ACCOMPLISHMENTS The proposed improvements would provide protection against a flood of the magnitude of the 1894 flood for the land and improvements in this drainage district. Because of the seriousness of the flood problem in this area, it is believed that the improvements proposed should be constructed at an early date. LOWER COLUMBIA RIVER LEVEES (H. R. 3969) DESCRIPTION About 70,000 acres of the 170,000-acre flood plain area of Columbia River are not protected from overflow during flood periods. The principal flood plain areas are located downstream from Bonneville Dam. Population density, the fertility of the soil, and the favorable climate combine to make these areas of considerable value. Levees have been adopted as the principal means of protection against flooding in these areas. The economic development of the extreme lower river area gave rise to the first levee construction at Warrenton in 1899. Subsequently, in the period 1915 to 1921, 11 or more drainage districts were organized and the areas protected by dikes provided with tide boxes and pumping plants. The development continued and was accelerated in the period 1935 to 1940 when new districts were organized and old ones reorganized in order to comply with the provisions of the 1936 Flood Control Act and thereby obtain Federal assistance. EXISTING CONDITIONS Existing development along lower Columbia River may be classified as municipal, industrial, and agricultural. Towns on or adjacent to the Oregon shore include Warrenton, Astoria, Clatskanie, Rainier, St. Helens, Portland, and Troutdale. Along the Washington shore are Ilwaco, Chinook, Cathlamet, Longview, Kelso, Kalama, Woodland, Vancouver, Camas, and Washougal. Industrial developments centering at the mouth of the river and at Portland are, in the main, not protected by levees. Lands which, if protected, would be potentially of industrial importance exist in the Portland area and in areas near Washougal, Vancouver, and Kalama. The greater part of the land protected by existing levees and land worthy of future protection, however, is devoted to agriculture or dairying. IMPROVEMENTS PROPOSED To secure adequate protection of lands within the flood plain of lower Columbia River generally would require construction of levees or seawalls. Such structures would confine the flood waters and, at the same time, increase stages slightly and accelerate velocities of flow. These effects would subject the improvements and unprotected banks to increased erosive attack. Therefore, to assure the permanency of existing banks and the existing or proposed levees, bank protection of some type would be required. Correction of erosion conditions at 66 locations by installation of 123.800 lineal feet of stone revetment at a cost to the Federal Government of about $4,900.000 is proposed. The improvement of the 26 existing diking and drainage districts and protection of 6 new areas by diking and drainage is proposed at a total cost of $42,459,000 of which $10,764,000 would be provided by local interests. The improvements proposed would include levees to protect Peninsula drainage district No. 1. ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION The estimated capital cost of bank protection, levee and drainage improvements is $47,359,000. Of this amount, the estimated Federal and non-Federal costs ar $36,595,000 and $10,764,000, respectively. The total annual cost is estimated at $1,600,700. Benefits, including reduction of flood damages and increased land use, total $14,498,200 and would accrue from these local protection works and from upstream storage dams. Initially, however, practically all reduction of flood damage and increase in land use would be creditable to local protective works. In consideration of the many variable factors involved both in the interim and when the main control plan has been effected, an arbitrary distribution of benefits has been made with a resulting average benefit cost ratio of 1.29. These proposed projects would be required, even with upstream flood control storage, to confine floods and provide the degree of flood protection considered desirable for the lower Columbia River flood plain. These improvements are urgently needed at the present time for the security of residents in the flood plain. The proposed improvements to existing projects and the rehabilitation of new areas are feasible and justified for immediate accomplishment. Section 5 of the Flood Control Act, approved 22 June 1936, is hereby modified to extend the existing authority.and provide additional authority to construct bank protection works along lower Columbia River at 66 locations at an estimated cost of $4,900,000, and provide for the following listed improvements for flood-control in the lower Columbia River Basin, all improviments to be constructed substantially as set forth in a special report on record in the Office of the Chief of Engineers: Sandy drainage district, estimated construction cost $236,000; Multnomah County drainage district No. 1, estimated construction cost $1,365,000; Peninsula drainage district No. 2, estimated construction cost $1,103,000; Peinsula drainage district No. 1, estimated construction cost $1,437,000; Sauvie Island (areas A and B), estimated construction cost $900,000; Columbia, drainage district No. 1, estimated construction cost $630,000; Bachelor Island, estimated construction cost $920,000; Scappoose drainage district, estimated construction cost $459,000; Lewis River area, estimated construction cosɩ $300,000; Cowlitz County diking improvement districts No. 5 and 11, estimated construction cost $1,100,000; Deer Island drainage district, estimated construction cost $105,000; Cowlitz County diking improvement districts No. 2 and 13, estimated construction cost $630,000; Consolidated diking improvement district No. 1, estimated construction cost $4,880,000; Cowlitz County diking improve ment district No. 15, estimated construction cost $60,000; Ranier drainage district, estimated construction cost $576,000; John drainage district, estimated construction cost $50,000; Beaver drainage district, estimated construction cost $837,000; Clatskanie drainage district, estimated cost $100,000; Magruder drainage district, estimated construction cost $30,000; Midland drainage district, estimated construction cost $130,000; Woodson drainage district, estimated construction cost $25,000; Puget Sound area: Wahkiakum diking districts No. 1 and 3, estimated construction cost $1,269,000; Tenasillahe Island, diking district No. 6, estimated construction cost $100,000; Wahkiakum diking district No. 4, estimated construction cost $400,000; Clatsop County diking district No. 4, estimated construction cost $30,000; Clatsop County drainage district No. 1, estimated construction cost $50,000; Washougal area, estimated construction cost $820,000; Hayden Island, estimated construction cost $198,000; Portland area, estimated construction cost $14,000,000; Vancouver Lake area, estimated construction cost $1,462,000; Kalama River, south area, estimated construction cost $420,000; Clatskanie River area, estimated construction cost $73,000.” COLUMBIA SLOUGH CHANNEL-H. R. 4679-NAVIGATION IMPROVEMENT DESCRIPTION Columbia Slough is a narrow back channel which roughly parallels Columbia River, skirts the north limits of Portland, and empties into Willamette River about one-half mile above the confluence of that stream with Columbia River. The upper end of the slough originally connected with Columbia River, but this connection was replaced by a controlled ditch, and the upper portion of the slough now serves only as an interior drainage ditch for Multnomah County drainage district No. 1. The width between levees averages about 320 feet in that stretch extending southward from Columbia River. The width downstream from this channel averages about 200 feet. At extreme low water, the controlling depth is about 5 feet in a narrow channel. Five highway bridges and two railroad bridges cross Columbia Slough. Vertical clearances vary from 27 to 41.78 feet, at low water, and horizontal clearances vary from 60 to 149 feet. All but one of these bridges are considered for improvement. Improvement of Columbia Slough, near Portland, for shallow draft navigation was recommended in a report dated May 16, 1947, entitled, "Survey Report on Columbia Slough, Oreg.," now with the Bureau of the Budget. The proposed improvement would consist of widening and deepening the existing slough to provide improved water access to industrial establishments fronting the slough. EXISTING CONDITIONS Depths in the slough are affected by backwater from both Columbia and Willamette Rivers and vary accordingly. The area immediately tributary to Columbia Slough contains practically all of the widely varied industrial activity of North Portland. Present commerce consists almost entirely of the movement of logs from Willamette and Columbia River points to shingle and lumber mills along the slough, and amounts to from 180,000 to 210,000 tons annually. Under present conditions, however, impaired depths have, on numerous occasions, caused cessation of log movements and forced closure of mills. Even at higher stages standard size log rafts must be broken upon entering the slough because of the tortuous channel. Navigation is hindered by limited bridge clearances, snags, fallen trees, and other obstructions in the waterway. Wharves or docks have not been constructed along the slough, but booms, dolphins, and slips for storage and handling of logs have been privately constructed. Adequate space is available for additional terminal facilities. The greatest potential use of the slough would be to supply logs, lumber, steel, and concrete aggregates to existing and potential industries, and to barge certain products out of the slough to shipside or to losal and regional markets. Industrial growth along the slough is to be expected. PLAN OF IMPROVEMENT The previously recommended plan of improvement would include 7.7 miles of improved channel, 100 feet wide and 10 feet deep at low water, in Columbia Slough from Willamette River to the Union Avenue Bridge. Turnings basins 200 feet wide and 2,000 feet long would be provided downstream from Union and Denver Avenues. The improvement would necessitate raising the Union Pacific Railroad bridge and lengthening the central span to provide 80-foot horizontal and 34-foot vertical clearances at low water. It is anticipated that five other bridges would require modification and that it would be necessary to move certain transmission line towers of the Bonneville Power Administration. Under terms of the previous recommendation on this project, local interests would be required to furnish, free of cost to the United States, all lands, easements, rightsof-way, and spoil-disposal areas required for both new work and subsequent maintenance; to agree to construct, maintain, and operate adequate terminal and transfer facilities along the slough; to accomplish, in accordance with law, such bridge alterations as necessary for accommodation of traffic with clearances as specified; and to hold and save the United States free from all claims for damages which might result from execution of the improvement. COSTS AND CHARGES The estimated total initial investment is $1,141,300, of which $905,100 and $236,000 are Federal and non-Federal costs, respectively. Of the $905,100 Federal costs, $5,400, the cost of establishing navigation aids and markets, would be required by the United States Coast Guard. The balance would be expended by the Corps of Engineers. Estimated annual charges are shown in the following tabulation. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Direct benefits anticipated to develop from the previously recommended improvements would consist principally of savings in cost of transporting materials to and from industries located along the slouth. Certain indirect benefits, such as enhancement of property values and stimulation of industry and business in general, also are anticipated. The direct annual benefits resulting from the channel improvement would be about $77,800 as measured by savings in transportation costs, and the indirect annual benefits would be $6,500, making the total $84,300 annually. ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION Evaluated total annual benefits are $84,300, and estimated total annual charges are $62,400. The benefit-to-cost ratio would be 1.35 to 1, and the project would be economically justifiable. In view of the favorable benefit-cost ratio and the urgent need for this improvement, the early prosecution of this project is considered warranted. Mr. JONES. May I ask the colonel one question? From listening to this testimony of the various witnesses, Colonel Weaver, I gather that the two upper dams, Albeni and Libby, will contribute more to the flood control on the main stream of the Columbia River than any other two projects; is that correct? Colonel WEAVER. No, sir. The Libby Dam is a very great, fine floodcontrol storage dam, and it has major benefits on the Columbia River all the way down after the Kootenai joins the Columbia. Albeni Falls has approximately a million acre-feet of flood storage, but it is not nearly as powerful a preventative for floods as the Libby. On the lower Columbia you have Hells Canyon Dam on the Snake River. It has the benefit on what we call the lower Columbia. The other dams-Priest Rapids and John Day-both have flood-control storage or usable storage, about 2,000,000 acre-feet each. And Grand Coulee Dam, with 5,000,000 potential acre-feet, after the other systems, are worked out with the Bureau's cooperation. Mr. JONES. Grand Coulee is constructed. Colonel WEAVER. It is constructed, but it is not possible to operate. it for that amount of flood control at the present time for two reasons: One, because the outlet structures will require revision in order to let out water at a greater rate. The other is because if you use it for flood control now, it will take away the power which is necessary to the region. Mr. JONES. You do not have the variable stream flow on this that you have in other great rivers. Colonel WEAVER. We have variables but they are not the same kind of variables. The great floods on the Columbia originate through what is called the snow melt. They occur generally from the middle of May on through the end of June each year. It is not a rainfall flood so much, it is the melting snow, hastened sometimes by warm rain in extremely warm weather. The CHAIRMAN. Representative Norblad, you may come around, and make your statement. STATEMENT OF HON. WALTER NORBLAD, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF OREGON Mr. NORBLAD. My name is Walter Norblad, Member of Congress from the First Oregon District. I had intended to make a very ex tensive oral statement on this matter in favor of the Willamette Valley project, but the ground has been covered so thoroughly I will just ask that my statement be placed in the record. The CHAIRMAN. We are glad to have your statement. (The statement follows:) TESTIMONY OF HON. WALTER NORBLAD ON THE WILLAMETTE RIVER BASIN PROJECT Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I appreciate the opportunity you have given me to express my views in support of the new and revised proposals for the development and completion of the Willamette Valley project. This project is, in my opinion, one of the most important in the United States and it is my hope that the committee will speedily approve the new recommendations which have just been made by the Army engineers for this program. They have made very extensive and thorough studies of the entire area based upon the present work which is in various stages of completion and experience gathered over a period of years. The floods which have ravaged this valley over a period of years have done a tremendous amount of damage. For a matter of fact, the damage which has occurred just since the turn of the century when measured in dollars and cents alone is more than the cost of the entire project. With these damages to property there has been loss of human life upon which, of course, no value can be placed. For instance in the flood of 1947 in this fertile river valley we lost the lives of five of our citizens and suffered damage of $11,500,000. That figure is not mine nor the proponents of this project, but of the United States Army Engineers who viewed the scene of the flood and assessed the damage. The flood that year is not an isolated one. These have occurred numerous times in the past with varying damage. We all know that with the completion of this project, flood damage will be a thing of the past and there will be great resulting collateral benefits to this area and to the United States. In connection with this project, may I specifically call your attention to the necessity for the early replacement of the locks at West Linn, Oreg. Fuli value from the entire basin project will not be obtained unless new and modern locks are installed. They are just as much a necessity as are other major components of this entire development. STATEMENT OF HON. HOMER D. ANGELL, MEMBER OF CONGRESS, THIRD DISTRICT, OREGON, ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN Mr. ANGELL. Mr. Chairman and my colleagues on the committee, as you know, I am deeply interested in the development of the Columbia River Basin covered by the Army engineers' 308 report which we are considering. I want to express my whole-hearted approval of an over-all plan such as recommended by the Army engineers. You will recall that House Document 308 of the Sixty-ninth Congress, first session, as authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of January 21, 1927, presented for the consideration of the Congress a comprehensive plan of development of this entire area. Subsequently resolutions were adopted April 6, 1937; September 24, October 12, and November 10, 1943, requesting the Army engineers to review this report for the purpose of determining whether any modifications of the existing projects or recommended comprehensive plans of improvement should be made. The engineers have completed this review in accordance with these directions and in further response to letters received from the President of the United States subsequent to the disastrous flood in the area in 1948, requesting them to make a |