Under this system, the States retain control of their water resources while participating in the Federal development program. The 13 river basin plans which you have scheduled for consideration range from the Connecticut in New England to the important river basins of the Pacific coast and may be summarized as follows: Present total estimated cost____ Estimated cost of work completed and under way. $4, 326, 000, 000 1, 923, 000, 000 1, 480, 000, 000 781, 000, 000 You will note that monetary authorizations made by Congress to date are in excess of appropriations but that the authorization falls short by $443,000,000 of covering the cost of work completed and under way, and is not adequate for the initiation of new work. This situation varies from basin to basin, but the Missouri River plan may serve as an illustration. In this case, the monetary authorization is $366,000,000, while the total cost of work completed and under construction is $757,000,000. This means that, unless additional monetary authorizations are made, the work underway, including such major dams as Garrison, Fort Randall, and Oahe, may have to be curtailed because of lack of authority for appropriations. I consider it essential, therefore, that our present monetary authorization for river-basin plans be increased so that we may proceed with the logical and orderly planning and construction of these improvements. This is particularly vital in view of the fact that, although the appropriations are made on a yearly basis, the major authorization bills are passed at less frequent intervals and must, therefore, give consideration to the preparation of budget estimates several years hence. To that end, therefore, we are requesting additional river-basin authorizations in the amount of $1,261,000,000, which we feel will give us sufficient leeway to continue with the planning of projects and the work of construction for several years or until a new authorization bill is considered. WATER CONSERVATION AND RELATED MATTERS Hydroelectric power: The development of economical hydro-electric power is a most important byproduct of the national flood-control program. Power installations now authorized by Congress under the general flood-control program will result in an ultimate installation of 5,000,000 kilowatts. The total power installation at completed flood-control reservoirs today amounts to 106,000 kilowatts. This will increase to 2,069,000 kilowatts by 1954. In view of the general power shortage throughout the Nation, and the desirability of developing to the utmost all our natural resources to meet any emergency, it is time that we harnessed for productive work the destructive floodwaters that have wasted into the ocean year after year, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Reservoir management: Another important aspect of most multiple-purpose reservoirs is the recreational potential inherent in large bodies of water, especially in areas devoid of natural lakes. With proper reservoir management, this potential can be converted into a public recreation program of great importance to the local people. When ready access to the reservoirs is provided, they are extensively used for hunting, fishing, boating, camping, picnicking, and other forms of outdoor recreation. Further recreational benefits may be obtained at these reservoirs through sound planning and active participation by State and local agencies and private capital. The success of the program to date is indicated by the fact that public attendance at completed reservoirs of the Corps of Engineers is exceeding greatly our estimates. Small flood-control projects: Section 205 of the Flood Control Act of June 30, 1948, provided authorization for small projects costing not more than $100,000 without the necessity of the formal preliminary examination and survey report procedure. The over-all limitation on the total cost of all such projects in one fiscal year was placed at $2,000,000. I would like to ask the committee to consider the advisability of raising the ceilings from $100,000 to $200,000 for the individual projects and from $2,000,000 to $4,000,000 for the overall program in any one fiscal year. I believe that the purpose of the original legislation can be much better served if these increased authorizations are available since there are a large number of worthy projects in this category. International conferences: From time to time, the attendance of properly qualified engineers of the Corps of Engineers at the important international engineering conferences held abroad has been authorized through special provisions in appropriations acts. I believe it appropriate at this time for the committee to consider the desirability of including general language in an omnibus bill to permit specialists in the Corps of Engineers to attend these conferences outside the United States so that full advantage may be taken of the advances in engineering techniques made in other countries. This language should, of course, include a limitation on the number of persons and the amount of funds to be expended for this purpose. It would be appropriate at this point for me to mention to the committee the fact that accomplishments of the national flood-control program to date represent the coordinated effort of the engineering and contracting fields. The organization of the Corps of Engineers, which is made up largely of civilian employees, plus a small group of officers on assignment, has been ideally suited to the requirements of the program which depends upon the enlistment of the facilities of private engineers, architects, and contractors. The joint effort of the military and civilian government engineering forces and the private counterpart in the engineering and construction fields has made possible the advancement of the program to the extent that it exists today. It is these men who have been responsible for translating in terms of concrete and steel the goal of flood-control so wisely established by Congress in the national flood-control laws. At the request of the chairman of the committee, and in view of the fact that I am to be away on the 20th, before I conclude my remarks and inasmuch as I will be unable to be present when the committee considers plans for the Columbia Basin, I am very glad to accept the invitation of the chairman that I take this opportunity to present a brief summary of the situation for that area. The needs and possibilities for land and water resource development of the Columbia River Basin are among the greatest in the Nation and the plans for this area which will be brought to the attention of the committee are of far-reaching significance to our national welfare. In 1932, comprehensive plans were presented in the 308 reports on the Columbia Basin, including the Snake River. Since that time, the dam, navigation locks, and power plant at Bonneville were built by the Corps of Engineers, the great power plant at Grand Coulee has been placed in operation by the Bureau of Reclamation, and progress has been made on irrigation of a vast area in central Washington, important multiple-purpose projects have been developed in the Willamette, numerous smaller projects for all purposes have been completed. There are 600 water-use projects, large and small, in operation in the basin. Additional projects, such as McNary Dam, Chief Joseph Dam, Lucky Peak Dam, and the Snake River navigation project are under construction or authorized. Although a large amount of work has been done, the Pacific Northwest has been developing at an appreciably higher rate than the average for the Nation. Its needs for water-resources development are great and its potential is fortunately greater. Since 1943, at the request of Congress, the Corps of Engineers has been reviewing the original comprehensive plan and bringing it up to date in the light of the tremendous strides of recent years toward full economic utilization of the vast potential of the region. Our report on this comprehensive review is now before the governors of the Columbia Basin States and the Federal agencies concerned, for comment prior to formal transmission to Congress. An interim report on the Albeni Falls projects is now before the Congress. This 308 review report has been prepared through continuous consultation and in close harmony with all interested and affected agencies, Federal, State, and local. More than 30 public hearings were held in areas covering the entire basin. Four hearings were held in the basin by the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors to obtain views on the completed plan. The needs and views of the many conflicting interests involved in a comprehensive river-basin plan have been so well correlated that there is universal approval of the report in all major respects. Our comprehensive plan calls for a system of major reservoirs for the main control plan, and subbasin plans, notably the Willamette, which provide for reservoirs for all purposes and for local flood-protection works, including levee protection for the lower Columbia main stem. The estimated cost of this phase of the plan is $1,570,000,000. These works have been integrated with the related programs of other agencies for irrigation, power transmission, soil and forest conservation and development, fish and wildlife improvements, recreation and other purposes. For flood control, the need for which was emphasized dramatically and tragically in 1948, the plan provides positive control of flows of the greatest magnitude known on the lower Columbia and major tributaries and a high degree of control on all tributaries to the extent justified. Power generation capabilities will be increased by approximately 6,000,000 kilowatts as required to meet the demands foreseeable by Federal agencies and public and private utilities in the area. Navigation will be extended inland to Lewiston, Idaho, on the Snake and to Harrisburg, Oreg., on the Willamette. The irrigation program of the Department of the Interior providing new or supplemental water supplies for a million acres of land is correlated with the recommended projects. Other purposes, such as the improvement of fisheries, necessary power transmission facilities, pollution abatement, drainage, recreational development, and soil and forest conservation and development are provided for in the recommended projects or in the correlated programs of other agencies. The proposed plan is a sound framework for long-range development. The early accomplishment of the work provided for in this plan will prevent damaging floods and permit a realization of untold benefits in this great river basin. Col. Theron D. Weaver, the division engineer, North Pacific division, who prepared the basic plan and Col. William Whipple, district engineer from Walla Walla, one of his key assistants, as well as my own assistants and deputies, will be available to the committee here to explain this important comprehensive plan. In conclusion, I want to thank the committee for the opportunity of appearing before it, and to assure its members that we will cooperate in every way to assist in discharging our mutual responsibilities for the national flood-control program. Colonel Gee, who will testify specifically on the individual projects and basins, and other members of my staff, will be available to answer any questions and to assist the committee. I will be available to the committee whenever it desires. Mr. Chairman, that completes my official statement. Mr. DAVIS. General Pick, let me thank you for a very comprehensive and exhaustive and splendid statement. Mr. Larcade, do you have any questions to ask the General at this time? Mr. LARCADE. I think the general made a very fine statement, Mr. Chairman, and with your permission, I would like to ask one question. General, in your statement, you give a picture of the present floodcontrol program and quoted figures on the status of various projects that were either complete or under construction or not yet started. That figure of $7,503,000,000, I presume, relates entirely to flood control; is that not correct? General PICK. Yes, sir, flood control and multiple-purpose develop ments. Mr. LARCADE. That is aside from the picture with respect to rivers and harbors projects. General Pick. That is correct, sir. Mr. LARCADE. And as I recall, is it not a fact that there is a backlog of approximately $5,000,000,000 worth of rivers and harbors projects in addition to the amount that you have stated with respect to flood control? General PICK. That is correct, sir. Mr. LARCADE. Thank you. Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Angell? Mr. ANGELL. Mr. Chairman, I, too, want to commend the General for this very fine, factual and comprehensive report. I regret you are not going to be here on Friday when our Columbia Basin project comes up. However, I am glad that you have, in view of that, given your own views on the project so that the committee may have them in their consideration of it. I, naturally, am very much interested in that particular project in this over-all plan by reason of the fact that my district is in the Pacific Northwest. I can say that our Governor will be here on Friday to testify and other prominent officials of the far West who are deeply interested in this whole program. It has been brought forcibly to the forefront, as you have outlined in your report, by reason of the very heavy damage we sustained there in the great flood we had in the Columbia River last year. As you have stated, over a hundred million dollars in property values alone, in addition to the loss of life, were lost, and in view of the heavy snowfall last winter, we were threatened with a like occurrence this year. Now, General, as I understand it, your over-all program for the development of the Columbia Basin area and its tributaries calls for the construction of works throughout the area that will tend to at least mitigate, if not overcome, much of the damage caused by these floods; is that true? General PICK. The works which we have planned out there will eliminate floods on the lower Columbia and damaging floods on the Columbia will practically be eliminated. Floods will be controlled on the main tributaries where we have found feasible projects that could be built with a favorable economic ratio. There will be some streams left in the basin on which we will not have projects, but they are small streams. Mr. ANGELL. Do I understand from your report, General, that, notwithstanding the fact that we suffered a loss of over $100,000,000 in just this one flood last year, additional damage aggregating $42,000,000 or more would have been sustained if the protective works that have already been built had not been constructed? General PICK. That is correct, sir. Mr. ANGELL. So the fact is, General, that as a result of the effort of the Corps of Army Engineers and the other agencies in constructing flood control works in the area heretofore the damage from this great flood last year was mitigated by approximately a third? Mr. ANGELL. Will you state for the benefit of the committee, general, under what authorization this comprehensive plan was made? General PICK. I didn't understand that, sir. Mr. ANGELL. Under what authorization was this comprehensive plan made by your division? General PICK. It was as a result of a resolution by both committees of Congress, the House and the Senate, for a review of our 308 report. Mr. ANGELL. In fact, there were several authorizations by the Congress itself directing you to make this study and submit this comprehensive program. General PICK. That is correct, sir. Mr. ANGELL. Was there also a letter from President Truman directly after the flood in the Columbia last year, requesting that an additional study be made? General PICK. Yes, sir. There were two letters since the flood last year from the President urging the Corps of Engineers and other Federal agencies concerned to push their plans through and get them completed as soon as possible in order to determine what should be done out there to eliminate these great destructive forces, and for the development of the area. |