Guide to the Columbia Basin Development League Records 1965-1976
Cage 177

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Creator
Columbia Basin Development League
Title
Columbia Basin Development League Records
ID
Cage 177
Date [inclusive]
1965-1976
Extent
3 containers., 1.5 linear feet of shelf space., 1700 items.
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
Newspaper clippings and news releases, photographs, some correspondence and minutes, and other papers of a non-profit corporation organized to encourage and promote the completion of the Columbia Basin Project, an irrigation effort in Central Washington.

Preferred Citation

[Item Description]. Cage 177, Columbia Basin Development League Records . Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

The Columbia Basin Development League was organized in March, 1963 as the Basin Development Committee in an attempt to promote more orderly development of the Columbia Basic Project. There was a real fear that the project was dying for lack of federal interest. Statistics revealed that the annual appropriations for the project declined markedly from the early 1950s to the early 1960s. In addition there was a radical decline in water service to additional lands after 1955. The first officers of the Basin Development Committee, Dale Jeffries of Royal City, chairman, Paul Hamilton of Ephrata, secretary, and Logan Beam of Moses Lake, treasurer, attempted to reverse this decline through a local organization. The Basin Development Committee was reorganized in September, 1964, as the Columbia Basin Development League, a non-profit corporation. The incorporators were Ned Thomas, James H. Taylor, M. H. Cherf, Logan O. Beam, Willard F. Hess, Edward J. Emry, and Richard A. Leith. The organization consisted of a president, vice-president, treasurer, an executive committee of eight and a forty member board of trustees chosen by the membership. Thomas was elected first president. Other past presidents include Robert G. Allen (Pasco), E. Roy Mundy (Ephrata), and David A. Gallant (Pasco).

The stated goal of the organization is to promote the completion of the full 1,095,000 authorized acres of the Columbia Basin Project, thereby stimulating economic activity in the Columbia Basin and bringing increased prosperity to the residents.

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Scope and Content

The bulk of the records of the Columbia Basin Development League consist of newspaper clippings and press releases from the period June, 1965 through November, 1976. The majority of the newspaper cited are from the Columbia Basin area. In addition to the newspaper clippings the collection consists of: some general correspondence, minutes of meetings (executive, trustee and general), membership lists (1968), publications (such as "Economic impact statement of second Bacon siphon and tunnel," 1970) and some financial records (lists of businesses and services contacted for donations and a bank deposit book). Also included in the collection are many photographs.

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Arrangement

The newspaper clippings are arranged alphabetically by subject. The order at the time of accessioning has not been disturbed. It is apparent, however, that this is not the original filing order. There is an office filing code with each subject heading; this original code has been included to give the researcher an indication of the original office filing order.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2012

http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open for research use.

Acquisition Information

The records of the Columbia Basin Development League of Ephrata, Washington were donated to the Washington State University Library in August, 1977 by Mr. Niel Johnson, an officer of the League (77-42).

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Creator(s) :
  • Columbia Basin Development League --Archives
Subject(s) :
  • Columbia Basin Project (U.S.)

Personal Name(s)

Donor(s) :
  • Johnson, Neil. waps

Subject(s)

  • Irrigation -- Columbia River Valley
  • Irrigation
  • Washington (State)

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Detailed Description of Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Office Files  1945-1982 

box folder

News--Columbia Basin Project (General) (G2) January 1967-July 1970  63 items.

1 1

News--Columbia Basin Project, Current Construction and Planning (3rd Power House) (G3) October 1966-September 1970  153 items.

1 2

News--Crops and Production Information (G3A) October 1968-March 1971  20 items.

1 3

News--District Problems, Action, Officers, Takeover, etc. (G4) January 1968-April 1972  112 items.

1 4

News--Drainage Problems (G7) October 1966-April 1970  22 items.

1 5

News--Diversion, Central Arizona Project (D6) February 1967-February 1970   58 items.

1 6

News--Diversion (G5) June 1965-June 1970  85 items.

1 7

News--Environmental Aspects (G7A)  35 items.

1 8

News--Farm Policy (G8) January 1968-February 1971  9 items.

1 9

News--Industrial Developments in Basin (G10) January 1968-May 1970  86 items.

1 10

News--Hanford Reactor Closure  1971  28 items.

1 11

News--Food Surplus and Shortages (G9) August 1968 - January 1971  21 items.

1 12

News--Land Limitations (Land Use) (G11) March 1968-April 1970  53 items.

1 13

News--Irrigation Approaches (Methods--Organizations, etc.) (G10A) May 1964-June 1970  42 items.

1 14

News--Population Problems (G13A) March 1969-August 1970  22 items.

1 15

News--Recreation (G13) October 1967-June 1971  17 items.

1 16

News--Pesticides  Mar-71  2 items.

1 17

News--New Land Inclusions (G12) October 1966-November 1969  23 items.

1 18

News--Legal Problems (G11A) September - October 1969  5 items.

2 19

News--Power Developments (G14) October 1968-July 1969  87 items.

2 20

News--Power Developments (G14) August 1969 - August 1970  100 items.

2 21

News--Water Development, General (G15) January 1968-June 1970  40 items.

2 22

Hot Water Irrigation  Aug-69  18 items.

2 23

News--Warm Water Irrigation (G14A) September 1969-September 1970  7 items.

2 24

Power Parks  July 1967-May 1970  85 items.

2 25

News--Water Development, Local (G16) January 1968-April 1970  80 items.

2 26

News--Water rationing (G17A) Sep-70  12 items.

2 27

News--Water and Air Pollution (G17) January 1968-September 1970  55 items.

2 28

News Releases  October 1967-December 1972  140 items.

2 29

Photographs (G18)  60 items.

2 30

Photographs (G18)  72 items.

2 31

Fish and Wildlife Service (H5)   4 items.

3 32

Water Resources, Northwest and National (H9)   15 items.

3 33

Reclamation, General (H6)   11 items.

3 34

General correspondence, minutes, news releases, clippings and pamphlets  September 1968-November 1976  50 items.

3 35

Business and Services listing   1 item.

3 36

Membership lists  21-May-68  3 items.

3 37

East and West Banks proposal for joint bulletin   8 items.

3 38

Economic impact statement of the second Bacon siphon and tunnel  Apr-70  1 item.

3 39

The Million Acre Program   1 item.

3 40

Deposit receipt book, Security State Bank of Washington  11/26/65-4/29/66  1 item.

3 41

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