A PETITION OF FLOOD CONTROL IN THE ANACOSTIA RIVER BASIN, FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF NORTH BRENTWOOD TO THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS FOR RIVERS AND HARBORS, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Gentlemen, the Northwest Branch and the Eastern Branch are two streams of water that meet a short distance above Bladensburg. They, together with the high-tide waters of the Potomac cause North Brentwood to be flooded. These two streams, the former from North Brentwood, the latter from Riverdale, are too shallow to hold the great volume of surplus water that flows into them during heavy rains. It is the enormous amount of soil erosion and debris in them that causes this shallowness. Before there can be the needed relief from these floodwaters, this miscellaneous material must be cleaned from these two streams so as to make a deeper channel to carry off this water into the Potomac kiver.

We are not familiar with all the loss, damage, and inconveniences suffered as a result of these floodwaters by the residents along the Eastern Branch though we have good reason to believe they are most shamefully distressing, but for 40 years we have been familiar with them as they affect the residents dwelling along the banks of the Northwest Branch in North Brentwood. During this time, we have had many destructive floods, lost thousands of dollars worth of poultry and poultry houses, vegetable gardens, and fruits all carried away by these waters. They render the collection and distribution of United States mail impossible. Many times the rescue squad has to come with rowboats and carry marooned residents to safety.

If these floods come while the residents are away from home, it is impossible for them to get back for many hours. They are thereby forced to seek refuge among neighbors. Into many of these houses these floodwaters have risen 4 and 6 feet destroying furniture, seriously damaging these houses and jeopardizing life. And now we are preparing to improve our streets this spring. but the floodwater will impair any improvement so made, unless preventative measures are taken. In summer and winter this is the lamentable situation into which these swirling destructive floodwaters put us.

In order to safeguard life and property in North Brentwood, some engineering work along the Anacostia River Basin is absolutely necessary. Whatever improvements are made at or below Bladensburg only, the floodwaters from the above-named streams will nullify them. Therefore, we suggest cleaning this miscellaneous material from these two streams and using it for leveling off along the banks. This will give them a deeper channel. Straighten these streams where they make zig-zag turns, beginning at Thirty-eighth Street and Northwestern Branch, Brentwood, as per plat. Reclaim and fill in the land that lies in waste. Place the Peace Cross at Bladensburg on a higher foundation and fill in the low land around it. Then change the Anacostia River into a navigable river from the confluence of these two streams to the Navy Yard and build levees along the whole scheme.

Gentlemen, the above suggestions fully carried out will permanently relieve North Brentwood of floodwaters, and also create beauty when the reclaimed land is accompanied with tree planting and landscaping. Increase the value of real estate. Make a healthier community. Open up new land for industrial development. Make it posssible for North Brentwood to expand and dovetail with Congressman Mansfield's proposal "to deepen the Potomac River to 35 feet from Washington to the Chesapeake Bay." Then we would have a navigable waterway outlet to all seaports. Also it would be an addition to the program of general improvement of Prince Georges County within the Maryland-Washingtondistrict as it marches on the path of modern progress.

This is an urgent project and if perfected as outlined, of course, it will be expensive, but the people petition for this improvement because it is needed and can be made. And we are willing to help make it now and not leave it for a future generation.

Every individual citizen is properly interested for a personal share of its benefits, and as you see now, we are suffering from these floodwaters; it is not unreasonable to ask and to expect the money necessary to attain it be provided. We pray that it will be fully carried out, and that the plan herewith submitted with meet your favor.

We have faith in our time.

LACKAWAXEN RIVER, PA.

(H. Doc. 113, 80th Cong.)

Colonel GEE. Mr. Chairman, this is a request for additional authorization in the Lackawaxen River Basin which falls within this day's hearings by virtue of its location. In addition, there is a special bill. The CHAIRMAN. Under ths authorized project we, in the act of 1948, approved a flood-control plan for the protection of the Lackawaxen River, Pa., authorizing extension in accordance with recommendations of the Chief of Engineers in Document 113, Eightieth Congress, and there was authorized to be appropriated the sum of $6,150,000 to the partial accomplishment of the project.

Now, my recollection is and I will ask you to state it if I am not correct, that under House Document 113, Eightieth Congress, that project consisted of two reservoirs and was estimated to cost $6,802,000. Is that correct or not?

Colonel GEE. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, what is the additional authorization that is required here in order to authorize an appropriation for this sum? Colonel GEE. That is the 1941 report when the costs were brought up to date as of 1947, at the time of the authorization. The estimated cost was $12,150,000 and the limit on appropriations was placed at $6,000,000 in the Flood Control Act of 1948.

The CHAIRMAN. For the purpose of authorizing this-which one of these reservoirs?

Colonel GEE. Prompton and Dyberry.

The CHAIRMAN. In order to provide for the other it is necessary to increase that authorization by an additional $6,000,000 or $6,500,000. Colonel GEE. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. In other words, if we just approved that project and authorized the amount of the estimated cost as stated in that original report, no further legislation would have been necessary by way of authorization.

Colonel GEE. That is correct, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. But having only authorized $6,00,000 for the partial accomplishment, it is necessary to remove the limitation. Colonel GEE. That is correct.

Mr. DAVIS. Congressman Gillette.

STATEMENT OF HON. WILSON D. GILLETTE, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA

Mr. GILLETTE. Mr. Chairman, my name is Wilson D. Gillette and I represent the Fourteenth Congressional District of Pennsylvania. I am again appearing in behalf of the people of Wayne County, Pa., who reside in the Lackawaxen River Basin. Recurring sudden floods are a serious threat to the lives and security of the inhabitants of Honesdale, Hawley, Prompton, Seelyville, White Mills, and the hamlets of Dyberry and Tanners Falls. After complete and thorough surveys, the United States Army engineers have recommended two dry dams as proper flood-control protection for the lives and property of these citizens.

The Flood Control Act of June 30, 1948, authorized the construction of one of these dry dams to be located on the Lackawaxen River

between the village of Aldenville and the borough of Prompton, and to be known as the Prompton Dam and Reservoir. Now, it is necessary to secure authorization for the construction of flood-control work on the Dyberry Creek, a tributary of the Lackawaxen River, which is the location designated by the Army engineers as the proper place for the other dry dam. On February 21 of this year I introduced H. R. 2832 for this purpose.

Had these two dry dams been in operation at the time of the disastrous flood of May 1942, 24 lives would have been saved. A large number of persons were injured and more than $6,000,000 in damage was done to homes and places of business. In 1936 flood waters caused considerable damage in this area and at various intervals in recent years. Completion of this project will substantially reduce flood discharges in the affected communities, and will to a great extent diminish the threat to human life by decreasing the rate of rise of floods on the main stream.

I thank you.

Mr. DAVIS. I notice that Senator Myers, of Pensylvania, is in the room at this time. Do you wish to make a statement with regard to the Lackawaxen River, Senator. If so, we will be glad to hear you at this time.

Senator MYERS. Thank you, Mr. Davis. I have a short statement which I would like to appear in the record at this point.

STATEMENT BY SENATOR FRANCIS J. MYERS, OF PENNSYLVANIA, IN BEHALF OF ADDITIONAL AND COMPLETE AUTHORIZATION FOR FLOOD CONTROL ON THE LACKAWAXEN RIVER IN WAYNE COUNTY, PA.

Senator MYERS. I have only a very brief statement on this project because I am sure that is all that is necessary in this instance.

The subcommittee has received the technical detail on the Lackawaxen program from the Army engineers who are now proceeding with planning work on one phase of the program, in connection with the Prompton Reservoir. Previously, some planning work had been done on the Dyberry Reservoir under an appropriation for the 1948 fiscal year which ended last July 1. but the action of the Senate Public Works Committee last year, in connection with the authorization for the Lackawaxen project, expressly directing that funds be spent for the Prompton Reservoir, has ended any further planning work on the Dyberry Reservoir. My purpose in appearing before you today is to urge that in the omnibus bill which you are now preparing you make it absolutely clear that it is the entire project, as recommended in House Document 113 of the Eightieth Congress, first session, which is to be authorized.

This can readily be accomplished merely by providing in the bill for authorization of additional funds necessary to complete the project.

I have a very close personal interest in this entire project because it was originally partially authorized last year under a bill which I introduced.

This bill was S. 1908 of the Eightieth Congress. Earlier in the Seventy-ninth Congress, I introduced a similar bill, S. 2469. I in

troduced those bills only after assuring myself thoroughly of the justification and need for these two reservoirs.

It was most disappointing to me last year that when the Senate Public Works Committee took up this matter of an omnibus floodcontrol bill, it acted on the premise that the funds it would authorize to be spent were equivalent to their actual expenditure. Thus, even though not a single cent of Federal expenditures was actually to be spent under the legislation, the committee proceeded to cut this project in half and to authorize only part of it. Not only was no Federal noney saved by such a step but I am afraid it has had a wasteful effect in that planning work then being done, for the Dyberry Reservoir had to cease.

There was no indication from the committee that it did not consider the entire project, consisting of both reservoirs, to be a worthwhile one. Quite the contrary. It said in its report-Report 1568, dated June 9, 1948-that the project was a good project, made particularly so by the danger of loss of life resulting from present conditions.

If the project is a good project—as the Senate committee said and as the Congress agreed in authorizing part of it last year-then I earnestly urge that it be fully authorized so that the engineers can proceed with planning work on the entire project and not merely on one part of it.

CONNECTICUT RIVER

The CHAIRMAN. In the Connecticut River, what are the total estimated costs in the documents of the projects along the Connecticut River heretofore approved in amount?

Colonel GEE. The figure is $124,353,550.

The CHAIRMAN. How much have we authorized to be appropriated? Colonel GEE. The sum of $72,957,000 to date.

The CHAIRMAN. So that the amount still available for appropriation is approximately $50,000,000 to $55,000,000. Colonel GEE. Yes, sir.

SOUTHERN FLORIDA PROJECT

(H. Doc. 643, 80th Cong.)

The CHAIRMAN. The Southern Florida project approved in the act of 1948. That project was authorized at an estimated cost of how much?

Colonel GEE. Cost of $70,000,000. The first phase of that plan. The CHAIRMAN. In other words, a total project cost of about $170,208,000.

What happened was that that project was heard in the Senate and in the conference it was accepted and the unit of an estimated cost of $70,000,000 in round figures was approved.

Colonel GEE. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. There was authorized to be appropriated $16,000,000 for the initiation of the project; is that right?

Colonel GEE. $16,300,000, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. So that there are two things open to us, both of which you have recommended in your original report and which you now recommend: One to increase the unit cost of the approved project,

and the other would be to approve the entire project and increase the authorization either for the unit or for the entire project.

Colonel GEE. That is correct, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Is there any other statement you want to make? Colonel GEE. No, sir; I have nothing further.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Chairman, is there anything else you have to make now with respect to the comprehensive plan along the Connecticut, the Lackawaxen, Savannah, and other rivers along the Atlantic seaboard?

If not, what special bills have we here except the bill for the building of the dam along the Roanoke River which is to come up tomorrow and we can take that up?

Bills for preliminary examination and survey.

Colonel GEE. House Joint Resolution 102.

The CHAIRMAN. We are not taking House Joint Resolution 102. What is that for?

Colonel GEE. To authorize funds for the starting of construction of flood controls on the Susquehanna River in various places and areas. The CHAIRMAN. Is that under an adopted project, under a recommended project?

Colonel GEE. This is a project now under investigation, Mr. Chair

man.

The CHAIRMAN. And we have a report on that?

Colonel GEE. No, sir.

The next one is H. R. 1424 by Mr. Rankin to appropriate funds for works of improvement for flood control on the Tombigbee River and tributaries.

The CHAIRMAN. Would that really come in today's hearings?

Colonel GEE. It would in the territorial limit you established for today's hearings, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. We have no further hearing in addition to what has been presented to the Congress.

Colonel GEE. No, sir. H. R. 463 to establish a Merrimack Valley Authority.

The CHAIRMAN. Is that a preliminary examination and survey, please, for the establishment of that authority?

Colonel GEE. No, sir; this is a bill which would establish a Merrimack Valley Authority patterned after

The CHAIRMAN. We have asked for your report on that and you have not submitted it, have you-which of those did we request? Colonel GEE. You have asked us for the Connecticut River, through official channels. The Merrimack Valley is to be commented upon in these hearings.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the comment you have to make with respect to the Merrimack Valley?

Colonel GEE. It is the position of the Corps of Engineers that the present authorized work in the valley is proceeding in accordance with a well established plan and in accordance with the directions of the Congress and that the work now being carried out by the Corps of Engineers will accomplish the objectives sought in H. R. 463.

The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, you may extend that statement at this point in the record.

Next one.