The appropriation provided for "commencement of construction" according to Howse, adding it was "'unheard of' for the federal government to stop work on a project of this type once construction actually has started." He said upon hearing the news, "This clinches it," and the newspapers reported, "Lake Wichita is in." (Eagle, 3/31/61).

Once the money was awarded, the pre-construction steps were begun. While that was proceeding, Congress was also considering the budget request for the project. After passing the House and the Senate, the $3.8 million public works bill, including $2.7 million to launch construction of the dam and reservoir, was finally sent to the President on September 15, 1961, and was signed into law on September 30. The project was rolling.

The land was acquired, plans made, and contracts awarded as work commenced. On February 20, 1962, $8.5 million in water revenue bonds were issued by the city to finance the pipeline to Cheney. Junior lien bonds were issued, placing a second mortgage on the water revenue, in order to avoid raising water rates necessitated by parity or senior bonds which would have required 130 percent bond coverage. A 3.99 percent interest would be paid to a group of five Wichita investment firms which planned on handling the sale. The commission placed the enabling ordinance for the sale on first reading February 27, which was formally passed on March 6, 1962.

The 1963 fiscal year budget request made by Kennedy on January 18, 1962, included $7.1 million in additional funding for Cheney. Bids for the prime contract of the construction of Cheney dam were opened on March 27, with the low of the eleven bids being $6,661,961.35. It was submitted by Cimarron Construction Company and Williams Brothers Company, a joint venture, and they were officially awarded the contract on April 12. Exploratory drilling began on April 10, and construction work was initiated on May 9 with the clearing of the dam and reservoir areas. The structural excavation on the dam began on May 24. On May 29, the official ground-breaking ceremony was held at Cheney, marking the climax of years of work.

The celebration was an all-day affair, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending with a groundbreaking ceremony at 4:00 at the dam site. Federal, state, and local officials were on hand for the dedication. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Dominy spoke at a luncheon for the officials, saying that the Cheney Dam was "in the forefront of trailblazing projects that are establishing new trends in water resources development in the West." He went on to say the "dam is a dam with a difference. It is one of the first Bureau of Reclamation projects ever conceived with the primary objective of supplying a municipality with domestic water for its people and process water for its industries." (Eagle, 5/21/62). He went on to praise Wichita city officials and Colonel Howse for their cooperation and work.

Virtually all of the people who had an important impact on the project were present during the day. Howse also spoke at the luncheon and outlined the history of the Cheney Reservoir. After speaking of the crisis situation existing in the mid-50's, Howse said, "In mid-1962 the record discloses an entirely different situation. Virtually all phases of the long-range water plan have been completed and are operating in place. We are commemorating today the start of construction on the final phase of the federal reclamation project designated officially as the Cheney Division Wichita Project--Kansas." He went on to describe the system as it had developed over the years and to describe the process by which it had been attained. "It would be pleasant and inaccurate to say that all phases of the comprehensive long-range water supply program were supported enthusiastically by the people of Wichita and surrounding area. The program has been accomplished primarily for two reasons. First, some 54,310 citizens of Wichita had the good judgment to vote in the November 6, 1956, special election to approve the principal elements of the plan. Second, the municipal, state and federal officials concerned had the courage to proceed in the public interest and to take the necessary actions to place the program into effect.

"The project was delayed from April, 1957, to May, 1958, because of the actions and representations of members of the City Commission and other objectors in the area. Despite this fact, the project has been investigated, engineered, reported, approved, authorized, budgeted, appropriated, validated, contracted, and started in the incredibly short time of seven years. This accomplishment could not have been possible without the complete cooperation of the public officials, departments and agencies concerned with water matters at the state and federal levels." (Howse, 1962).

Howse praised individuals who played significant roles in the Cheney project including the late Senator Schoeppel, who died before seeing the fulfillment of his work on the project, Senator Carlson, Congressmen Rees, Breeding, Shriver, and Avery, and a variety of state and federal officials. Finally he referred to the support of the local officials, the majorities in the City Commission who sponsored the project in 1955 and concurred with it from 1956 to 1961, and the unanimous support of the present commission of Mayor Carl A. Bell, Jr., Commissioners Gerald F. Byrd, Lindsley, Rymph, and especially Fugate, "with whom I have been interchangeable over the past two years, as we fought the battle of the Potomac together," he said. He completed his remarks by referring to the controversy starting it all. "In conclusion, Mr. Mayor, it would be appropriate to express our appreciation to the people of the Equus Beds whose strenuous opposition has required us to do that which we should have had sense enough to do in the first place. Let us hope that the bitterness of the water controversy has been resolved in a manner that is fair to all." (Howse, 1962).

The ground-breaking ceremony began with an explosion of dynamite. Remarks were made by Bell, Senator Carlson, Dominy, and Congressmen Shriver and Breeding. All commented on the importance of the project to Wichita and to Kansas. Participants were commended, including those "who gave up their homes" for the reservoir. Overall, it was a typically ceremonial function, like many that had happened in the past. (Eagle, 5/30/62).

Most of the work aside from the actual construction was completed, but a few loose ends remained. Litigation against the city for its endeavors