Colonel GEE. H. R. 3795, a Merrimack River survey of hydroelectric power.

The CHAIRMAN. What is your recommendation about the survey? Take up bills for preliminary examinations and surveys. That is the first one. What is your recommendation?

Colonel GEE. This is an unusual bill in that it directs the Chief of Engineers and the Federal Power Commission to jointly make a complete and comprehensive examination, survey or investigation of the Merrimack River Valley.

The CHAIRMAN. Have you any recommendation to make with respect to that?

Colonel GEE. We believe the enactment of a bill which would authorize a review investigation of the Merrimack River Valley would achieve the objectives sought in this bill in that any such investigation would have to be referred to the Federal Power Commission for their comment during the course of its preparation.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the estimated cost of such a review?
Colonel GEE. I have no figure at this time.

The CHAIRMAN. That will have to be passed over because under our rule we have to have an estimated cost of what these preliminary examinations and surveys cost and unless you have that with your recommendation, it will not be necessary to go into the rest of it. In other words, we ask what the estimated cost of the preliminary survey or examination is.

Colonel GEE. Next is H. R. 3648 which would change the name

The CHAIRMAN. We want preliminary examinations and surveys, Colonel.

Colonel GEE. This is H. R. 3791 which would authorize preliminary examinations and surveys for flood control and other purposes in the Georgia area for all streams in the State of Georgia flowing into the Atlantic Ocean between Ogeechee River and the Altamaha River.

The CHAIRMAN. Have you a report on that and a favorable recommendation? If so, what is the estimated cost?

Colonel GEE. Five thousand dollars. It is believed the preliminary examination should be undertaken.

The CHAIRMAN. All right; we will remember that one. Next one. Colonel GEE. One additional one. Two tributaries of the Potomac River, H. R. 3976, to provide for preliminary examination for Port Tobacco and Gilbert Run, both in Charles County, Md., and both preliminary examinations estimated to cost $4,000-each one. We recommend it.

The CHAIRMAN. You may extend your justification in the record for both of those when you come to revise your remarks on all of these where you made favorable recommendations.

Colonel GEE. We have a prepared statement which we will insert in the record.

The CHAIRMAN. That includes that $5,000 one on the Georgia coast. (The statement referred to is as follows:)

GILBERT RUN, CHARLES COUNTY, MD.

Description.-Gilbert Run (shown on the U. S. Geological Survey quadrangles as Gilbert Swamp and Gilbert Run) flows into the Wicomico River, a minor tributary on the left bank of the lower Potomac River. The mouth of Gilbert Run is a submerged marsh and the lower half of the stream is marshland. Gilbert Run is about 34 miles south of Washington, D. C., by land measurement and about

8 miles below the Port Tobacco Run. The drainage basin, said to be about 45 square miles, is similar to that of Port Tobacco Run, namely, consisting of a farming area. Port Tobacco Run and Gilbert Run are parallel but the drainage areas are not adjacent. There is no existing project for Gilbert Run and no existing project for the Wicomico River.

Estimated cost of preliminary examination.-The estimated cost of a preliminary examination is $4,000. Information is not available for estimating the cost of a survey, since drainage reports have not been submitted previously by this office.

Other pertinent information.-The Soil Conservation Service reports that the problem in Gilbert Swamp consists of the improvement of outlet drainage for agricultural land now in production, and the improvement of agricultural land gone out of production because of poor drainage. There is considerable interest among the farmers in the drainage basin relative to the problem although no legal action has been begun to set up a tax-ditch organization, Inclusion of this item is recommended.

PORT TOBACCO RUN, CHARLES COUNTY, MD.

Description.-Port Tobacco Run (designated as Port Tobacco River and Port Tobacco Creek on the U. S. Geological Survey quadrangles) is a tributary of the lower Potomac River. The stream is located 55 miles south of Washington, D. C., by water, on the left bank of the Potomac River. The tidal section is known as Port Tobacco River and the fluvial section as Port Tobacco Creek. Widths in the tidal section vary from 1 mile at the mouth to 30 or 40 feet near the head of tidewater. Depths of 6 to 10 feet available in the lower reaches of the river decrease to 3 feet at Warehouse Point. Upstream therefrom the river flows through marshland in a narrow, winding channel obstructed by stumps, logs, and debris. The drainage area is 43 square miles. The principal occupation in the area is farming, and the tobacco crop was valued at 1.5 million dollars annually in 1945. There is no existing project. War Department examinations and surveys for navigation, dated from 1882 to the most recent dated 1945, were unfavorable.

Estimated cost of preliminary examination. The estimated cost of a preliminary examination is $4,000. Information is not available for estimating the cost of a survey, since drainage reports have not been submitted previously by this office.

Other pertinent information.-The sponsors are the Society for the Restoration of Port Tobacco, Inc. The improvement desired is a drainage ditch from State Route No. 6 to open water, according to the public hearing for navigation held by the Washington district at La Plata, Md., in May 1945. The stream, which at one time was navigable up to Port Tobacco, has been filled in by sedimentation, and a 10.5-foot channel dredged by local interests in 1930 has since shoaled. Inclusion of this item is recommended.

Colonel GEE. Here is a bill on streams in the New England States and again directing examination and survey for the purpose of developing hydroelectric power projects. It is believed that this should be handled as a regular review investigation. We have no estimate of the cost to furnish the committee at this time.

The CHAIRMAN. Unless there be objection, that will be put aside; no recommendation to make for that.

You mentioned some bill about changing the name of a dam.
What is the name of the dam they want to change?

Colonel GEE. Change the same of the Peterboro (N. H.) Reservoir to Edward McDowell Dam.

The CHAIRMAN. Yes.

Any other bill in mind? It has not been the policy of the committee to change any of those. We might go into that a little later. Very well, sir. The committee is adjourned until 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.

(At 5:15 oclock, the committee adjourned until 10 a. m. Tuesday, May 17, 1949.)

FLOOD CONTROL AUTHORIZATIONS, 1949

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1949

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS,

Washington, D. C.

The committee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 10 o'clock, Hon. Clifford Davis, acting chairman, presiding.

Mr. DAVIS. The committee will be in order.

We are going to change our program this morning to accommodate Senator Myers, a former colleague of ours in the House, for whom we have the very highest regard.

We will take up the Allegheny River project.

Senator, if you don't mind, Colonel Gee will make a preliminary statement. It won't take long. Then I think that may conserve your time.

Senator MYERS. The Bradford project?

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Colonel Gee, will you come around first on that Allegheny River, Bradford, Pa., and state in your own way the purposes of the project, and then we will hear from Senator Myers.

ALLEGHENY RIVER AT BRADFORD, PA.

Colonel GEE. Mr. Chairman, the report before the committee this morning on Bradford, Pa., was authorized in a Senate Commerce Committee resolution June 26, 1946, and involves the provision of local flood protection in and around Bradford, Pa., for the purpose of eliminating the threat of floods which have recurred in this city at a very high frequency rate and caused very severe damage.

The city of Bradford, Pa., is located on the Tunungwant Creek, a tributary of the Allegheny River. Bradford is the center of the bulk shipment and processing of petroleum products produced in that rich, oil-producing portion of the State of Pennsylvania.

In 1947, Bradford had a population of 20,000 people. Within a radius of 10 miles of Bradford is a population of 35,000 people. Their principal resource, as I have mentioned, is from the oil fields of that portion of the State of Pennsylvania.

The average rainfall on the watershed of the Tunungwant Creek is 42 inches. There have been 11 outstanding floods in Bradford since 1917 and the flood of April 1947 was the most severe of these and produced damages in Bradford alone in the amount of $1,729,000. The average annual flood damages from all floods of record is $210,000 annually.

92329-49- -9

The stream slopes of Tunungwant Creek, beginning at its source, vary from 62 feet to the mile to 8 feet per mile in the vicinity of Bradford. As a consequence, the floods produced on this tributary of the Allegheny are flash floods and come with little warning, leaving no time for the residents of this community to make adequate preparation to take care of themselves and to escape from the flood waters. The flood of April 1947 caused the loss of one life in Bradford. The plan of improvement recommended, and as indicated on the map before you, involves the improvement of the channels of the main stem of Tunungwant Creek and its tributaries within the limits of the city of Bradford. The method of improvement is channel straightening, revetment of side slopes, pavement of that portion of the channel under bridge openings to permit the passage of floodwaters, and some work on minor tributaries shown on the right bank of the Tunungwant Creek, as indicated.

Mr. DAVIS. How much will this cost?

Colonel GEE. The total cost of the recommended improvement, sir, is $7,909,000 of which local interests will pay $1,442.000 for rights-ofway, modification of utilities, and bridges.

In addition, local interests will be required to maintain the project after its completion.

Mr. DAVIS. Does the Corps of Engineers recommend this project? Colonel GEE. The report of the Chief of Engineers recommends the project. The benefit-cost ratio indicated is 1.02 to 1.

Mr. DAVIS. Pardon me. Are there any questions?

Mr. McGREGOR. Just one or two questions. Did I understand you to say the ratio of cost to benefits is 1.02 to 1?

Colonel GEE. That is correct.

Mr. MCGREGOR. Who will pay the cost of relocation and reconstruction or construction of the highways?

Colonel GEE. The local interests. It is included in that figure of $1,400,000 which is the contribution from the city of Bradford. Mr. McGREGOR. That is all, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. DAVIS. Thank you, Colonel.

Mr. DONDERO. There is one question. Just so that it appears clear on the record, you use the term "unity" as meaning dollar spent and a dollar saved?

Colonel GEE. Yes, sir; full return of the investment is unity.

Mr. DONDERO. It appears in all of these reports. I just want the record to show what is meant by that term, unity.

Colonel GEE. Yes, sir.

Mr. DAVIS. Senator Myers, please.

STATEMENT OF HON. FRANCIS J. MYERS, A UNITED STATES SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA

Senator MYERS. Mr. Chairman, first let me say that I deeply appreciate this courtesy that you have extended in order that I might be able to get back to a subcommittee of my own.

I am not here to discuss in detail the proposed plan of flood control for Bradford, Pa., because there is present at this hearing a delegation of citizens from Bradford who are far better qualified than I to give you all of the technical information, to give you the full report on the

necessity for this project. Not only the mayor and the chairman of Bradford's Flood-Control Authority but leaders of the civic and industrial community are also here and they have with them Col. W. E. Lorence of the Ohio Valley Improvement Association, who was the district engineer for the United States Army at Pittsburgh under whose direction the Army engineers' report on this project was prepared.

Thus, as for technical information, they are the best sources and I am sure their report to you will be thoroughly convincing.

I have appeared here today because it was my pleasure to introduce the resolution back in 1946 under which the Senate Commerce Committee authorized the original survey of Bradford for flood-control purposes. I did so after being convinced that this area had a very serious flood problem in which Federal aid would no doubt be found to be justified.

The resultant report of Army engineers established this beyond doubt, and consequently, last June, I introduced S. 2814 to authorize the construction of flood-control works at and in the vicinity of Bradford. Unfortunately there was not sufficient time to get this bill incorporated into the omnibus authorization bill which we enacted last year.

Soon after the Eighty-first Congress convened, I introduced S. 625, which is substantially similar to S. 2814.

I have followed the Army plans for Bradford with much interest and I want to say now that I am fully and wholeheartedly in accord with their proposed program. It is a practical program, one which will give Bradford protection against floods 50 percent greater than the greatest flood of record, which occurred in 1947.

It is my understanding that the series of floods which Bradford has experienced since 1917 has caused damages far in excess of the cost of construction of this proposed project. Damages from the last three floods in this decade have accounted for losses equal to a high percentage of the total cost of the project.

There are witnesses here today to tell you how these floods have completely disrupted business and industry in the community. Others can tell of the horrible dangers of fire under present flood conditions-first which the community would find it extremely difficult to combat. Others can report what these recurrent floods have meant in personal hardship and distress.

Bradford is in the heart of the Nation's finest crude reserves. It is a nerve center of the American industrial and defense effort, since Pennsylvania crude oil of the quality which comes from this area is unmatched anywhere in the world.

Members of this committee may recall the importance to which Congress in recent years has ascribed the secondary oil recovery research program administered by the Bureau of Mines in the Interior Department. I have been rather close to that program and intensely interested in it, and it was indeed impressive to me that so much of the early work in this vital field in the United States was carried on here in the Bradford area of Pennsylvania by private enterprise at a time when other oil-producing areas in the Nation were content to skim off gusher production and allow millions of barrels of oil to remain in the ground in abandoned wells once the gusher production began to fall.