ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS FLOYD E. DOMINY Boyce, Virginia Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë STATUS OF INTERVIEWS: OPEN FOR RESEARCH Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Interviews Conducted by: Brit Allan Storey Senior Historian Bureau of Reclamation Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Ë Oral History Program Bureau of Reclamation Suggested citation: Dominy, Floyd E.. ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS. Transcript of tape-recorded Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Interviews conducted by Brit Allan Story, Senior Historian, Bureau of Reclamation, April 6, 1994, and April 8, 1996, at Bellevue Farm in Boyce, Virginia. Edited by Brit Allan Storey. 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, archivally buffered paper. All other copies are on normal duplicating paper. STATEMENT OF DONATION i Floyd E. Dominy ii Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program TABLE OF CONTENTS iii STATEMENT OF DONATION I TABLE OF CONTENTSiii CHRONOLOGYxiii ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW 1 OTHER INTERVIEWS MR. DOMINY HAS GIVEN 1 EARLY YEARS AND COLLEGE EDUCATION 2 BECOMES EMERGENCY AGENT IN GILLETTE, WYOMING 3 CATTLE BUYING PROGRAM 4 RANGE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM 5 MOVES TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AS FIELD AGENT FOR THE SEVENTEEN WESTERN STATES 6 VISITS HOOVER DAM IN 1937 6 FAMILY DECIDES TO LIVE PERMANENTLY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 7 WORKS FOR COORDINATOR OF INTER- AMERICAN AFFAIRS PROGRAM 8 JOINS THE NAVY 9 ASSIGNED TO GROW VEGETABLES AND ESTABLISH DAIRY FARM ON GUAM 10 DECIDES HE WOULD LIKE TO WORK FOR RECLAMATION AFTER WORLD WAR II 12 SEEKS JOB AT RECLAMATION 13 Floyd E. Dominy iv JOINS LAND USE AND SETTLEMENT DIVISION OF RECLAMATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 14 OFFERED POSITION AS HEAD OF ALLOCATION AND REPAYMENT BRANCH IN WASHINGTON, D.C. 15 BEGINS TO RENEGOTIATE CONTRACTS ON PROJECTS THAT WERE IN TROUBLE 17 GOES BEFORE CONGRESS TO EXPLAIN WHY RECLAMATION PROJECTS FAILED 18 WILBUR DEXHEIMER BECOMES COMMISSIONER 25 EFFECTS OF REPUBLICAN LOSS OF CONGRESS ON THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION 28 CHIEF OF IRRIGATION DIVISION 30 TESTIMONY BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE ON RECLAMATION PROGRAMS 33 SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR FRED A. SEATON CALLS DOMINY TO HIS OFFICE 39 MADE SPECIAL ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER 40 BECOMES ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER 42 APPOINTED COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION 44 FIRST MEETING WITH CHIEF ENGINEER'S STAFF AS COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION 46 Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program REAPPOINTMENT AS COMMISSIONER v WHEN ADMINISTRATION CHANGES FROM REPUBLICAN TO DEMOCRATIC 51 TESTIFIES ON PROPOSED RAMPART DAM IN ALASKA 52 STEWART UDALL PROPOSES THAT DOMINY CONTINUE AS COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION 55 CARL HAYDEN'S INVOLVEMENT IN RETENTION OF DOMINY AS COMMISSIONER 57 REAPPOINTMENT OF DOMINY AS COMMISSIONER RESULTS IN APPROVAL OF APPOINTMENTS TO COMMISSIONER BY THE SENATE 58 CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW DENVER OFFICE BUILDING 60 REFUSES TO ISSUE CONTRACTS TO FOREIGN BIDDERS ON TURBINES AND GENERATORS 68 INTRODUCES WEATHER MODIFICATION PROGRAM 69 CHANGES FOREIGN PROGRAM 70 ONLY LOST HIS VOICE ONCE DURING HIS PUBLIC CAREER 73 THE PUBLIC POWER CONTROVERSY 74 BRIDGE CANYON AND MARBLE CANYON DAMS CONTROVERSY 78 WHY HE LEFT RECLAMATION 81 CHOOSING A NEW COMMISSIONER AT RECLAMATION 83 LIVES ON FARM AFTER RETIRING 85 Floyd E. Dominy vi WORKS AS A CONSULTANT AFTER RETIRING FROM RECLAMATION 86 EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION 92 COLLEGE EDUCATION 93 GOES TO WORK FOR HOPE ENGINEERING COMPANY 95 MOVES BACK TO NEBRASKA AND THEN GOES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING 96 OFFERED TEACHING JOB IN ALASKA 98 OFFERED JOB AS EMERGENCY COUNTY AGENT100 WORKS FOR AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENT ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.102 MOVES TO THE COORDINATOR OF INTER-AMERICAN AFFAIRS OFFICE103 SENT TO PARAGUAY TO PREVENT GERMAN INFLUENCE105 IN THE PACIFIC WITH THE NAVY IN WORLD WAR II111 WORKS WITH GOODRICH LINEWEAVER114 HEAD OF ALLOCATION AND REPAYMENT BRANCH: RENEGOTIATES REPAYMENT CONTRACTS118 BELLE FOURCHE PROJECT120 REPAYMENT ON THE COLUMBIA BASIN PROJECT122 WESTERN CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT OF RECLAMATION124 ORGANIZES TRIP TO RUSSIA126 DEALING WITH POLITICAL FIGURES130 Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program DEALING WITH THE PRESS133 vii BOOKS IN WHICH DOMINY FIGURES PROMINENTLY141 MOST IMPORTANT WORK AT RECLAMATION144 INTERVIEWED FOR PBS DOCUMENTARY ON WESTERN WATER 145 PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAM AT UNIVERSITY OF UTAH WITH DAVID BROWER146 WHY BARNEY BELLPORT WAS SELECTED TO BECOME CHIEF ENGINEER147 THE "DENVER CLUB"147 HOW CREATION OF THE REGIONS AFFECTED THE DENVER OFFICE148 MAKING CHANGES IN REGIONAL DIRECTORS149 PROPOSED PROJECT ON THE MIDDLE SNAKE RIVER ABOVE THE MOUTH OF THE SALMON RIVER153 PROMINENCE OF RECLAMATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR154 "EVERY BUREAU CHIEF HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY OF GAINING INFLUENCE AND POWER TO RUN HIS PROGRAM"156 ATOMIC ENERGY ISSUES AND HOW THEY KILLED BRIDGE AND MARBLE CANYON DAMS157 "I WAS WILLING TO GIVE UP ON MARBLE CANYON, BECAUSE IT OUGHT TO BE PART OF THE Floyd E. Dominy viii [GRAND CANYON] NATIONAL PARK AND SHOULD NOT BE PLUGGED"158 LOOKING AT THE ECONOMICS OF RECLAMATION PROJECTS159 BRIDGE CANYON WAS KILLED BECAUSE CALIFORNIA DIDN'T WANT THE CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT BUILT160 THE PACIFIC SOUTHWEST WATER PLAN WAS USED BY CALIFORNIA TO FORWARD ITS AIMS ON THE COLORADO RIVER162 WHY THE LAST MAJOR PROJECT AUTHORIZATION OCCURRED IN 1968163 AMERICANS ARE UNWILLING TO MAKE THE TRADEOFFS NECESSARY TO THOROUGHLY DEVELOP HYDROELECTRIC POWER165 NORTHCUTT ELY REPRESENTS CALIFORNIA'S INTERESTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.168 GOODRICH LINEWEAVER TRIES TO MANIPULATE A REDUCTION IN FORCE (RIF)170 WHY SENATOR SCOOP (HENRY) JACKSON WAS UPSET OVER HANDLING OF THE COLUMBIA BASIN PROJECT174 TRYING TO GET A VALID CONTRACT ON THE COLUMBIA BASIN PROJECT175 RENEGOTIATION OF REPAYMENT CONTRACTS ON EARLY RECLAMATION PROJECTS181 Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program ACREAGE LIMITATION AND ITS ix ENFORCEMENT IN RECLAMATION183 WHY GLEN CANYON WAS NECESSARY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER BASIN188 CONTROVERSY OVER THE COLORADO RIVER AND APPORTIONMENT OF ITS WATER189 THE ECHO PARK CONTROVERSY191 CONTROVERSY OVER FLOODING OF RAINBOW BRIDGE NATIONAL MONUMENT192 STEWART UDALL'S DECISION TO CREATE CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK197 LAKE POWELL BEHIND GLEN CANYON DAM PROVIDES A MAJOR RECREATIONAL BENEFIT198 PUBLISHES JEWEL OF THE COLORADO, THE FIRST GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE BOOK DONE IN COLOR199 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERS AND HOW THEY INFLUENCE PROJECTS201 SELECTING THE TOWNSITE OF PAGE, ARIZONA201 LABOR PROBLEMS AT GLEN CANYON DAM DURING CONSTRUCTION203 LABOR STRIKE IN THE YUMA AREA204 ISSUES RAISED BY THE MEXICAN WATER TREATY AND PROTOCOL OF 1944-1945206 Floyd E. Dominy x ARRANGED TO SEND EXTRA WATER TO MEXICO AS A MATTER OF ETHICS AND EQUITY207 RECLAMATION'S ART PROGRAM209 NORMAN ROCKWELL AND RECLAMATION'S ART PROGRAM209 PRESIDENTS EISENHOWER, KENNEDY, JOHNSON, AND NIXON211 PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER AND RECLAMATION211 PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY AND RECLAMATION211 PRESIDENT LYNDON B. JOHNSON AND RECLAMATION212 PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON AND RECLAMATION212 "I RESENT THE INFERENCE THAT I GOT FIRED AS COMMISSIONER"212 LABOR UNION ISSUES DURING DOMINY'S TERM AS COMMISSIONER213 NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT'S EFFECTS ON RECLAMATION214 INDEX219 Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program xi Floyd E. Dominy xii Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program xiii Floyd E. Dominy xiv Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program xv Floyd E. Dominy xvi Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program xvii Floyd E. Dominy xviii Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program xix Floyd E. Dominy xx CHRONOLOGY AT THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION Chief, Allocation and Repayment Branch April 1946-1950 Assistant Director, Operation and Maintenance Division1950- 53 Chief, Division of Irrigation (formerly Operation and Maintenance Division December 1, 1953-August 1957 Assistant Commissioner for Legislative Liaison August 1957-February 1958 Associate Commissioner February 1958-May 1, 1959 Commissioner May 1, 1959-December 1, 1969 Bureau of Reclamation Oral History Program xxi Floyd E. Dominy ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW: 1 FLOYD E. DOMINY This is Brit Allan Storey, Senior Historian of the Bureau of Reclamation, interviewing Floyd Dominy, Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, from 1959 to 1969, at his home, Bellevue Farm, near Boyce, Virginia, on April 6, 1994, at about 1 o'clock in the afternoon. This is tape 1. OTHER INTERVIEWS MR. DOMINY HAS GIVEN Storey: Mr. Dominy, could you tell me if you've ever been interviewed by oral historians before? Dominy: Yes, somebody from the Lyndon Johnson Library, years ago, interviewed me about my relationship with President Johnson. And, of course, Marc Reisner interviewed me extensively for his background on what ended up as the Cadillac Desert.1 And some outfit that did a public broadcast featuring Dave Brower interviewed me about my relationship with Dave Brower. And then there was an outfit that put out a public broadcasting program on the Wilderness Society, the Wilderness Program . and they interviewed me. So [it]2 might be used on the Wilderness Program. And then about 3 or 4 months ago, an outfit that's working on a public broadcast for two or three hours on water. They were here, and spent the whole afternoon with me, and recorded . 1. Marc P. Reisner, Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water (New York: New York, 1986). 2. Brackets in the text indicate material not found on the original tape recording. It is material added by the interviewee or the interviewer to clarify the text. Material with a line through it was in the original text but removed to clarify the text. Floyd E. Dominy 2 my views [about water development]. I think that's the extent of it. Storey: Okay. Well, could you tell me where you were born, and raised, and educated? And how you ended up with the Bureau of Reclamation, please? EARLY YEARS AND COLLEGE EDUCATION Dominy: Well, it's a very short story. I was born in the dryland prairie country of Nebraska, where my grandfather homesteaded in 1875.