is now not available on account of tidal and flood conditions. It is advocated by the mayors of the two cities I have just mentioned and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, all of whom would share in the cost of the project. S. 253 This bill, filed by my colleague, Senator Lodge, is to provide for a comprehensive survey to promote the development of hydroelectric power, flood control, and other improvements on the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers and such other rivers in the New England States where improvements are feasible. I hope that your committee will give careful consideration to including the subject matter proposed. I am very much interested in this question, and recently had a memorandum prepared by the Federal Power Commission along these same lines. I do not ask that this memorandum be made a part of your record, but I am enclosing a copy of it in case you would care to have it in your files for consideration. If your committee should desire further copies, I would be glad to endeavor to supply them. Thanking you very much for your careful consideration of the above projects, Sincerely yours, LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, Senator LODGE. We thank you very much for this hearing. Hon. SHERIDAN DOWNEY, UNITED STATES SENATE, Chairman, Subcommittee on Flood Control, Rivers and Harbors, Committee on Public Works, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. July 29, 1949. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The purpose of this letter is to supplement my testimony before your subcommittee concerning certain vital flood control, river and harbor legislation in which the citizens of Massachusetts are vitally interested. On July 20 I personally appeared before your subcommittee to urge favorable consideration of my bill, S. 253, authorizing a joint United States Army Engineer-Federal Power Commission survey of the Connecticut, Merrimack, and other New England rivers for hydroelectric power, flood control, navigation, and other purposes. On the same day, I also urged that your subcommittee favorably report my bill, S. 1657, authorizing a United States Army engineer survey of Sesuit Harbor in Dennis, Mass. I desire to express to your committee my great interest in three other projects which are presently authorized in H. R. 5472, a bill authorizing the construction, repair, and preservation of certain public works on rivers and harbors for navigation, flood control, and for other purposes. This bill has been reported to the House of Representatives by the House Committee on Public Works. The three projects which I have in mind are: 1. Winthrop Beach, Mass.-H. R. 5472 authorizes a beach erosion control survey by the Chief of Army Engineers, as recommended in House Document No. 764, Eightieth Congress. 2. Mystic River, Mass.-House Document No. 645, Eightieth Congress, recommends certain channel improvements in this river which flows through the very heart of industrial Greater Boston. 3. Mattapoisett Harbor, Mass.-The House bill authorizes a channel improvement project for this Buzzards Bay Harbor; see House Document No. 664, Eightieth Congress. I ask that this letter be incorporated as a part of my remarks and most respectfully urge that when your subcommittee takes action on H. R. 5472, all possible consideration be given to the retention of the above named projects in the bill reported to the Senate. With kind personal regards, Very sincerely yours, HENRY CABOT LODGE, Jr., United States Senator. Senator MCCLELLAN. Let the record show at this point that Senator Stennis was present this morning and requested that a bill introduced by him, S. 2184, be considered by the subcommittee as an amendment to H. R. 5472. The committee will consider it and the bill may be printed as a part of the record at this point. (S. 2184 is as follows:) [S. 2184, 81st Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To provide for a preliminary examination and survey of the Hatchie and Tuscumbia Rivers in Mississippi and Tennessee, for the purpose of determining action necessary to control floods and provide proper drainage in the areas through which such rivers flow Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Army is authorized and directed to cause a preliminary examination and survey to be made of the Hatchie and Tuscumbia Rivers in Mississippi and Tennessee, for the purpose of determining what action should be taken to control floods and provide proper drainage in the areas through which such rivers flow. The cost of such preliminary examination and survey shall be paid from appropriations heretofore or hereafter made for examinations, surveys, and contingencies of rivers and harbors. OUACHITA RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES, ARKANSAS AND LOUISIANA Senator MCCLELLAN. The committee will take up next a Ouachita River project in Arkansas. Those who expect to testify, will you come up and sit around the table. Colonel Lovett, will you present this project to the committee from the viewpoint of the Corps of Engineers? We will be very glad to hear from you. I believe you have made a report on this project. STATEMENT OF COL. ROBERT G. LOVETT, OFFICE, CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir; that is correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. That report has not yet cleared the Budget? Colonel LOVETT. That is correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. My understanding is it is now before the Budget? Colonel LOVETT. That is correct, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. And you are anticipating, at least hoping, to have clearance on it from the Budget before we conclude these hearings, at least before we conclude marking up this bill? Colonel LOVETT. That is right, sir. We are presenting it at the request of your committee, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. All right, you may proceed, Colonel. Colonel LOVETT. My name is Col. Robert G. Lovett. I was district engineer of the Vicksburg district from 1946 to Jne 1949 while this report was under study. I am at present stationed in the Office of the Chief of Engineers. I am appearing to present the report of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors on the Ouachita River and tributaries, Arkansas and Louisiana, which your committee has requested to be presented at this time. As you know, the comments of the Bureau of the Budget and certain other Federal agencies on the proposed report of the Chief of Engineers have not as yet been received in the Office of the Chief of Engineers. With the committee's permission I will run over the map and explain the project in general and then go into detail. Senator MCCLELLAN. We will be glad to have you do that. DESCRIPTION Colonel LOVETT. The Ouachita River rises in the Ouachita Mountains and flows 610 miles generally southerly and empties into the Red River about 35 miles above the mouth of that stream. The principal tributaries are the Caddo River, the Little Missouri River, Saline River, Tensas River, Boeuf River, Moro Creek, Smackover Creek, Bayou Bartholomew, and Bayou D'Arbonne. A number of projects have already been approved on the Ouachita River and tributaries. These projects are shown in green on the map. The principal projects now approved and under construction are the Blakely Mountain Dam and Reservoir and the Narrows Dam and Reservoir. Senator MCCLELLAN. Those are now under construction? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir; those are now under construction. The Narrows Dam should be completed some time in 1950. The Blakely Mountain Dam should be completed somewhere around 1953 or 1954, depending upon the amount of funds made available. Other projects shown in green are the existing 612-foot navigation project, and a number of levee projects, principally around cities and along the east bank here. Senator MCCLELLAN. Colonel, you do not show on there the hydroelectric dams owned by the private power companies, do you? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir; those are shown here. These are Carpenter Dam and Remmel Dam near Hot Springs on the Ouachita River. Senator MCCLELLAN. All right. Colonel LOVETT. Other approved projects are for clearing, snagging, and drainage primarily to reduce flooding and get the water off the land on these streams which lie between the Ouachita River and the Mississippi River. Under the project of the Mississippi River and tributaries are the south-bank levees along the Arkansas River and the main-line levees along the Mississippi River running all the way to the mouth of the Old River. Senator MCCLELLAN. That is unusual, is it not, that the Bayou Bartholomew has its source right at Pine Bluff, almost on the banks. of the Arkansas River, and yet it drains into the Ouachita? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir; there is a very narrow and low divide at that point. It rises very close to the Arkansas River, yet it flows in the opposite direction. This report recommends improvements on the Ouachita River and tributaries in Arkansas and Louisiana. The improvements are divided into two parts: First, improvement for flood control; second, improvement for navigation. FLOOD CONTROL The improvements include the construction of DeGray Dam and Reservoir on the Caddo River, and construction of the Murfreesboro Dam on the Muddy Fork of the Little Missouri River. Senator MCCLELLAN. At that point, would you mind stating, Colonel, whether those dams have power? I know the one does on the Caddo. Does the other one have power? Colonel LOVETT. No, sir; the Muddy Fork Dam does not. That one proposed is purely a flood-control dam. Senator MCCLELLAN. The other one does have power? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir; and the proposed installation is 32,000 kilowatts at that dam. There is also power in both of these existing ones. Initial installation here at the Narrows Dam is 17,000 kilowatts, with ultimately 25,500. On the Blakely Mountain Dam the installation is 75,000 kilowatts. Other flood-control improvements include Bawcomville, Jonesville, Columbia, and improvements along Bayou Bartholomew. Senator MCCLELLAN. What is the nature of that improvement there? It does not appear to be levees? Colonel LOVETT. No, sir; it is primarily channel enlargement. There are a few dikes or levees to be constructed to close some of these overflow channels for present high water on Bayou Bartholomew. A great deal of water flows to the westward and inundates the cropland. Senator MCCLELLAN. Is that slow drainage? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. And this is to accelerate the drainage and the flow of the water? Colonel LOVETT. That is correct, sir. After reaching a point a few miles below Pine Bluff, Bayou Bartholomew flows largely through alluvial lands. They are alluvial lands which are very fine farm lands. Senator MCCLELLAN. Will it reclaim lands there and make them available for agricultural purposes? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. That is a part of the benefits of this improvement on the Bayou Bartholomew? Colonel LOVETT. That is correct. Another improvement proposed is the improvement of the Harding Drain and Town Creek within the city of Pine Bluff. Harding Drain originally flowed into the Arkansas River and part of the flow still goes into the Arkansas through a floodgate constructed in the levee when the levees were built. However, that has two disadvantages. When the river is up, the water cannot get out into the Arkansas River. Senator MCCLELLAN. Does this cause a flooding of a part of the city of Pine Bluff? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir; a very serious flooding. Senator MCCLELLAN. This would divert that water to this other drainage basin? Colonel LOVETT. That is correct. We propose to enlarge the canal to provide a 1.000-second-feet capacity and to build an interception canal to cut off about one-third of the drainage area above the city of Pine Bluff and carry it over to the Bayou Bartholomew. That ditch carries about 800 second-feet. Those two between them will cut down the flow within the city of Pine Bluff so as to prevent the damage which now occurs practically annually whenever they get one of these rains of about 4 to 5 inches, and the flooding occurs within an hour or two. I believe the last serious flood about a year and a half ago flooded 70 city blocks within the city of Pine Bluff. Local cooperation is required on that project by furnishing the rights-of-way and removing existing obstructions within the city of Pine Bluff. NAVIGATION The navigation part of the report: The Board recommends a 9-foot project be constructed from the head of the existing 9-foot project at mile 31 on the Red River to the mouth of the Ouachita River, or Black River, as the lower 57 miles are known. This is for four and a half miles, and from the mouth of the Black River upstream by means of locks and dams, channel straightening, and dredging, to the city of Camden, 351 miles. Senator MCCLELLAN. Colonel, you have already navigation to Camden or have had in the past? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. A 6-foot or 612-foot channel, I believe? Colonel LOVETT. A 62-foot channel, sir. Up to 1940 that channel carried about 271,000 tons a year of commerce. About 1940-41 most of the equipment used on the river was diverted to other rivers. Senator MCCLELLAN. That was for war purposes? Colonel LOVETT. Yes; for war purposes. And since that time, since there was no commerce the channel was not maintained during the war and has not been maintained in recent years. Senator MCCLELLAN. Up to that time was that project justified? I mean the commerce on it was sufficient to justify the maintenance of that channel? Colonel LOVETT. Up until 1940; yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. And navigation facilities? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. But by reason of the war the facilities, the barges and so forth, were diverted to other areas? Colonel LOVETT. That is correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. And that is the reason it was not maintained during that period? Colonel LOVETT. That is substantially correct. Senator MCCLELLAN. But the improvements that are there now make it far more economical to make it a 9-foot channel than it would if there was just a new project entirely? Colonel LOVETT. Yes, sir; very much cheaper. All of the existing locks and dams will be used in making a 9-foot project instead of a 6-foot project. There are six of these locks and dams with dimensions of 55 feet by 268 feet. It is recommended that these locks and dams be enlarged to 55 feet by 525 feet, and the floors lowered so as to provide 9-foot depth throughout. It is also necessary to straighten the river at many points, to make cut-offs to reduce the short bends. It is also necessary to do some dredging in various localities. Senator MCCLELLAN. Let me ask you, Colonel: In your survey, of course, you undertook to ascertain the amount of possible tonnage |