gila river basin

gila river basin The comprehensive plan of improvement for the Gila River between Camelsback Reservoir site and the mouth of the Salt River, as set forth in paragraph 41 of the Report of the District Engineer, Los Angeles District, dated December 31, 1957, is approved as a basis for the future development of the Gila River, subject to further detailed study and specific authorization; and the channel improvement work recommended by the District Engineer in paragraph 58 of that report, is hereby authorized at an estimated Federal cost of $1,570,000, subject to the condition that local interests furnish assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of the Army that they will (a) provide necessary lands, easements, and rights-of-way; (b) maintain and operate the channel improvements in accordance with regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Army at an average annual cost estimated at $50,000; (c) keep the flood channel of the Gila River from the upper end of Safford Valley to San Carlos Reservoir and from the mouth of the San Pedro River to Buttes Reservoir site free from encroachment; (d) hold and save the United States free from all damages arising from construction and operation of the work; and (e) adjust all water-rights claims resulting from construction, operation, and maintenance of the improvements: Provided, That in the consideration of benefits in connection with the study of any upstream reservoir, the channel improvements herein authorized and the up-72 Stat. 314stream reservoir shall be considered as a single operating unit in the economic evaluation: Provided further, That in the event it is possible as determined by the Secretary of the Interior (a) to identify the organizations directly benefiting from the water conserved by these works and (b) to feasibly determine the extent of such benefit to each organization, the Secretary of the Interior shall enter into contracts with such organizations for the repayment of the portion of the cost of the work properly allocable to such organizations: And provided further, That such repayment shall be under terms and conditions satisfactory to the Secretary of the Interior and shall be in installments fixed in accordance with the ability of those organizations to pay as determined by the Secretary of the Interior in the light of their outstanding repayments and other obligations.