State of Washington CLARENCE D. MARTIN, Governor Tenth Biennial Report of the Department of Conservation and Development October l, 1938-September 30, 1940 JOHN BROOKE FINK DIRECTOR OLYMPIA STATE PRINTINC PLANT TABLE OF CONTENTS Sub;ect Page Letter of Transmittal. • . 4 Introduction . 5 Division of Reclamation . 7 Division of Hydraulics and Water Resources ... .......... ........... 11 Division of Forestry ................ .. ......... ....... ...... ..... 29 Division of Mines & Mining .. ...... ........... ..... .............. 64 Division of Geology .................................. .............. 110 Flood Control .................................. .................... 123 Columbia Basin Project ................................ .. ........... 127 Mines to Market Roads Commission ..... .. .. ... • . .. ................ 145 Division of Soil Survey ................................ ...... ...... 148 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT January 1, 1941 To His Excellency, Clarence D. Martin, Governor of the State of Washington. Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith, pursuant to law, the Tenth Biennial Report of the Department of Conservation and Development, covering the period from October 1, 1938, to September 30, 1940. Respectfully, J.B. FINK, Director Lookin1t across the down­ stream face or the dam rrom the east side on the first day of the new year. 1941. In the foreground is the conlractor'a con­ crete mixing plant w hich has been partially dil!­ mantled since it. is no longer required to operate at full capacity. Out in the spillway, three of the eleven huge drum gates are undergoing erection in the upright or closed position. The drum gates will provide a movAble spillway crest l.485 feet long which wili permit the raising of the Colum­ bh-t. River Reservoir level by any desired increment from O to 28 feet. (Date of photo: January J. 1941.) INTRODUCTION The Department of Conservation and Development has been in existence twenty years, having been created in 1921 as part of the Administrative Code which was then adopted. In conformity with the purpose of the Administra­ tive Code, to consolidate many independent administrative agencies for econ­ omy and efficiency, the following were included in this Department: State Board of Forest Commissioners and State Forester; Board of Geological Sur­ vey and State Geologist; State Reclamation Board; Columbia Basin Survey Commission, and Hydraulics Engineer. Five divisions were set up in the Department to administer these activities: Forestry, Geology, Reclamation, Columbia Basin Suxvey and Hydraulics. In the twenty years of its existence a number of additional duties and functions have been placed under the charge of the Department, some with the status of Divisions. These are Mines and Mining, Flood Conti-ol, and Soil Survey. The Director of the Department is also Chairman of the Mines-to­ Market Roads Commission, and a member of the Washington State Planning Council, the State Forest Board, and of the State Pollution Committee. The functions and responsibilities of the Department have been more than doubled since its creation twenty years ago. The Columbia Basin project was initiated two years before this Depart­ ment was created. Its promotion has been one of the important responsibili­ ties of this administrative agency, which has been a prime factor in having the project adopted as a Federal undertaking, and then cooperating in its development which up to the present time includes the completion of the Coulee Dam and the organization of the irrigable area into districts. The stage is now set for the constrnction of the reclamation works and the settle­ ment of the area. The activities of the Division of Forestry are probably four times as great as they were twenty years ago. Although the problem of forest fu-e preven­ tion and control has steadily increased with development and the construc­ tion of roads and trails, losses have declined. To obtain this result the work of the Division has substantially increased. Since the creation of the Civil Conservation Service, all the camps established in this state in connection with protection of state and private forest lands, and development of state forests, have been under the general supervision of the Division of Forestry. There are now seven camps of about 200 men each. There have been sixteen. In recent years the state has acquired nearly half a million acres of forest lands which are being blocked into state forest units. In 1935 a state forest tree nw·sery was established. It embraced sixteen acres, and has an annual capac­ ity of 6,000,000 trees, sufficient to plant 10,000 acres of cut-over land. As the problems of reclamation districts, which include irrigation, drain­ age and diking, have increased, they have added to the work and responsi­ bilities of the Division of Reclamation. In recent years a separate Division of Reclamation has not been maintained, the work being performed by the Director of the Department. As the Division of Hydraulics or Water Resources, has the administration of the waters of the state, the duties and work of the Division have increased as the state has developed and the demand for water for domestic, .irrigation and industrial and power purposes has increased. 6 Department of Conservation and Development The activities of the Division of Geology have increased and include de­ tailed investigations of metallic and non-metallic deposits, making geological maps, investigating oil and gas resources, and cooperating in the topographic mapping program with the United States Geological Survey. Interest in the mineral resources of the state and their development had increased to such an extent that in 1935 the Division of Mines and Mining was created. It has been developing complete, dependable information on our mineral resources and has been aiding prospectors, miners and investors with their problems of development and production. As Chairman of the Mines-to-Market Roads Commission the Director of the Department devotes such time as is necessary in helping to administer the law providing for construction of roads to open up mineral areas. As a member of the Planning Council, the Forest Board and the Pollution Com­ mission, the Director devotes considerable time to these important activities. In the interest of flood control the Department administers the laws relat­ ing to approval of structures and works which may adversely affect flood conditions and the establishment of flood control districts. It also aids and cooperates with the several branches of the Federal Government and with State Gpvernmental Units, which are actively engaged in planning and con­ struction of flood control works. Gratifying progress is being made, in both planning and construction, especially under the Federal Flood Control Act administered by the United States Corps of Engineers. In looking back over the twenty years of the Department's existence it is gratifying to note its steady progress, and the important place it now-occupies in the State's administrative set-up. The problems relating to the State's natw·al resources have increased. Conservation of these resources for eco­ nomic use becomes more important each year. Functions and activities of the Department have expanded accordingly. The future welfare of this commonwealth largely depends on the careful administration of the laws relating to these resources. DIVISION OF RECLAMATION J.B. FINK Director The Division of Reclamation is primarily charged with the administra­ tion of the State Reclamation Act and the Reclamation Revolving Fund. As during former bienniums of the present administration the Director has him­ self acted as supervisor with the aid of the Supervisor of Hydraulics and his staff. Continuing unsatisfactory returns to farmers on the reclamation proj­ ects have prevailed throughout the past two years. The curtailment of exports has created an especially difficult situation for the apple growers, who in the aggregate constitute a substantial percentage of the water users in many of our irrigation districts. The apple sections as a whole appear to be undergoing a readjustment. Orchards of low production or unfavorable varieties are being gradually pulled out. In some instances where conditions are favoi-able apples are being replaced by soft fruits which as a whole have recently been more profitable than apples. Elsewhere the proper utilization of former orchard lands presents quite a problem, especially in irrigation districts where the annual charge for water is too high for diversified farming. Low incomes from both general and specialized farming are reflected in the · inability of many irrigation districts to collect sufficient assessments to meet debt service, maintenance and operating costs and the renewals and betterments which become necessary from time to ti_me. During the past biennium the Department has continued to aid districts, whose indebtedness was definitely in excess of ability to pay, by helping them obtain debt adjustments. Eight districts have thus been refinanced by pur­ chase of their refunding bonds from the reclamation revolving fund. In these transactions a total of $53,265.56 of outstanding district obligations were purchased at a price of $26,911.72 which is now evidenced by a like face value of refunding bonds held by the Reclamation Division. Not only were the face amounts of the debts thus reduced by one-half but interest rates were also quite generally lowered. Funds for reconstruction