EL PASO PROJECTS Colonel HEWITT. Our next project is the El Paso project, which is a review of our design flood criteria, and for which we are asking $15,000 this year. We have in the past designed our flood control structures through the El Paso-Juarez Valley to carry from 10,000 to 12,000 second-feet with an average of about 11,000. We are commencing to feel that in view of the flood which we had in 1958 that possibly our design criteria needs to be modified because we had some very close calls in that particular flood. While the flood was the design flood, nevertheless we feel we should reaxamine the data which we have available to determine whether actually the flood control levees are of sufficient height or whether they should be raised. We think that this is another of the problems which can best be accomplished by contract. Mr. ROONEY. Are there any questions with regard to salaries and expenses? Mr. SIKES. No. Mr. ROONEY. If there are none, we will proceed to the second of the three items, which is "operation and maintenance." This can be found at page 46 of the committee print and the details with regard thereto begin at page 212 of the justifications, which page we shall insert at this point in the record together with pages 213 through 237. (The pages referred to follow :) Summary of requirements, fiscal year 1963-Operation and maintenance, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico Operation and maintenance of completed projects, or of completed integral segments of a project under construction, as authorized by existing treaties and/ or public laws, are wholly financed from this appropriation. The objectives of the program of operation and maintenance are: (1) To assure, insofar as possible, maximum efficiency and usefulness of the projects in achieving the purpose of original construction, (2) to safeguard, to the extent practical, the capital investment already made by the U.S. Government, and (3) to continue the joint program of international cooperation with Mexico in the operation of international works. The following table indicates total obligations, exclusive of nonrecurring costs in 1962, under operation and maintenance for fiscal years 1961, 1962, and 1963: Num- Amount Num- Amount Num- Amount Num- Amount 1 New position required for accounting of water in operation of Anzalduas Dam. These projects located above and below El Paso, Tex., consist of: (a) The Rio Grande canalization project, (b) American Dam and Canal project, and (c) Rio Grande rectification project. (a) Rio Grande canalization project.-Construction pursuant to the act of June 4, 1936, of the canalization project comprising 110 miles of channel works, 98 miles of floodway, and 130 miles of levees, was completed in 1943 at a cost to the Government of $3,892,221. The canalized channel has safely carried through the Rincon and Mesilla Valleys floods in 1941, 1942, 1944, 1950, and 1958 which would otherwise have caused extensive damage. The latter flood was of the magnitude of the project design flood in the reach just above El Paso. (b) American Dam and Canal project.-Construction pursuant to the act of August 29, 1935, of the American Dam and Canal for purpose of effecting physical control of the division between the United States and Mexico of the waters allocated to each country under the 1906 treaty, was completed in 1938 at a cost to the Government of $667,398. (c) Rio Grande rectification project.-Construction jointly with Mexico of the rectification project comprising 86 miles of channel, floodway, and adjoining levee works was completed in 1938 pursuant to the Convention of February 1, 1933. The cost of works allocated to the United States amounted to $4,043,020 exclusive of the cost of Caballo Dam, which amounted to $1,512,000. The terms of the same convention provided that each country shall perform the operation and maintenance work on those portions of the project in its country and provided for equitable division of the work required in the channel. Since the completion of the project in 1938, it has provided protection to the cities of El Paso and Juarez, and the irrigated lands below, in both countries, from floods which occurred in 1938, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1950, 1957, and 1958 which would have otherwise caused widespread damage. In addition there were passed safely through the lower end of the rectification project, floods originating from arroyos in that area in the years 1940, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1958, and 1960 which otherwise would have caused considerable local damage. Total funds requested for the operation and maintenance of the project for fiscal year 1963 amounting to $785,000, is an increase of $101,000 over the total funds allotted to the project for 1962 due to a net increase in 1963 of $56,000 in normal operating costs and a net increase in nonrecurring expenses in the amount of $45,000 as set forth below: Funds required for normal operation and maintenance in 1963_. 710,000 75,000 Total funds required for operation and maintenance in 1963____ 785,000 There follows a summary statement of estimated costs by items for fiscal year 1963 and explanatory notes with respect to each item. |