been approved, and construction will begin soon. A dual-purpose vessel is being put into service to do exploratory fishing with trawls and purse seines. In Indonesia, the effectiveness of longline fishing for tuna has been demonstrated, and a start has been made in exploring for large shrimp resources. The number and extent of the islands of this archi
328	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
pelago present a great problem and a greater opportunity for fishery development. In Latin America, projects continue in Peru and El Salvador, but the one in Mexico was terminated at the end of the fiscal year.
In many parts of the world there is opportunity of developing inland waters, to make fresh fish available near the points of principal need. A program of development recently begun in Liberia has attracted great interest among farmers, and it is expected that the number of ponds will be multiplied many times in the next few years.
The training of foreign students in the United Sates continues to be an important part of the technical assistance program. This year,. 26 students from 12 countries received training in 7 branches of fishery science and technology. Four students came from Latin America, 4 from the Middle East and Africa, and the rest from countries of Southeast Asia, principally Indonesia and Thailand. From time to time, reports are received on the activities of trainees who have returned to their home countries to put into practice the newly acquired knowledge and skill. To ensure lasting benefits, these technicians must assume responsibility for the continuation of projects initiated by American experts.
International Conservation Agreements
During the fiscal year 1955, the Service was concerned with the activities of several international fishery conservation organizations,, as well as two major international conferences.
As a result of a new International Pacific Halibut Convention and subsequent changes in the management of the halibut fishery, the catch in the summer of 1954 broke all records, producing approximately 71 million pounds of fish, a gain of 11 million pounds or 18 percent over the preceding year’s catch.
The International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission also produced striking results. The 1954 catch from the sockeye salmon runs of the Fraser Biver system exceeded by far any runs since the organization of the Commission.
The International North Pacific Fisheries Commission held its first annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, in October 1954, and adopted a research program. This program has been accepted in substance and is being implemented by the three Governments—Japan, Canada, and the United States.
The International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries held its fifth annual meeting in Ottawa in June 1955. Possibly the most important of its actions was a recommendation, to the member governments, of regulations limiting the size of meshes to be used
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 329
in the trawl fisheries for haddock and cod on the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Banks. A similar regulation for Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine has been in effect approximately 2 years and has benefited American fishermen at the rate of about a million dollars a year.
The International Whaling Commission held its regular annual meeting in Tokyo in July 1954, when it reviewed statistics on the catch of the previous season and adopted a number of significant changes in its regulations.
The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, composed of representatives from the United States, Costa Rica, and Panama, continued its research on the tunas of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. This research has not yet reached the stage where it is possible to speak definitively, but there are indications that some of the tuna stocks are being exploited at a rate above that which will permit maximum sustained yield.
The Indo-Pacific Council held no meeting during fiscal year 1955. Its sixth annual meeting will be held in Tokyo in September 1955, when work of the past 18 months will be reviewed and plans laid for future work.
Officers of the Service were members of the United States delegation to the United Nations International Technical Conference on Conservation of the Living Resources of the Sea, in Rome in April 1955. This conference, possibly the first of its kind, brought fishery experts from some 50 nations in an attempt to find ways to cooperate in ensuring maximum production from important marine resources. The report of this conference was submitted to the International Law Commission of the United Nations, which met in Geneva in May and June 1955.
Officers of the Service were also members of a United States delegation which, with representatives of Canada, signed a Convention for the Great Lakes Fisheries on September 10, 1954. The Convention was ratified on June 6, 1955. Under its terms a Commission will be established to bring under control the parasitic sea lamprey which has damaged the Great Lakes fisheries in recent years, and to promote and coordinate investigation of those fisheries.
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Conrad L. Wirth, Director
☆ ☆ ☆
THE past year lias been marked by numerous events and developments of such interest and importance as to make it one of the truly noteworthy years in the history of the National Park Service.
Two major events are closely related to each other. The 1955 appropriation provided for the first real increase in seasonal personnel in many years; it made funds available for a long start on an overdue road-and-trail construction program; and, by matching a $500,000 donation for land acquisition, and at the same time continuing the established $250,000-a-year land purchase item, it made a total of $1,250,000 available to speed up the Service’s land program.
These increases are gratifying, but they do not solve the problems of the National Park System, nor will they if continued at their present rate. The System is truly a national asset of major importance socially and economically; it is one of the most important “identification marks” of a free people. The fact that, for one reason or another that may have seemed justified at the time, the System has been allowed to deteriorate because of necessarily lowered standards of maintenance, protection, and development has caused serious national concern. This, coupled with our efforts to obtain increased appropriations, on a yearly basis, to correct the situation, has convinced us that we must approach the problem differently; that we must prepare and submit a sound, long-range, economical, one-package program to meet future needs as well as to cure current bad conditions.
This has led to the undertaking to which the name Mission 66 has been attached. This is an all-out attempt to evaluate every practice of the Service and all of its administrative and development planning ; its purpose is to formulate a program which, if followed, will see the National Park System adequately developed and adequately staffed by 1966—the 50th anniversary year of the establishment of the Service.
331
332	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Defense against unsuitable developments.—Deeply gratifying to the Service has been the intense interest in MISSION 66 shown by Secretary McKay, Assistant Secretary Lewis and others in the Department. Equally gratifying have been the evidences of the Department’s determination to protect the character of the areas of the National Park System. Secretary McKay’s decision against the proposal for construction of a tramway up the side of Mount Rainier and down to Crater Lake; departmental approval of the Director’s refusal to permit construction of a television tower atop Scotts Bluff; and the Secretary’s opposition to the Glacier View Dam project, in Glacier National Park, and to proposals to reduce the size of Olympic National Park—all these exemplify his and the Department’s attitude.
New region approved.—With the establishment of an additional region, Region Five, scheduled for July 1,1955, the reorganization of the Service, begun nearly 2 years ago, has reached virtual completion. Congressional doubts as to the necessity of adding a region and even of continuing Region One were dispelled by a careful restudy of the Service’s existing regional setup by a special departmental committee. The Appropriations Committees of both House and Senate readily agreed to the budget request for funds with which to operate a Region Five office in Philadelphia. The reorganization is showing excellent results.
Concessions.—The year was also notable with respect to certain park concessions developments. One of these was the purchase by Fred Harvey of all Santa Fe Railroad interests in the services provided visitors in Grand Canyon National Park, to be followed by modernization and expansion of South Rim facilities, where they are much needed. Another was the completion of Jackson Lake Lodge at Grand Teton National Park, constructed with funds supplied by Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc., a nonprofit distributing corporation established by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. A third was the decision against providing lodgings of any kind at Flamingo, in Everglades National Park, and to count upon private enterprise to furnish these outside the park, as has been done at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Study of interpretation.—For more than 30 years, the interpretation phase of the National Park Service’s work has steadily gained in extent, effectiveness, and public acceptance. Since the establishment of a Division of Interpretation, as part of the Service’s reorganization, there has been intensified effort to increase the effectiveness of the interpretive program. In the belief that it would tend to strengthen and give better direction to this program, a 2-year study and appraisal of interpretive activities carried on by the Service and by other public and private agencies is being undertaken by Freeman Tilden, who is especially well qualified for such a study. It is being financed by an anonymous donation.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES ■>	333
Operations Division.—Organization of the Division of Operations was completed with the establishment of a Branch of Conservation and Protection, headed by a chief with long and varied field and Washington office experience. This branch, which embraces sections on forestry and on maintenance, gives all matters related to park protection definite representation in the Washington office for the first time.
Rockefeller benefactions.—The donation of $500,000 for land acquisition, to match the same amount of appropriated funds, was made by Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc., the nonprofit corporation established some years ago by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to finance various undertakings in park conservation. The corporation also financed the construction of the new Jackson Lake Lodge, in Grand Teton National Park, and the purchase of lands for a prospective Virgin Islands National Park on the island of St. John. Direction of the corporation’s affairs lies largely in the hands of Laurance Rockefeller, who shares his father’s deep interest in the national parks.
Publicity — The growing and more intelligent interest in the national parks and their welfare has been indicated during the past year by an exceptionally large number of magazine and newspaper articles and editorials. These, as a rule, have called public attention to the vastly increased visitor load on the National Park System, and to the handicap of inadequate development and insufficient staffing, and they have urged increased appropriations to meet the Service’s needs.
Coastal studies.—Financed by anonomously donated funds, the Service was nearing completion of a 2-year study of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, undertaken to discover the most distinguished areas along these coasts which remain in relatively unspoiled condition. The findings of this study should be of interest and concern to the Federal Government and to the various State and local governments, since beaches and related coastal areas possess high value for active recreation as well as unique scenic, scientific and historical values; considerable enlargement of public holdings of such property is greatly needed. Donated funds are also making possible the thorough study, launched during the year, of the geology and history of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Personnel.—Printed and spoken tributes to the high quality of the men and women employed by the Service continue to be numerous. Aware of their devotion, and the exacting demands made upon them by the requirements of their work, the Service has labored with marked success to upgrade those whose responsibilities warranted it. The positions of 115 superintendents and those of a number of other employees have been advanced in grade during the past year. This long overdue improvement has been a great help to the morale of the Service.
334	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Assembly Room at Independence Hall re-finished and refurnished.— When the General Federation of Women’s Clubs held its convention in Philadelphia in May, the Service was proud to display the refinished and refurnished Assembly Room of Independence Hall to its president and many of its members, as a finished part of the project which is to be extended to the entire first floor of the structure. This work is being financed by a gift of about $210,000 raised by the federation and presented to the National Park Service. At ceremonies preceding the convention a Donors’ Book was presented to the Director who, in turn, presented a special citation to the federation for its splendid accomplishment.
Benefactions.—The National Park Service has reason to feel deep gratitude over the extent to which it has benefited during the past few years from the foresighted generosity of individual, corporate, and foundation donors to various phases of its work. The year 1955 has been especially notable in this respect, as may readily be gathered from the preceding paragraphs and elsewhere in this report. The many contributions bear witness to the wisdom of the Congress in having authorized the Donation Fund in 1920 and the National Park Trust Fund in 1935.
A limited distribution of “The Fifth Essence,” which describes the work and some of the problems of the Service and indicates some of the fields of activity which would benefit from benefactions, has produced much favorable reaction which it is hoped may result ultimately in enlargement of the National Park Trust Fund. This year there was wider distribution of the book to foundations, to trust officers of banks, and to numerous persons of means. A member of the Director’s staff has been given the responsibility of following up on “leads” and devising means of interesting possible donors in contributing to the fund.
MISSION 66
For some years it has been apparent that use of the National Park System has outrun its capacity, as presently planned and developed, to meet the demands on it. Travel has increased to the point of embarrassment, while provision for it and for better protection of both the parks and those who use them has been deferred again and again because of lack of funds. Since 1941, appropriations for management, for protection, and for development have lagged seriously behind the need for them occasioned by greatly increased public use. The System, designed for 25 million visitors a year, is now called on to bear a load that is twice that heavy. One result has been a flood of publicity, most of its sympathetic, some of it frankly critical, calling attention to the dilemma of the National Park System.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 335
The only solution is to formulate and carry out a sound, overall program of improvements. Piecemeal efforts are not enough. At the same time, the attention given to these problems by this publicity encourages confidence that such a program will receive public acceptance.
Planning for today and the immediate future, and construction on that basis, can lead only to future embarrassment and to renewed demands for more of everything. We must “back off” and take an objective look at the National Park Service and what it is doing; appraise the effectiveness of its policies of protection and use; and determine what, and where, additional development is actually needed, in the long view. Above all, we must scrutinize the way things are done, having in mind the most efficient use of limited manpower and funds.
Such a comprehensive study of every phase of the National Park Service’s responsibilities has been launched, under the designation of MISSION 66. Its objective is to prepare today a program that will fit park operation and development to the needs of 1966 and that will permit such further development as the years thereafter may require without the necessity of radical changes. This is a doubly fitting goal; a 10-year forecast is about as far as a reliable plan can be projected, and 1966 is the 50th anniversary year of the establishment of the National Park Service. It is our goal that by 1966 the plans being made now will have been carried out, and travel, development for visitor needs, and park protection brought into proper harmony.
To achieve this goal, the MISSION 66 steering committee and its staff began with a review of past plans, files, and records to permit consideration of all previous proposals for changes in development plans and operation methods.
While these materials were being examined, all employees in the field and at various headquarters offices were encouraged to envision an ideal situation for those areas with which they were intimately acquainted, and to put their ideas in writing. Many suggestions of great value to improve park protection, park use, and park management have resulted.
It is assumed that provision must be made for a 60 percent increase in visits over 1955, for a total of 80 million. On this basis, we are developing plans to insure continuing protection of the important features of each area, and to provide facilities required by visitors, as well as a full staff for management, protection, and maintenance.
For guidance in developing the MISSION 66 program, all policies and procedures have been carefully examined. Wherever necessary, they are being restated to fit a modern world in which increased leisure is expressed in greater automobile and air travel, and in
336	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
new ways of handling various problems of operation. These revised “precepts,” calling attention to important park problems, place protection in first priority, but indicate that proper development is the key to good protection, and that visitor use is the best possible protection against encroachment.
The location of administration offices, warehouses, shops, and residences was studied-, and it was decided that they should be separate from areas used intensively by visitors. Many parks and, in some instances, important portions of parks can best provide visitor appreciation through day use, rather than overnight use. Traffic problems require solution by modern methods; for example, some alternative must be provided for the huge open parking spaces now required. These suggest the kinds of problems being faced, and some of the possible methods of solution.
In some situations, without question, Federal and State propeities adjoining the parks will be called upon to provide some of the space and some of the services required to meet the needs of park visitors. Expansion of the recreational facilities of the national forests and of State parks and forests will help materially in supplying expanding public recreation requirements. We expect to expand our cooperation with the proper sister agencies to this end.
Committees in the field areas and in the Regional and Design and Construction offices are also working on the program. It is, in fact, a servicewide effort, with boldness in thinking the key to the endeavor. The final report on MISSION 66 will present the problems, and the solutions recommended for them; it will require legislation and this will be ready for the consideration of the second session of the 84th Congress. It is the dream of park administrators that, with the support of the Department, MISSION 66 will result in getting done what needs to be done if the parks are to fill their highest purpose in the modern American way of living.
INFORMATION AND INTERPRETATION
The National Park Service’s interpretive and informational activities reach millions of persons who make use of the areas administered by the Service and who share in the ownership of this priceless part of our national heritage. These persons are seeking a clearer and deeper understanding of the natural and human history of their country and of the interrelationships of man and his surroundings exemplified in the National Park System, and an informed appreciation of what we, as Americans, possess and that strong pride in it which we call patriotism.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4	337
This part of the Service’s work presents a constant challenge to make every phase of it more useful to our visitors; to seek out and use every improved technique that our means permit; to find men and women best qualified to engage in it; and to provide them adequate, stimulating training.
Reorganization completed — Reorganization of the Division of Interpretation was completed with the filling of the four regional chief of interpretation positions and through adjustments within the branches in the Washington office. Establishment of a Photographic Section in the Branch of Information, to program and coordinate servicewide photographic activities, was a major change; the branch’s Public Information Section was also reorganized and strengthened.
Visitor services grow.—A definite index of the extent of the Service’s interpretive activities is found in the figures showing the number of persons served by three major phases of the program. A total of 2,138,592 visitors participated in guided trips; audiences at talks, lectures, campfire and similar programs totaled 3,969,084; while 13,724,-301 persons made use of such interpretive facilities as museums, historic houses, and other attended exhibits.
Written and telephoned requests to the Washington office alone for publications during the second half of the fiscal year increased about 45 percent over the corresponding period of 1954, yet were met with reasonable promptness without increase of staff. A new Eastern-United States map, showing Service-administered areas and containing essential information about each (a companion of the Western United States map produced last year), made it possible to meet most of these requests much more economically from the standpoint of number of publications required, postage costs, and speed of processing.
Regional training conferences for both protection and interpretive personnel were held at St. Augustine, Fla., and Rapid City, S. Dak., last spring and were an important step toward more effective visitor services. Issuance of the revised Manual of Information and Interpretation in the Field and of three new training-aid booklets—Guided Trips, Campfire Programs, and Information Please—contributed materially to better results in both informational and interpretive work.
Publication production at high level.—The Editorial Section of the Branch of Information was without the services of a chief during 9 months of the year; nevertheless the program was carried through successfully and efficiently. In addition to the production of so-called free publications, the year brought notable additions to the Service’s sales list. New historical handbooks produced included those for Fort Laramie National Monument and Vicksburg National Military Park;
338	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
manuscripts for Bandelier and Ocmulgee National Monuments and Kings Mountain National Military Park went to the printer. In addition, pending the production of handbooks for Appomatox National Historical Park and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County National Military Park, the 16-page booklets for these areas were revised and reissued. The archeological research series was enlarged by the appearance of No. 2, Archeological Excavations in Mesa Verde National Park, Colo., 1950.
Natural history handbooks for Badlands National Monument and Rocky Mountain National Park, Nos. 2 and 3 in this series, were also produced during the year. Revision of the long popular tree preservation series advanced with the production of No. 1, Transplanting Trees and Other Woody Plants, and the submission to the printer of No. 4, Shade Tree Pruning, and No. 7, Rope, Knots, and Climbing. This series, produced primarily for guidance in the care of the many shade trees growing on historical areas administered by the Service, has been in steady demand since issuance of the original edition in the late thirties.
Starting with the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks booklet, revision of all national parks information publications is planned, to be accomplished in 4 years. This involves rearrangement of material, adoption of a more friendly, person-to-person tone in the writing, and adoption of a new and handier format. To as great a degree as possible, other publications have been given such rearrangement and modification of tone, without major revision.
For the maps which are to be included in the revised national parks publications, the Service is availing itself of the expert cartographic services of the Geological Survey.
During the year, 110 requisitions were issued for the printing of 7,462,000 copies of informational publications, each dealing with a single area, 6 for revised or new sales publications, and 19 for plate changes in sales publications, and for other miscellaneous publications, such as the constantly useful leaflet, National Parks and National Forests.
In addition to their services in providing books, equipment and other materials to strengthen the interpretive programs of those areas in which they operate, natural history associations and other cooperating societies continue to supplement the Service’s publications program. Several distinguished new publications issued by the societies reflect the Service’s effort to assist them in improving these in both content and appearance.
New aids to visitors developed.—The employment of a field naturalist with responsibilities in Regions Two, Three, and Four has greatly accelerated the efforts to integrate new interpretive facilities

ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 339
with current construction programs. This applies, thus far, particularly to construction at Mount Rainier, Olympic, Grand Teton, and Grand Canyon National Parks and at Wupatki and Sunset Crater National Monuments.
There was a healthy growth in the number of self-guiding trail and tour facilities, with approximately 50 devices of this type being installed. The study of self-guiding trails and tours begun last year has continued through 1955 and the second part of this study was released to the field areas for their guidance.
The Audio-Visual Committee, representing the Divisions of Interpretation and Design and Construction, tested the efficiency and effectiveness of commercially available recorders, slide projectors, and record players. Results of this research, furnished to the field, will result in considerable saving of time and money by making similar analysis by individual areas unnecessary. Near the end of the year, funds were made available for the experimental installation of three types of audio-visual equipment—electronic guiding systems, high-fidelity public address systems, and automatic illustrated program devices.
The care of exhibits.—Museum work during the year included the care of growing collections of important historic and scientific objects and the building of exhibits to help interpret the parks. Donations of exhibit materials, many of which are of great value, impose on the Service a special obligation to provide them the most complete and expert care its means will permit.
Among the objects entrusted to it for museum use was the garrison flag which flew over Fort Sumter at the outbreak of the Civil War and the storm flag, also in the fort at the time. An antique brocaded stole from the vestments of a missionary priest, perhaps as early as Father Kino himself, was given to Tumacacori National Monument. Another missionary relic with rich associations—the French-English dictionary presented to Elkanah Walker by Captain Sutter at the Whitman Mission—was given to Whitman National Monument. Exceptionally fine examples of armor, swords, pole arms, and other military equipment of the 16th and early 17th centuries were obtained with the help of generous citizens for museums at Jamestown Island, Fort Caroline, and San Juan. Acquisition of Washington’s campaign tent is recorded elsewhere.
To preserve and restore the murals in the rotunda of the Old Courthouse at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, a crew of art students was trained to help the staff specialist in the tedious and intricate task of reattaching loose paint, cleaning the surface, and repairing losses. Museum Laboratory specialists gave preservative treatment to collections at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National 364841—56-------25
340	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Military Park, George Washington Birthplace, Hopewell Village, Independence National Historical Park, and Vanderbilt Mansion. Specimens from several other areas were treated at the Museum Laboratory. The branch preservation laboratory at Jamestown was fully occupied most of the year in cleaning and treating the thousands of objects being excavated there. The branch laboratory at Gila Pueblo made good progress in the safe storage and cataloging of archeological collections from Southwestern areas.
Service policy governing museum collections was carefully reviewed and a revised statement was submitted to the Advisory Board for study.
In cooperation with the American glassmaking industry, the Service, having in mind the Jamestown 350th Anniversary Celebration in 195T, began the development of Glasshouse Point. In close association with the remains of the Jamestown glassworks of 1608-24, cooperating glass companies will build and operate, as an educational exhibit, glassmaking facilities similar to those of 1608, first factory industry in English America. For the general interpretation of the Jamestown-Yorktown story, the Service made substantial progress on museum prospectuses for the visitor centers and museums at Yorktown and Jamestown, now under construction at a cost of $300,000 each.
New museums and exhibits.—New museums were opened on the Blue Ridge Parkway and at Joshua Tree National Monument. On the parkway, where the road skirts an important mining district, the State of North Carolina appropriated funds to build and install a museum of North Carolina minerals. The Service designed the building and planned and constructed the exhibits, which tell the story of how the minerals are mined, processed, and used.
A new set of exhibits was prepared for the Mountain Pioneer Museum at Great Smoky Mountains National Park to correlate with the nearby Pioneer Farmstead. Average attendance at this museum has been more than 1,500 a day during the current season.
At the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, an extensive exhibit of ironwork was installed, mostly of architectural cast iron saved from the riverfront memorial area. Other series of exhibits were designed and installed in the lobby of the new administration building at Saguaro National Monument, the information center at San Juan National Historic Site, and the temporary headquarters at Harpers Ferry National Monument. The Museum Laboratory constructed individual exhibits for 15 parks.
A special set of displays was designed and constructed for the experimental information station installed just inside the West Yellowstone entrance of Yellowstone National Park. These tell visitors what they need to know about roads, distances, accommodations and services, and what to see and do in the park.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 341
'Wildlife.—The nationwide reduction of carnivorous animal population has resulted in certain wildlife imbalances, including excessive numbers of ungulates and rodents, in several areas. The excess of elk, beyond the capacity of available winter range, at Yellowstone has presented a serious problem, not yet solved, for a number of years. Last winter, 593 were trapped and shipped elsewhere while hunters outside the park killed 763. The combined total falls several hundred head short of the normal natural increase. At Yellowstone also 288 bison were removed; 226 of these came from Hayden Valley.
At Wind Cave National Park, with assistance from Custer State Park, 300 elk and 146 bison were removed; at Rocky Mountain National Park, 53 elk and 24 deer; at Platt National Park, 4 bison; at Sequoia National Park, 125 deer. At Grand Teton, 103 elk were shot by the 600 permittees deputized as park rangers pursuant to Public Law No. 787.
It is encouraging to note that, under effective Service protection, ceitain wildlife species threatened with local and, in some instances, nationwide extinction have increased in numbers. Important among these are the trumpeter swans in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, the Hall sheep at Mount McKinley, the desert bighorns at Mesa Verde, and the roseate spoonbills, manatees, white-tailed deer and alligators at Everglades. The Service is hopeful that the decline in prairie dog populations in some western parks and monuments can be arrested. Visitors find these small animals of exceptional interest.
Research.—Careful research is a necessity of both sound interpretation and proper management. The National Park Service, of necessity, must conduct a considerable amount of it in the fields of history, archeology, and natural history in order to give increasing effectiveness to its interpretive program.
Hie 2-year study of interpretive methods, mentioned elsewhere, gives promise of producing recommendations that will further streamline and strengthen interpretive activities. During the past year, additional visitor-use studies have been completed at Kennesaw Mountain, Acadia, Death Valley and Fort Sumter; others at Scotts Bluff and Effigy Mounds are in progress. Such studies are important for improvement of interpretive and informational facilities and for planning and management of the areas.
Numerous research projects dealing with natural history or its interpretation are completed or in progress. These include the Katmai National Monument inventory; fisheries investigations; Yosemite, Acadia and Death Valley visitor-use studies; studies of visitor impact on giant sequoias and of rabbit devastation on Santa Barbara Island; an ecological study of Big Bend; animal population and browse studies at Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Mesa Verde, Wind Cave, Sequoia,
342	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Olympic, Isle Royale, Theodore Roosevelt and Colonial; and geological field work at Big Bend and Joshua Tree.
Some of this work is performed by Service personnel, some by or with other Federal agencies, and many through cooperative agreements with universities, State agencies, or individual research scientists affiliated with reputable organizations.
The reactivated archeological program at the site of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Va., resulted in numerous important discoveries, such as the foundations of a street of row houses, a sturdy foundation as yet unidentified but possibly that of the second Statehouse of the Virginia Colony (1656-60) ; and the breastplate and backplate of a suit of armor and a sword of the period 1595-1610 with the name of the maker still readable on the blade. Numerous sword hilts and pieces of matchlock muskets (earliest firearms used at Jamestown) were found in association with each other at what appears to have been the Jamestown armorer’s shop of 1611-25.
On the grounds of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, a Service archeologist excavating in and near the foundation of the third (1665-76) and fourth (1686-98) statehouses discovered 70 burials in a cemetery so old it had been forgotten by 1650. Believed to be a cemetery of the “starving time,” 1609-10, a movement is on foot to honor these victims of the most trying period in the founding of Virginia. Another archeological project exposed the foundations of Royal Governor Sir William Berkeley’s mansion at Green Spring, the first great English house in America.
Through cooperative agreements, archeological excavation projects were carried out by four local institutions at two reservoir sites. North Dakota State Historical Society and the University of South Dakota worked in the Oahe Reservoir area; the University of Kansas and the Nebraska State Historical Society investigated sites in the Fort Randall Reservoir area. With funds provided by this Service for the purpose, the Smithsonian Institution also carried out important archeological salvage investigations in the Fort Randall and Oahe Reservoir areas.
John White paintings of 1585-86, to be published.—Donated funds have enabled the Service to assist the University of North Carolina Press in publishing facsimile reproductions in color of the famous watercolor drawings made by John White in the Cape Hatteras area in 1585-86. Accurate reproductions of these drawings, now in the British Museum, have long been desired by American scholars.
George Washington's Revolutionary war tent purchased.—A generous but anonymous donor made possible the purchase of the tent used by George Washington all through the Revolutionary War. Used by Washington for purposes of sleeping and as a place for writing im
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	343
portant dispatches during his campaigns, the tent has outstanding national interest for the American people. Inherited by George Washington Parke Custis, of Arlington, foster son of George Washington, the tent passed from him to his only daughter, the wife of Gen. Robert E. Lee, and was sold to the National Park Service by the Lee heirs. It will be preserved and exhibited at Yorktown, last battlefield on which Washington used it. The cover or some other memento will be placed at the Custis-Lee Mansion at Arlington.
John Marshall Bicentennial and ^Woodrow Wilson Centennial Commissions.—During 1955 the Director served as executive officer of the John Marshall Bicentennial Commission, established to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of our greatest Chief Justice, and of the Woodrow Wilson Centennial Commission, created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Wilson.
Assistance to writers.—Heightened public interest in the national parks and in the needs of the National Park System has both been caused by and resulted in an unusual number of magazine and newspaper articles and editorials dealing with the System. This has meant an increased demand on the Service for data, which has been supplied as accurately and factually as possible. This evidence of interest, and of the esteem in which the Service seems generally to be held, lias been heartening, as has been the unusual series of advertisements dealing with the national parks, and the conservation organizations which have worked effectively in their behalf, launched during the year by the Sinclair Oil Corporation.
Cooperative assistance.—The Service continued to work with the Department of State in connection with the International Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, which must be ratified by the United States Senate. Professional advice in the identification or preservation of historical and military objects or other aid in the field of military history was extended to 18 different agencies of the Federal Government, 15 State agencies, and 11 private or semipublic organizations. A large piece of Spanish armor (a brigandine) of the period 1530 found near Tampa, Fla., and doubtless a relic of the De Soto Expedition, first major exploration of the North American interior (1539-13), was identified and treated.
OPERATIONS
The Operations Division, with the impetus given it by the Department’s reorganization decision, has fitted well into its intended function on matters concerned with park operation, maintenance, and protection, and with control of programs for park betterment. Emphasis in both Washington and Regional office operations has been on
344	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
assisting park organizations to care for the areas and to manage the use of them for the ever-growing multitudes of park visitors. Seasons of use become longer, numbers of visitors are constantly greater, and heeds increase in proportion.
The Branch of Conservation and Protection has completely functioned for the first time this past year under a branch chief of wide experience selected from the ranks of park superintendents. Programing procedures have been devised and placed in operation to insure coordination of planning, financing, and expenditure for all park improvements. The needs of field areas remain in first priority in line with new concepts of management.
Travel to the parks.—Public use of the areas continued the upward trend that has been constant since 1946. Visits to all areas administered numbered some 47,800,000 in 1954 as compared to 46,200,000 in 1953. Thirteen areas attracted more than 1,000,000 each. Of these Blue Ridge Parkway recorded some 4,300,000; two other areas had more than 2,000,000 each.
Travel survey.—Further progress was made toward completion of travel surveys of certain national parks which started several years ago. These were undertaken to obtain much needed information on the travel habits and expenditures of park visitors. They are conducted in cooperation with the Bureau of Public Roads and the several State highway departments concerned. During the year both the Yosemite and Shenandoah National Parks travel surveys were published. A report on the Grand Canyon National Park survey has been prepared and is being published. Plans are being worked out with a nationally known survey organization to make an overall study of park travel trends, especially park visitor requirements and the different kinds of overnight facilities they would like to have. This will have a big bearing on our final MISSION 66 program.
Conservation and Protection
The new position of Chief of Conservation and Protection provides for the first time a definite representative in the Washington office for all matters pertaining to park protection. His duties cover a very broad field, overlapping into all phases of park management. He advises specifically on park ranger organizational and training matters, personnel adjustments, park protection problems and safety, service to park visitors, forestry, and maintenance.
Forestry.—Prevention and control of forest fires continued to receive major attention and, despite increased public use of the parks, a reduction was noted in the number of all types of man-caused fires except those caused by campers, and those from miscellaneous sources.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	345
These last may be due to overcrowding which forced visitors to camp and picnic outside protected and developed sites. Total area burned and suppression costs were both below the 20-year average. Emphasis continues to be placed on training, organization, and preparedness. The Service again participated in the organization and training of the Organized Southwestern Indian Fire Fighters who have proved very effective. Our excellent forest fire record is due to the very well trained and organized ranger and forester staff.
White pine blister rust control work is near completion in most areas. It is probable that within a few years the only living forests of subalpine five-needle pine will be in the control areas of five western national parks, as no other agency is attempting to protect the species. A spot infestation of oak wilt disease, discovered in Shenandoah National Park, was promptly controlled.
Control work is done annually to protect the valuable trees in and near public use areas against forest insect infestations and to prevent development of epidemics. Southern pine beetle required control in Great Smoky Mountains, on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and on adjacent areas under a cooperative program. Spruce budworm, epidemic in Montana and Idaho, required spraying of 31,360 acres of Douglas-fir in Yellowstone. About 46,000 acres of lodgepole pine in Yosemite is under attack by an epidemic of lodgepole needleminer. No practical control method exists, so large losses may be expected. Efforts to devise a means of control are continuing.
A traveling crew of experts on tree maintenance worked in 26 eastern areas to maintain both public safety and the quality and appearance of the trees. They performed many emergency duties following hurricanes “Carol” and “Edna.” This crew* removed more than 1,300 hazardous trees during the year.
M aintenance
Under the new management concept, maintenance activities have been placed under the Division of Operations. Work accomplished has been principally in the fields of staffing, basic procedures, and fiscal adjustments. The objectives are to obtain maximum economy and efficiency in the use of all available resources for protection and use of the primary values of the national parks. Sound management and engineering principles are applied to all maintenance activities at all levels. Workload measurements have been used to justify very satisfactory increases in maintenance funds, and more such standards are being used as field data become available. Full application of this principle will provide a sound preventative maintenance program.
346	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
A series of Maintenance and Rehabilitation Guides have been issued for estimate and procedure matters. More are planned to guide the programing of preventative maintenance work. In the regional offices, the professional men in the Maintenance Branch have spent most of their time assisting area superintendents. In the larger parks, a staff of professional men has been provided to assist on maintenance problems. Emphasis has consistenly been on helping the park superintendent to carry out his full responsibilities.
The Branch of Programs and Plans Control was started as part of the reorganization of the Service and has been in operation for a little more than a year. So far it appears that development of the System will be benefited by establishment of this Branch.
Programing
Instructions for programing development were revised to fit the operations pattern established in the reorganization of the Service. Programs are now prepared and recommended to the Director by the Division of Operations; detailed data for individual project proposal forms are the responsibility of the Division of Design and Construction. This procedure is now in operation and working satisfactorily.
A card index system for individual projects has been set up which provides ready information on programing, financing, progress, and completion of any project. At the request of the Bureau of the Budget, the “Schedule of Public Works Construction Programs,” required each year for the next 6-year period, was prepared in much greater detail this year than in previous years. This gives a detailed analysis of scope, character, and location of construction projects planned by the various bureaus.
The “contract authorization” for roads and trails and parkways provided by the Congress for fiscal years 1955,1956, and 1957 required stepping up the collection of basic data, preparation of programs and surveys, completion of plans and specifications, and getting construction work started promptly. The fact that the Service was still undergoing reorganization complicated the situation considerably, but by hard work, and with the fine cooperation of the Bureau of Public Roads, most of the difficulties were overcome, and good progress was made on the obligation of funds. The Service is now ready to handle the full amount of the contract authorization for 1956 and 1957. For contract authorization, the Programs and Plans Control Branch, with the help of the Division of Design and Construction, is preparing control schedules showing anticipated cash expenditures on projects included in a 6-year program.
Data received from the field will form the basis of current estimates of amounts needed in all areas to complete development as it is
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	347
presently planned. These reports will be the basis of all programing activities and issuance of information.
Land Acquisition and Water Rights
Land acquisition.—During the year $1,250,000 was made available for land acquisition. Of this amount, $500,000 was received from Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc., to match a $500,000 appropriation which was conditioned on a matching donation. Some 17,800 acres were brought into the System by purchase, donation, or exchange.
About 3,200 acres more were acquired or optioned with approximately $265,000 of the $1,236,000 donated in 1952 for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore project. Approximately 23,500 of a total of 28,500 acres in the project have been acquired.
The establishment of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is expected within a few weeks. Fee title to 515 acres of land and scenic easements was acquired from the State of West Virginia for its portion of the Harpers Ferry National Monument project. The State of Maryland is in the process of acquiring about 800 acres as its portion of the project.
Obligations on completed purchases, option contracts, and condemnation awards come to about $6,800,000 of the $7,700,000 appropriated for acquiring properties for Independence National Historical Park project.
A good start has been made on acquisition of the extension to Wright Brothers National Memorial, for which the Old Dominion and Avalon Foundations donated $82,000 and the State of North Carolina $25,000.
Donations included 3,375 acres of land and scenic easements from the State of Mississippi for Natchez Trace Parkway; 364 acres from the State of North Carolina for Blue Ridge Parkway and 73 acres from Jackson Flole Preserve, Inc., for Grand Teton National Park.
By exchange the Service acquired 160 acres in Death Valley National Monument; 2,000 acres in Joshua Tree National Monument; 1,070 acres in Olympic National Park; 2,880 acres in fee and the mineral rights in 7,690 acres in Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park.
Completed purchases and approved options to purchase involve a total of 3,700 acres of land and improvements thereon, costing about $850,000, in Big Bend, Glacier, Grand Teton, Great Smoky Mountains, Kings Canyon, Lassen Volcanic, Rocky Mountain, and Yosemite National Parks; Colonial and Saratoga National Historical Parks; Gettysburg National Military Park; and Manassas National Battlefield Park. Options amounting to $300,000 awaited approval at the end of the year.
348	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
'Water-rights problems.—There was continued progress in the establishment of Federal rights to the use of water through the approximately 1,445 water systems in Service-administered areas to comply with the water laws of the individual States. By appropriation or purchase or as appurtenances to acquired inholdings, the United States has established 426 rights since 1936, appurtenant to 355 water systems. Of these, final licenses or decrees have been granted for 265, and 161 are still in permit form requiring water-system enlargement or water use by the annually increasing number of visitors, before proof for licenses or decrees can be obtained. The preparation of applications, statements of claim, and purchase negotiations to establish essential rights for 315 additional water systems continues.
Only one protest of a conflicting claim was filed, and four older protests were resolved in favor of the United States. The city of Los Angeles also withdrew its Federal power application and 10 waterright applications for development of the Kings River, Calif., thus eliminating its interest in the Tehipite and Cedar Grove areas adjoining Kings Canyon National Park, and in other sites inside the park.
Special uses of park lands.—The majority of special use permits for the past year continued to be for agricultural use of small parcels of land to maintain historical and rural scenes, for access facilities from private lands to park roads, and for utility lines.
By authority granted by this Service, the Atomic Energy Commission has continued to carry out its reconnaissance surveys for strategic minerals in areas of the System. The number of requests for information on prospecting and mining in national parks and monuments increased tremendously during the past year.
Concessions Management
Twenty-four concession contracts and 27 concession permits were negotiated in the 1955 fiscal year. In connection with new contracts, construction programs were negotiated with the Everglades Park Co., Inc., for Everglades National Park in the amount of $250,000; Rocky Mountain National Park with the Colorado Transportation Co. for $244,000; Millerton Lake National Recreation Area with Mack Lazarus for $49,500; Glacier National Park with the Glacier Park Co. for $795,000; and Grand Canyon National Park with Fred Harvey for $1,000,000; Lake Mead National Recreation Area with Cottonwood Cove Corp., for $150,000, and I. H. and Janice C. Whitehouse for $235,000; and Mount Rushmore National Memorial with the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society for $500,000—a total of $3,223,500.
Nine prospectuses issued during the year solicited offers to operate concession facilities at Everglades, Big Bend, and Mount McKinley
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	349
National Parks; Lehman Caves and White Sands National Monuments; Shiloh National Military Park; and Lake Mead National Recreation Area. As a result, concession permits or contracts were concluded at each of these areas, except Big Bend, where no offers have been received, and Mount McKinley National Park, for which the three offers received were not acceptable.
Of the construction programs negotiated this year, more than $500,000 in construction and rehabilitation has been completed, and approximately $700,000 is now under contract.
With respect to construction programs negotiated in prior years, the Grand Teton Lodge and Transportation Co. has invested more than $5,000,000 in new facilities, completed this year, at Grand Teton National Park. Funds for this construction were supplied by Jack-son Hole Preserve, Inc., the nonprofit corporation established by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Other such investments include: Babbitt Bros., approximately $85,000 at Grand Canyon National Park; the C. W. and G. Anderson Co., Lake Mohave Resort, Inc., and Temple Bar Resort, Inc., $59,500, $215,000, and $78,100 respectively, in new facilities at Lake Mead National Recreation Area; the Lassen National Park Co., over $100,000 in new facilities at Lassen Volcanic National Park; Becker's Ocean Resort, Inc., $11,000 in new cabins at Olympic National Park; Rainbow Forest Lodge, $8,500 in rehabilitation at Petrified Forest National Monument; and the Yosemite Park and Curry Co., more than $300,000 in new facilities at Yosemite National Park.
ADMINISTRATION
Budget and Finance
Appropriations.—The cash appropriations to the Service for the 1955 fiscal year were less than for the 1954 fiscal year. However, the contracting authority for construction of roads, trails, and parkways provided by the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1954 resulted in an increase in total obligational authority for 1955 over 1954. The comparative amounts are as follows:
Appropriation item	1954 fiscal year	1955 fiscal year	Increase or decrease
Management and protection	 Maintenance and rehabilitation	 General administrative expenses.. _		 Construction	 Construction (liquidation of contract authority)	 Total appropriations	 Construction (unfunded contract authority for roads, trails, and parkways).	 __		 	 __ __ .	$8, 869, 550 8, 300, 000 1, 268, 000 13, 916, 300 1, 500, 000	$9, 098,390 8,425,000 1, 084, 000 13, 618, 200	+$228,840 +125, 000 -184,000 -298,100 -1,500,000
	33,853,850	32, 225, 590 10, 500, 000	-1,628,260 +10, 500, 000
Total obligational authority				
	33, 853, 850	42, 725, 590	+8,871, 740
350	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Visitor fees.—In accordance with the policies set forth in Title V—Fees and Charges (Public Law 137, 82d Cong.), an extensive system of visitor fees is maintained to cover, in part, the cost of services and facilities furnished park visitors. The revenue from the fees is deposited to the general fund of the Treasury and partially offsets appropriations to the Service, thereby reducing the burden on the general taxpayer. At the request of the Secretary a comprehensive survey of visitor fees was made during the past year. This took into consideration the cost to the Government of providing the services and facilities, the value to the recipient, and the public interests served. The recommendations resulting from the survey would substantially increase Service revenue but action on them is being held in abeyance pending congressional action on proposed fees for the Blue Ridge Parkway. For the parkway the Service planned to establish a fee of $1 for a 15-day automobile permit and $2 for an annual permit. The collection of the fees was deferred at the request of the House Subcommittee on Appropriations until it could consider the proposal. It is expected that the Committee’s action on the Blue Ridge Parkway fees will have an important bearing on future fee proposals.
The elevator and guide fee at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, N. Mex., was increased from $1.10 to $1.50 effective June 2'5, 1955, the date the new express elevator facilities were made available for visitor use. The increased revenues will amortize the capital investment made by the Government in constructing the facilities in accordance with an understanding with the congressional Appropriation Committees.
Revenues.—The Service has been losing substantial amounts of revenue for several years because it could not man entrance stations and other collection points during the full time it was productive to do so. Sufficient funds were appropriated by the Congress for 1955 to provide for 306 additional seasonal uniformed personnel. As a result of the additional personnel, the continued increase in park visitors, and upward revisions in the fee structure, visitor revenue for the 1955 fiscal year went from $3,274,997 to $3,929,496, or an increase of $654,499. A comparative statement of all park revenues for the 1954 and 1955 fiscal years is as follows:
Revenue source	1954 fiscal year	1955 fiscal year	Increase or decrease
Visitor fees	 Business concessions	,	 Sale of property and products	 All other sources			$3, 274, 997 493,448 142, 956 128, 498	$3, 929,496 412, 702 192, 778 216, 343	+$654, 499 -80, 746 +49, 822 +87,845
Total 				
	4, 039, 899	4, 751, 319	+711, 420
			
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 351
Consolidation of field accounting offices.—The Service consolidated and reduced the number of its field accounting offices from 48 to 28 as a result of a joint survey made by representatives of the Department, the General Accounting Office, and the Service. The consolidation eliminated 24 positions and effected a savings of $92,000 which is being used for more productive field work. Each employee affected was given an opportunity to transfer to existing vacancies elsewhere in the Service. However, a few terminations were necessary.
Personnel Management
Pleavy workload caused by shifts.—The most significant problem faced by the Branch of Personnel in the past fiscal year was the continuing heavy workload brought about by the reorganization of the Service. An extraordinarily large number of shifts of personnel continued to be made throughout the fiscal year, largely as a result of chain reactions set up by movements among top positions in the Regional offices and the Washington office. These shifts of personnel received a new impetus in the second half of the fiscal year in connection with staffing the new Region Five office at Philadelphia, Pa., and the 28 field accounting offices set up in lieu of a larger number of such offices as a result of a special study.
Position studies justify upgrading.—A completed project of great importance to the Service was a classification study of superintendent positions. This resulted in the preparation of tentative allocation standards for these very important positions, and resulted in upward reclassification of the great majority of them. Another completed study of considerable magnitude concerned the chief clerk and administrative officer positions, and positions subordinate to them. A large percentage of the chief clerk positions were also upgraded as a result of the study, and the title “chief clerk,” which had been in use since the Service came into being, was abandoned in favor of the title “administrative officer.” The superintendent and administrative officer reclassifications have improved the grade structure of the Service tremendously, have opened the way to its further improvement, and have resulted in noticeable uplift in the morale of field employees.
New handbook.—To keep all employees better informed, as well as to improve the orientation training of new employees, a completely new employee handbook was produced and distributed to all permanent employees near the end of the fiscal year.
Recruiting seasonal employees.—In the preceding fiscal year, procedures newly established by the Civil Service Commission required the recruiting of seasonal rangers through the competitive examination process. With very strong help from the Office of the Secretary,
352	> ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
the Service obtained Civil Service Commission approval to place these seasonal positions under schedule A for recruiting purposes this year. Reports from several important field areas received by the end of the year indicate that recruitment of the seasonal uniformed staff proceeded much more efficiently, economically, and rapidly this year than was the case last year under the examination process. Although it is too early to compare the results of recruitment with the results obtained last year, early indications are that the quality of recruits is more satisfactory this year than last.
New regional directors.—Hugh M. Miller, who began his career with the National Park Service in 1931 as an assistant clerk at Wind Cave National Park, was promoted to the position of regional director, Region Three, to succeed Miner R. Tillotson, who died on February 28 after more than 14 years in that position. Miller had previously been assistant regional director. Daniel J. Tobin, whose first employment with the service was as a clerk in Sequoia National Park, and who has been assistant regional director in Region One for the past 3 years, was selected to fill the new position of regional director, Region Five, scheduled for establishment on July 1, 1955, with Philadelphia as headquarters.
Employee training.—As a means of serving the public more effectively and making more effective use of our human resources, employee training continued to receive more and more emphasis. In this connection, an experimental Washington office general in-service training course was conducted for 18 employees through a 13-week period to acquaint the participants with the activities of the various segments of the Washington office, as well as to give them greater familiarity with field operations.
The agenda for an approved preseason training program for seasonal public contact personnel was developed and distributed to the field.
The 13th general administration training course was conducted in the Region One office from November 29 to December 10,1954, with 27 selected field employees in attendance. The 14th course was conducted in the Region Three office from April 25 to May 6, 1955, for 21 employees. A total of 341 carefully selected employees have undergone this type of intensive administrative training since it was started in 1940.
Safety
Visitor-accident fatalities.—It is considered of some importance that visitors not only enjoy and obtain the benefits of knowledge and inspiration which the areas of the National Park System offer, but also that they do so safely. For the calendar year 1954 visitor-accident
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	353
fatalities were found to be in the ratio of less than one per million visitors. Motor-vehicle accidents and drownings were the leading causes of visitor-accident fatalities.
At the request of the Federal Fire Council, the Service prepared a letter to the Comptroller General which includes suggested language for use in specifications to permit all agencies of the Federal Government to purchase approved equipment and appliances based upon tests by recognized testing laboratories. The letter has been sent by the council to the Comptroller General who, in 1954, had ruled that the requirement that equipment bear the label of the Underwriters’ Laboratories is restrictive.
Records Management
The Branch of Office Services has, during the past year, gained approval of and made distribution to all field offices for mandatory application a comprehensive records disposal schedule. Reports received to date indicate that field offices are now using the schedule to dispose of or to retire accumulations of records peculiar to the Service which have been held through the years for lack of disposal authority.
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
The efforts of the Division of Design and Construction during the past year have been predominantly directed toward construction for improved public service facilities, concessions, and interpretive activities.
Buildings, Utilities, and Grounds
Service construction.—Construction activities have been concentrated on the installation of buildings and utilities, to alleviate the critical shortages of accommodations and interpretive facilities. The Service is engaged in the following construction projects and has funds with which to continue them:
At Mount Rushmore National Memorial—a concessioner’s dormitory for 64 persons, a concessions building, and an amphitheater; at Grand Canyon—a public service building containing an information office, a collection-storage-work office, patio, museum, library, and restrooms, on the new south approach road; at Carlsbad Caverns—a public-use building and elevator lobby, museum, and naturalists’ offices; at Isle Royale—multiple-unit overnight accommodations at Rock Harbor; at Grand Teton—campground developments at Colter Bay; at Yellowstone, campground developments at Canyon; at Colonial—public information centers at Yorktown and Jamestown; at Gillespie Gap on the Blue Ridge Parkway—the Museum of North
354	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Carolina Minerals. These and other similar projects will cost about $5 million.
Concessioner construction.—The facilities listed above will be augmented by the following concessioners’ development projects for new overnight accommodations which are completed or under way:
In Yosemite Valley—a registration office and new lodge containing a lobby and cafeteria; at Shenandoah—a registration office and lobby at Skyland; at Everglades—a day-use building with lobby and dining room, a boat servicing-and-rental building, and shelters at Flamingo; at Grand Teton—the newly completed Jackson Lake Lodge, which will accommodate 1,000 guests, and the proposed moderate-price accommodations at Colter Bay which will accommodate 600, with stores, shops, studio, dining room and cafeteria, fountain and snack bar for the cabin occupants and for the 1,200 persons who will occupy the Colter Bay campgrounds and trailer camp.
Other Service developments.—At Carlsbad Caverns National Park two new elevators have been completed and placed in service. There and at Mammoth Cave National Park and Oregon Caves National Monument, cave wiring has been modernized and improved.
New water and sewer systems, parking areas, roads, trails, and comfort stations to serve new or expanded campgrounds and picnic grounds have been completed in more than 25 areas. Successful negotiations and contracts for the introduction of commercial power or communications service or both have been concluded at 10 areas, to the definite benefit of the Service and the public. New or improved radio communication systems have been installed at 4 areas.
The construction of administrative, protective, and maintenance facilities and employee housing continues at much too slow a rate. To bring the public-use facilities up to reasonable requirements, at least $10 million will be needed for the next 10 years. However, Mission 66 when completed will give a more accurate figure.
Two studies.—Of notable interest and value has been the completion of two cooperative studies by the Public Health Service. The first and most far-reaching produced a detailed tabulation and report of “urgent,” “necessary,” and “desirable” sanitary engineering needs of the areas administered by the National Park Service. The second and equally valuable study is devoted to the problems of storage, collection, and disposal of garbage and trash. This involves a thorough analysis of current procedures in several of the major parks.
Park Roads, Trails, and Parkways
With respect to major roads construction, there has been notable progress toward completion of roads started many years ago, in consummating agreements of transfer affecting approach roads and other
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 355
primary State routes, and in advancing construction on other roads. This has been made possible by contract authorization for 1955, 1956, and 1957 and by increased appropriations for 1955—$10,000,000 compared to $4,000,000 in 1954. The contract authorization for 1956 and 1957 is $12,500,000. These authorizations should be stepped up to $20,000,000 during the next 10 years to complete our program.
At Grand Canyon, the south approach and entrance road was completed ; at Grand Teton, final paving has been completed on the 18.5 miles of road from Moran to the south entrance of Yellowstone; at Shenandoah, the paving of 48 miles of the Skyline Drive was begun, to complete the paving of the entire 105 miles, started several years ago. Construction of the 29-mile Zion-Bryce Canyon approach road has been completed and the road is to be transferred to the State of Utah for maintenance.
Work has been started on the 5 miles of the Shiloh-Corinth Road which lies in Mississippi. When completed this will be taken over by the State. Yellowstone Park route known as the Gallatin Road is being built in stages by the State of Montana, which will maintain it on a permit basis.
Good progress is being made on grading, tunnel excavating, and base surfacing on the 13-mile Heart o’ the Hills Road in Olympic National Park. At Mount Rainer, there is similar progress to be reported on the 18-mile Stevens Canyon Road, so that completion may be expected with the work programed for 1956. At Kings Canyon, major structures and other work on 9 miles of the road from the end of State Route 180 at Deer Cove Creek to the terminal loop at Copper Creek will be completed in 1956 and 1957.
Parkway Construction
In the fiscal year 1955, the Service received $10 million in appropriations and contract authorization to continue construction on the several parkways. We have contractual authorization for 1956 and 1957 of $11 million per year. Like our road and trail item, this should also be increased. We hope that we can get this contract authorization increased to $17 million during the next 10 years.
Blue Ridge Parkway.—By the end of the year, work in progress on the Blue Ridge totaled $2,816,500 in major construction contracts. These included the grading and bridge structures to complete the 10-mile gap between the end of present construction south of U. S. 60 and the James River. The James River Bridge, to be programed in 1957, will close the only gap between Shenandoah National Park and U. S. 460 near Roanoke, Va., a distance of 108 miles. A 3-mile unit in North Carolina near Blowing Rock, started with funds appropriated pre-
364841—56---26
356	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
viously, and including grading and a grade separation over U. S. 321, was completed. The grading and surface treatment of 11 miles between Wagon Road and Beech Gaps, west of Asheville, started before World War II, were also completed, as was the $90,500 grade separation over U. S. 58, at Tuggles Gap, in Virginia.
Colonial Parkway.—Construction under contracts totaling $2,129,-420 was in progress by the end of the year, primarily on the 9-mile portion of the parkway between Williamsburg and Jamestown Island and at the parkway terminus at Yorktown. This work is on a tight construction schedule in order to complete the parkway in time for the 1957 celebration.
Natchez Trace Parkway.—On the Natchez Trace, $1,679,440 worth of major construction was under way by the end of the year. Contracts included the grading of 13 miles in the vicinity of Mathiston, Miss., to complete a continuous 102-mile parkway unit from Ridgeland, near Jackson, to U. S. 82, near Mathiston. Fifteen miles are being paved; when this is completed the southern 79 miles of the 102-mile unit will be continuous pavement. During the year, 34 miles of continuous paving were opened to use and an overpass over the Frisco Railroad near Tupelo, Miss., was completed. The cost of these two projects was $640,190.
Baltimore- W ashington Parkway.—This parkway, of which 19 miles is Federal, and which connects with the District of Columbia street system, was officially opened to public use last October. The 1955 appropriation contained no funds for it, but contracts amounting to $1,930,240, for 9 miles of paving, guard rail, and traffic signs, were completed.
General.—About $900,000 worth of public service facilities of various kinds were under construction at the end of the year. Work was started on the stabilization of Mount Locust, near Natchez, one of the oldest structures in Mississippi which served as an overnight stand on the historic Natchez Trace.
The Mississippi River Parkway project.—This project is now in the planning stages in several of the 10 States involved. The National Park Service has participated with the Bureau of Public Roads in assisting the States of Illinois and Minnesota in planning the land acquisition and right-of-way development, including the determination of boundaries, in accordance with the terms of the 1954 Federal Aid Highway Act.
Plan Preparation
The preparation of plans has involved principally keeping pace with the construction programs of the Service and park concession
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES
357
ers. It is possible also to report progress on the preparation of first editions of master plans for new and prospective areas such as Coronado National Memorial, Harpers Ferry National Monument, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and Fort Caroline National Memorial, as well as for Fort Washington, a unit of the National Capital Parks.
Personnel
Student assistant training program.—The program for the systematic employment of promising students majoring in landscape architecture, architecture, and engineering during summer vacations after their sophomore and junior years has been continued; more than 80 will be employed by the Service this summer. Their duties are to assist in preparing master plans, conduct surveys, and make plans for construction projects.
Recruitment.—The eastern office of Design and Construction is at approximately 65 percent of ceiling strength; the western office at 70 percent. It has been difficult to obtain qualified professional personnel at present authorized salary rates.
COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES
Changes in the National Park System
Proposed n&w areas.—No new areas were established or authorized during the year but progress was made on several proposals. Bills to authorize the establishment of a Virgin Islands National Park were introduced in Congress and hearings were held on them. Mr. Laurance Rockefeller has offered to acquire and donate to the Federal Government the necessary lands for this proposed park on the island of St. John. A bill was pending to authorize the City of Refuge National Historical Park in Hawaii. Cooperative agreements were under consideration whereby Chimney Rock in Nebraska and Promontory Summit in Utah might be designated National Historic Sites in non-Federal ownership. Sponsors made good progress toward provision of lands and road rights-of-way for the proposed Fort Union National Monument in New Mexico, which was authorized by Congress in 1954.
Area abolishments.—The Service has adopted a program to eliminate from the National Park System those few areas which are considered to be primarily of State or local significance. Bills were introduced in Congress to disestablish the following national monuments: Castle Pinckney in South Carolina, Fossil Cycad in South Dakota, Old Kasaan in Alaska, and Verendrye in North Dakota.
358	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Boundary adjustments.—Without impairing monument values, 29,118 acres were excluded from Glacier Bay National Monument in Alaska by Presidential proclamation. Bills, favored by the Service, were introduced in Congress to revise the boundaries of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, and Devils Tower and Pipestone National Monuments. A bill to delete lands from the eastern side of Mount McKinley National Park, Alaska, was considered detrimental. The Service studied the following areas in order to determine better boundary lines: Carlsbad Caverns, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Kings Canyon, Lassen Volcanic, Mount McKinley, Sequoia, and Yosemite National Parks; Badlands, Fort Vancouver, Grand Canyon, Great Sand Dunes, Katmai, Oregon Caves, and Petrified Forest National Monuments; and Lake Mead National Recreation Area. In most cases boundary adjustments, involving both additions and deletions of lands, will require legislation.
Threats averted.—The Corps of Engineers concluded that protection against floods on the Snake River could be obtained without constructing levees within Grand Teton National Park; the Department of the Navy dropped its proposal to use a considerable portion of Death Valley National Monument as part of an aerial gunnery range; and a request to erect a television transmitter on the top of Scotts Bluff in Scotts Bluff National Monument was denied by the Director, whose action was later approved by the Department.
Special studies.—Cooperative scientific field studies in Katmai National Monument, Alaska, begun in 1953, were completed in 1954. Scientists from several Federal agencies and State universities participated in agricultural, archeological, biological, geographical and geological studies, and their reports are being prepared. Other special studies included: Agricultural and biological studies at Glacier Bay National Monument; geological, paleontological, wildlife, and grassland studies of Badlands National Monument; and a wildlife study of Mount McKinley National Park.
State Cooperation
Advisory service.—Advisory and consultative assistance on a wide variety of park and recreation problems was furnished to 47 of the States and Territories on 219 occasions. Among the more significant examples were, (1) participation in field studies and recommendations for a program of forest management in Itasca and St. Croix State Parks in Minnesota, (2) assistance to the State Historical Society of North Dakota in programing development of the International Peace Garden, (3) evaluation of the State park situation in Nevada to provide data for consideration by the legislature, which reactivated the
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 359
State park commission and appropriated funds for State park purposes, (4) assistance given to Alaska officials in preparing legislation designed to advance Territorial park and recreation programs, (5) technical advice to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission on restoration problems at Fort Simcoe State Park, (6) a field reconnaissance of a portion of the gulf coast and recommendations to the Texas State Parks Board on lands to be included in the proposed State Beach Park, and (7) advice to the Institute of Government, North Carolina, concerning organization for administration of historical properties.
Surplus property disposal.—Investigations were made of 11 surplus Federal properties totaling 733 acres requested by State and local agencies in 8 States and the Territory of Hawaii for park, recreation, and historic monument purposes, and recommendations were furnished to the General Services Administration and other disposal agencies.
The volume of work relating to determination and enforcement of compliance with the terms of the deeds of conveyance has increased appreciably. It will continue to do so, since this responsibility remains for a period of 20 years on each property or until the unamortized balance is paid. In addition to reviewing biennial reports submitted by the grantees and making occasional field inspections, the Service is called upon to grant changes in the conditions of the deeds, approve sale and exchange of lands, and accept payments of unamortized balances which free the grantees from use restrictions.
Following enactment of Public Law 387, approved June 4, 1954, amending the 1926 Recreation Act in several important respects, an arrangement was made with the Bureau of Land Management to handle, at the field level, all investigations and review of applications for public domain lands for park and recreation purposes. Reports on 10 such applications were made during the year.
Permission was granted to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Development to use approximately 100 acres of Pocahontas State Park (formerly Swift Creek Recreational Demonstration Area) for a prison labor camp to undertake conservation and highway projects.
Publications.—State Park Statistics—1954 shows a total of 1,968 State parks and related recreation areas containing more than 5 million acres; expenditures of $17,488,000 for capital improvements and $31,646,000 for operation and maintenance; attendance of more than 165,000,000; 5,096 year-round employees; and acquisition of 50 new areas and additions to 90 others, totaling more than 91,000 acres.
Other publications include State Park Fees and Charges, A Recreation Program for Alaska, and Recreation in Anchorage. The Digest
360	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
of Laws Relating to State Parks, prepared by Flavel Shurtleff, counsel for the American Planning and Civic Association, under contract with the Service, was published by the National Conference on State Parks.
River basin and regional studies program.—In cooperation with State and local park agencies, the Service completed 20 recreation planning reports for Bureau of Reclamation reservoir projects and a complete recreation master plan for the Nimbus Reservoir in California. In addition, assistance was given to the Bureau in the negotiation of 10 reservoir management agreements with State and local agencies under which the State and local agencies will manage recreation areas of State and local importance. A report draft on the American River Basin, embracing 20 proposed reservoirs, 6 diversion pools, and several forebays was also completed.
Two studies and reports were made for the Corps of Engineers and 26 applications to the Federal Power Commission were reviewed in connection with the preparation of the Department’s comments on them to the Commission. (The Federal Power Act requires the Commission to consider recreation among other beneficial uses when approving power projects.)
The end of the fiscal year saw completion of the Arkansas-White-Red River Basins and the New England-New York region recreation surveys. These 4-year projects were part of comprehensive resources studies conducted by Inter-Agency Committees established by the President. Several Federal agencies and each of the States concerned were represented on the Committees.
The AWR report recommends development of 39 day-use recreation areas on reservoir projects and of 29 areas primarily for weekend and vacation use. The report identifies 32 important historic sites and recommends their preservation in public ownership or by qualified quasi-public agencies. Four ecological areas with high scenic or scientific values are also identified in the report.
The New England-New York region report evaluates the recreation opportunities, or in some cases the damage that would result in existing recreation values, from construction of possible reservoirs inventoried by the Corps of Engineers. The report specifically urges that projects be not considered which would spoil the fine fishing, canoeing, and camping on the St. John and Allagash Rivers in Maine, which are widely known for their wilderness characteristics.
Satisfying progress was made on the Missouri River Basin Recreation Survey. Inventories of existing scenic, scientific, historic, and other recreational areas were completed. Publication of the full report is expected by January 1957. An archeological study and report
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	361
on the basin was completed under a research contract with the University of Utah.
A survey of group camping needs in central Washington was completed by the School of Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics of the State College of Washington, under contract with the Service. The survey was instituted as a pilot study to be used as a basis for further studies in the camping field.
Through the efforts of the Columbia Basin Commission, an advisory committee was appointed to represent the interests of the several communities around the Coulee Dam National Recreation Area. The committee will also advise the superintendent about priorities for the most desired and needed types of physical developments in the area.
INTEGRATED AUDITING
The internal audit program recommended by Administrative Assistant Secretary Beasley in April 1954 was placed in effect immediately, and audits were conducted throughout the 1955 fiscal year on this basis. The changed program provided for the integration of the auditing of businesses operating in the parks and auditing of the Service’s own operations. The integrated program provided greater coverage of operations on an audit-cycle basis.
The change in the audit program and the fact that other Government agencies were offering positions one and two grades above that authorized for similar positions in the Service caused considerable turnover in the Service’s audit staff. The difficulty of recruiting auditors at the grade levels authorized slowed the work; however, the cycle of audits scheduled is expected to be accomplished provided personnel turnover is at a minimum during the coming fiscal year.
The manuals used by this Service, covering both commercial auditing and governmental auditing were loaned to other bureaus and agencies at the suggestion of the accounting staff of the Office of the Administrative Assistant Secretary. It was believed these manuals would help these agencies in establishing audit programs similar to that in effect in this Service.
Difficulties in connection with the accounts and records of commercial operations in the park areas continue to be a problem. In two instances involving large claims, the auditors were forced, because of inadequate records, to spend considerably more than the estimated audit time in establishing inventory quantities, pricing inventories established, and determining ownership of assets, claims of creditors, and amounts of franchise fees due the Government.
Claims of the Government against two former concessioners resulting from prior audits which are still not settled by the Department of Justice amount to $54,765.71 and $25,074.15.
362	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
THE PARKS OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
The dedication of the United States Marine Corps War Memorial depicting the historic Mount Suribachi flag-raising scene on Iwo Jima and the opening of the 19-mile Federal portion of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway were significant events in the National Capital Park system during the 1955 fiscal year. By act of Congress, approved June 29,1955, the name of the Lee Mansion National Memorial was changed to Custis-Lee Mansion and the area designated by law as a permanent memorial to Robert E. Lee.
The completion of the reconstruction of Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park north of Military Road and between Tilden Street and Blagden Avenue were notable improvements to this largest and most important unit of the parks in the Nation’s Capital. Off-street parking along both reconstructed sections of the drive, a new public comfort station near Pierce Mill, substantial progress on a culvert for flood control at the Beach Drive-Military Road intersection, and the completion of a stable for mounted police were also important Rock Creek Park accomplishments during the 1955 fiscal year.
The installation of a new and improved two-way radio system for the United States Park Police makes possible, for the first time, communication with motorcycle mounted police as well as cruiser personnel.
The study to determine the most appropriate treatment for the preservation and interpretation of Ford’s Theater, together with an estimate of the costs involved, was completed as required by Public Law 372. A prospectus for a Visitors Reception Center in the Nation’s Capital was prepared; a preliminary study of new floodlighting for the Washington Monument was approved by the Fine Arts Commission ; the pillow from the bed upon which Abraham Lincoln died and a George Washington Parke Custis bed were important acquisitions of original historic objects for the House Where Lincoln Died and the Custis-Lee Mansion.
A quarter of a million people saw the productions staged at Carter Barron Amphitheater during the 1954 summer season. The program featured light opera, the National Symphony Orchestra, ballet, a New York musical, and an ice show. The theater was operated without loss which gives some assurance of the long-term continuation of this popular cultural feature of the National Capital Parks outdoor recreation program.
The beautiful American elms which have been an important feature of the Washington parks for generations are now threatened by the elm scorch as well as the Dutch elm disease. Control of both diseases requires the removal and burning of the infected trees. More than 500 elms were victims of the two diseases during the year, including
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 363
many towering specimens on the Ellipse and elsewhere in the central area of the Nation’s Capital. Hurricane Hazel and the continued dry weather of the past 2 years have also taken a heavy toll of the trees in the park system. Both park improvements and regular maintenance have suffered from the necessity of applying more man-days for tree removal, pruning, feeding, and watering.
Mountain climbing.—Grand Teton, Mount McKinley, Mount Rainier, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, Glacier, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks and Devils Tow’er National Monument are the important mountain climbing areas of the System, offering serious rock work. Growing public consciousness of the need of safety precautions and safe practices is reflected in the general decline in mountain-climbing casualties.
Fred B. Ford, Jr., a guide with the Petzoldt-Exum Climbing Guide Service at Grand Teton, was killed in June in the course of a Grand Teton climb, first hit by a falling rock then, while waiting rescue, falling about 1,000 feet. The recovery of his body and the rescue of one of his charges in blizzard conditions on the upper slopes of the peak was one of the most dangerous and heroic in national park annals, participated in by both Service and other skilled mountaineers.
The Advisory Board.—Secretary McKay appointed Carl I. Wheat, distinguished attorney of San Francisco and Washington, D. C., and Dr. E. Raymond Hall, chairman of the University of Kansas Department of Zoology, to membership on the Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments. They succeeded Dr. Harold E. Anthony, dean of the American Museum of Natural History scientific staff, and Dr. Theodore C. Blegen, dean of the University of Minnesota Graduate School, both of whom had given exceptional service to the board.
Boy Scout award winners visit two parks.—Twelve Explorer Scouts, regional winners of Boy Scout Conservation Good Turn Awards, in the course of a western trip in June and early July to see “conservation in action,” visited Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Two days of their stay in Yellowstone was spent on a “campout” on Peale Island, in Yellowstone Lake.
OFFICE OF TERRITORIES
Anthony T. Lausi, Director
☆ ☆ ☆
THE Office of Territories, with one of the smallest headquarters staffs among Federal agencies in Washington, watches over an astonishing variety of activities, in Territorial areas spread over two great oceans. These activities vary in each Territory. Altogether they include political administration, economic development directly and through aid to private enterprise, large health and education programs, and aid in securing Federal legislation beneficial to the Territories.
In the field of government the Office supervises political activities in some island areas new to the customs and practices of democratic institutions. In others, where there has been long experience with these institutions the Office has no direct political functions but aids Territorial governors and their staffs in maintaining their relationships with the Federal Government.
In the economic field the Office operates a hundred-million-dollar railroad in Alaska, builds and maintains a huge network of roads in that Territory and administers an Alaska public works program.
In the Pacific the Office promotes sea and air transportation and in many ways aids and encourages agricultural, industrial and business development. In the Caribbean it has administered economic aid programs which have been liquidated as fast as private enterprise and Territorial local government units have been in a position to assume their proper responsibilities.
In the field of public health and education, the Office either builds and maintains needed facilities or promotes their development by Territorial governments.
The fiscal year, ended June 30, 1955, has seen marked improvement in the businesslike administration of these Federal functions in the Territories for which the Office of Territories is responsible. The Alaska Railroad has closed the year with a $2,600,000 surplus over expenses of operation, and has improved the transportation services
364
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	365
provided shippers at the same time that expenses have been decreased. While the operation of a military pipeline from Haines to Fairbanks will cause an important reduction in revenues, every effort is being made to meet the financial problems which this loss in revenue will entail. Plans were far advanced for a seatrain service to Alaska to be operated by a large ocean carrier.
The Alaska Road Commission completed in 1955 its fiftieth year of service to the Territories in building and maintaining Alaska’s road system. The paving program, which has already black topped hundreds of miles of through highways, was greatly advanced and winter maintenance activities expanded.
The Alaska and Virgin Islands public works programs have continued to supply much needed schools, utilities and other public improvements. The Virgin Islands program, however, under the Revised Organic Act, will be turned over to a reorganized Territorial government.
Plans were far advanced, through drafts of proposed Federal legislation, to transfer to the Territory of Alaska the care of Alaska mental patients, which, for many years, has been an Office of Territories function.
In the Pacific Islands the fiscal year has brought improved administration of government affairs, and economic development where such development has been sorely needed. In American Samoa, a draft constitution has been partially completed. Samoan annual exports were doubled through the operation of a government fish cannery leased to private interests. In Guam tax collections have been very greatly increased and important gains made in a program of public improvements.
In the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands the centralization of headquarters supervision in Guam rather than Honolulu has brought marked improvement in administrative efficiency. The granting of a charter to the Palau Congress and the selection of a Micronesian to fill the post of District Education Administrator have been milestones in the evolution of island self-government. This is the first time in the history of American administration of the Trust Territory that a Micronesian has occupied a district official post.
The fiscal year saw another setback in the long-continued fight for statehood for Hawaii. Legislation providing statehood for both the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii was introduced into the House and Senate and both the Senate and House Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs held statehood hearings. The House committee reported out H. R. 2535 which would have granted statehood to Alaska as well as Hawaii. The House of Representatives voted to recommit the bill and no further action was taken by the Congress before the close of the legislative session.
366	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Iii the pages that follow there is presented a more detailed picture of the many-sided activities of the Office of Territories.
ALASKA
Cooperation in Resource Development
Alaska’s greatest need, now as in the past, is economic development based on the enterprise of her citizens. Because of huge Federal land holdings in the Territory there is no area of the United States in which there is more opportunity for wise Federal cooperation in meeting this need.
The first year of operation of the new pulp mill at Ketchikan provided additional year-round employment in southeastern Alaska and greatly increased the output of timber products from the Tongass National Forest. Additional large pulp mills and sawmills for the utilization of Alaska’s vast timber resources are being planned at Wrangell, Sitka, and Juneau.
In addition to the loggers employed by the Ketchikan pulp mill the company is purchasing logs from around 50 independent loggers whose operations are conducted in almost every area of southeastern Alaska. This means that Ketchikan Pulp Co. paychecks are going into the smaller communities of Alaska and are having a stabilizing effect on the economy of these communities.
The fiscal year saw an amazing growth of interest in the possibility of oil production in Alaska. The Bureau of Land Management issued oil exploration leases covering more than half a million acres, and drilling was actively underway in areas around Cook Inlet and in the coast area east of Cordova.
The Department in the latter part of the fiscal year requested the views of the Senate and House Committees on Interior and Insular Affairs and the House and Senate Armed Forces Committees on the possible revocation of those portions of Public Land Order 82 applying to 25 million acres of land outside of Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 in northern Alaska. The Department of the Navy has advised that it has no objection to revoking Public Land Order 82 provided that the proposed revocation does not affect the present status of the lands in the Naval Reserve.
In order to promote the basic economic development of Alaska a resource development board was created by the Territorial Legislature. This board will foster and coordinate programs, for the use and management of Alaska’s natural and other resources, for the promotion of general economic development, and for the provision of transportation facilities and other public works and facilities essential to such development.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES >	367
Alaska Railroad Forges Ahead
The Alaska Railroad closed its books for the fiscal year 1955 with one of the brightest financial reports in its history. Net income amounted to $2,617,278.72 as compared with $719,524.65 in the previous fiscal year. It is highly significant that this record was achieved through economies that were accompanied by a noteworthy improvement in the services rendered to shippers.
On the unfavorable side is the fact that the military pipeline from Haines to Fairbanks is scheduled to begin operation shortly after the beginning of the next fiscal year. This will reduce by 80 percent railroad revenues presently derived from the movement of bulk petroleum products north of the Alaska Range. The railroad is attempting, in discussions with military authorities, to regain some of the threatened loss of tonnage in order to maintain the potential ability of the railroad to move large volumes of petroleum products in time of emergency. Other efforts will be made to achieve further economies and to attract additional commercial shipping to the Railroad. However, in the absence of counteracting factors which cannot be foreseen at present, the Railroad must face the inevitability of a decline in net revenue during the next fiscal year.
Though substantial sums have been appropriated by Congress for the rehabilitation of the Railroad in previous fiscal years much remains to be done in the way of ballasting, replacing untreated ties with treated ties, and grading of roadbed. The rehabilitation program will be continued but costs in connection therewith will be met from earnings. Crushed ballast will be utilized in lieu of pit run material to provide better drainage and smoother riding track. Field forces will be mechanized further in line with latest railroad practices, to increase production during the limited working season and to improve the quality of the work.
The rehabilitation of the roadway between Seward and Portage, being performed under contract, was 37 percent complete at the close of the fiscal year, with final completion scheduled for the second quarter of fiscal year 1956. At the close of the year plans were completed for awarding a contract for the construction of a new ocean dock at Seward.
As part of a major program for the retirement and replacement of obsolete and outmoded equipment, an order was placed for 100 multiservice ballast cars, 54 of which have been delivered, and specifications have been prepared for the acquisition of 50 flat cars equipped for handling large cargo vans. This latter feature should prove mutually advantageous to both the Railroad and motor carriers.
Negotiations are under way for the acquisition of nine lift vans for transportation of cold storage items under controlled temperatures.
368	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Plans are being developed also for the procurement of two Pullman cars upon receipt of which overnight sleeper service between Anchorage and Fairbanks will be provided.
Turn-around freight service between Anchorage and Seward has been inaugurated. This permits centralization of maintenance in Anchorage while the running time of freight trains between Anchorage and Fairbanks has been reduced to 22 hours. Further reduction to a 20-hour schedule will be made within a short time.
River boat operations by the Railroad were discontinued on March 1,1955, when a 20-year contract was negotiated with the B. & R. Tug and Barge Co. of Kotzebue, Alaska, doing business as the Yutana Barge Line. This permitted the Railroad to meet an administration objective to retire from an unnecessary Federal operation when a contract carrier can be found to perform the service at a reasonable price.
As part of a major program to reduce railroad inventories, the General Services Administration assumed direction of a project to dispose of war surplus materials having an estimated acquisition value of $3,900,000. Realization from sales amounted to about $500,000 with costs incident to the program amounting to approximately $80,000.
At the close of the fiscal year the railroad signed an agreement with the Alaska. Steamship Co. which looks to the inauguration of seatrain service to Alaska. Specially designed car ferries will be built for this service, which it is proposed to begin within 2 years. Such an operation will mark a revolutionary change in freight transportation to and from Alaska.
Alaska Road Commission Completes Fiftieth Year
During the fiscal year the Alaska Road Commission completed half a century of service to Alaska, an occasion marked by appropriate ceremonies at Juneau. Created by act of Congress as an agency of the War Department in 1905, and transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1932, the Commission has administered the major portion of the Territory’s highway development program from its inception.
As of June 30, 1955, the highway system of Alaska totaled 3,543.5 miles, of which 2,174 miles were maintained open the year-round, plus 248 miles of trails. The primary or through system, consisting of the Richardson, Alaska, Glenn, Seward-Anchorage, and Haines Highways, is approximately 80 percent paved. The balance is scheduled for paving in the immediate future. This system connects Alaska’s principal cities, seaports and military installations with one another and with the continental United States via the Alaska Highway through Canada.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 369
Principal projects active during the year include:
Glenn Highway.—The 189-mile portion of this route from Anchorage to Glennallen Junction is paved. Of the 125-mile Tok Cutoff portion from Gulkana Junction to Tok all but 35 miles are paved. At the close of the year contracts for paving this final section, and for construction of five bridges on this route, were active.
Alaska Highway.—Late in the year a contract was awarded for reconstruction of the final 44 mile section of this 207-mile route. This section, and an additional 30-mile section, are scheduled for early paving. The remaining 133 miles are paved. In addition six bridges were under contract construction at the close of the year.
Richardson Highway.—Paving of 221 of this route’s 365 miles is complete. Two contracts, for paving a total of an additional 104 miles, are active. A contract for paving the final 40-mile section is scheduled for award in the near future.
Copper River Highway—K. contract to advance the roadway being constructed on the abandoned Copper River and Northwestern Railroad grade to mile 39 was awarded during the year. This route will open up considerable potentially productive mineral land for exploration and development, and will connect another all-weather, ice-free port, Cordova, to the highway network.
Denali Highway.—Construction of this 162.9-mile route to connect Mount McKinley National Park—the Nation’s second largest—to the highway network, was begun in 1951. The project has been prosecuted from both the McKinley Park and Richardson Highway (at Paxson) termini simultaneously, and is passable from Paxson 42 miles west to the MacLaren River, and from the park 82 miles eastward to the Susitna River.
Taylor Highway.—Construction of this 161-mile route was initiated in 1947 by Government forces. It connects Eagle, Alaska and Dawson, Yukon Territory, with the highway network, and, with Canadian roads, provides a 381-mile military bypass of the Alaska Highway. The project is approximately 95 percent complete, and is passable over its entire length.
Maintenance.—Transition of the Territory’s economy from a seasonal to a year-round basis has necessitated a greatly enlarged program of winter maintenance. Since the road system traverses an area of continental size, where climate ranges from the comparatively moderate temperatures and heavy snowfall of the south coastal areas to temperatures of 70° below zero with light snowfall in interior Alaska, special maintenance methods and equipment are required. In keeping open the entire 1,200-mile primary system and approximately 1,000 miles of connected feeder and local systems, every type of modern snow-fighting equipment, supplemented by specially designed rotary plows believed to be the world’s largest, is utilized. The Thompson
370	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
and Isabel Pass areas are now maintained open the year-round, in spite of 80-foot annual snowfalls and 100-mile-per-hour gales.
Access roads.—Of great importance to the public at large is the construction of access roads and highways into areas opened up for homesteads, homesites and recreational areas. The Alaska Road Commission works very closely with the Bureau of Land Management in this respect, referring all petitions for new roads to that agency and continually requesting advance information as to new areas to be opened.
The Governor of Alaska in his message to the 22d Territorial Legislature meeting in January 1955, urged greatly needed increases in motor fuel taxes. As a result a new tax of 5 cents a gallon was levied on all motor fuel sold and delivered and a tax of 3 cents a gallon was levied on aviation fuel. This will permit an increase in Territorial funds which can be made available for highway construction.
Recognizing the problems that increased highway use has brought to the communities of Alaska, the Department recommended enactment of legislation to authorize the Alaska Road Commission to construct and maintain roads within towns of Alaska. Under the basic act establishing the Commission in 1905, construction was only authorized to and between towns. The Department recommended legislation authorizing the construction and maintenance of roads within unincorporated towns and settlements, and the construction of through roads only, without maintenance, in incorporated towns. The necessary legislation was passed by Congress shortly after the close of the fiscal year and was approved by the President on July 14.
Alaska Public Works Program
A $70,000,000 program of public works in Alaska was authorized by the Congress in 1949 by Public Law 264, 81st Congress. As amended, this act provides for continuance of the program through June 30, 1959.
The express purpose of the act is to foster the settlement and increase the permanent residents of Alaska, to stimulate trade and industry, encourage internal commerce and provide investment, develop Alaska resources, and provide facilities for community life.
In the fiscal years 1950 through 1955 inclusive there has been appropriated by the Congress for this program $50,708,200. This has been sufficient to finance 113 projects. The projects are constructed by the Federal Government under contracts after competitive bidding. Upon completion they are sold to the applicant, municipalities or other public bodies. The projects must be sold to applicants at prices calculated to insure that the whole program shall return to the Federal Treasury not less than 50 percent of the total cost of the program.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 371
These projects include schools, hospitals and other health facilities, sewer and water systems, libraries and other community buildings, and other useful types of community projects.
Of these 113 projects, a total of 35, costing $8,524,844.64, have been completed and sold to applicants; a total of 26, costing $9,332,178.44, have been completed and are in the process of being transferred to the applicants; 37 projects, estimated to cost $25,592,200, are presently under construction and will be completed and transferred with all due dispatch; and the remaining 15 projects, estimated to cost $7,112,-600, will be started later in this building season or not later than the start of the building season which opens in May of 1956.
Proposed Transfer to Alaska of Mental Health Program
A vigorous attempt is being made to secure legislation to modernize commitment procedures and to transfer responsibility for and operation of the mental health program to the Territorial government. To assist Alaska in assuming this new financial burden, the legislation recommended by the Department provided grants amounting to a total of $6 million over a 10-year period. Other features of the bill were an additional grant of $6,500,000 to construct facilities for the treatment of the mentally ill in the Territory and a grant of public lands to assist in meeting the cost of the program.
Responsibility for the care of the mentally ill was initially assumed by the Federal Government because of the Territory’s special circumstances at the turn of the century. It has continued as a Federal responsibility largely because of Alaska’s limited financial resources. I he Department and this administration have been vitally concerned with the shortcomings of the program, particularly with regard to the archaic commitment procedures established in 1905 and not since modified. The House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs held a series of hearings in Washington and Portland, Oreg., on this subject, and favorably reported the Alaska mental health bill in July 1955.
At the close of fiscal year 1955 there were 359 patients under care at Morningside Hospital, Portland, Oreg., the institution under con-ti act with the Department of the Interior for the care and treatment of Alaska’s mentally ill.
HAWAII
The Department’s continued interest in securing passage of Hawaii statehood legislation was again evidenced this year with the appearance of Secretary McKay before the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs in support of H. R. 2535, the Hawaii enabling legisla-
364841—56--27
372	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
tion. Although the bill was reported favorably by the Committee, the measure failed of passage when a motion to recommit was adopted on the floor of the House.
The rising unemployment trend which last year was of considerable concern in Hawaii was reversed through a record tourist trade and increased Federal expenditures in the Territory. During the year workmen’s compensation and unemployment insurance benefits were increased and the territorial minimum wage was raised.
Contracts totaling $6,667,343.94 for public works projects were let. Of this amount highways accounted for $3,625,893.14, or more than one-half of the total amount.
In the public health field, emphasis was given to the operation and support of programs for the prevention of disease, early diagnosis, prompt treatment, and effective rehabilitation. A highlight in the educational program has been a joint teacher, parent community instructional policy evaluation program involving 4,000 participants in 140 committees.
TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
The fourth year of civilian administration in the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was noteworthy because of steady progress in all aspects of administration, especially in the districts which were strengthened by a restaffing of personnel. Health and education facilities were expanded, the land claims and agricultural programs were strengthened, and there was an increase in goods exported. The year also saw the discontinuance of phosphate mining on Angaur in the Palau District and the close of the Island Trading Co., with the assumption of many of its functions by Micronesian trading companies.
The headquarters offices in Honolulu and in Guam have been consolidated on Guam. This move has greatly aided the rapport which exists among the Federal agencies and private concerns serving the Micronesians.
By Executive Order No. 51 of March 10, 1955, the island of Rota became a district. This action permits Rota to be administered as a district rather than as a special project of the headquarters operation.
In the education department a Micronesian replaced an American as a District Education Administrator. This is the first instance of a Micronesian assuming full charge of a district department. Another significant achievement was the establishment of five additional annual scholarships for Micronesians to go outside the Trust Territory for higher education. There are ten annual scholarships now available to Micronesians.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	373
Progress in Public Health
The Public Health Department postgraduate education has been increased to include grants to four medical practitioners and four nurses. This is an increase of two men and two women over the previous year. For the men, this postgraduate training includes all phases of medical care and is accomplished at Hilo Memorial Hospital, Hilo, Hawaii. Training for nurses covers all phases of nursing care and is conducted at the Leahi Hospital, Honolulu, Hawaii.
At the end of the calendar year 1954, 22 students returned from the Centra] Medical School, Suva, Fiji, and were employed by the health department in their respective fields of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and laboratory work. Sixteen Micronesians received intensive training at a special school for sanitarians. Upon graduation they were given field assignments and initiated an expanded program especially in the outer islands.
A significant change will occur when island lepers and mental patients are transferred from Tinian and Saipan to their home districts. This move will reduce the daily care costs to one-third the cost of maintaining them at Tinian and Saipan. The patients will be under the constant care of Trust Territory physicians and all treatment will be in accordance with approved and up-to-date therapy.
Economic Development
Commercial ships started calling at Majuro in the Marshall Islands during the fiscal year. This change permits direct contact with the outside world and provides lower port costs. Interisland shipping has been strengthened in order to permit the districts to complete more field trips each year. These extra field trips have encouraged the Micronesians to process more copra for export. The copra is purchased from Micronesian trading companies by a United States commercial firm and sold in world markets.
Air transportation was speeded up by the acquisition of three SA-16 Grumman Albatross planes which are faster and carry more passengers than the retired PBY’s.
The agricultural program has been strengthened and new stock and crops have been introduced. Major emphasis has been on subsistence crops and on coconuts and trochus for export.
All claims of the inhabitants for yen sequesterd by military authorities in the war were settled during the year.
An appropriation of $700,000 for new construction was granted for fiscal year 1955. Work on several much-needed projects was begun. New power plants at Koror and Ponape, leprosaria at Yap and Ponape, new housing and a new office building in Guam have been completed
374	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
and are now in use. Among the projects under way are two hospitals, a nurses’ training school, six warehouses and major repairs to piers and wharves adjacent thereto. In addition to the $700,000 appropriated, an additional $281,500 was made available from savings in operations and local revenues, thus permitting a total of $981,500 to be allocated for projects now in progress or to be started in the very near future.
During the year considerable progress was made in defining and delineating land and claims problems so important to the Micronesians. A survey team spent several weeks in Rota and was able to distinguish most of the public lands from private lands.
The Ponape District has homesteaded in excess of 1,500 acres of public domain to eligible islanders and is continuing this program. In the Palaus, over 400 acres of public land were made available to Micronesians for agricultural purposes.
Palau Congress Granted Charter
The granting of a charter to the Palau Congress marked the integration of newly acquired democratic concepts with traditional Palauan institutions. This is a step in the direction of self-government toward which the Palauan people and their Congress have been working for many years.
The Congress, like its predecessor, serves as an adviser to the District Administrator and is empowered to acquire and administer real property, levy taxes, disburse funds, and pass laws for the district. The elected leaders in “the deciding body for the people” are for the first time permitted to draw up their own budget based upon income derived from districtwide taxation and to formulate laws which will be submitted to the High Commissioner for approval.
The High Court opened its first criminal session since 1953 in Palau. A first sitting of the trial division was held at Namorik in the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands.
A detailed report of the administration of the Trust Territory was given to the Trusteeship Council in June 1955. One Micronesian adviser assisted the United States delegate.
GUAM
One of the most significant developments during the fiscal year was the increased revenue from taxation realized as a result of an accelerated tax collection program instituted in the Office of the Commissioner of Revenue and Taxation. Guam’s estimated income from all sources for the fiscal year was $7,975,000. Actual income was $10,-
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 375
189,000, leaving a surplus of approximately $2,314,000 which the Legislature appropriated to school construction, public utilities and capital improvements.
Public utilities expansion, with the full cooperation of Navy authorities on the island, has made good progress. A new government telephone exchange opened, serving, in addition to the government lines, approximately 100 telephones formerly maintained by the military services. Power rates set by the Navy for power generated in its plant have been readjusted favorably after a sudden increase instituted last November, and obsolete, deteriorating water mains are rapidly being replaced.
Specific capital improvements projects completed during the year were the tuberculosis wing of the new Guam Memorial Hospital dedicated on June 4; the new 12-room grade school in Umatac village; and a new bridge over the Talofofo River, replacing the bridge washed away during a 1953 typhoon.
Construction of the round-the-island highway continued, but completion of the final connecting link was delayed with advent of the rainy season. The Department of Public Works project for gradual paving of village roads and streets was given additional impetus, with paving completed in two villages and commenced in several others.
I reparation of the Health and Sanitation Code, the Insurance Code, and the Agricultural Code was completed and referred to the Legislature for enactment into law.
Perhaps the most important single problem now facing the Government of Guam is the lack of an adequate physical plant to care for the continually increasing number of school-age children. The problem is aggravated by the enlargement of the Air Force complement on Guam with a consequent increase in resident dependents. The Guam Legislature, recognizing the importance of an early solution, appropriated $700,000 for a coordinated plan of school construction drawn by a select committee and submitted to the Interior Department. New Federal school construction legislation is pending in the Congress. The Office of Territories has been instrumental in persuading the House and Senate committees considering the measures to include Guam in their coverage. There is good reason to be optimistic about the enactment of such legislation in the second session of the 84th Congress. Existing Federal school construction aid statutes do not cover Guam.
AMERICAN SAMOA
The fiscal year has been marked by important steps toward a greater degree of self-government for American Samoa. A constitutional
364841—56-28
376	4- ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
committee has partially completed a draft constitution tailored to fit the needs of the Territory and based on the principles of American democracy. Increasing authority has been delegated to district governors and other local government officials.
Increased effort has been devoted to medical services and public health. Measures to carry public health consciousness into outlying villages have been intensified. Practically all typhoid fever cases had been eliminated by the end of the fiscal year. Emphasis on malnutrition detection at early stages has resulted in a low incidence of this preventable condition. Higher standards of sanitation and hygiene have been set.
In an endeavor to assist the people to help themselves in the field of education, village leaders have been encouraged to improve, and in some instances to construct new schools. This cooperative effort and the feeling of local responsibility which it emphasizes are essential ingredients of the policy of this Administration.
The strengthened economy throughout American Samoa is reflected in the annual report of the Bank of American Samoa. Total assets increased over $165,000. The bank has had numerous requests for loans for the establishment of new business enterprises and for the development of existing plantations in Manu’a since construction of the dock and roads began in these outlying islands. General improvement in the economy is largely due to confidence among the people in the stability and the economic development program of the Government.
In accordance with the Government policy of providing incentive to industry the Van Camp Sea Food Co. has been able to bring its cannery into full production during the year and currently employs over 300 local people.
The lack of direct air transportation between Honolulu and American Samoa is one of the greatest deterrents to economic development. An important part of the current economic program is the development of Tafuna Airport for the accommodation of Pan American Stratocruisers on their South Pacific route. The PAA application to substitute American Samoa for its stop at Canton Island has been approved by the President of the United States. Nonscheduled flights from Honolulu to American Samoa have been approved by the Civil Aeronautics Board.
The agricultural extension program has been expanded to assist in developing agriculture on the village level, and to encourage each village to apportion its lands to crops that will be of maximum benefit. By means of pilot projects at the Experimental Farm and Dairy the Samoans are being encouraged to improve their poultry and livestock. Two thousand acres of cocoa, a cash crop, are now under cultivation as a result of an intensive cocoa planting program.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4- 377
The total cost of operations during the fiscal year 1955 was $1,-565,101 as compared to $1,575,723 in the fiscal year 1954, a drop of over $10,000. Accrued revenues total $591,317 in 1955 as compared to $524,970 in 1954. Export values in 1955 jumped to $1,270,548.10 from $546,237.67 in 1954, largely due to the export of canned tuna.
THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
The reorganization of the Government of the Virgin Islands required by the Revised Organic Act signed by the President on July 22,1954, took effect during the fiscal year. The Legislature established under the Revised Act, a unicameral body composed of 11 senators, met in its first regular session on January 10, 1955. At the same time the Executive Branch of the Government was reconstructed into nine major departments.
A Government Comptroller was appointed by the Secretary of the Interior on October 26, 1954. A Commission on the Application of Federal Laws to the Virgin Islands was appointed by the President on December 15, 1954, and it is expected that the Commission’s recommendation will be submitted to the Congress on or about July 22, 1955. A contract for the preparation of a Virgin Islands Code was executed in the Interior Department, and an advisory committee was appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to assist in the codification of the laws.
A new system of accounting has been installed. Tax administration activities have been centralized in one office. A single treasury has been created to replace two separate treasuries of the former municipality of St. Thomas and St. John and the municipality of St. Croix.
The general health of the Virgin Islanders has been good despite the primitive sewage-disposal methods for large parts of the communities. The occurrence of two cases of typhoid fever points up the need for increased emphasis on sanitation.
Notable improvements have been made in the telephone systems throughout the Islands. During the coming year, the organization and accounting procedures will be improved to accomplish maximum control. Every effort will be made to develop an adequate potable water supply system. The sewage system will be extended. The pumping system for salt water fire protection and flushing will be improved and extended. As funds become available, it is anticipated that approximately $3 million in special public projects will be started.
During the fiscal year the total insular revenues collected amounted to $2,916,094 as compared to $2,408,866 for the previous year, an increase of $570,228. In accordance with the Revised Organic Act,
378	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
there was transferred to the Government of the Virgin Islands by the Federal Government, matching funds in the amount of $2,026,207 and essential public projects funds in the amount of $1,872,992.
THE VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION
The Virgin Islands Corporation continues to be the backbone of the economy of the Island of St. Croix, where the growing and processing of sugarcane provides employment to the maj ority of the population. The 1955 sugarcane crop was slightly larger than the previous year, and operations in general were more successful than in prior years. In spite of low sugar prices, losses were reduced and a higher efficiency obtained.
The power plants on the two main Virgin Islands, St. Thomas and St. Croix, maintained steady growth in respect to generation, distribution, and consumption, and their operations continued to show a profit. During the year power was extended to several of the smaller islands and arrangements wTere made to extend power from St. Thomas to St. John, an important step in the development of the latter island.
The Corporation took over the operation of the former Air Facility and Submarine Base, St. Thomas, on July 1, 1954. Considerable progress was made in restoration of the properties and in developing them for the benefit of the people of the Virgin Islands.
CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC WORKS
In 1944 the Congress authorized a public works program to assist in the internal development of the Virgin Islands, and a total of $11,303,592 has since been appropriated. No additional appropriations for this program will be made as Public Law 517, 83d Congress, known as the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands, has provided for the Virgin Islands Government to construct its own public works.
A large quantity of specialized movable equipment, including X-ray machines, furnished and installed during the fiscal year 1955 in four hospitals earlier completed under the program, has provided unexcelled facilities for the development of extensive surgical and medical services, previously not available in the Islands.
During the fiscal year 1955 there were completed four schools on St. Thomas, including a high school in Charlotte Amalie and three rural schools, providing classrooms for 1,374 pupils; together with two schools on St. Croix, including a consolidated high and elementary school in Christiansted, and a rural school at LaVallee, providing classrooms for 1,235 pupils. An auditorium has been provided in
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 379 each of the high schools for use in the school programs and community assemblies.
Construction of four schools on St. John, including a consolidated elementary school in Cruz Bay and three rural schools, providing classrooms for 245 pupils, which will be completed in time for the school term beginning in the fall of 1955, will adequately supply all the necessary school plant facilities for the Island.
A secondary road being constructed between Cruz Bay on the west coast of St. John with Coral Harbor on the east coast will provide a long needed overland transportation route across the Island and will prove a valuable contribution to the economic development of the area. A new intercepting sewer on St. Thomas will be constructed during 1955 to supplement existing facilities.
Final projects planned for this program, for which plans and specifications have been completed and made available to the Virgin Islands Government for construction under the program authorized by the Revised Organic Act, include three schools in Charlotte Amalie providing classrooms for 1,950 pupils, and two schools on St. Croix providing classrooms for 810 pupils. These projects also include a road or parkway upon land lying behind the previously completed seawall on St. Thomas. The construction of these schools by the Virgin Islands Government will complete the projected school plant facilities for the Islands, and the construction of the road or parkway will provide an essential transportation route from Bourne Field Airport in the western section to the new housing development in the eastern part of St. Thomas, thus relieving the congestion on the one existing narrow thoroughfare, and contributing to the recreational development of the 30 acres of land reclaimed by the seawall.
LIQUIDATION OF PUERTO RICO RECONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION
The successful liquidation of the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration, pursuant to Public Law 276 of the 83d Congress, was accomplished during the year and the agency was closed on February 15, 1955.
The PRRA was conceived in 1955 as a relief organization to offset the ravages of nature and the economic depression which gripped the world in that period. The programs of the agency provided Puerto Rico with many needed benefits and improvements in a wide variety of sociological and industrial fields. By 1947, however, PRRA’s basic mission had been accomplished, and the first liquidation efforts began. These culminated in the adoption of Public Law 276 referred to above.
380	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
In the 18-month period established by the law for the liquidation of PRRA, almost 10,000 mortgages and pieces of real property located in both urban and rural areas of Puerto Rico were disposed of by discount incentives. Notes of sugar cooperatives were settled by negotiation on the basis of the difference between the Government interest rate and that of private banking institutions.
The liquidation preserved $2,619,786 in the PRRA revolving fund and realized $5,379,685 through the sale of assets and settlement of mortgages. These amounts, together with additional assets of $445,966 which accrued to the Federal Government, permitted the salvaging of a total of $8,445,437, while eliminating a wholly outmoded and currently unnecessary activity of the Federal Government.
PUERTO RICO TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ‘ TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The Department of the Interior continues to serve as the Washington office of the technical assistance program for the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, under a special agreement between the Secretary of the Interior and the Governor of Puerto Rico. During the fiscal year 1955, a total of 891 foreign nationals (including trainees, visitors and observers), representing every country of the world except the Soviet Union and its allies, visited Puerto Rico. The area from which these foreign nationals came and their sponsorship is shown below:
Sponsor	Latin America	Near East, Africa, and South Asia	Far East	China and Indochina	Europe	Total
Foreign Operations Administration	 FOA-Caribbean DOTS	313 99	45	110	17	2	487 99
United Nations and specialized agencies	 Organization of American States	 Other foreign trainees, visitors and observers (nongrant)		81 14	19			2	102 14
	1 160	13	6	2	8	189
Total			.		667	77	116	19	12	891
1 Includes 10 grants made by Puerto Rico under the Commonwealth exchange program. NOte.—United States visitors concerned with technical assistance (not in total), 58.
Office of the Administrative Assistant Secretary
D. Otis Beasley, Administrative Assistant Secretary
☆ ☆ ☆
THE Administrative Assistant Secretary discharges the duties of the Secretary with respect to administrative management. He determines the basic policies and procedures governing the activities under his supervision and coordinates by direction the conduct of these activities. The Administrative Assistant Secretary serves as the Department’s representative on these matters before congressional, interdepartmental, and public groups.
During the year he has acted as the Secretary’s representative in formulating the Department’s position on individual recommendations contained in the reports submitted to the Department by the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government.
The Office of the Administrative Assistant Secretary directed the Department’s emergency relocation planning, providing guidance for successful participation in “Operation Alert” May 1 to June 15, 1955.
A report for each of the divisions under his supervision follows:
Division of Administrative Services
Floyd E. Dotson, Director
☆ ft ☆
THE Division of Administrative Services received additional work loads as a result of internal reorganizations within the Department, particularly with respect to the Office of the Solicitor and Office of Mineral Mobilization. It was able to maintain its full program
381
382	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
for development and direction of administrative services throughout the Department in addition to the housekeeping and internal operating services provided for the Office of the Secretary. The Division also provided other departmental units with centralized library, museum, employee health, space, telephone, photographic, warehousing and shipping, duplicating, and printing and binding services.
Branch of Library Services.—Use of the library continued at about the same rate as in 1954. Statistics for 1955 indicate: 32,713 reading room patrons, 17,900 telephone calls, 88,967 items circulated, 8,191 interlibrary loans, 17,075 research queries, 12,663 books and 65,537 periodicals received. Total library holdings rose to 434,601 volumes.
Fiscal Section— Budgeting and accounting services were provided for the Office of the Secretary and other departmental units not attached to the bureaus. Expenditures were approximately $6 million and working capital fund operations were over $1,200,000. The Section also handled the approximately $4 million transferred from other agencies for use by various bureaus in the Department.
Records Management.—A simplified filing system was installed in the Division of Security. Over 1,800 cubic feet of obsolete records were destroyed, 1,232 cubic feet of semiactive records were transferred from office space to storage areas, and 65 file cases, with a replacement value of approximately $2,700 were released to other agencies.
Branch of Personnel Operations.—The 1955 work in the Branch increased approximately 40 percent because of the transfer of the legal staffs from the bureaus to the Office of the Solicitor in 1954. The Branch assumed this additional load and continued to supply all normal personnel services to the Office of the Secretary and other departmental units not attached to the bureaus.
Museum.—During 1955 more than 64,000 people, including 150 special school groups visited the Museum. Regular exhibits were modernized and 7 special exhibits were prepared to illustrate current Department programs.
Branch of Central Services.—Extensive reorganizations and realignments increased the work load over 1954, but all services supplied by the Branch were kept current. Statistics for the year show 17,500 duplicating jobs, 3,000 telephone changes, 8,000 dispensary treatments, 14,000 photographs, 3,000 printing and binding requisitions, and 2,100 procurement orders for the Office of the Secretary.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES > 383
Division of Budget and Finance
Sidney D. Larson, Director ft ft ft
THE Division of Budget and Finance is responsible for staff supervision of budget and financial activities of the Department. It represents the Department in these fields in liaison with the Bureau of the Budget, other Federal agencies, and appropriation committees of the Congress.
Appropriations made to the Department by the Congress for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1955, total $434,554,250. The receipts for the period, including trust funds, deposited in the Treasury of the United States were approximately $435,600,000. This represents an increase in excess of $166 million over the actual amount deposited in the preceding fiscal year. The increase is largely due to receipts from oil leasing of Outer Continental Shelf areas.
The Division developed forms and procedures designed to provide the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries with summary budget information from which policy decisions could be made on the magnitude of programs to be included in the departmental budget. Work was continued on improvement of budget justifications submitted to the Congress and the development of program schedules for support of construction estimates of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Park Service, and the Alaska Road Commission.
The Division participated in the joint programs of the Bureau of the Budget, Treasury Department, and General Accounting Office for improving accounting and fiscal reporting. Accounting surveys were instituted in the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Government of the Virgin Islands for improvement of accounting procedures and financial reporting. The accounting survey instituted for the National Park Service during the preceding fiscal year was completed. Continued assistance was provided other bureaus of the Department in accounting systems improvements and other fiscal matters. Accounting principles for the Alaska Railroad were approved by the Comptroller General. An accounting manual was prepared for the Bureau of Land Management and submitted to the Comptroller General for approval.
The Division continued to cooperate with the General Accounting Office and with the bureaus of the Department in the comprehensive audit program and provided the leadership for correcting deficiencies in fiscal and other matters brought out in the audit reports.
384	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Division of Inspection
W. Darlington Denit, Director
☆ ☆ ☆
THE Division of Inspection was established by secretarial order on March 19, 1955. This Division is responsible for the inspection and special investigation activities of the Department. The inspection program is aimed at preserving the high standards of moral and ethical conduct which have been traditional in this Department. The program was inaugurated in accordance with policy directives of the President and is seeking by means of systematic examination to evaluate the effectiveness of the regulations and procedures which control performance with respect to the conduct of employees entrusted with performance. It thus becomes an important phase of the continuing management improvement effort stressed in all Interior activities. This Division has provided policy and procedural guidelines and regulations for the inspection program. The actual inspection w’ork is not undertaken by a centralized departmental staff, and it is a basic feature of the program that the bureaus assume full operating responsibilities. The Division will from time to time make surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of bureau inspection processes.
The investigative program covers special investigations of allegations of misconduct by employees and other administrative irregularities. Investigations of other matters within the responsibility of the Department are conducted as may be authorized by the Administrative Assistant Secretary. Where violations of criminal statutes are disclosed, cases are referred to the Attorney General for appropriate action. Cases involving certain types of irregularities are referred to the General Accounting Office pursuant to general regulations. Only limited investigative authority has been delegated to the bureaus.
This Division also provides staff assistance in the administration of the nondiscriminatory employment policy of the Department.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	385
Division of Management Research
Arthur B. Jebens, Director
☆ ☆
THE Division of Management Research provides leadership and assists in the development of policies and programs for the improvement of management as well as conducting studies concerning organization and management in the Department. In addition the Division continued to review proposed legislation, Executive orders, and administrative issuances for organizational and management implications.
The first half of the fiscal year the Division concentrated on providing assistance to bureaus in implementing the recommendations of the Secretary’s survey teams. The Division’s participation consisted of devising new methods of operation, outlining new patterns of working relationships, coordinating activities so that proper organizational balance was maintained, and guiding the total effort towards conformance with secretarial intent. These activities are now virtually complete with attention now being directed to a follow-up program to examine the results achieved.
The Division undertook the establishment of a departmental manual system as a result of a recommendation contained in a report of a survey group on manuals. The overall responsibility for operation of the manual system and for review and coordination of instructions published in it was assigned to this Division by the Administrative Assistant Secretary. The process of converting all information previously issued in the Official Organization Handbook and instructions contained in Secretary’s orders, as well as those instructions of general and continuing applicability formerly published in nonmanualized form, is in progress. As a part of this project the Division has initiated a plan for assisting the bureaus and offices in reexamining and rewriting their organizational statements and manual systems.
The following reflects a cross section of projects and highlights the nature of staff assistance provided by this Division. The Division, or members of the staff (1) coordinated the preparation of special reports and replies to the Commission on Organization of the Execu
386	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
tive Branch of the Government and its Task Forces, (2) helped develop, in connection with the emergency relocation plan, a list of essential wartime functions and personnel requirements, and a plan for organizing and managing the Department, including delegation of authority necessary under attack conditions, (3) assisted the Bureau of Indian Affairs in organizational matters involving centralizing responsibilities for tribal affairs in a single unit in the Washington Office, (4) developed the operating procedures and acted as chairman for the Board of Manual and Publications for the Department in reviewing Bureau publication programs, (5) studied and made recommendations to reorganize administrative services in the Office of the Solicitor and to streamline methods and procedures in the docket room, (6) reviewed the organization for and functions of the minerals mobilization program, assisted in determining staff and fund requirements and operating procedures and methods, and prepared a document establishing the Office of Minerals Mobilization, (7) acted as chairman of a group to consider means of implementing the recommendations of the departmental safety survey report, (8) prepared secretarial instructions instituting the departmental inspection program and assisted in the establishment of the Division of Inspection, (9) established detailed procedures for, and prepared material relating to, the Department’s Committee Management program, (10) and inaugurated a management bulletin, Management Highlights, for departmentwide dissemination of significant management improvement information.
The Division also implemented an aggressive campaign to obtain improved operation through superior employee performance and suggestions by assisting bureaus develop effective incentive awards programs. This included providing bureaus with information on the best incentive award practices in the Department and in private industry and by further strengthening the bureau programs through evaluation of performance. The following summary reflects the Department’s incentive awards activities for the fiscal year 1955:
Dollar savings
Number of suggestions received------------------------------1, 956 $302, 597
Superior accomplishment awards______________________________ 110	178, 882
Efficiency awards approved---------------------------------- 5	744,700
Superior performance awards--------------------------------- 136	7, 553
Honor awards granted:
Distinguished_____________________________________________ 34
Meritorious----------------------------------------------- 94
Commendable______________________________________________ 302
Special acts----------------------------------------------- 1
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 387
Division of Personnel Management
Guy W. Numbers, Director
☆ ☆ ☆
r I ^HE Division of Personnel Management devoted itself to the over-all task of maintaining the Department’s personnel program at a high level of service, the success of which has been confirmed through a recent survey of a large number of field offices indicating that the current policies, regulations and procedures are meeting field needs.
The number of employees in the Department decreased from the previously reported figure of 56,831 in 1954 to 55,107 in 1955 with a subsequent reduction in recruiting activities. Governmentwide pay rate increases for beginning engineers and scientists improved the Government's competitive position with industry in recruiting for people trained in these professions.
With the change by the Civil Service Commission to a career-conditional appointment system in the competitive service, the Department adopted a similar conditional system for appointment outside of the competitive service.
The Division served as a clearing point for overseas assignments and in adjusting the Department’s personnel policies and procedures in the light of a revised Memorandum of Agreement with the Foreign Operations Administration.
The sixth departmental management training program was completed by 23 trainees, most of whom were selected from within the Department. Counseling throughout the year was extended to bureaus and offices on various forms of training programs. Assistance was provided on career development programs both within the Department and cooperatively with the Civil Service Commission.
Reports of investigation of personnel cases by the Division of Inspection were reviewed and recommendations made. Grievances and appeals coming to the Department level received attention. Health and safety matters were considered and counseling, blood donation, welfare and morale-building programs of the Department were coordinated.
388	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
New performance rating regulations were issued, the most notable change being the addition of an adjective rating of “excellent,” thus reducing the spread of performance evaluation between outstanding and unsatisfactory.
Reports by the Civil Service Commission of inspections in Washington, D. C., and 70 field stations were reviewed and found to meet satisfactorily the standards required.
Careful analyses of the Hoover Commission recommendations relating to personnel were made in the light of obvious possibilities of improving personnel administration.
Lists of congressional bills relating to personnel and summaries of their progress since introduction were compiled and distributed to bureaus and offices.
Division of Property Management
N. O. Wood, Jr., Director ☆ ☆ ☆
DURING fiscal 1955 the Division accelerated its activities in strengthening staff direction of the constituent bureaus of the Department, with particular emphasis on disposals of surplus and excess property, increasing the use factor on owned equipment, elimination of nonessential activities, and development of revised contracting techniques to protect the interests of the Federal Government. The staff continued to participate actively on interdepartmental boards and committees reviewing technical standards and administrative procedures, and initiated a number of internal actions designed to improve property management performance within the Department; collaborated in the preparation of initial material for those portions of the Departmental Manual governing phases of property utilization, procurement, construction contracting, and records management.
The Division placed into effect a number of new standards and revised procedures encouraging the exchange and transfer of un
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 389
needed equipment between projects and bureaus, and accelerating the release of excess equipment and stores to other agencies or departments.
A study of the contracting practices of the Department and of other agencies resulted in the development of departmentwide procedures governing the negotiation of contracts.
A number of actual field tests were conducted to determine the feasibility of contracting for commercial-type services formerly supplied by Government forces. As these tests were completed and evaluated, action was taken to establish policies controlling similar categories of activity on the basis of securing services in the most economical manner. The Division cooperated with a number of task groups, study groups, representatives of other agencies, Congress and the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government which were studying the methods and results of property management operations within the Department of the Interior.
The preparation of a records disposal schedule by this Division helped expedite the orderly liquidation of the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration. The Division assisted the Bureau of Indian Affairs in negotiating with GSA for the procurement of the services of a private management firm to review and improve the entire bureau reporting system. In addition, the services of GSA consultants were obtained on a reimbursable basis for the Alaska Railroad to activate a comprehensive records management program. Disposition of inactive and obsolete records continued satisfactorily; at the end of the year there were more than 75,000 cubic feet of inactive bureau records being stored and serviced by Federal Record Centers.
During the year 279 radio-frequency assignments were issued by the Department under Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee authorization to provide for the radio-communication requirements of the offices and bureaus of the Department. A total of 248 individual frequency assignments were registered with the International Telecommunication Union. Implementation of project CONELRAD (Control of Electromagnetic Radiation) was essentially completed. Action was taken to minimize harmonic radiation from Interior ship-station transmitters and provision was made for the identification of structures which constitute a hazard to air navigation. Studies on emergency point-to-point communication systems and radio frequency usage within the Department were completed pursuant to requests from the Office of Defense Mobilization.
390	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Division of Security
J. Cordell Moore, Director
☆ ☆ ☆
THE Division of Security completed readjudication of all cases aa required by Executive Order 10450 and at the close of the fiscal year was operating on a current basis.
During the year the Division installed a record system designed to show action taken on all cases handled by the Division including clearances issued by other agencies on Interior employees.
In the field of physical security the Division has continued its program of education on the handling of classified material and devoted considerable attention to the protection of critical facilities, Marked progress has been made in these fields despite the limited funds available.
The Division has taken an active part in the Civil Defense program of the Department and in planning for the various types of emergencies with which the Department might be required to cope. This program is being extended to the field installations and although this program is a continuing one with constant changes being the rule rather than the exception, it is believed that the Department is now in a state of readiness which will assure efficient operation under emergency conditions.
At the close of the fiscal year the Division was operating on a current basis with respect to all three phases of its responsibilities,
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 391
OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR
J. Reuel Armstrong, Solicitor
☆ ☆ ☆
THE decision was taken during the preceding fiscal year to make the Office of the Solicitor a “departmental” law office. It was clear that this goal could not be reached solely by a reorganization of the headquarters office in Washington, D. C. As long as attorneys in the field were assigned to serve particular bureaus, they would not be in a position to offer services generally in connection with the Department’s operations.
Accordingly, early in fiscal year 1955 the fundamental change in the organization of the field service required to integrate the Office completely was made. Five regions were established in the Western States, and Alaska was made a sixth region. A regional solicitor was placed in charge of each region. At various locations in each region a number of field solicitors were provided for. Hearing examiners were made administratively responsible to the regional solicitor in whose region the examiners’ headquarters were located. Regional solicitors were placed under the administrative supervision of the deputy solicitor and the technical guidance of the appropriate associate solicitor as to legal matters.
As in any change of this magnitude—particularly one that drastically departs from a pattern of long standing—the reorganization of the field service has raised problems, not all of which have been resolved. 3. et the results have been encouraging. The regional solicitors have been diligent in pursuing the opportunity to establish balanced regional offices and to provide adequate legal services for all of the administrative personnel in their regions. The administrative personnel of the bureaus and the attorneys in the field have been most cooperative; and neither the need of various bureaus for “legal specialists” nor the differences between the regions of the bureaus and those of the Solicitor’s Office have proved as formidable obstacles as they were thought to be.
The headquarters office completed its first full year as an integrated Office. There is ample evidence that the benefits expected from reorganization are being realized, in terms of elimination, of duplication
364841—56-29
392	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
in review, of greater ability to assign attorneys to meet demands upon the office, of a more closely knit performance of legal functions, and of fostering among the attorneys a feeling that they are a distinct professional group constituting legal advisers to the Department.
The considerable task of providing an efficient method of housekeeping for the entire Office has been accomplished with the assistance of the Office of the Administrative Assistant Secretary. A number of steps were taken to make the decisions and opinions of the Office much more accessible than they have been in the past. A new topical index was prepared under which are listed practically all decisions rendered and important opinions given both in the headquarters office and in the field. A cumulative index-digest of decisions and opinions is issued quarterly, and copies of opinions given in the headquarters office are regularly distributed throughout the entire office. Published decisions and opinions are issued monthly in “advance sheets” of the Interior Decisions.
Three important changes in the organization of the headquarters office were made during the fiscal year. In order to provide for a more manageable assignment of functions, the Division of Public Lands and Mineral Resources was reconstituted the Division of Public Lands and a Division of Mineral Resources was created. The Division of Appeals was abolished, and its functions were assigned to the Deputy Solicitor with the exception of contract appeals. Jurisdiction over the latter appeals was vested in a Board of Contract Appeals which was established in the Office of the Solicitor. The Board functions under regulations prescribed by the Secretary. It is composed of three members who are attorneys in the Solicitor’s Office and five alternate members, four of whom are engineers in the Department. The creation of the Board has been well received by contractors and the bar.
New procedures for handling legislative reports went into effect during 1955. Views and data on bills affecting the functions of the Department are obtained from the various bureaus and offices by the Division of Legislation. Upon receipt of these comments attorneys specializing in aspects of the work of the Department then prepare reports, and the Division assumes responsibility, under the direction of the Solicitor, for the coordination and expediting of the reports. Experience during the first session of the 84th Congress indicates that the new procedures have made possible the handling of a substantially increased number of reports to the Congress and the elimination of many delays. The growing volume of requests for reports from the Congress is a continuous problem, as is illustrated by the fact that during the first session of the 84th Congress requests were received on 825 bills as compared with 680 for the 83d, and 657 for the 82d Congress.
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES + 393
A summary description of some of the more important aspects of the work of the Office of the Solicitor follows:
APPEALS AND CLAIMS
Some 161 tort claims, 52 irrigation claims, and 40 contract appeals were disposed of during the fiscal year. Of especial interest among the contract appeals were questions relating to the effect of a minimum wage schedule included in a contract pursuant to the Davis-Bacon Act (Wiscombe Painting <& Decorating, 61 I. D. 423), the right to an equitable adjustment for extra work because of ambiguities or omissions in a contract (Butler Construction & Engineering Co., 61 I. D. 412), the right to additional compensation and an extension of time because of the modification of a contract by an informal understanding between the parties (Ryall Engineering Co., 62 I. D. 118), and a claim for water wasted in the operation of a reservoir by a departure from the established rule curve (Georgia Power Co., IBCA-31). In Arnold Streit et al. (62 I. D. 12) prior rulings of the Solicitor holding that the provisions of a land purchase contract used by the Bureau of Reclamation barred recovery for damage to remaining adjoining lands were reversed, and the regional solicitors were instructed to reconsider all claims that had been disallowed on this ground.
Some 252 appeals in land matters were decided. Among the more important decisions rendered during fiscal year 1955 were several relating to oil and gas leasing. These included decisions holding that an applicant for a lease loses his preference right to a lease upon his failure to appeal from an erroneous rejection of his application (Charles D. Edmonson et al., 61 I. D. 355) ; that applicants for acquired lands leases who did not comply with a mandatory requirement of the regulations because of an erroneous interpretation of the regulations by the Bureau of Land Management can be allowed a period of time to correct their applications, without loss of their priority over intervening applicants (/S'. J. Hooper, 611. D. 346, 350) ; that, in the absence of intervening rights, assent can be given after a lease expires to a suspension of operations and production in effect prior to the expiration of the lease so as to revive the lease term (Robert E. Mead et al., 62 I. D. Ill) ; and that a valid oil and gas lease terminates by operation of law when the lessee takes office as a member of Congress (John E. Miles, 62 I. D. 135). A departmental precedent was established in awarding all the tracts offered at public sale to one preference right claimant to the complete exclusion of another preference right claimant (Arne Eloem et al., 62 I. D. 240), and in holding that a purchaser at public sale of Alaskan lands forfeits his purchase price and loses the land upon his failure to apply
394	♦ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
for a patent within the time prescribed by statute {Matanuska Valley Lines, Inc., 62 I. D. 243). At the close of the fiscal year there were appreciably fewer land appeals and contract appeals awaiting disposition than was the case at the beginning of the year.
INDIAN AFFAIRS
Some progress was made in reducing the number of heirship cases awaiting disposition. Four hearing examiners were added to the staff, and the clerical staffs of all examiners were made more adequate. A noticeable improvement in the service to Indian heirs has resulted. One of the most important and complex tasks of the fiscal year was the interpretation and implementation of the six termination bills passed by the 83d Congress. Legal problems of like importance and complexity were raised by the program looking toward similar legislation for other Indian tribes, as in the Sacramento region. The matter of termination of the Government’s relationship to Indians presents some of the most challenging and perplexing legal problems encountered in the Department. The regulations relating to the revision of the roll of California Indians were revised and all enrollment appeals were disposed of so that the final roll was completed in accordance with the requirements of the act of June 8, 1954. The Menominee enrollment regulations and appeals procedure, required by the act of June 17, 1954, were amended. General regulations to govern enrollment appeals under four specific acts providing for termination of Federal supervision were promulgated.
In land matters during the past year renewed emphasis has been placed upon the need for the stabilization of restricted land titles which had become fixed under previous administrations but which have been recently subjected to question on the ground of disagreement or alleged mistake by oil companies, interested claimants, and field officials of the Department. Questions which have arisen in that respect arise principally from early probates of Indian estates. The Solicitor’s Office has held that it is in the public interest not to disturb property rights. Moreover, our present policy is ordinarily to refuse to waive provisions of the probate regulations which fix time limitations which have elapsed for the reopening of estates. During the year a great amount of effort was also devoted to a clarification of the lines of civil and criminal jurisdiction between Federal and State Governments. In the Tulsa region over 1,400 appearances on behalf of Indians were entered in the courts of the State of Oklahoma.
The Office was called upon in connection with upwards of a hundred cases involving Indian affairs to which the Government was a party. Of particular importance were cases involving the use of the waters of the Colorado River (Arizona v. California) and of the Rio Grande
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES +	395
River {Texas v. New Mexico), the allotment of waters on the Agua Caliente Reservation {Segundo v. United States), the use of ground water for irrigation on the San Carlos Reservation {Brophy v. United States'), the implied right of Indians to use water on the Yakima Reservation {Ahtanum v. United States).
LEGISLATION
The first session of the 84th Congress enacted legislation (Public Law 386) authorizing the Trinity project in California. Bills providing for the Colorado River storage project and the Fryingpan-Ar-kansas project are still pending, as are bills providing for the “partnership” development of the John Day, Cougar, and Green Peter projects in Oregon. Project investigations in Alaska by the Bureau of Reclamation were authorized (Public Law 322). Multiple uses of the surface of unpatented mining claims are now permitted and common varieties of certain materials, such as gravel and ordinary stone, are no longer covered by the mining laws (Public. Law 167). Public lands in powersite withdrawals and reservations have been opened to mining (Public Law 359). A special statute provides for the exploitation of uraniferous lignite deposits (Public Law 357). The recordation of land scrip and warrants is now required (Public LawT 257). Long-term leases of Indian lands were made possible by Public Law 255. The sale of a small tract of tidelands in Alaska as a site for a large pulp mill was authorized by Private Law 153. A bill to modernize the procedures in Alaska respecting mental health is still pending.
MINERALS RESOURCES
Increased legal services were required in connection with the Department’s program for expanded cooperation with State and local agencies and private persons in the conservation, development and utilization of mineral resources. Numerous contracts and cooperative agreements were prepared and processed for research projects and investigations in the minerals field. The legal basis was established for cooperation between the Bureau of Mines, the States, and the Census Bureau in the 1954 Census of Mineral Industries. Work on exploration project contracts respecting strategic and critical metals and minerals continued to be an important aspect of the business of the office. Legal services were provided in connection with the assignment to the Secretary of additional defense responsibilities with respect to metals and minerals. The promotion and enforcement of safety in coal mines entailed considerable legal work in seven important proceedings before the Federal Coal Mine Safety Board
396	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
of Review. One of these proceedings resulted in a judicial decision that a State finding that a mine is gassy can be challenged only before State tribunals {The Gauley Mountain Coal Co. v. Director, Bureau of Mines'). Two of these cases were pending in the Courts of Appeals at the close of the fiscal year.
PUBLIC LANDS
A considerable number of the regulations and procedures relating to the public lands were simplified and improved with the assistance of this Office. An editorial revision was made of the regulations relating to the public lands and appearing in title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and certain of these regulations were completely revised. The regulations to implement the statute providing for multiple mineral development of the same tracts of public lands (Public Law 585, 83d Cong., 68 Stat. 708) were drafted and approved after extended consultation with representatives of the various mining interests. A thorough revision of the rules of practice in land matters was prepared and submitted to the public for comment. Emphasis was placed during the year in reducing the large backlog of cases involving the collection of overdue rentals in oil and gas, grazing, and other leases; the collection of trespass charges; and reimbursement for damage to public lands and resources. Many outstanding debts were collected in full or compromised or were referred to the Attorney General, or where the facts so warranted, were ordered reported to the General Accounting Office as uncollectible. Recommendations for the institution of suit were made to the Attorney General in a large number of cases, including five timber trespass cases aggregating more than one-half million dollars.
During the year the work of the Denver region was substantially increased by reason of the transfer to the field of the administration of the leasing of mineral lands acquired by the Department of Agriculture in connection with land utilization projects. Of some 7 million acres of such lands in the United States, over 6 million acres are within the Denver region. The Department’s work under the Submerged Lands and Outer Continental Shelf Acts continued to present legal problems of importance. Opinions were given respecting the effect of a statute of the State of Louisiana purporting to fix the gulfward boundary of the State (M-36239), the effect of regulations under the Outer Continental Shelf Act on former State leases (M-36271), and the status of former State leases bisected by the line dividing the submerged lands from the Outer Continental Shelf (M-36259, 62 I. D. 44). Other important opinions dealt with State selections of mineral lands subsequent to 1860 under acts not expressly excepting such lands (M-36261), the availability under the Materials Act of a nonleasable
ANNUAL REPORT OF BUREAUS AND OFFICES 4-	397
mineral on lands not covered by the mining laws (M-36256), and the limitation of access to through highways crossing public lands (M-36274, 62 I. D. 158). A far-reaching opinion held that desert land entries cannot be allowed in the State of Arizona where such entries depend on percolating water for reclamation since such water is not subject to appropriation under State law as required by the desert land act (M-36263, 62 I. D. 49). In two instances, the office successfully urged that action be taken to overcome the effect of significant judicial decisions adverse to the United States. One case involved a trespass occurring under a purported lease issued by a mining claimant {Etcheverry v. United States') • the other, a refusal to enjoin a railroad company from drilling for oil and gas on its right-of-way {United States v. Union Pacific Railroad Company). Neither case had been finally decided at the close of the fiscal year.
TERRITORIES, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS
In connection with the Territories the Office was called upon extensively in connection with the enactment and interpretation of the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands. Matters relating to property were of particular significance during the fiscal year. A distillery of the Virgin Islands Corporation and several small tracts of land were sold and agreements were made with respect to the administration by the Corporation of property formerly under the jurisdiction of the Navy. Surface vessels and airplanes no longer needed in the operation of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands were disposed of and a contract executed for the salvage and disposition of certain formerly enemy-owned vessels located in the Trust Territory.
An important part of the work of the Office was concerned with international fisheries—legislation designed to protect the interest of fishing vessels of the United States in the event of seizure on the high seas, the program for research and for the control of sea lampreys on the Great Lakes, the regulation of haddock fishing by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Commission. Opinions of the Office dealt with the authority of the Secretary to impose limitations upon the number of boats or fishing gear with respect to particular areas in Alaska (M-36276) and to regulate fishing on the high seas under the North Pacific Fisheries Act of 1954 (M-36273).
A twofold increase in the number of purchases of land for areas within the National Park System placed additional demands upon the office for legal services in this regard. The Office assisted in bringing about a procedural innovation under which superintendents of particular areas may issue special regulations. A new approach was taken to the problems posed by the existence of private lands in national
398	+ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
parks by proposing regulations that would make applicable to those lands certain of the laws of the States within which the lands lie. Of significance were opinions on the jurisdiction of the North Carolina State Board of Health over concessioners serving food on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the transfer of land from one area of the National Park System to another area, and jurisdiction over the waters of Jamestown Island, Colonial National Park.
WATER AND POWER
The wide scope of the Department’s functions in the fields of water and power required a corresponding emphasis upon the provision of legal services essential to the discharge of those responsibilities. Extensive services were rendered in connection with the irrigation and power programs of the Bureau of Reclamation and the power marketing programs of the Bonneville, the Southwestern, and the Southeastern Power Administrations. These services covered matters relating to repayment and water service contracts under the Federal reclamation laws, the negotiation and amendment of contracts for the sale and exchange of hydroelectric power under the several statutes governing power marketing, and matters arising in connection with the procurement of materials, equipment and supplies by the Department’s water and power agencies. During the fiscal year the office was called upon in connection with a number of important suits and administrative proceedings involving water rights in connection with the work of the Bureau of Reclamation. These cases are treated in some detail in the report of the Commissioner of Reclamation for the fiscal year.
CONCLUSION
The Task Force on Legal Services and Procedure of the “Second Hoover Commission” singled out this Office to observe that “A well-integrated legal staff is that of the Department of the Interior.” An appraisal of the work during the fiscal year indicates that the Solicitor’s Office functioned well as an integrated organization. The integrated Office was able without an increase in the legal staff to keep very nearly abreast of the heavy volume of work received during the fiscal year and in some areas, such as appeals, to reduce the number of pending cases. A good beginning was made in providing “departmental” legal services, and a sound basis laid for further improvements.
INDEX
Page
Office of the Administrative Assistant Secretary---------------------- 381
Division of Administrative Services------------------------------- 381
Division of Budget and Finance-------------------------------------- 383
Division of Inspection______________________________________________ 384
Division of Management Research------------------------------------- 385
Division of Personnel Management------------------------------------ 387
Division of Property Management------------------------------------- 388
Division of Security________________________________________________ 390
Office of the Assistant Secretary, Mineral Resources------------------ 139
Bureau of Mines----------------------------------------------------- 179
Foreword_______________________________________________________ 179
Administration summary----------------------------------------- 209
Finance__________________________________________________ 210
Personnel___________________________________________________ 2H
Property___________________________________________________ 209
Explosives and explosions research and testing----------------- 197
Foreign activities_____________________________________________ 205
Health and safety______________________________________________ 193
Helium_________________________________________________________ 191
Mineral development____________________________________________ 130
Mineral economics______________________________________________ 207
Oil shale______________________________________________________ 190
Petroleum and natural gas-------------------------------------- 137
Public reports------------------------------------------------  208
River-basin activities----------------------------------------- 204
Solid fuels and explosives research---------------------------- 193
Defense Minerals Exploration Administration------------------------ 219
Geological Survey------------------------------------------------ 141
Conservation Division------------------------------------------ 106
Map reproduction and distribution-------------------------- 172
Mineral Classification Branch------------------------------ 166
Mining Branch______________________________________________ 168
Oil and Gas Leasing Branch--------------------------------- 169
Public Inquiries Offices----------------------------------- 174
Section of Illustrations----------------------------------- 172
Section of Texts___________________________________________ 171
Water and Power Branch------------------------------------- 167
Work on publications--------------------------------------- 171
Funds_________________________________________________________ 17*1
Geologic Division______________________________________________ 141
Coal_____________________________________________________   I43
Engineering geology---------------------------------------- I44
Foreign geologic investigations---------------------------- 150
399
400
INDEX
Office of the Assistant Secretary, Mineral Resources—Continued
Geological Survey—Continued
Geologic Division—Continued	Page
General geology-------------------------------------------  144
Geochemistry and petrology--------------------------------- 146
Geologic investigations in Alaska-------------------------- 147
Geologic maps______________________________________________ 151
Geophysics---------,------------------------------------- 145
Library____________________________________________________ 151
Military geology___________________________________________ 149
Mineral deposits___________________________________________ 142
Oil shale__________________________________________________ 144
Paleontology and stratigraphy------------------------------ 147
Petroleum and natural gas__________________________________ 143
Topographic Division____________________________________________ 151
Map Information Office_____________________________________ 158
Mapping programs and map production------------------------ 153
Research and development___________________________________ 157
Water Resources Division________________________________________ 158
Chemical-quality investigations---------------------------- 162
Ground-water investigations-------------------------------- 160
Joint projects_____________________________________________ 164
Research and development___________________________________ 165
Sediment investigations____________________________________ 163
Soil and moisture conservation----------------------------- 165
Surface-water investigations------------------------------- 159
Technical assistance program------------------------------- 165
Office of Geography_________________________________________________ 225
Office of Minerals Mobilization_____________________________________ 223
Office of Oil and Gas_______________________________________________ 213
Connally act administration_____________________________________ 217
United States Board on Geographic Names----------------------------- 226
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Land Management------------ 227
Bureau of Indian Affairs____________________________________________ 231
Arts and crafts_________________________________________________ 262
Budget and finance______________________________________________ 263
Buildings and utilities_________________________________________ 261
Credit activities_______________________________________________ 258
Revolving loan fund________________________________________ 259
Use of funds by tribal organizations----------------------- 260
Education_______________________________________________________ 242
Navajo emergency education program_________________________ 243
Other educational activities_______________________________ 243
Extension activities____________________________________________ 256
4-H club work______________________________________________ 257
Home extension work________________________________________ 256
Forestry________________________________________________________ 254
Health activities_______________________________________________ 239
Medical and hospital care__________________________________ 240
Public health and preventive services---------------------- 241
Tuberculosis control_______________________________________ 241
INDEX
401
■Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Land Management—Con.
Bureau of Indian Affairs—Continued	Page
Irrigation_____________________________________________________ 252
Law and order__________________________________________________ 247
Navajo-Hopi rehabilitation_____________________________________ 233
Education__________________________________________________ 233
Health_____________________________________________________ 236
Irrigation_________________________________________________ 236
Range water development____________________________________ 237
Roads and trails___________________________________________ 236
Soil and moisture conservation and range improvement_____	237
Organizational changes_________________________________________ 264
Personnel______________________________________________________ 264
Program development____________________________________________ 237
Property and supply____________________________________________ 263
Realty transactions____________________________________________ 250
Mineral leasing____________________________________________ 251
Relocation__________________________:________________________ 246
Range management_______________________________________________ 253
Roads__________________________________________________________ 257
Soil and moisture conservation_________________________________ 254
Tribal affairs_________________________________________________ 248
Per capita payments________________________________________ 249
Tribal enrollment__________________________________________ 249
Welfare________________________________________________________ 245
Child welfare______________________________________________ 246
General assistance_________________________________________ 245
Tribal programs____________________________________________ 245
Bureau of Land Management__________________________________________ 265
Cadastral surveys______________________________________________ 293
Alaskan surveys____________________________________________ 295
Outer continental shelf____________________________________ 295
Surveys in continental United States_______________________ 294
Finance________________________________________________________ 268
Forestry_______________________________________________________ 286
Access roads_______________________________________________ 290
Bureau timber sale business________________________________ 287
Forest and forage protection_______________________________ 290
0. and C. and CBWR land____________________________________ 289
Public domain forests______________________________________ 288
Trespass___________________________________________________ 290
Lands__________________________________________________________ 268
Land Adjudication__________________________________________ 269
Land classification________________________________________ 271
Lands legislation__________________________________________ 273
Regulations and procedures_________________________________ 275
Management planning____________________________________________ 267
Minerals_______________________________________________________ 276
Adjudication of mineral cases______________________________ 277
Outer continental shelf____________________________________ 278
Revenues___________________________________________________ 278
402	INDEX
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Land Management—Con.
Bureau of Land Management—Continued	Page
Public lands______________________________________________*—	265
Range management_______________________________________________ 279
Chemical control of halogeton______________________________ 285
Halogeton control__________________________________________ 284
Other halogeton control methods____________________________ 286
Progress in range administration--------------------------- 280
Soil and moisture conservation----------------------------- 283
Range improvement__________________________________________ 284
Range studies______________________________________________ 282
Wildlife management and recreation_________________________ 281
Reorganization completed_______________________________________ 266
Fish and Wildlife Services__________________________________________ 297
Controlling damage by animals---------------------------------- 325
Federal aid to States for the restoration of fish and wildlife_	321
Fish restoration_____________________1--------------------- 322
Wildlife restoration_____________________________________   321
International cooperation in conservation______________________ 327
International conservation agreements---------------------- 328
International technical cooperation________________________ 327
Maintaining the inland fisheries_______________________________ 301
Maintaining the national wildlife refuges---------------------- 316
Management of the Alaska commercial fisheries__________________ 300
Pribilof Islands fur-seal industry_______________________   301
Management of wildlife_________________________________________ 309
Research in fishery biology____________________________________ 304
Coastal fisheries________________________________________   304
Inland fisheries___________________________________________ 306
Marine fisheries_________________________________________   307
Shellfisheries_____________________________________________ 306
River basin development and wildlife needs--------------------- 323
Utilizing the commercial fishery resources_____________________ 297
Wildlife research____________________________________________   312
National Park Service_______________________________________________ 331
Administration_________________________________________________ 349
Budget and finance________________________________________  349
Personnel management______________________________________  351
Records management____________________________'------------ 353
Safety_____________________________________________________ 352
Cooperative activities_________________________________________ 357
Changes in the National Park System------------------------ 357
State cooperation__________________________________________ 358
Design and construction________________________________________ 353
Buildings, utilities, and grounds__________________________ 353
Park roads, trails, and parkways___________________________ 354
Parkway construction_______________________________________ 355
Personnel__________________________________________________ 357
Plan preparation___________________________________________ 356
Information and interpretation--------------------------------- 336
Integrated auditing------------------_------------------------- 361
Mission 66_____________________________________________________ 334
INDEX	403
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Land Management—Con.
National Park Service—Continued	Page
Operations___________________________________________________ 343
Concessions management__________________________________ 348
Conservation and protection_____________________________ 344
Land acquisition and water rights_______________________ 347
Maintenance_____________________________________________ 345
Programing________________________________________________ 346
The Parks of the National Capital___________________________ 362
Office of Territories___________________________________________ 364
Alaska______________________________________________________ 366
Alaska Railroad forges ahead____________________________ 367
Alaska Road Commission completes fiftieth year__________ 368
Alaska public works program_____________________________ 370
Cooperation in resource development_____________________ 366
Proposed transfer to Alaska of mental	health program____	371
American Samoa_______________________________________________ 375
Construction of public works_________________________________ 378
Guam_________________________________________________________ 374
Hawaii_______________________________________________________ 371
Liquidation of Puerto Rico Reconstruction	Administration____	379
Puerto Rico training program for technical	assistance_______ 380
The Virgin Islands Corporation______________________________ 378
The Virgin Islands__________________________________________ 377
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands_______________________ 372
Economic development____________________________________ 373
Palau Congress granted charter__________________________ 374
Progress in public health_______________________________ 373
Office of the Assistant Secretary, Water and Power Development_________ 3
Bonneville Power Administration___________________________________ 92
Financial results of operations_______________________________ 92
Repayment of Federal investment___________________________ 93
Summary of revenue________________________________________ 93
Summary of operations_________________________________________ 96
Composite average rate of 2.39 mills_____________________ 100
Customers served_________________________________________ 104
Energy production_________________________________________ 96
Generation added_________________________________________ 104
New construction_________________________________________ 111
Non-Federal additions____________________________________ 105
New system peak___________________________________________ 96
Northwest power pool_____________________________________ 105
Projects summarized______________________________________ 105
Rate schedules___________________________________________ 102
Receipts and deliveries___________________________________ 98
Sale of 21.8 billion kilowatt-hours______________________ 100
Transmission system additions____________________________ 110
Bureau of Reclamation______________________________________________ 7
Comptroller___________________________________________________ 79
Division of design and construction__________________,______ 8
Construction costs________________________________________ 16
Construction completed_____________________________________ 8
404
INDEX
Office of the Assistant Secretary, Water and Power Development—Con.
Bureau of Reclamation—Continued
Division of design and construction—Continued	Page
Contract awards_______________________________________________ 8	■
Design activities and developments__________________________ 12
Drainage and ground water problems__________________________ 17
Foreign manufacturers_______________________________________ 13
Progress of construction____________________________________ 10
Research activities_________________________________________ 14
Specification requirements__________________________________ 13
Work performed for other agencies___________________________ 15
Division of foreign	activities___________________________________ 27
Division of general	engineering_________________________________ 26
Division of general	services____________________________________ 82
Publications________________________________________________ 82
Division of irrigation___________________________________________ 27
Cooperation with other agencies_____________________________ 55
Crop production_____________________________________________ 28
Development farms___________________________________________ 52
Drainage____________________________________________________ 54
Extension of irrigation service_____________________________ 28
Federal tax revenues and reclamation________________________ 56
Land openings_______________________________________________ 52
Public use of reservoirs____________________________________ 55
Repayment and water service contracts_______________________ 53
Soil and moisture conservation operations___________________ 53
Weed control________________________________________________ 54
Division of organization and methods--------------------------	79
Division of personnel____________________________________________ 80
Division of power________________________________________________ 57
Additional capacity under construction_____________________  57
Authorized to be constructed________________________________ 58
Comprehensive basin surveys_________________________________ 63
Power contracts_____________________________________________ 62
Present installed capacity__________________________________ 57
Transmission lines__________________________________________ 62
Division of program coordination and finance_____________________ 67
Budget____________________________________________________   68
Financial operations________________________________________ 67
Schedules___________________________________________________ 68
Statistics_________________________________________________  67
Division of procurement and property management__________________ 81
Introduction______________________________________________________ 7
Legal____________________________________________________________ 84
Contract litigation_________________________________________ 91
Legislation_________________________________________________ 84
Litigation__________________________________________________ 85
Project development division_____________________________________ 63
Definite plan reports_______________________________________ 65
Hydrology___________________________________________________ 66
International stream investigation__________________________ 66
New projects authorized_____________________________________ 63
Project planning reports and authorizing legislation________ 64
River compacts______________________________________________ 65
INDEX
405
Office of the Assistant Secretary, Water and	Power Development—Con. Page
Defense Electric Power______________________________________________ 123
AEC-Related power projects______________________________________ 129
Authority_______________________________________________________ 123
Cooperative activities__________________________________________ 132
Expansion goals_________________________________________________ 130
Future planning_________________________________________________ 132
Personnel_______________________________________________________ 133
Power supply____________________________________________________ 124
Program________________________________________________________  123
Saline Water Conversion Program_____________________________________ 135
Southeastern Power Administration___________________________________ 121
Southwestern Power Administration___________________________________ 113
Arkansas-White-Red Basins Inter-Agency Committee________________ 119
Contract negotiations___________________________________________ 116
Energy deliveries_______________________________________________ 115
Energy production_______________________________________________ 114
Federal civil defense activities________________________________ 117
Litigation______________________________________________________ 120
Power resources_________________________________________________ 113
Reorganization__________________________________________________ 117
Southwest Field Committee_______________________________________ 118
Office of the Solicitor_________________________________________________ 391
Appeals and claims__________________________________________________ 393
Conclusion__________________________________________________________ 398
Indian affairs______________________________________________________ 394
Legislation_________________________________________________________ 395
Minerals resources__________________________________________________ 395
Public lands________________________________________________________ 396
Territories, wildlife, and parks____________________________________ 397
Water and power_____________________________________________________ 398
Partnership in resource conservation and development_____________________ ix
Conclusion_________________________________________________________ xliv
Fish and w’ilflide resources_______________________________________xxxiv
Ban on baiting continued_______________________________________ xxxv
Commercial fishing_____________________________________________xxxvr
. Controlling predatory animals and harmful rodents_____________xxxvn
Cooperation in wildlife and fishery research___________________xxxvi
Expansion of wildlife refuges__________________________________xxxiv
Federal aid restoration programs for sport fish and wildlife_ xxxvin
Fish hatchery operation_______________________________________xxxvin
Saltonstall-Kennedy program____________________________________xxxvn
“Team” research extended_______________________________________xxxvi
Waterfowl management and protection____________________________ xxxv
Indian affairs____________________t-_____________________________xxvin
Advances in Indian education___________________________________ xxix
Cooperation on Indian health problems__________________________ xxix
Mineral and fuel resources___________________________________________ xi
Cooperation with industry________________________________________ xi
Cooperation with other Federal agencies_________________________ xiv
Cooperation with state and municipal governments________________ xiv
Cooperation with steel industry_________________________________ xil
Developing fuel resources________________________________________ xn
Minerals exploration_____________________________________________ xn
406	INDEX
Partnership in resource conservation and development—Continued
Mineral and fuel resources—Continued	Page
New mining methods and machinery_______________________________ xi
Oil and Gas Regulatory Activities______________________________ xv
Oil shale research_____________________________________________ xm
National parks____________________________________________________ xxx
Cooperation with other agencies______________________________ xxxi
Expanding the parks__________________________________________ xxxi
Mission 66___________________________________________________XXXII
Partnership with private enterprise________________________ XXXIII
Work on park roads accelerating_____________________________ XXXII
Partnership progress in the territories_______________________ XXXVIII
Aid in resource development__________________________________ XLII
Cooperative activities in Hawaii____________________________ XLIII
Highway development in Alaska__________________________________ XL
Liquidation of PRRA___________________________________________ XLI
Partnership aids industrial development______________________XLIII
Petroleum development in Alaska_____________________________ XLIII
The Alaska railroad____________________________________________ XL
Transfer of responsibilities to local governments____________XXXIX
Withdrawal from nongovernment functions_______________________ XLI
Public lands______________________________________________________ XVI
Developing the outer continental shelf______________________ XVIII
Highlights of cooperation_____________________________________ XVI
Meeting log shortage crisis___■_____________________________ XVIII
Multiple use legislation_____________________________________ XVII
Park, forest, refuge areas preserved_________________________ XVII
Range management______________________________________________ XIX
Soil and moisture conservation________________________________ XIX
Water resources development________________________________________ XX
Advances for 1955_____________________________________________XXII
Advances in 1955____________________________________________ XXIII
Benefits outlive repayment____________________________________ XXI
Desalting saline water______________________________________ XXVII
Northwest power pool________________________________________ XXIII
Partners in power operations________________________________ XXIII
Partnership is stressed_______________________________________ XXI
Power partnership in Southeast________________________________XXVI
Power partnership in Northwest________________________________XXII
Power partnership in Southwest________________________________ XXV
Power planning________________________________________________XXIV
Reclaiming arid lands_________________________________________  XX
Relations with customers____________________________________  XXIV
o
WELLESLEY	J |®RARy
L.' ‘ E.Y t ;E UtHTEO STATES GO'.LknKENT
*“t> X 3 ? 956