Los Banos Rotary Club History
Water Resources Director Sees Joint Federal State Construction of San Luis

The proposed San Luis Water Project will be constructed within the foreseeable future as a joint endeavor by the Federal and State governments.
Such is the belief of California's State Department of Water Resources Director Harvey O. Banks, as he explained the project to members of the Rotary Club here Tuesday noon. "My department and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation are at the present time negotiating terms of a contract," he said, "for the financing, construction, and operation of a joint Federal-State venture integrating the San Luis features with the state's Feather River Project."
Banks pointed out that the proposed San Luis Project has already been cleared by the U.S. Senate and has passed the subcommittee of the U.H. House of Representatives.

"With this much work already done," he said, "I am confident that final federal approval and authorization will be made in the coming session of Congress."
As to the bitter fight between northern and southern sections of California with regard to the project, Banks pointed out there is a very pronounced trend toward compromise, both areas realizing that a general agreement must be reached for all areas to receive benefit.

One of the most troublesome problems remaining, he said, is the determination of a water pricing policy, setting out the rates for industrial and municipal areas and for agricultural usage, and to what extent agriculture will benefit, pricewise from the sale of power generated from falling water. Banks said he believes that California's portion of the total cost of the project can best be met by a bond issue, to be retired over a period of possibly 70 years from the sale of water and power.

The director also told of the preliminary work now underway by his department to provide a master drainage plan for the entire San Joaquin Valley, and said this project will be written into the final terms of the San Luis Project to be accomplished as part of the overall project. Department engineers are making an exhaustive study of the entire valley and their findings will be submitted as recommendations to the state legislature at the next session. Banks said it is possible that construction of the master drain project can get underway by 1961 or 1962.

Banks said the present study includes present land usage, future land capability, water application, and a thorough study of underground soil structures and perched water tables. He also pointed to eventual usage of the master drain system to handle municipal and industrial sewage disposal waters, and heavily salt-laden waters that come from the oil field areas in the south part of the valley.

The actual design of physical structures to provide an outlet for areas now experiencing drainage problems will not be initiated until next year, Banks said, "First we must determine how much drainage can be expected to originate in various parts of the valley. Then we can design the size of the conduits to carry it out. We anticipate making a recommendation to the legislature for initiation of construction on the master drain early in the 1960s."
Banks warmly praised the efforts of Congressman B. F. Sisk at the national level on behalf of the proposed San Luis Project; for the work that has been and is being done by State Senator James Cobey and Assemblyman Gordon Winton, and for the work being done at all levels by Chas. Kaljian and C. W. Bates of this personal trips to Washington and also to Sacramento in behalf of city, each of whom have made the San Luis Project and its companion measure, the master drainage plan.

Banks also complimented Jack Bunker of Gustine, for the outstanding work he is doing as a member of the State Water Commission.
Arrangements for Banks' appearance here as guest speaker were made by Kaljian, who is president of the San Luis Water District, which will serve a substantial agricultural acreage in this area that will benefit from construction of the project.

October 31, 1958

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