(The documents above referred to are as follows:) Hon. JOHN MCCLELLAN, United States Senate. UNITED STATES SENATE, MY DEAR JOHN: In connection with our talk, I enclose you memoranda with respect to the authorizations for Winter Harbor and Davis Creek in Mathews County, Va. This was presented to your committee last week, as you remember, by State Senator W. M. Minter. I am personally acquainted with these situations and think them a very worthy project. I hope very much the committee will report these authorizations, which have the full approval of the Board of Engineers and all of the subordinate officers. With kindest regards, I am Faithfully yours, HARRY F. BYRD. Senator MCCLELLAN. The committee will recess until tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. (Whereupon, at 12:20 p. m., the committee recessed, to reconvene at 10 a. m., Wednesday, August 31, 1949.) FLOOD CONTROL-RIVERS AND HARBORS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1949 UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE FOR FLOOD CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT OF The subcommittee met at 10 a. m., pursuant to adjou.nment, in room 412, Senate Office Building, Senator John L. McClellan presiding. Present: Senators McClellan, Downey, Stennis, Kerr, and Martin. Also present: Lt. Col. Herbert C. Gee, Deputy Chief of Civil Works for Flood Control; and Henry M. Muller, assistant to resident member, Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, Corps of Engineers. Senator MCCLELLAN. The committee will come to order. Senator Cain has submitted for the record a copy of a Senate joint memorial adopted by the thirty-first legislative session of the Washington State Legislature requesting the Congress to enact legislation to rename four proposed dams on the Snake River. This document will be made a part of the record. (The document referred to is as follows:) STATEMENT BY SENATOR CAIN Mr. Chairman, I herewith submit for the records a copy of a Senate joint memorial adopted by the thirty-first legislative session of the Washington State Legislature requesting the Congress to enact legislation to rename four proposed dams on the Snake River. I think this memorial warrants close consideration by our committee. [Certificate No. 18328] UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-STATE OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF STATE To All To Whom These Presents Shall Come: I, Earl Coe, secretary of state of the State of Washington and custodian of the seal of said State, do hereby certify that the attached is a true and correct copy of Senate Joint Memorial No. 4 as passed by the thirty-first legislative session of the legislature of the State of Washington as now on file in my office. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed hereto the seal of the State of Washington. Done at the capitol, at Olympia, this 18th day of August A. D. 1949. [SEAL] EARL COE, Secretary of State. SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4. To the Honorable Harry S. Truman, President of the United States, and to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled: We, your memorialists, the senate and the house of representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows: Whereas the Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army, has recommended the construction of a series of four locks and dams to provide slack-water navigation from the mouth of the Snake River to Lewiston, Idaho; and Whereas the sites where said dams are to be located are named respectively: Ice Harbor Dam at mile 10.2 above the mouth of the Snake River; Lower Monumental Dam at mile 44.7; Little Goose Dam at mile 72.2; and Lower Granite Dam at mile 113.1; and Whereas said dams will be enduring structures contributing to the welfare and security of the people of the United States; and Whereas the names of certain nationally respected early explorers and missionaries are indelibly linked with the history of the development of the Snake River: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That your memorialists pray the Congress of the United States of America to enact legislation establishing the names of said four Snake River dams, respectively, as follows: Whitman Dam at mile 10.2, honoring the work aud memory of Dr. Marcus Whitman; Lewis Dam at mile 44.7, honoring the work and memory of Capt. Merriwether Lewis; Clark Dam at mile 72.2, honoring the work and memory of Capt. William Clark, and Spalding Dam at mile 113.1, honoring the work and memory of Rev. Henry Harmon Spalding; and be it further Resolved, That copies of this memorial be immediately transmitted to the President of the United States, the Secretary of the Senate of the United States, the Clerk of the House of Representatives of the United States, and each Member of the Washington congressional delegation. Passed the Senate January 26, 1949. VICTOR A. MEYERS, President of the Senate. Passed the House February 9, 1949. CHARLES W. HODDEN, RUSSIAN RIVER, CALIF.-RESUMED Senator MCCLELLAN. Former Congressman Lea has a statement to make with reference to the Rusisan River project in California. STATEMENT OF CLARENCE F. LEA, SANTA ROSA, CALIF. Mr. LEA. My name is Clarence F. Lea. I reside at Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, Calif. My home is in the Russian River watershed. I voluntarily appear as an individual in support of the proposed project. I appreciate the fact that the engineers have worked out a plan for the solution of the water problems of the Russian River watershed which I believe is practical and highly desirable. The Board of Engineers, in its report, summarizes its conclusions as to this project by stating it is "needed and economically justified." This section has a heavy rainfall. The key to the understanding of the situation is the fact that 94 percent of the average annual rainfall comes within 7 months. The other 5 months of the year are limited to an average rainfall of only 6 percent. The result is that during one part of the year there may be a destructive surplus of water, and in another part, a deficiency. The plan proposed is to restrict the destructiveness of the surplus water and impound it to augment the insufficient supply for the balance of the year. In the period of heavy rainfall the farms and heavily populated centers along the river suffer from floods that are reported to cause an annual loss of over $700,000. In the other part of the year there is a need of more water than is naturally available. The plan gives flood protection by impounding the surplus water, stream clearance, and improvement. It supplies the deficiency of another part of the year by making the impounded waters available for domestic and industrial use. The Russian River with its tributaries is the only practical source of water supply available to meet what will clearly be the future needs of this rapidly growing section. A large portion of Mendocina and Sonoma Counties are drained by this river. The valley areas affected are highly productive. Sonoma County, considerable areas of which are within the Russian River watershed, from the standpoint of agricultural production, has generally been classed among the first 20 counties of the United States by the agricultural census. Its climate, territory, and location are such that it is certain to have a largely increased population with many new domestic and industrial demands for water. Here in this watershed is the only source of an adequate supply. If properly conserved, this project in its ultimate stages can supply a greatly enlarged population and expanded industries. There is every indication of local cooperation through organized districts with taxing power available to meet the conditions required as proposed by the Board of Engineers for the adoption of this project. There can be no question as to the practical benefits that can accrue from the adoption of this project. It will contribute unquestioned benefits and to a section whose economic, industrial, and population conditions give assurance of results that will amply justify Congress in its approval. That concludes my statement, Mr. Chairman, (No response.) GRAND PRAIRIE-BAYOU METO-RESUMED Senator MCCLELLAN. Congressman Norrell, of Arkansas, has a statement. STATEMENT OF HON. W. F. NORRELL, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ARKANSAS Mr. NORRELL. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I appreciate the opportunity given me to make this statement for record in the hearings. In 1943, when I became a member of the Interior Department Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, the total appropriations from the general revenue fund for the Bureau of Reclamation amounted to about $89,000,000. This year, 6 years later, the total appropriations for the Reclamation Service, from the general revenue fund, will be in excess of $250,000,000. This does not include amounts appropriated from the reclamation fund, the several trust accounts, nonreimbursable, and other sources against which appropriations are made. I mention this to show that the members of this subcommittee know something about reclamation and, owing to our keen interest in the service, have been doing a very substantial job. This is as it should be. |