The Hermiston herald., January 30, 1941, Page 3, Image 3

TH U R SD A Y, JA NUA RY
30, 1 M 1 .
TH E H E R M IS T O N HERALD, HERMISTON OREGON
paob
LAND USE GROUP
COMPLETES MAP FOR
THIS C O M M U N IT Y
map prepared by the committee been more successful than any other area.
bottom areas which are at present Here, too, the individual and the type
which is available at the assistant enterprise. Climatic conditions, soil
♦ ♦ ♦
abandoned because of lack of water of farming enterprise followed playa
county agent’s office.)
type, availability of feed supplies, Area No. < _ Butter Creek Lands supplies, and more diversification of
an important part in making final de­
It is generally recognized that the and marketing outlets all land en­
It is the belief of the committee agricultural practices, such as the termination of the size of unit advis­
greater part of the soil found in this couragement to the following of thia that water supply is a minor prob­ growing of row crops, irrigated pas­ able.
area is of coarse texture, is extreme­ type of agricultural activity over any lem or adjustment in this area. Sub­ tures, following a system of crop ro­
Noxious weed control is another
In Oregon a detailed land use re­
ly lew in organic matter, and needs a other in this particular district. The normal rainfall for a period of ten tation and maintaining sufficient ani­ problem confronting the community
port has been prepared in at least
committee
strongly
urges
that
new
high requirement of water to pro­
years has made necessary the gener­ mal units to consume the major por­ that the committee feels should de­
one community in every county. In
operators taking over established
two counties an intensive project it duce appreciable yields of crops. places in this area be advised and al enlarging of units in order to pro­ tion of the agricultural products serve earnest consideration. The
threat of their becoming more wide­
being carried on to complete land use Twenty-five years of doubtful suc­ guided along the lines of poultry pro­ duce an adequate living for the fam­ grown on the lands.
spread is considered more of a men-
reports in every community. Reports cess and failure on farms in thia duction and sale. The committee is ilies thereon and has brought about
Area
No.
5—
Umatilla
Meadow
area have more accurately classified
an abandonment of tracts less suited
ance than is wind or water erosion
will be supplemented and changed
the lands for future use than it is also cognizant of the fact that the in­ to the production of farm crops. Di­
Lands.
discussed
previously in this report.
from time to time as conditions war­
possible for this committee to do. dividual plays an important part in version of an available water supply
rant.
Infested
areas lying along ditch
determining successor failure. It thus from another water shed would be a
The chief problems confronting
Approximately 70% of the area
banks
and
near sources of water sup­
Members of the land use commit­
evolves that all persons and agencies practical solution to the problem if farmers in this area are drainage
ply such as is found near the Cold
tee in this community are: W. T. has at one time been farmed and concerned with the development of the
and
water
erosion.
The
Umatilla
such diversion could be accomplished
Springs Reservoir are considered par­
Reeves, R. G. Saylor, C. M. Jackson, abandoned. There remains 10% at community should take into account
at a cost of »50 or not to exceed »76 River which flows along the Eastern ticularly danerous and should be con­
present
being
operated
under
a
con­
Fred Shelton, Carson Linder, H. J.
these two considerations: namely, per acre. A method of financing this boundary of the area frequently over­
trolled at once. The committee fav­
Ott, H. K. Dean, J. R. Chenault, Dick tract agreement with the irrigation type of farming enterprise, and
adjustment is at present the limiting flows during periods of runoff and ors a course of action looking toward
Whiteman and M. E. Knickerbocker. district whereby water is furnished qualifications of the individual be­
floods
low
lying
lands
in
its
vicinity.
factor in its accomplishment. In the
to the land if a surplus over the needs
The report follows:
fore making any recommendations to event that additional water supplies During the summer months when the complete eradication of these
of the irrigation district in other
pests from the community.
tions is available. A situation where prospective settlers. It is also felt are made available the committee practically all the water is removed
that a change of farming enterprise firmly believes that the bench land from the river for irrigation, willows
(Continued from last week.)
short water supplies has prevented
RECLAMATION NOW
Area No. 3— Irrigated lands which crop production in the area has nev­ would be advisable in the case of some lying to the east of Butter Creek pro­ have an opportunity to grow in the
of the present operators in the area. per, which has been considered a part natural channel which impedes run­
should be retired from
er arisen but is not improbable. The
GIVES MOST HOPE
Because of the coarse textured of the project, should not be develop off increasingly through succeeding
agriculture.
present status of the established op­
years.
Periodic
channel
clearance
FOR NEW FARMERS
(This area is bounded roughly by erators is generally satisfactory and leachy soil and under the conditons ed for irrigation because of the dan­
the Diagonal Road on the South, U. should be continued. However, the of low annual rainfall only sparse ger of flooding out the lower lands may be necessary to correct this con­
S. 30 on the West, by line running committee feels that there are some stands of natural grasses and brush adjacent. Additional water supplies dition. Due to a high water table
Control of water through reclama­
eastward from the Wm. Bensel place additional places which should be re­ have been maintained, and for this would necessitate further minor ad­ soil alkali concentrations do not per­ tion offers the greatest opportunity
mit
the
growing
of
cultivated
crops
to the Duff Knight ranch on the tired from agriculture when present reason the committee recommends justments such as
decrease in(the
on a large part of the area. These for increasing the number of econo­
north. Definite determination of the ownership expires.
that no grazing be permitted on any present size of unit to 160 acres or
pasture areas could probably be im­ mic farm units in Oregon, says Dr.
area «an be had by looking at the
In general, poultry production has of the undeveloped lands within this less, irrigation of most of the valley
proved by the seeding of strawberry W. L. Powers, head of the soils de­
clover. It is the opinion of the com­ partment at Oregon State college, in
mittee that under the present econo­ an introduction to the triannual re­
mic conditions and land values drain­ port of the Oregon Reclamation con­
age would be too costly to be practi­ gress covering the three annual con­
ventions from 1938 to 1940, inclu­
cal.
sive.
Area No. 6— Westland, Stanfield and
The present irrigated area in Ore­
gon has recently been estimated at
Umatilla Irrigation Districts
1,500,000 acres. It appears probable
Proper water usage is a problem that this can ultimately be increased
on all three irrigation districts. Aver­ by perhaps 500,000 acres, says Dr.
age use of water varies according to Powers. About 152,000 acres are
supply and rainfall from six acre feet within 70 developed drainage or dyk­
to as much as eleven acre feet per ing districts in the state, and nearly
year. Two factors are responsible a million acres are still susceptible of
for this heavy water usage. The first improvement by farm tiling or com­
is the high water requirement of munity drains.
some of the farms within the area.
Latest census figures show that the
This condition is being relieved by increase in the number of farms ia
the districts themselves by their poli­ Oregon has been confined largely to
cy of purchasing such farms at tax the irrigated areas. To date 1500
sales and retiring them from private new families have settled on the
use thereby voiding the necessity for Vale-Owyhee project land.
delivering water. The second is the
As to future reclamation develop­
method of application and the varia­ ment, Dr. Powers paints out the pos­
tions between the districts in fre­ sibility of small feasible projects in
quency of rotation. This committee Douglas and Josephine counties and
feels that the management of the the desirability of re-examining the
three districts within the community, John Day project in the light of re­
together with the west extension unit cent power developments.
Early
of the Umatilla project lying mostly completion of the Deschutes project
in Morrow county, should meet to is needed, he says, and there may be
evolve a unified system of water a combined flood control and reclama­
usage and rotation practices.
tion approach to the Grande Ronde
Size of farming unit is an impor­ project.
tant problem on all three irrigation
The greatest field for drainage
districts. Particularly is this true on and irrigation remaining in Oregon,
the Hermiston project where the ori­ however, is in the Willamette valley,
ginal plan of farming activity called he says. While there are close to
for the production of fruits on a fam­ 750,000 acres of good irrigable soil
ily size scale. The average of 29 types in the valley, various limita­
acres per farm on this project is con­ tions make it improbable that more
"I’m busy two shifts a day, making battery
sidered too small to provide the farm than half a million acres will be irri­
separators for tanks, trucks and army cars.
family with an adequate standard of gated in the next generation.
living unless some specialized form
“Sound reclamation decreases the
"When these orders dropped in on us we
of farm activity la followed. As a unit cost of production and increases
worked day and night to get ready to start.
general recommendation the commit­ quality of products, and it renders
tee sets a minimum of 40 acres for the least area sufficient for the sup­
"But ONE vitally essential service was already-
a family unit on the irriation pro­ port of a family and thus contributes
jects where general practices of crop toward a peaceful world,” said Dr.
waiting for us— all ready to go to work— our
production and sale are followed. Powers.
Aly little shop, too, is a part of
NHTIONRb DEFEÍISE!
old standby, POWER A N D LIGHT!"
This is true wherever you put a pencil-point
on the industrial map of the United States!
Electric power service is one of the FEW' industries that
was able to take care of sudden national defense demands in
its regular stride. It needs no more than a telephone call to
supply more service and more power to manufacturing olants,
big or little, anywhere, any time!
But think back to 1918! There were no interconnected trans­
mission systems covering the ridustrial map of America. Iso­
lated systems couldn’t transfer power from one to another,
hundreds of miles away. They had no central sources of money
and management and top-notch engineering skill. They nad
capacity to produce less than one-fourth as much power as
America has available today.
I he power system groups— the so-called "holding com­
panies"— supplied the essential element of interconnection that
makes power service in America so vastly more efficient than
it was during the World War. They have given American
industry and the American lom e the hnest power service in
the world.
And the American taxpayer need not take one dollar — let
alone hundreds of millions— away frotr. REAL A N D UR­
GENT defense needs, to finance amateur political experiments
with the world’s most efficient power service in this time of
national crisis.
etM lable eseeyuhert jor today's dejense needs.
OUR DEMOCRACY-
I CITY
ano
FARM
JlTV ANO COUNTRY ARE
BUDDIES, IN AND OUT
OF UNIFORM — FARM
AND RANCH - STORE
UNLESS EACH WERE
ABLE TO BUY TH E
OTHER'S FOOO OR
GOODS, WE'D GO BACK
TO THE DARK AGES.
IT Y AND FARM
DWELLERS ALSO
HAVE A POCKETBOOK
INTEREST IN EACH
OTHER'S SUCCESS
AND WELFARE.
THEY HAVE BANK
DEPOSITS AND
INSURANCE POLICIES
WHICH ARC BACKED
BY INVESTMENTS
IN THE N A TIO N .
P acific P ower & L ight C ompany
.
3 0 Years of Publie Service
INCLUDING THE
CO U N TR Y AS W ELL
as the c / r z
-by M<