Proposed expenditure of $43,200 estimated in the 1934 Budget for the administration of the Upper Mississippi River Wild Life Refuge DEPARTMENTAL SALARIES Salaries of personnel in Washington whose services are employed, in part, in connection with general administration of the refuge. Their duties include preparation of cases involving infractions of the regulations for presentation to the Solicitor of the Department, supervising preparation of orders permitting utilization of resources by the public and general supervision over other refuge activities: United States game conservation officer (1 month). Assistant United States game conservation officer (4 months). Deputy reservation rangers at $3 per day for emergency patrolling-- 1,800 1, 200 3,000 Posting refuge lands. 520 475 200 605 Patrolling and fire-fighting expenses (including operation of boats and trucks and limited subsistence of superintendent and employees when away from official headquarters) _ _ Equipment (including fire-fighting apparatus, accessories and repairs for boats and trucks, outboard motors, and miscellaneous equipment). Total.. Less 8 per cent furlough reduction............ 1,000 8, 438 4,250 45, 445 2, 245 43, 200 BEAR RIVER MIGRATORY-BIRD REFUGE Mr. BUCHANAN. The next item is: For the establishment of a suitable refuge and feeding and breeding grounds for migratory wild fowl, including the acquisition of water rights and privately owned lands pursuant to the act entitled "An act to establish the Bear River migratory-bird refuge," approved April 23, 1928 (U. S. C., Supp. V, title 16, secs. 690-690h), and the resolution approved February 15, 1929 (45 Stat., p. 1186), and for all expenses incident thereto, including the employment of persons and means in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, the unexpended balance of the appropriation of $75,000 for this purpose contained in the agricultural appropriation act for the fiscal year 1931 shall remain available until June 30, 1934; for administration and maintenance, including the construction of necessary buildings and for personal services in the District of Columbia and elsewhere, $22,114. Mr. REDINGTON. The following justification is presented for this estimate: (a) A reduction of $9,000 is due to the dropping of a nonrecurring item of this amount provided for 1933 for the purchase of a drag-line outfit for use at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. (b) $986 reduction on account of continuation of legislative furlough. CHANGE IN LANGUAGE It is desired to continue the unexpended balance of the appropriation for the fiscal year 1931 for the establishment of the refuge available to June 30, 1934, as there are certain negotiations for land pending at the present time which may not be completed by the close of the fiscal year 1933. WORK UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION Special legislation of Congress, approved April 23, 1928, authorized an appropriation of $350,000 for the establishment of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to eliminate the menace to waterfowl and other migratory birds which had existed for some time in the bay at the mouth of Bear River, Great Salt Lake, Utah. The appropriation for establishment of the refuge was completed with the fiscal year 1931. The strong alkali waters of this area, which resulted from the run-off and evaporation of the fresh water developed conditions favorable to “duck sickness" which occasioned large annual losses of birds. About 35 miles of massive outer and division dikes were constructed in the broad marginal flats of the bay at this point and control works were installed in the Bear River to hold back fresh water by flooding the various units in this refuge for the production of food and to render them habitable by the birds. Almost 45,000 acres of land, water, and marsh areas are included within the confines of the dikes. The administration of the refuge includes the maintenance of the outer and division dikes, the operation and maintenance of the river-control works, construction and maintenance of roads and guard cabins, the patrolling and protection of the refuge, and planting and seeding of vegetation for the production of food and nesting sites for birds. Mr. BUCHANAN. Well, as to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Mr. REDINGTON. There is a decrease there of $9,000 due to the dropping of a nonrecurring item of this amount provided for 1933 for the purchase of a drag-line outfit. Mr. BUCHANAN. What is the purpose of a drag-line outfit? Mr. REDINGTON. For the maintenance of the dikes there. We have about 35 miles of dikes there, and this is to insure against the breaking of those dikes. Mr. BUCHANAN. Is a drag line a dam or a machine? Mr. REDINGTON. It is a machine. Mr. HENDERSON. Something like a steam shovel. Mr. BUCHANAN. A machine to repair breaks in the dikes? Mr. HENDERSON. Yes. Mr. REDINGTON. Then, there was a small reduction here of $986 on account of the continuation of the legislative furlough. We have approximately 27,000 acres of fresh water within the five units now established and, as I told you before, it has proven to be a very valuable place for the water fowl. Mr. BUCHANAN. Is this the Utah business that we previously discussed? Mr. REDINGTON. Yes, sir. Mr. BUCHANAN. Any questions, gentlemen? Mr. HENDERSON. You might be interested to know this is the first year the project has been under regulations and full administration as a refuge and public shooting area in accordance with the act for its establishment. There was an enormous quantity of ducks and geese there this fall. Mr. BUCHANAN. I am more interested in breeding grounds for ducks. Mr. HENDERSON. It is a great breeding place. Mr. REDINGTON. A great breeding area, as well as the crescent lake refuge recently established in Nebraska. Mr. SANDLIN. How many air routes are there from the north to the south? Mr. REDINGTON. I should say that there are at least three well defined migratory routes across our country, one on the west, one in the central part, and one that comes across from Canada down toward Chesapeake Bay. Mr. SANDLIN. A southeasterly direction? Mr. REDINGTON. Yes. Mr. HART. Do you have any around the Great Lakes? Mr. REDINGTON. Not particularly on the Great Lakes but in that general region. That is a favorite habitat. It used to be a great breeding ground. Of course, a great many of those areas have been drained. We are facing that problem with reference to the future production of waterfowl. Mr. HART. I think there is quite a lot of breeding around the Lakes, in the marshes. Mr. REDINGTON. Michigan is particularly favored with lakes. I understand that many ducks concentrate in the extensive lake area in southern Michigan and in the Lake Erie marshes in northern Ohio. Mr. SANDLIN. That section around Lake Itaska, is that a breeding ground? Mr. HENDERSON. To some extent but western Minnesota used to be a much better breeding ground than that section. The Red River Valley was a wonderful breeding place for wild fowl a few years ago. Unfortunately, a larger part was drained and destroyed. We have under contemplation as one of our projects, when funds under the conservation act are available, the restoration of Mud Lake. Birds were formerly there in countless numbers. That lake was drained but it can be restored. MIGRATORY BIRD CONSERVATION REFUGES Mr. BUCHANAN. The next item is: For carrying into effect the provisions of the act entitled "An act to more effectively meet the obligations of the United States under the migratory-bird treaty with Great Britain by lessening the dangers threatening migratory game birds from drainage and other causes by the acquisition of areas of land and of water to furnish in perpetuity reservation for the adequate protection of such birds; and authorizing appropriations for the establishment of such areas, their maintenance and improvement, and for other purposes," approved February 18, 1929 (U. S. C., Supp. V, title 16, secs. 715-715r), $194,300, authorized by section 12 of the act, which sum is a part of the remaining $882,000 of the $1,000,000 authorized to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1933, and in addition thereto the unexpended balances of the sums made available in the agricultural appropriation act for the fiscal year 1933 for the purposes of sections 12 and 18 of the act of February 18, 1929, are continued available for the same purposes for the fiscal year 1934. Mr. REDINGTON. The following is submitted for the record: (1) A decrease of $118,000 in the project "Acquisition of land" will be met by a reduction in the amount of land to be acquired for refuges and expenses incident to acquisition. (2) $5,700 reduction on account of continuation of legislative furlough. CHANGES IN LANGUAGE Language has been changed to provide proper reference to the authorization for the sum of $200,000 to be appropriated for the fiscal year 1934, and to continue available any unexpended balances. WORK UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION The work under this appropriation consists of (a) the acquisition of land and water for migratory bird refuges throughout the United States; (b) the maintenance and administration of refuge areas acquired and the development of such areas and other reservations; (c) the study of food resources of proposed refuge lands and the improvement of migratory bird food and cover on existing refuges; and (d) the elimination of loss of migratory birds from alkali poisoning, oil pollution, or other causes; under the migratory bird conservation act of February 18, 1929 (U. S. C., Supp. IV, title 16, secs. 715-715r), which authorized a 10year program for the establishment of a national system of refuges for the conservation and perpetuation of waterfowl and other migratory game birds. The main activity at present is the acquisition of lands, with increasing administrative responsibilities by reason of such acquisitions. Incident to the purchase of lands it is necessary to examine, classify, and evaluate land and soil cover, and to secure ownership status of all lands within the areas found suitable for refuges, to conduct purchase negotiations with the local owners, to make cadastral surveys to determine true acreages and to demarcate the boundaries of lands being acquired; and also to examine titles prior to conveyance of properties being acquired. More than 3,600,000 acres in 134 proposed refuge sites have been examined, appraised, mapped, and ownership recorded. Lands in 12 refuge areas have been approved for purchase and lease by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission and 5 have been established by Executive order. Mr. BUCHANAN. Migratory bird conservation refuges, $400,000 for 1932; 1933, $318,000; Budget estimate for 1934, $194,300, a decrease in round numbers of $124,000. Mr. REDINGTON. A decrease of $118,000 in the project "Acquisition of land" will be met by a reduction in the amount of land to be acquired for refuges and expenses incident to acquisition. Mr. BUCHANAN. This $175,000 for the purchase of land that is supposed to be carried in this bill, is that for the purchase of land alone that the Government is already obligated upon or has entered into a contract to purchase or has under option? Mr. REDINGTON. In general; yes, sir. The principal activities now are acquisition of lands which have been held under option. Mr. BUCHANAN. Well, is there any reason to believe that those options are cheaper than you could get the land for now? Land has gone down, you know. We Mr. REDINGTON. Well, that is a difficult question to answer. found that we have been able to acquire land comparatively cheaply. The average price paid for the lands that we have actually bought, has been $4.38 per acre. There have been 14 refuges purchased or set aside by Executive order with a total acreage of 254,553 acres. Now, as I understand it from the head of our acquisition division, he has other areas under consideration with an option on them. Mr. HENDERSON. I think, Mr. Chairman, there is a little misunderstanding between you and Mr. Redington. Your question as to whether the money was to be expended for taking up lands on which we had options was intended to apply to 1934, was it not? I think Mr. Redington understood it as to 1933. Mr. BUCHANAN. Is it the general purpose to buy land with this $175,000? Are you purchasing any land except what the Government is already committed to purchase? Mr. HENDERSON. That will be divided between maintaining the organization which will be necessary to carry on to completion the acquisitions which are now under way and also will provide for the acquisition of additional land which will cost us slightly over $90,000 in 1934, and I might say the specific area that we have in mind for the use of that money is a tract in California which, when we first inquired about it, was valued at more than $90 an acre. We can buy it now for about $17 an acre. It is one of the best areas in the whole State for a refuge. It is in the Sacramento Valley in the rice growing region and water fowl congregate there in great numbers. Mr. BUCHANAN. Is it marshy land? Mr. HENDERSON. Yes; with abundant water to keep it flooded and it is regarded by the State officials and other convervationists in that State as being one of the finest places for a refuge that we could get. The price is very low at the present time. If we do not take it at that price it will undoubtedly be sold for hunting purposes and we will never be able to get it because if we should attempt to condemn it the price would be prohibitive. Mr. BUCHANAN. How many acres are there in that tract? Mr. HENDERSON. About 5,600 acres. Mr. BUCHANAN. Does that one tract take up the $175,000? Mr. HENDERSON. That would take up about $98,000 and the balance would be used in carrying the organization. Mr. BUCHANAN. For that tract? Mr. HENDERSON. No, sir; for our general acquisition organization. We have been years building this force up and their employment in any event will be necessary during the year 1934 in connection with the lands which are now being acquired but which will not be actually conveyed and paid for during the present fiscal year. There is involved a lot of surveying, title, and map work. Mr. BUCHANAN. Is this tract adjoining a refuge now? Mr. BUCHANAN. This is supposed to be a new refuge? Mr. HENDERSON. Yes, sir; and it will be a wonderful refuge. Mr. BUCHANAN. And, is all this appropriation of $175,000 to be used in connection with that one refuge? Mr. HENDERSON. About $98,000 is required for its purchase. Mr. HENDERSON. The rest of it is to be used in connection with all the land we are buying in all parts of the country and also for rental of lands which we hold under lease. Mr. BUCHANAN. I wish you would break-down that appropriation, stating just exactly what you propose to use it for. Mr. HENDERSON. We will be glad to do it. |