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LAND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON 25. D. C. December 19, 1963 Memorandum To: Assistant Secretary-Water and Power Assistant Secretary-Mineral Resources Solicitor Director, Bureau of Land Management Subject: Market classification of public lands in Pacific Southwest Water Plan area Recent discussions and briefing papers on the Pacific Southwest Water Plan have placed heavy emphasis on the ground-water aspects of the total problem. Ways are also being sought to avoid increased irrigation water demands upon the projects contemplated in the Plan, especially in Central Arizona. We have been aware for some time that the adjudication of agricultural entry applications under the public land laws, especially in Arizona and Southern California, represents a substantial waste of time and money. A study of applications filed between 1950 and 1959 showed a total of 11,242 cases initiated by application (9327 in California, 1915 in Arizona). Of these, only 216 qualified for patent and, as of 1962, only 127 (63 in Arizona and 64 in California) remained in agricultural production, even on a part-time basis. For the two states, therefore, the expenditure of vast amounts of public and private funds was only about 1 per cent effective in realizing the objectives of the homestead and desert land entry laws. This combination of water crisis and past experience supports strongly the view that, at least during the pendency of water development proposals for the region, further agricultural entries should be burred. Your comments are invited on the attached draft order to accomplish this objective. In addition to the basic policy issue involved and any additional factors which should be cited for or against it, your suggestions on the adequacy of the affected area's description would be helpful. Since a considerable amount of recent activity under the agricultural entry laws is known to be highly speculative, it is obvious that this proposal should be carefully protected against premature discussion outside the agencies directly concerned. Mr. BeatyEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 24 bit, 47,456,256 byte