flood protection facilities on a local basis as best as can be done with available and the taxing ability of the district so to do. Those lawr such drainage district those powers for the purpose of preservation health, and property through a means of prevention of overflow during of high water.

The area served by the Kaw Valley Drainage District encompasses t of acres of land, many industries, homes, and farms. In 1903 and alsc the Greater Kansas City area, which our district serves, suffered perh and sustained greater loss and damage than any other area that was f the same time from the overflow of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers.

Fridy, July 13, 1951, is commonly referred to as "Black Friday" in City because that is the day the 1951 flood struck Greater Kansas Citycause of its size and devastation, it was of much greater proportions 1 disastrous flood of 1903. There were other floods in our area between t 1903 and 1951, but none of those caused the loss and damage experien the two major floods. Nevertheless, each flood had its toll and the ir these floods implanted and imprinted upon the minds of men and the of government, local, State and national, the need and necessity for a program for flood protection and particularly along the paths of those riv the valleys through which they flow, which are most susceptible to flo which cause the most damage.

From the experience of these floods we have learned that, notwiths the fact that our life and existence depend upon the presence of water, ; water can also cause great and irreparable damage, if left uncontrolle The Kaw Valley Drainage District, immediately following its creation set upon a local program of providing dikes and levees along the banks Kaw River, construction of pumps and other facilities in an attempt to overflow during seasons of high water. In the beginning, this task was taken with limited funds, little experience, and no Federal aid, and it i long until we learned that dikes and levees alone, cannot provide the flo tection necessary and would only prevent overflow from normal rises Kaw and that it takes a more feasible and practical system of engi than the construction of dikes and levees if there is to be any assurance protection. In the final analysis for many years we prayed and hoped t rains and snows be normal and not of proportions to cause overflow.

From year to year, people were alarmed and were realizing what terrifi our Nation was sustaining from floods. The destruction became so gre the loss of life and property so terrific, that our Congress, in 1936, r that it was time to act, and in that year passed the National Flood ( Act, which authorized our National Government to treat this problen nationwide scale, to use Federal funds and the facilities of the U.S. C Engineers and our other governmental agencies to bring about the prev of floods through sound and scientific ways and means. This national pr was geared to harness and impound the rivers and streams at their sour to keep them within their banks during seasons of excessive rains and sn conserve and control water for man's most beneficial use at all times as v during periods of drought and to lessen soil erosion by regulating the flo action of water.

The resources of the U.S. Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation Department of Agriculture, were put to work through the support of F appropriations so that the streams within our land would be put to man's s instead of his damage; to provide us with wholesome water to drink at all with which to clean, with which to water our stock, irrigate our lands and our pastures and forests grow and to provide food aplenty, make the co side, meadows, byways and highways, and yards and homes more bea and enjoyable and, lastly, to make even the desert as useful and as ri our most fertile valleys.

Congress has made appropriations for Tuttle Creek on the Blue Riv Kansas heretofore. This dam is well on the way to completion. On Ju 1959 the dam was closed at a ceremony held for that purpose so that the in the Blue can be impounded when necessary. In February and March o year, we experienced unprecedented snowfall in Kansas and Missouri. melted snows are at this very moment overtaxing the banks of the Kaw an tributaries and floods are being experienced in Kansas, Nebraska, and Mis and other States, and areas have already been designated as disaster areas evacuations are taking place. However, we are experiencing the value of

le Creek Dam and Reservoir, now, at this writing, and water is being imnded and held back and already this project is minimizing the overflow at points which the dam serves and is lessening the flow of water into the as and Missouri Rivers and danger of their overflow and we are hoping praying that no more rain or snow falls until the threat has disappeared. ess has also made appropriations heretofore for work in the Greater City area and for planning and for the construction of the Wilson avoir on the Saline River, the Perry Reservoir on the Delaware River, and Hilford Reservoir on the Republican River in Kansas so that these rivers also be harnessed. The President has included in his recommended budget 161 for Tuttle Creek $16,500,000 for further construction; Wilson Reservoir 1700,000 for construction; Perry Reservoir $175,000 for planning and contraction, and Milford Reservoir the sum of $1 million for construction. Hower, no recommendation has been made for further construction in the Greater ansas City area in the President's budget notwithstanding the fact that 400.000 additional is needed for the alteration of a bridge over the Kaw River that it can be raised during high water and thus raise it above the flood plain the river and prevent the backing up of the river, and the destruction of the bride, through the collection of debris and the force and velocity of the current during high water.

It is our opinion and we urge your committee that the recommended approprison for Tuttle Creek should be raised to $20 million because that project is Dear completion, in order that we may have the benefit of the full use of that fanity as soon as possible; that your committee recommend an additional

for further construction and bridge alteration in Greater Kansas City that the work that has been done and money spent in the Kansas City area 1961 n be protected and not be jeopardized by a low bridge in the Kansas ver and that the Kansas City project as before planned be thereby completed; that the sum of $2,300,000 for construction funds for Wilson Reservoir, the sum of $1 million for Milford Reservoir as recommended be approved by your committee and that the sum of $175,000 for planning and construction for Perry Reservoir be raised to $625,000, for the reason that these rivers must be harnessed at once to prevent their overflow and overtaxing of the Kansas River into which they empty and its overflow and the overflow of the Missouri into which the Kansas River empties. The construction and completion of these projects are vital if we are expected to fulfill the task of providing maximum flood protection by the plans and systems heretofore adopted, and if we are to obtain the full and desired benefit from previous appropriations and if we are to safeguard past expenditures

May we therefore, urge the committees we have addressed and the Congress the United States to approve the recommendations we have herein made and, ally, may we urge the President to, in turn, approve these acts of Congress. May we further urge Congress and your committees to continue this great naal program of flood protection for this is a program of preservation of our Given resources. It is the doing of things that need to be done for our own try and our people and a program which will make us internally strong. It strengthen our domestic economy so that our economy will in turn permit help other nations and their people to provide these same things for themto the end that thus we will bring about a greater friendship and underading between all nations and a peaceful unification and understanding beeen all people.

In conclusion, may we apologize if we have been prolix, as these words by may be considered as repetitious, classed as history or as words often beased and repeated, or, as information and facts of which you are fully are, however, lest we forget, is it not better that we repeat or reemphasize, n that we sacrifice for the sake of brevity, those words that may remind each of the importance of the tasks that we have dedicated ourselves to. We are thankful to our President, the Congress of the United States, and to members of the committees we have addressed, for your past efforts in behalf the subject at hand and for your indulgence of our yearly quest and appearWe are thankful to the agencies of our Government, our Corps of EngiBureau of Reclamation, and Department of Agriculture for their cooperaand we are sure that all concerned feel as we do that the requested approprations are in fact capital investments in our own country-and not per-barrel legislation-and is to preserve what we have and need and what is mportant to our national existence.

You, the committees addressed, and Congress are familiar with the tas you, and with the importance and urgency of that task. We have c that you will join with us in this cause.

Mr. LONG. I would conclude by saying this: Our particular a been inundated completely in the past and as a result of what yo done for us, we have benefited. So, may we say "thanks."

Mr. CANNON. Thank you, Mr. Long.

Mr. PARAMORE. Next, I would like to present Mr. Joseph P. commissioner of boulevards, parks, and streets, Kansas City, F Mr. CANNON. We shall be glad to hear from Mr. Regan at thi

STATEMENT OF MR. JOSEPH P. REGAN

Mr. REGAN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, on behalf of Kansa Kans., and as a commissioner there, and representing the may also the other commissioners, I would like to present this reso with the copies required, in behalf of Kansas City, Kans., and you for everything you have done for us in the past.

Mr. CANNON. It will be placed in the record at this point. (The resolution referred to follows:)

RESOLUTION No. 16789

Whereas during the last 50 years disastrous floods have occurred Kansas River Valley and have caused the loss of life, personal sufferin millions of dollars of property damage; and

Whereas the city of Kansas City, Kans., is under a continual threat of from torrential rains and thawing of heavy winter snows during one of the year and under a continual threat of water shortage and drought other season of the year; and

Whereas the Kansas City Terminal Bridge located in Kansas City, Ka ing below flood stage endangers the flood protection dikes in Kansas City, and

Whereas it is the firm conviction of the people of Kansas City, Kans., tl disastrous floods and water shortages can best be eliminated by the rais the Kansas City Terminal Bridge and by a system of retention reservoi structed in accordance with comprehensive plans formulated by the U.S.. Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the board of commissioners of the city of Kansas City, That the Congress of the United States is hereby urged to appropriate cient funds for the immediate construction of the Wilson, Milford, and Reservoirs as necessary parts of a reservoir system and for the raising Kansas City Terminal Bridge; be it further

Resolved, That a representative of the city of Kansas City, Kans., b is hereby directed to deliver a copy of this resolution to each Kansas Se and each Kansas Congressman and to the House and Senate Appropriations committees of the 86th Congress.

Adopted by the board of commissioners of the city of Kansas City, Kans 29th day of March 1960.

Mr. PARAMORE. Mr. Chairman, next from Ottawa, Kans., is a ber of the Kansas Legislature, and for a number of years chair of the very important ways and means committee which serves same function in our Kansas Legislature as your committee do Congress, and also vice chairman of the water resources comm Mr. Robert Anderson.

STATEMENT OF MR. ROBERT A. ANDERSON

Mr. ANDERSON. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, sed upon my experience in the legislature in Kansas, I would like say to this committee that the legislature and the people of Kansas overwhelmingly in support of the orderly development of the Yssouri River Basin and the construction of the projects which have authorized by the Congress and are being constructed or to be structed by the various Federal agencies.

MARAIS DES CYGNES PROJECT

In order to conserve the time of the committee, the others from the Marais des Cygnes Valley have asked that I submit certain statements which we have from the city of Pomona, the city of Quenemo, the cities of Lyndon and Ottawa and from the Kansas Industrial Development Commission.

CANNON. Those statements will be made a part of the record at this point.

The statements referred to follow :)

STATEMENT OF ROBERT A. ANDERSON

Gentlemen, having served three terms as chairman of the ways and means Committee and three terms as vice chairman of the committee on water reurces in the Kansas House of Representatives, I would like to say to this committee that the members of the Kansas Legislature and the people of Kansas, in my judgment, are overwhelmingly in favor of the orderly development of the Missouri Been through the construction of projects of the Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies.

I would Eke to express appreciation for the kind consideration we have had in the past from this committee and request continuing support for the projects authorized by Congress and being built and to be built in Kansas by the various Federal agencies.

THE CITY OF POMONA, Pomona, Kans., April 1, 1960.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Public Works Appropriations Subcommittee,

Tashington, D.C.

DEAR SIRS: Pomona is located in the Marais des Cygnes Valley, upstream from tawa, and downstream from the Pomona Reservoir, now under construction, and the Melvern Reservoir which has not been started.

The people of Pomona depend on agriculture carried on in the surrounding , and this area has been hit hard by floods for many years.

The construction of Pomona Reservoir, now started, will bring the first Beasure of protection for the farmlands of the valley, and the Melvern ResWir will complete the job.

The people of Pomona urge that Congress continue the funds for Pomona servoir and that planning money for Melvern, in the sum of $50,000 be appriated, so the work can start on that project also.

RICHARD W. BETHELL, Mayor.
LETTITIA BURROWS, City Clerk.

OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK,

CITY OF QUENEMO, Quenemo, Kans., March 31, 1960.

ELIC WORKS APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE, House of Representatives,

Tarkington, D.C.

GENTLEMEN: The city of Quenemo, Kans., is situated at the junction of the Arbutaries of the upper Marais des Cygnes River with the river itself, and 54265-60-pt. 4- 8

consequently has experienced numerous overflows of the river and these taries.

Such conditions have had serious effects on the agricultural economy region as well as upon the town of Quenemo itself.

We are pleased that Pomona Reservoir is under construction for of one of the large tributaries, and we hope that funds will be forth for a start on the planning work on Melvern Reservoir on the main stem river.

We urge that appropriations be continued for Pomona Reservoir an $50,000 be appropriated for planning on Melvern Reservoir, so it will be for construction when it can be placed in the work program of the Engineers.

Respectfully,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Public Works Appropriations Subcommittee,
Washington, D.C.

DEAR SIRS: The city officials of Lyndon would appreciate any conside you might give to the $4 million appropriation to continue work on P Dam, which is now under construction, also $50,000 planning money for vern Dam.

Both of these projects are in Lyndon trade territory, and we feel that protection is needed in the areas that will be protected by the dams.

Yours truly,

K. B. DUSENBURY, Ma

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Public Works Subcommittee on Appropriations:

THE CITY OF OTTAWA, Ottawa, Kans., April 4, 1

I am K. E. Andrews, mayor of the city of Ottawa, Franklin County, 1 Commissioners H. N. Duncan and J. W. Grogan are present today and c in this statement.

We respectfully request your committee to consider favorably additional 1 for the continuing construction of Pomona Reservoir and the local prote works in Ottawa. We ask that you appropriate $4 million for Pomona Rese and $1 million for Ottawa protection works. We also request your comm to appropriate preconstruction planning funds in the amount of $50,000 Melvern Reservoir.

The Federal Government has spent considerable funds on the above pro to date and the city of Ottawa has spent in excess of $770,000 voted in b by its citizens, to fulfill all the city's obligation connected with this project. ask that funds for the continuation of these projects be appropriated to pro the investment already made and bring the projects to an orderly complet The funds requested for the preconstruction planning of the Melvern Reserv are needed to enable the Corps of Engineers to bring about the orderly struction of the upper Marais des Cygnes Valley projects.

We respectfully urge this committee to approve funds for continuing orderly and systematic advancement of the entire Pick-Sloan plan for Missouri River Basin.

We thank this committee for its courtesy and indulgence and trust that of the above projects may be carried out with the least practical delay. K. E. ANDREWS, Mayo