The testimony of Colonel Biddle was that all the water of California was needed for domestic use and irrigation; that as the State is settled more and more, and as better and better facilities are devised for irrigation, more and more the streams are becoming used for these purposes; and that the only available sources of water for San Francisco would reach either the Sacramento or San Joaquin rivers, both flowing into San Francisco Bay, one from the north and one from the south, and together forming a valley about 500 miles long. The chairman of this committee, Scott Ferris, conducted the examination as follows: “With the information before you, coupled with the results of these two investigations, if you were a member of this committee, having due regard for the rights of the irrigation people, those of the nature lovers, who believe that you should not interfere with the Yosemite National Park, and the needs of San Francisco, which system would you vote for?” “Biddle—I would vote for the Hetch-Hetchy system.” “Chairman—Would you feel, in casting a vote of that kind, that you had inflicted a greater wrong upon the irrigation people and the nature lovers than if you had voted for one of the other systems?” “Biddle—No, sir.” The other two members of the Board of Engineers gave this testimony: “Colonel Cosby—I concur fully with the statement of Colonel Biddle. There is not the slightest question in my mind but that this should be used as the source of water supply, and not only that, but that it will be used as a water supply in a very short time independently of whether this project is adopted or not. I think the pressure will be so great to conserve the water up there that it will be used as a storage reservoir. It is by far the best storage reservoir in that section of the country, and water is so valuable there that they cannot afford to let it run to waste. If you deny the use of it to San Francisco, sooner or later the water will be put to other uses. Somebody will be asking for permission to utilize the Hetch-Hetchy Valley as a storage reservoir for irrigation purposes.” “Chairman—What do you think of the equitable distribution made of it under the terms of this bill?” “Colonel Taylor—I do not think the irrigation people have anything to complain of in this bill.” In 1913 the official report of this Board of Army Engineers is stated: “The Board believes that on account of the fertility of the lands under irrigation and their aridness without water the necessity of preserving all available water in the valleys of California will sooner or later make the demand for the use of Hetch-Hetchy as a reservoir practically irresistible.”