Colonel GEE. $7,400.

The CHAIRMAN. We thus conclude all presentations that are set for today except the one presentation of the South Platte.

Colonel GEE. That is correct, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Colonel, we will be glad to have you give us the report on the South Platte and tributaries, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska, House Document 669, Eightieth Congress, second session. Describe the project generally for the record, make the justification and tell us the recommendation.

SOUTH PLATTE RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES, COLORADO, WYOMING, AND NEBRASKA

(H. Doc. 669, 80th Cong.)

Colonel GEE. Mr. Chairman, this report was authorized in the Flood Control Act of August 11, 1939, and it involves a study of the drainage area of the South Platte River for flood control and other purposes.

The drainage area involved includes 24,000 square miles, principally in southwestern Colorado. The South Platte River rises on the Continental Divide in south-central Colorado and flows generally northeast to its confluence with the North Platte at North Platte, Nebr.

The principal resources of the area are minerals. There are 40 different metallic and nonmetallic minerals produced commercially in the area. The agricultural activity is limited to the production of hay and forage, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes, barley, beans, corn, oats, and other products.

The average rainfall in the basin varies from 10 to 30 inches, and in the upper portion of the South Platte Basin extreme slopes are quite precipitous in Platte Canyon, 68 feet to the mile, varying from that to 15 feet per mile in the vicinity of Denver, and 8 feet per mile in the plains region in the lower South Platte.

There are existing projects within the area, a dam on Cherry Creek to provide flood control for Denver and for the conservation of water. The CHAIRMAN. What did you say about a dam on Cherry Creek? Colonel GEE. An authorized project.

The CHAIRMAN. That is the one that has already been substantially completed?

Colonel GEE. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Now you indicate that on the map for the benefit of the committee members. That project is substantially completed. Now where is the city of Denver? Go right on down there and trace the improvements from there on.

Colonel GEE. The improvements recommended in this plan involve, first, the Chatfield Reservoir, a flood-control reservoir on the main stem of the South Platte.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the estimated cost of it?

Colonel GEE. For the Chatfield Reservoir, I will have to get a separate figure. It is about $28,000,000, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. All right, next.

Colonel GEE. And levees on both banks of the South Platte in that region between the reservoir and the city limits of Denver.

The CHAIRMAN. That is primarily to protect the city of Denver. Colonel GEE. It is to protect the agricultural activities in that area between the reservoir and Denver itself.

The capacity of the Chatfield Reservoir is not adequate to control completely the floods of the South Platte. Consequently, both the levees and the storage are needed to provide protection.

The CHAIRMAN. Does that river flow through the city of Denver? Colonel GEE. Yes, sir. It flows northward through the city of Denver.

The CHAIRMAN. What do you do in the city of Denver?

Colonel GEE. The channel improvement in the city of Denver has been well advanced by local interests. No works there are contemplated in this plan.

The CHAIRMAN. Proceed on down the river.

Colonel GEE. Further, the levee system is extended along both banks of the Platte River to the mouth of St. Vrain Creek and that is a highly developed agricultural area, dependent upon irrigation works for its water supply. Much of the cost to local interests in this development are involved in the repair necessary and modifications of the diversion works which take water from the river and place it on these lands. In addition, there is a local protection project for Boulder Creek, Colorado, involving the construction of levees and channelimprovement work for the protection of that city.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the estimated cost along the main river as you proceed down the river from Denver?

Colonel GEE. About $24,000,000 in that region.

The CHAIRMAN. And that work consists of what?

Colonel GEE. All levee work.

The CHAIRMAN. And what else?

Colonel GEE. Local protection for the town of Erie on Colorado Creek, a small levee and channel-improvement projects.

The CHAIRMAN. How far does that improvement along the main river from Denver on down the river extend?

Colonel GEE. To the mouth of the St. Vrain Creek, at the point indicated, just north of the town of Plattville, Colo.

The CHAIRMAN. All right, and that is the end of the project.

Colonel GEE. Continuing downstream there are portions of the main channel of the South Platte which need clearing and snagging, which is a recommended portion of this project also.

The CHAIRMAN. Down to what place?

Colonel GEE. Down to the location of the Narrows Reservoir, an authorized project now being placed under construction by the Bureau of Reclamation.

The CHAIRMAN. What are those other indications out there? Are they reservoirs off to the side of the river?

Colonel GEE. Two dam sites proposed for the Narrows Reservoir. The CHAIRMAN. And that is the extent of this project down the river?

Colonel GEE. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. And the total estimate is what?

Colonel GEE. It is $52,304,000, of which local interests bear $2,$72,000.

The CHAIRMAN. And the estimated ratio between cost and benefit? Colonel GEE. For the total improvement, 1.32 to 1.

MODIFICATION OF THE FLOOD-CONTROL PROJECT ON THE HEART RIVER AT MANDAN, N. DAK.

The Mandan flood-control project, authorized in the Flood Control Act of 1946, provides for raising and relocating existing levees together with the construction of necessary drainage and utility modifications. Under present law with respect to local participation projects such as this one, local interests are required to bear the expense of lands, easements, and rights-of-way. The term rights-of-way has been interpreted to include certain types of utility modifications. The division of costs of utility modifications between the Federal Govrenment and local interests has generally been that the Federal Government bear the cost of drainage structures and appurtenances through the levees that are an integral part thereof and that local interests construct ditches leading thereto for interior drainage and make alterations to existing sewers. For the Mandan project the Corps of Engineers recommended that the cost of necessary drainage and other utility alterations be included in the local participation. The project was authorized by Congress on that basis.

Because of the lay-out of the existing facilities at Mandan as related to the location of the new levees, these drainage alterations are more extensive than is usually the case for other similar projects. This constitutes an unusually heavy burden on local interests, which, in the past, have made substantial efforts to provide themselves with flood protection. They have spent a total of $116,000 for constructing and repairing the existing levees which did not prove adequate and which will now be reconstructed under the existing Federal project.

The Corps of Engineers reports that flood damages at Mandan have occurred each year since 1943 and have averaged more than $175,000 annually for the past 5 years. Large damages are occurring again this year. Because of these extremely high flood damages, the community of Mandan, which has a population of only 7,000 people, is in a poor financial status and cannot meet the cost of sewer and drainage alterations. Construction of the project is urgently needed and Federal funds in the amount of $374,000 have been appropriated for that purpose. Actual construction has been held up pending the furnishing of assurances by local interests that they can provide the required local cooperation including the drainage alterations.

It is recommended that four items of drainage alterations, estimated to cost $76,090, be undertaken at Federal expense rather than local expense. These four items consist of (a) construction of a new pumping station utilizing existing pumps, (b) modifying one section of a sewer line for operation under pressure, (c) installing one additional drain with flap gate and drain connections, and (d) construction of a sewer relief structure connecting the new pumping station with the old river channel. The division of costs for this project under this recommendation would be: Federal $490,100; local $93,000; as compared with the division of costs under existing authorization of Federal $414,000 and local $169,100.

STATEMENT BY CONGRESSMAN LEMKE

Mr. LEMKE. Mr. Chairman and members of committee, I wholeheartedly favor the enactment of S. 1324. This bill provides for the

modification of the Corps of Engineers' flood control project on the Heart River at Mandan, N. Dak.

Mandan has long been promised flood protection by the Corps of Engineers, but in spite of disastrous floods of 1943, 1947 and 1948 there has been no construction of flood preventive works, although the Army has spent thousands of dollars each year in repairing, but not raising the dikes. Last year's flood came when a section of the dike that had been repaired the previous year was topped and then breached, allowing the river to cut a new channel through a residential section of the city, inundating a large area, with water remaining for a week until the Army got busy, erected a ring dike to plug the gap, and put the river back into its channel.

Floods in 1943, which cost the city over a million dollars resulted in plans being drawn by the Corps of Engineers which called for either. a straight flood control program, including a dam at Heart Butte and dikes around the city, or a combination flood control and irrigation

program.

I shall not bother the committee with a lengthy statement but I shall refer the committee to Senate Report No. 411 on this bill. I respectfully submit to your committee that this bill should be reported favorably and passed by the House.

The CHAIRMAN. And without objection, you may extend your further justification, unless members of the committee desire to ask you some questions, and that concludes the meeting until 2 o'clock this afternoon.

(The following statement was subsequently submitted:)

REMARKS OF THE HONORABLE JOHN A. CARROLL, A MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF COLORADO

Mr. CARROLL. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to have this opportunity to discuss with you and the other members of the House Committee on Public Works the need for flood control on the South Platte River and its tributaries.

As I understand the proposal made by the Department of the Army, it would include construction of a large earth-filled dam at Chatfield, near Littleton, and a continuous levee system from the dam to Denver and below Denver to the confluence of St. Vrain Creek with South Platte. Channel improvements and levees also would be constructed on tributaries to the South Platte at Boulder and Erie, Colo. The ultimate cost of the project would be about $50,000,000. Of course, this committee is concerned with an authorization, and not appropriation. There is no question that this project is justified on an economic basis. Each dollar which would be spent would return more than a dollar in economic benefits. In addition, flood control on the South Platte and its tributaries would involve an incalculable return in terms of human life and welfare.

I am sure that some of you may be familiar with the area in Colorado which would be affected by this project. Congressman Marsalis, of course, is thoroughly familiar with it, since his own district is contiguous to the South Platte. However, I should like to call to your attention some of the principal economic and physical features of the area.

The project would directly affect not only Denver, but also one of the richest and most productive farming areas in Colorado. The population of the Denver metropolitan area as of April 1947, was estimated at 471,460, and further growth has occurred since then. The area is in the midst of a period of great growth, not only in population but in importance as an industrial and business center. Nearly 100,000 population has been added to the Denver metropolitan area since 1940. From the site of the proposed dam to Denver, and north from Denver to St. Vrain Creek, thousands of acres of rich land make important contributions to the agricultural wealth of Colorado. The continuing growth of the Denver area is creating an increased demand for truck garden and other produce from the South

Platte Basin. There is no doubt that many additional acres of land in this area will be put to productive use in the future, thereby increasing the potential benefits from flood control.

Flood protection for the city of Boulder and the town of Erie also is important. Boulder is the seat of the State university and also the center of a farming area, and Erie is one of thes State's most important coal-mining centers.

This entire area has been subject to damaging floods in the past, and the Army engineers believe that flood danger will increase in the future if control measures are not taken. Flood damage totaling more than $41,000,000 has been recorded, and the annual damage has averaged more than $1,000,000. More than 50 major floods have been recorded in the South Platte River Basin.

We have not had a major flood in the city of Denver for some time, but the danger always is present. Agricultural areas near Denver suffered considerable flood damage in 1941 and 1942. In 1942, a sustained flood inundated the bottom lands along the South Platte for about 300 miles.

Flood danger on Cherry Creek, which also runs through Denver, is in the process of being controlled by the Kenwood Dam, south of Denver. However, at present there is no protection against a major flood resulting from heavy storms over the South Platte Basin above Denver. A considerable portion of the railroad, stockyards, industrial and wholesale district of Denver, as well as a large residential district, would be affected by such a flood. It is no exaggeration to say that there now exists a danger of floods which could disrupt the entire business and industrial life of the city.

There are about 205,000 acres of agricultural land subject to floods along the South Platte River below Platte Canon. In addition, several hundred thousand acres of other land in the basin are subject to indirect flood losses because of the possible destruction of irrigation facilities serving them. Existing channel improvements provide very little protection. It is estimated that during the April 1942, flood, crop losses exceeded thhe value of all of the protective works which have been constructed to date.

In Boulder and Erie, large business and residential sections are subject to flood damage under present conditions.

This project includes no controversial features. It is considered economically justified by the Army engineers, and there is no objection to it among the people of Colorado. Local authorities have promised the Federal Government their full cooperation.

As you know, the project was approved by the Senate during the second session of the Eightieth Congress, but was removed in conference.

I recommend most strongly that the House Public Works Committee give favorable consideration to authorization of the project during the current session of Congress. In doing so, you will have made an invaluable contribution to the agricultural resources of the South Platte Valley and the safety and welfare of its residents.

(Whereupon at 12: 40 p. m., the committee recessed.)

AFTERNOON SESSION

(The committee reconvened at 2 p. m.)

The CHAIRMAN. The committee will be in order.

KANSAS (KAW) RIVER PROJECT

We now return to the Kansas, otherwise known as the Kaw. We have as the first witness, as I understand, Mr. William Beall, of Wakefield, Kans., with respect to the Milford Dam.

Mr. Beall, will you give the reporter your name and the interests that you represent?

Mr. BEALL. Mr. Chairman, I would rather you have Mr. Avery testify first. He is from Wakefield.

The CHAIRMAN. Very well; we will take him.