subject to the condition that local interests give assurances satisfactory to the Secretary of War that they will— (a) Make at their expense alterations, as required, of existing highways, highway bridges, and approaches thereto, and build and maintain at their expense any additional highway bridges that may be necessary incident to the improvement. (b) Make at their expense alterations, as required, in sewer, water supply, and drainage facilities. (c) Assume the cost of operation and maintenance of reconstructed and new railroad and utility crossings. (d) Provide at their expense and as required suitable and adequate river and canal terminals in accordance with plans approved by the Chief of Engineers and the Secretary of War. (e) Hold and save the United States free from claims for damages that may occur due to construction of the waterway. 13. The Board further recommends that in view of the extraordinary enlargement of the river channel, required to provide a suitable through waterway, the United States pay the cost, as determined by the Chief of Engineers, that is finally involved in making necessary changes in existing railroad bridges and track adjustments in connection therewith. For the Board: M. C. TYLER, Brigadier General, Corps of Engineers, Senior Member. MEMORANDUM FROM THE PRESIDENT THE WHITE HOUSE, Washington, April 24, 1939. MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF WAR: I approve this survey report for a waterway connecting the Tombigbee and Tennessee Rivers. The report of the Army Engineers and the reports of the Tennessee Valley Authority and the National Resources Committee should also be forwarded to the Congressional Committee. I take it that no water power is involved. If any is involved, please get also a report from the Federal Power Commission and send it to the Congress. F. D. R. REPORT OF TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, The Honorable, The SECRETARY OF WAR, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: Under date of March 10, by request of the President, you submitted to the Authority for review two reports prepared by the United States Army Engineers pertaining to navigation of the Tombigbee River, Ala., as follows: Lock and Dam at Mile 227; Survey Report for a Waterway Connecting the Tombigbee and Tennessee Rivers. This whole enterprise, providing as it does a major addition to the transportation system of an entire region, is of great importance nationally, and of vital interest to the Authority. The Authority as you know feels that the development of an economically sound waterway system will play a large part in the development of this region, an objective already laid down by the Congress. This particular project, however, because of its scope and complexity, cannot be thoroughly understood without a careful study of all its different aspects. Such a study must include familiarity with the plans and estimates for the proposed waterway, and with traffic conditions and possibilities over a large area. The report of the Army Engineers follows several years' investigation by a Special Board of Officers, which has resulted in the accumulation of a great amount of detailed information. Any review of this report, to have real value, would require an equally thorough analysis of this material. Sufficient time for such a review is apparently not available at present; it is also to be presumed that you do not wish the Authority's engineers to duplicate to any extent the very thorough and extensive work on this project already done by the Army organization. For the above reasons I shall not attempt to express any opinion regarding the general economic value of the proposed project, but. will comment briefly on certain general features of this work and their relationship to the developments in the Tennessee Valley. The proposed lock and dam at mile 227 on the Tombigbee River would replace three low dams on the present canalized waterway leading from Mobile up the Tombigbee and Warrior to the Birmingham region. It would also form a link in the proposed waterway the Tombigbee and Tennessee Rivers. This project, if economically sound, appears to be a desirable improvement to the present waterway system. The proposal to construct a waterway connecting the Tennessee with the Tombigbee and thus provide a more direct outlet from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf is of great interest to the Authority, and would form an important addition to the whole inland waterways system. As the project lies so largely outside the Tennessee Basin, the Authority has not made any intensive studies which would warrant a critical review of cost estimates, economic studies, or engineering details. Since, however, this waterway connects directly with the Tennessee, it seems appropriate to compare the limiting dimensions of the proposed structures in the two channels. Locks in the Tennessee below the Pickwick Reservoir are 110 by 600 feet, whereas those for the Tombigbee route would be 75 by 450 feet. The minimum bottom width along the Tombigbee would be 170 feet in river and channel sections, and 115 feet in divide cuts, while the navigable channel in the Tennessee will have a minimum width of 300 feet. Overhead clearances above normal pool will be 52 and 57 feet on the Tombigbee and Tennessee, respectively. The proposed route following up the Tombigbee, Mackeys Creek, and Yellow Creek to a junction with the Tennessee in the Pickwick Reservoir is an alternate to a route up the Warrior which would connect with the Tennessee River near Guntersville, on which the Army Engineers are later to report. The report on the Warrior route has not yet been made available to the Authority. The diversion of water from the Tennessee River will cause a reduction in the power which can be generated at Pickwick and Gilbertsville Dams. The estimates given in the report indicate a maximum diversion of 400 cubic feet per second from Pickwick Reservoir. This would have a value for power generation of about $100,000 annually. We are not in entire agreement with the amount of this estimate, believing that a somewhat greater amount of water for lockages might be required. Other than the loss of this revenue, the use of this water would not materially affect the proposed operation of the Tennessee Valley system. It appears that the annual fixed charges for the Tom-bigbee project should be increased to cover the value of the power which will be lost. Economic studies in the report include assumptions that adequate terminals and adequate common carrier and contract carrier barge service would be established upon the Tennessee River. The problem of the establishment of such terminals and carriers is being studied by the Tennessee Valley Authority, but no policy relating thereto has been formulated. Should you feel that time would permit of supplementary investigation by us and care to suggest additional lines of inquiry, we will, of course, be glad to cooperate. Yours very truly, REPORT OF NATIONAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE The Honorable, THE SECRETARY OF WAR. MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: On March 10, 1939, you transmitted to me a report on reexamination of waterway connecting the Tombig-bee and Tennessee Rivers, and informed me that the President had requested that a review of that report be made by the National Resources Committee. Our Water Resources Committee, representing the chief Federal agencies concerned with water use and control, has reviewed the report without attempting to assign any priority to the project. (The representative of the Chief of Engineers desired to be recorded as not voting upon this matter, since it related to a report already acted upon by the Chief of Engineers.) There also is being transmitted to you under separate cover the Committee's comments on the report on reexamination of another related project on the Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers, indicating that the recommended improvement of the existing project for that system would be in harmony with a reasonable plan for water use and control in the Mobile Basin. That improvement would be essential to consummation of the Tennessee-Tombigbee project. The comments of our Water Resources Committee on the Tennessee-Tombigbee project follow: The report of the Chief of Engineers addressed to the chairman of the House Committee on Rivers and Harbors, February 27, 1939, concerning the proposed waterway connecting the Tombigbee and Tennessee Rivers, does not specifically recommend the construction of the waterway. It confirms the estimate by the Special Board appointed by the Chief of Engineers of the saving in transportation costs and also the values assigned by that Board to benefits accruing to national. defense, land values and recreation. It concludes that there are intangible and indirect benefits accruing from the project which will furnish a substantial amount of direct employment and large orders for cement, steel, and lumber over a period of 8 years; but that the proper evaluation of these intangible benefits involves matters of public policy which should be determined by the Congress. In the opinion of the Water Resources Committee, the benefits ascribed to national defense, land value, and recreation are speculative and should be given careful scrutiny as to the effect that their acceptance may have on the formation of national policy. A further basic issue of policy is raised by the relation of the proposed watertransportation facilities in this project to the most effective coordinated system of water, railway, highway, and pipe-line facilities to serve the transportation needs of the region. The report of the Special Board states in paragraph 35 that "the principal railroads serving the Southeastern States furnish adequate facilities either through or into the territory adjacent to the proposed waterway." A major economic justification claimed for the project is its prospective effect on rail rates. The report indicates that 25 percent of the estimated tonnage and 52 percent of the estimated savings are applicable to petroleum products moving chiefly from the Gulf to Tennessee River points. In view of this large percentage of saving attributable to petroleum products, the possible transportation of these commodities by pipe line in the future should be given consideration. These and similar problems should be considered more fully if a sound conclusion is to be reached concerning the justification for the project in relation to transportation needs and facilities of all types in the region. It is recommended that in addition to the current review by the Tennessee Valley Authority these transportation problems be investigated by the Interstatę Commerce Commission with a view to advising the President and the Congress on them. The report is returned to you herewith. Sincerely yours, HAROLD L. ICKES, Chairman. ABBREVIATED SURVEY REPORT BY SPECIAL BOARD SYLLABUS The board concludes that the benefits which may be expected to accrue to the general public from the construction of a waterway to connect the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers are of sufficient magnitude to warrant the undertaking of the project by the United States, and recommends the construction of the waterway at an estimated cost of about $65,500,000, by way of the Tombigbee River, East Fork of the Tombigbee River, Mackeys Creek, and Yellow Creek, to provide a channel having a minimum depth of 9 feet and bottom widths varying from 115 to 170 feet, on the conditions that local interests assume the cost of all rights-ofway and flowage damages, except in the summit section of the waterway; construct, maintain, and operate all highway bridges, and construct and maintain all highway relocations or alterations necessary to the improvement; maintain and operate all railroad bridges and utility crossings; alter or reconstruct sewerage, drainage and water supply, and distribution works made necessary by the improvement; guarantee the United States against all claims for damages incident to the improvement; and provide adequate terminal and transfer facilities for operation of the waterway. DECEMBER 23, 1938. 1. Authority. This survey report, submitted by a Board of Engineer Officers appointed by Special Orders, No. 30, O. C. E., dated April 30, 1936, was authorized by resolution of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, House of Representatives, dated February 27, 1934, which reads in part as follows: * * * the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors * * * is hereby requested to review the reports on waterway connecting the Tombigbee and Tennessee Rivers * * * 2. Reports under review.-The report of 1913, contained in House Document 218, Sixty-third Congress, first session, and the unprinted report of December 8, 1923, are under review. Both were preliminary examinations and considered a 6-foot waterway via the Tombigbee River and Bear Creek to be obtained by low-lift locks and dams and a cut through the divide. The report of 1913 considered a scheme presented by the State Geologist of Mississippi for the diversion of Tennessee River floodwaters into the.Tombigbee Valley for the purpose of lowering flood heights on the Mississippi River, developing power, and creating a navigable waterway to Mobile. All recommendations were unfavorable. A review of these reports in the nature of a preliminary examination was submitted by the District Engineer, Mobile, Ala., on December 6, 1935, recommending the survey of two routes, one by way of the Tombigbee River in northeast Mississippi and one by way of the Warrior River, the principal tributary of the Tombigbee, in north central Alabama. The Chief of Engineers, on April 17, 1936, authorized surveys of the two recommended routes. 3. Scope of report and survey.—This report is a final survey report on the Tombigbee route. A report on the Warrior route will be submitted at a later date. The survey for this report included topographic mapping, channel surveys, stream gaging, hydrological studies, subsurface investigations, traffic studies, design of structures, and an estimate of the cost of the waterway. GENERAL DESCRIPTION 4. The ridge which divides the Tennessee Valley from the headwaters of the Tombigbee River in northeastern Mississippi is located from 15 to 18 miles south of the Tennessee River. Opposite a point in the divide where the waters of Yellow Creek flow northward and empty into the Tennessee River, the waters of Mackeys Creek flow southward and empty into the East Fork of the Tombigbee River. Although the elevation of the divide at this point (569 feet above mean sea level) is 60 feet above the lowest known saddle, the absence of rock in the ridge provides the most favorable location for the proposed waterway between the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers. The connection with the Tennessee River would be made by a cut about 27 miles long following Yellow Creek Valley to the divide, thence across the divide to Mackeys Creek. South of the divide the waterway would follow Mackeys Creek, the East Fork of the Tombigbee River, and the Tombigbee River to Demopolis, Ala., from which point the existing improved waterways to Mobile would be utilized. A connection via the proposed route would afford an additional means of interchange of commerce between the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Tombigbee-Warrior system, on the one hand, and the Tennessee, Ohio, and Mississippi River systems, on the other, all of which have project depths of 9 feet. 5. Geology. The proposed waterway from Demopolis to the Tennessee River would lie wholly within the East Gulf Coastal Plain and be almost entirely within the 75-mile wide Cretaceous belt of this physiographic division. The materials comprising the Cretaceous system are largely sand, sandy shale, gravel, and chalky limestone known as Selma Chalk. |