ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS WILLIAM GRAY Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë STATUS OF INTERVIEWS: OPEN FOR RESEARCH Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Interviews Conducted and Edited by: Brit Allan Storey Senior Historian Bureau of Reclamation Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Interviews conducted–2004 Interview edited and published–2014 Oral History Program Bureau of Reclamation Denver, Colorado SUGGESTED CITATION: GRAY, WILLIAM. ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW. Transcript of tape-recorded Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Interviews conducted by Brit Allan Storey, Senior Historian, Bureau of Reclamation, in Ephrata, Washington. Edited by Brit Allan Storey, further edited and desktop published by Andrew H. Gahan. Repository for the record copy of the interview transcript is the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland. Record copies of this transcript are printed on 20 lb., 100% cotton, archival quality paper. All other copies are printed on normal duplicating paper. i Table of Contents Table of Contents.. i Statement of Donation. iv Editorial Convention. vi Introduction. vii Oral History Interviews. 1 Early Years.. 1 Family Moved Our West. 3 Aunt was a Reclamation Photographer at Grand Coulee Dam. 4 Father and Grandfather Worked for Reclamation. 5 Growing Up in Coulee Dam. 6 Reclamation was the Presence in Town.. 8 Interests in Natural Resources Management. 10 Began Working for Reclamation on the Third Powerplant. 11 An Inspector’s Responsibilities. 13 Natural Resource Specialist in Pueblo.. 14 Recreation Planing on the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project. 16 Recreation Development at Pueblo Reservoir. 18 Coordinating Recreation Development with State Agencies.. 19 Pueblo Project Office.. 20 Management Styles in the Pueblo Offices. 22 Transfer to Casper. 23 Land Classification. 25 Working with Wyoming State Parks. 28 Cabins on Reclamation Reservoirs. 30 Land and Water Conservation Programs. 31 Invasive Species.. 32 Experiencing the Mt. St. Helens Eruption. 33 Mt. St. Helens Affect on the Columbia Basin Project. 35 Transfers to the Columbia Basin Project. 37 Lands Resource is a Significant Program. 37 Becomes Division Chief. 38 Columbia Basin Project Land Resources Programs.. 40 Oral History of William Gray ii Integrated Pest Management. 42 Noxious Weed Management. 42 Land Exchanges. 44 Acreage Limitation Issues. 47 Crop Diversity on the Columbia Basin Project. 49 Food Processing Centers of the Project. 51 Water Issues with Food Processing Plants.. 51 Farm Labor Issues. 53 Dairy Industry. 54 Hobby Farms. 56 Urbanization on the Project. 57 Good Water Quality on the Project. 58 The Hanford Reservation.. 60 Land Management Staffing. 63 Drainage Issues on the Project. 65 Reclamation Stored Groundwater. 66 Reclamation’s Water Rights on the Columbia Basin Project. 68 Ephrata Office Reorganization.. 69 Land Settlement. 70 The Odessa Subarea.. 72 Calls for Further Project Development. 73 Division Chief Responsibilities. 76 Districts Pay 100% of the Operation and Maintenance Costs on CBP. 77 Staffing Issues. 78 Technology Improved Operation Efficiencies . 79 Split Responsibilities on the Columbia Basin Project. 81 Effects on Staffing as a Result of the 1993 Re-Org.. 82 Becoming Deputy Area Manager.. 83 Developing Diversion Rates. 85 Diversion Rates Split Among the Water Districts. 87 Reclamation’s Relationship with the Districts.. 89 Issues with the Districts over the Reserved Energy Rates. 91 Maintaining Good Relations with the Water Districts.. 92 Districts’ O&M on the Project.. 93 Possibilities of Title Transfers of Project Facilities.. 95 The Farm Economy on the Project.. 97 Managing Recreation Areas.. 98 Third Powerplant Construction. 101 Bureau of Reclamation History Program iii Repayment Obligation. 103 Total Maximum Loads–Clean Water Act. 103 Fish Herders. ..