STATEMENT OF HON. MILTON R. YOUNG, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA Senator YOUNG. Mr. Chairman, we have two groups of witnesses here, one in behalf of the authorization for flood-control project, and Senator Ball has witnesses here on the authorization for appropriation to take care of the loss from the recent flood. If you have time, they would like to appear later. Mr. Chairman, in the interest of brevity, I will file my statement for the record, and I think the witnesses that follow will give you a very good picture of the reason we are asking for this authorization. I think they will tell you it is the richest valley in the world; that almost every acre of it is farmed. Through the years we have sustained tremendous losses not only to agriculture but in dry years the cities along the river, like Breckenridge, Fargo, Moorehead, Grafton, and other cities have been down to 1 and 2 days' water supply. The most important-cities in North Dakota are limited now in their growth by the amount of water that will be available to them in the future. Mr. Chairman I ask that my statement be made a part of the record at this point. Senator MALONE. It will be made a part of the record. (The statement is as follows:) STATEMENT OF SENATOR MILTON R. YOUNG, BEFORE SENATE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE RE S. 2674 TO AUTHORIZE RED RIVER FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT Mr. Chairman, and members of this subcommittee, I am going to take only a few moments of your time to urge approval of S. 2674, the bill introduced by Senator Ball and myself to authorize flood control construction on the Red River of the North. The Corps of Engineers has already fully justified the need and feasibility of such a projet. Colonel Gee, in his presentation to your subcommittee this morning, has shown it to be sound from both engineering and economic standpoints. I want to emphasize again, however, that this project calls for a total estimated expenditure to complete of only $9,400,000. For every dollar spent, the ultimate return will be $1.78. With this small expenditure it is proposed to protect from repeated flooding and destruction land and property worth hundreds of millions of dollars, in one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the entire world. This year alone, in but a small section of the valley these works will help to protect, flood damage due to the Red River was estimated variously between $10,000,000 and $25,000,000. The Red River valley is a flat, broad region, extending the full width of North Dakota, from the South Dakota line to the Canadian border. In it are located the largest cities in North Dakota-Fargo and Grand Forks-and some of the State's most prosperous other communities, such as Wahpeton and Grafton. It is the heart of one of the biggest potato-growing sections in the country and of our beet-growing industry. Much of the land is used to raise corn. It is a major livestock feeding section. No land in the world is better for raising wheat and other grains. The very flatness of this area which helps account for its fertility-it is the old bed of preglacial Lake Agassiz-also makes it particularly vulnerable to floods. When water overflows the borders of the Red or other rivers of streams in the valley, it can spread for miles in every direction without running into confining natural barriers. Since 1881 six separate floods of this typeincluding the one this year-have occurred in the Red River Valley. With the growing agricultural development, run-off of melting snow and rain water has been speeded, aggravating the problem. There is every likelihood that unless flood protection works are built, floods in this valley will become progressively worse with the passing of the years. May I point out that the fact that the Red River drains north toward Hudson's Bay adds to our problem. This means that snow is melting in the southern beginnings of the river while its northern reaches are still sheated solidly in ice. The result: Virtual ice dams, and heavy flooding as the water, unable to escape north in the channel, spreads over the flat plains at either side. This year's flood on the Red was the worst in our State's history. Other witnesses will describe its destructiveness in more detail. But I want to mention that it drove hundreds of families from their homes, caused several drownings, froze power facilities in several communities, disrupted travel and communications, did millions in dollars in damage to roads and culverts and bridges, drainage ditches and other facilities throughout the valley. County commissioners of several northeastern North Dakota counties estimated this damage would cost $35,000,000 to repair. Scores of thousands of acres of land will be lost to crop production this year. Other thousands are permanently damaged. There is no way of figuring the monetary loss suffered by the thousands of residents in the valley through business delays and disruptions, lost time and inconvenience, and those other intangible things which are so important to everybody. Mr Chairman, several representatives of North Dakota and Minnesota and the communities in the valley have come here to support this bill before this subcommittee. I know that Senator Ball, coauthor, wants to speak briefly on it. So does Congressman Hagen, of Minnesota, and Congressman Lemke, of North Dakota. One of those present is Dean H. L. Walster of the North Dakota Agricultural College at Fargo, who is chairman of the Tri-State Waters Commission, representing the States of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Also present are civic leaders from Fargo and Grand Forks, N. Dak. Senator YoUNG. I would also like to file a letter from the Governor of North Dakota, giving the figures on the losses sustained in the recent flood which total, on the North Dakota side, $6,104,400. Other witnesses will give you figures on losses on the Minnesota side and the over-all picture. I would also like to have accepted for the record at this time a telegram from A. W. Hoppert, mayor of the city of Wahpeton, and a letter from Murray A. Baldwin, a farmer in Red River Valley. Senator MALONE. Thank you, Senator Young. They will be accepted and filed at this point in the record. (The documents are as follows:) Hon. MILTON R. YOUNG, STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA, Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SENATOR YOUNG: At the Red River flood conference held at Grand Forks on May 7, I requested the governing boards of the various political subdivisions in the area to send me an estimate of the amount of the flood damage to public property in their particular political subdivisions. The reports are still not complete and there are some political subdivisions that are not in. Below is a tabulation of the estimated damage as I have it at the present time: La Moure County: Appraisal of damage caused in La Moure County by recent floods and high water, to highways, bridges and approaches, culverts, property at Memorial Park and roads throughout La Moure County to the extent of about__. City of Park River: The estimated damages during the recent flood consisting of damages to dams and reservoir, bridges roads and streets, cleaning of debris and repairs to outbuildings in the city park amounted to___. Griggs County: We would estimate the total damages to county roads, township roads in Griggs County, N. Dak., culverts and bridges to be about.. $50,000 34, 200 25,000 88,050 Traill County: Estimates include roads, bridges, culverts totaling_ Cavalier County: Estimate for bridges, culverts and grade repair of roads totals_ 275,000 Soil conservation: In a number of areas in the United States where floods have made heavy inroads of damage on the soil resources the Federal Government through the Soil Conservation Service of the Department of Agriculture has assisted materially in the repair of such damages. The following estimated cost of repair of soil damage by counties includes cleaning out and reconstruction of existing legal drains, cleaning out and construction of private drains, repairing and resodding of gully erosion and dam repairs. These are rather rough and hastily determined estimates. United States Senator, Washington, D. C.: Officials of city of Wahpeton feel that Red River flood-control project is urgently needed at the earliest possible date. Flood damage the past few years in Wahpeton and vicinity and to farm property in this area has reached enormous sums many times the cost of proposed project and there is every reason to expect further damage in the future unless something is done to control spring floods. Senator MILTON YOUNG, A. W. HOPPERT, Mayor, City of Wahpeton. DAKOTA CLINIC, Fargo, N. Dak., May 19, 1948. Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR SENATOR: I would like to endorse your bill for flood control in the Red River drainage basin. I am interested in the entire plan but most interested and best informed in the plan as it affects the Rush River in Cass County, as I am the owner of two sections of land that will be vitally affected by this project. These two pieces of land are described as: All 3-140-51, SW4 of 10-140–51, NE4 of 16-140–51, N1⁄2 of 19-141-50. The Rush River passes through section 3-140–51 and I am sure the average yearly damage would be at a minimum of $500 and in years such as last year and this year the damage would be considerable above that figure without trying to assess the damage that comes from soil erosion. The problem has been considerably aggravated in the last years because of the number of ditches that have been built above the point at which the Rush River enters my land and dumps directly into the river, thereby increasing its flow considerably without any preparation having been made to handle the increased flow at points down the river. The problem is natural and there seems to be no way to overcome it in my estimation except by such a plan as your control bill. In other words, the problem must be viewed as a whole to accomplish the proper results. Very truly yours, Senator MALONE. Anything further? MURRAY A. BALDWIN. Senator YOUNG. Also for the record, the statement by the senior Senator from North Dakota, Senator Langer, who was unable to attend here because of other important hearings which were scheduled. A statement from Hon. Charles R. Robertson, who is necessarily absent at the present time. Also, Mr. Chairman, Senator Ball of Minnesota, cosponsor of the bill, was unable to attend because of a very important hearing scheduled this morning on labor-management relations, before the committee of which he is chairman. I would like to have his statement filed. Also a letter addressed to the Honorable Joseph H. Ball, from the commissioner of highways of Minnesota. Also two telegrams from Earl Enright of East Grand Forks, and a letter addressed to Senator Ball from Jarle Leirfallom, director of the Minnesota Division of Social Welfare. Senator MALONE. They will be made a part of the record. (The documents are as follows:) STATEMENT OF SENATOR WILLIAM LANGER BEFORE SENATE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE RE S. 2674 TO AUTHORIZE RED RIVER FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT Mr. Chairman, and members of this subcommittee, I greatly regret that other business makes it impossible for me to appear personally before you this morning in order to urge the approval of the pending bill authorizing this most important work. In my absence, my good friend and distinguished colleague Senator Young has consented to file this statement for me. I greatly hope that Congress will speedily authorize construction of the Red River Valley flood-control project. My home since boyhood has been in the Red River Valley. My father farmed there and I was born there. I still farm there. So I have had personal acquaintance all my life with the severity of Red River floods and the havoc they cause to farms and cities and affairs in that great agricultural area, one of the richest in the world. In addition to the tremendous loss caused by flooding of crop lands, which renders thousands of acres of fertile land useless in years of flood, there is tremendous damage to cities. In addition communication and travel facilities are disrupted. I should like to mention also one other phase of the benefits to be derived from the Red River flood-control project. By stabilizing, to a considerable extent, the stream flow of the Red River, it will help to insure a more potable water supply to the several important cities which border it. Among these are Fargo, Grand Forks, and Wahpeton, N. Dak., and Breckinridge, Moorhead, Fergus Falls and East Grand Forks, Minn. All obtain their water supplies from the Red River. In conditions of low or no flow, due to the vegetation in the stream bed, the stench, taste, and color of the river are almost indescribably nauseating. Every means known for the purification of water has been resorted to in the efforts to obtain a potable supply. Unless a more stable flow is obtained, this is all but impossible despite the advances in the science of water purification. It has been conceded that a ground-water supply for these cities cannot be found which would be adequate to supply their needs. The project proposed would correct this situation. While all of these communities have constructed good sewage-disposal and treatment plants-Fargo, for example, at a cost of $867,000-there is still required dilution water for effluence from these plants. At times this does not exist. The channel improvements and Orwell Reservoir on the Ottertail River, a tributary of the Red, which will be constructed in this project, will correct this situation. This year's flood on the Red has been estimated to have caused damage set at anywhere between $10,000,000 and $35,000,000. The cost of this entire project is less than the lowest estimate. Thus the returns would actually be greater in many single years than the entire cost of the project. The Army engineers have estimated that the benefits to be derived will amount to $1.78 for each dollar expended. Certainly no better return could be expended. I want to emphasize again the fact that the flat terrain in the Red River Valley makes floods all the more destructive. A rise of only a few inches over the banks of the river can send water sweeping for miles to either side. That this has occurred repeatedly will be demonstrated to your committee by pictures taken at floods as long ago as 1897. May I urge again that your committee act favorably on this bill, in order that immediate steps toward control of the floods on the Red may be undertaken before more yearly floods have wrought more unnecessary havoc? Thank you. STATEMENT OF HON. CHARLES R. ROBERTSON, NORTH DAKOTA, ON S. 2674 BEFORE SUBCOMMITTEE OF SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank you for this opportunity of submitting a brief statement in support of S. 2674 introduced by my esteemed friend and colleague from North Dakota, Senator Young. His bill provides for the authorization and construction of flood-control works on the Red River of the North and its tributaries. The proposed report of the Chief of Engineers to the Secretary of the Army, for transmission to Congress, recommends these flood-control works in the Red River of the North drainage basin. There are several paragraphs in a letter from the Chief of Engineers to the Secretary of the Army to which I am anxious to call your special attention. Paragraph 4 gives an excellent summation of the nature of the area involved, its agriculture, its industry and its urban life. This is one of the world's most fertile and productive areas. Certainly every effort should be made to protect it against not only flood periods, but against periods of drought and low rainfall. Paragraph 5 of the Chief of Engineers' letter quickly summarizes the type and seriousness of the loss, not only to North Dakota, but to the Nation, encountered in both periods of low flow and during floods. It points out that the average annual flood damage is estimated at $1,390,170. Yet, S. 2674 calls for an authorization of only $9,339,600 for construction, with $5,840 annually for maintenance and operation. The proposed report discloses that the over-all benefit-cost ratio of the contemplated improvements is 1.78. Certainly a project with benefits of $1.78 to every $1 invested is a justifiable and sound project. In recent days in the Red River of the North Basin, in the northern parts of North Dakota and Minnesota, the most serious flood of history has occurred. In addition to the great property loss and damage, four tragic deaths occurred as a result of this flood. Obviously the need for flood-contol works is urgent. The people of this area recognize the need, and are willing to cooperate toward this end. The language of paragraph 6 of the Chief of Engineers' letter bears this out. I can unqualifiedly support this testimonial. I urge that you give favorable consideration and action to S. 2674. |