Letter from H[enry] M. McDonald to William F. Bade, 1913 Nov 19.

This joint source of supply presents the following advantages over Hetch Hetchy:1. A supply of 450 million gallons daily entirely dependableas against a possible 400 million gallons daily from Hetch Hetchy,2. Reservoir storage capacity fully double the utmost possibleto be supplied by the entire Hetch Hetchy Reservoir capacity.3. Length of aqueduct to be constructed 75 miles as againstHetch Hetchy\u27s 180 miles.4. Estimated cost of construction $40,000,000as against Hetch Hetchy $77,400,0005. Time required for construction 4 years as against 10 yearsneeded to build the Hetch Hetchy system.6. The report of the California State Conservation Commissionshows that less than 500 acres are under irrigation along the entire South Eel River-Putah Creek aqueduct. Hence, irrigation rights of minor importance are involved and these can be readily extinguished by purchase. On the other hand, the taking of water from Hetch Hetchy in dry years, as per the report of the Advisory Board of Army Engineers, submitted to the Secretary of the Interior February 19, 1913, will unquestionably ruin the products of 370,000 acres fertile land involving tremendous financial losses upon the owners.It is believed that, if the advantages of the Eel River-Putah Creek source of supply are presented to the members of the Senate through the medium of a report made by an engineer of standing, such report being based upon a field survey of the entire line of the proposed aqueduct, as well as the facts ascertained by the engineer in chief through a personal examination of the sources of supply and the line itself, a sufficient number of the members of the Senate, who would otherwise vote for the Raker bill, on being informed through the engineers report that an adequate supply of water for the City of San Francisco can be secured from a source other than Hetch Hetchy, will cast their votes against the Raker bill to defeat it. Corps of engineers, therefore, about October 10th last, were placed in the field. These engineering corps have just completed a survey of the entire line of the South Eel River-Putah Creek aqueduct.Mr. George S. Nickerson, the engineer in chief, is now completing his report. This report admirably sets forth the facts heretofore stated in this letter in reference to the South Eel River-Putah Creek source of water supply. It is proposed to place a copy of this report in the hands of each U. S. Senator, President Wilson, members of his Cabinet and other public men, before the Raker bill is taken up for consideration by the Senate.09852https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmcl/42745/thumbnail.jp