development has already started and that is the place where it should take place unless we stop the floods, and the resulting great flood damages. We must do that if we want to continue to develop these areas. Senator MCCLELLAN. General, with the technical skill that we possess today in this country, and with the experience gained from this program in the past, and taking other factors into account, assuming that we just undertook to do this job over a period of years and made the money available, to what extent, to what percentage, do you say that we would be able to eliminate major flood damage, to control the major floods, based upon our knowledge of them and the experience we have gained? I mean if we utilize our technical skill that we possess in this field and authorize the projects and make available the funds for their construction, to what extent can we eliminate the major floods we have suffered in the past? General PICK. That is a rather difficult question. Senator MCCLELLAN. I know. General PICK. If we had the money and had the projects all ready to go, we could knock a big hole in it in 10 years. I am thinking in terms of the Missouri River now. Inside of 6 years out there, I think, we could control the Missouri and its main tributaries. I think that could be done in most of the other basins in the same length of time. The CHAIRMAN. You are speaking, of course, of the major hazards? General PICK. Yes, the major hazards. The Mississippi River is a tremendous undertaking, and if we can get control on the Ohio, the upper Mississippi, the Missouri, the Arkansas, and the Red, we can control the Mississippi. Senator MCCLELLAN. Those streams that you mention, those tributaries, they have to be controlled to control the Mississippi, do they not? General PICK. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. My thought runs along this line: This is one of our greatest projects. The over-all development of our water resources and the present protective improvements that can be made can make the greatest contribution of any program I know toward increasing the capital wealth of this Nation, in the matter of increasing protection of property and human life. General Pick. I would add to that, assuming that the floodcontrol program takes care of all the potentialities in these streams, the harbors of this country. I think that these programs are the greatest things that we can do to continue the growth of the United States. Senator MCCLELLAN. I really did not mean to confine this solely to flood control, General. I was thinking of the program as a whole. But I think in my State primarily of flood control because that is one of the greatest problems we have to deal with in the lower valley. General PICK. That is correct. But these great harbors of ours are some of our greatest assets. They are becoming more and more important because competition is increasing on the seas. We have seen the trend since 1925 in the average depth required for the ships that came into the harbors. I remember we used to have 6,000 vessels coming into New York in a year, and the bulk of those ships would be drawing 25 feet. That has been increased to around 28 feet now, a tremendous tonnage added to it. That has been made possible because the channels have been provided. We must open up our waterways to shipping. We must provide adequate channels for shipping into the United States and on to our inland waterways. Now we can do that and we can accomplish that through a constructive, well-planned and considered flood-control program, a program in which the Congress can take the lead, which the Congress can follow from year to year to see how it is going. We can maintain navigation on the inland waterways provided we control the rivers so we can control the low-water flow of the streams. It is beyond the individual imagination to know what the benefits really would be. I do not think any of us have enough wisdom to foresee what the benefits would be if we had our rivers controlled and we could make consumptive use of all of our water. Senator MCCLELLAN. General, I did not mean to monopolize the interrogation of you here this morning. I wanted to emphasize some of these general questions. I just want to ask one other question at the moment, and then the other members, if they care to do so, may question you. General PICK. Yes, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. I have not yet had the opportunity to examine the bill as reported out by the House committee, but I take it that you, as Chief of the Corps of Engineers, and your staff are fully convinced that each individual project in this bill as reported out by the House committee is economically justified and that its construction or its authorization comes within that category of priorities that should be next in order and placed in line for construction if this general program is to be carried out expeditiously? General PICK. That is correct, sir. We have submitted those projects based upon priorities. They have been carefully studied. They have a favorable economic ratio. And I have recommended them to the committee Senator MCCLELLAN. May I ask just one other question because so often it is misunderstood or deliberately distorted. I do not know which. Is there a single project in this bill that was initiated by the Corps of Engineers? General PICK. No, sir. Senator MCCLELLAN. Is there a single project in this bill that the Corps of Engineers made any survey of, or investigation of, or report on, except that the Congress by resolution or by act of Congress, directed the Corps of Engineers to make such a survey or investigation of, and report back to the Congress its findings? General PICK. Every project in there and every other project that the Corps of Engineers submits to Congress, sir, is as a result of a resolution which has been passed by the Congress authorizing the survey and directing that it be done. Senator MCCLELLAN. And that is not only true with respect to the projects in this bill but is that not universally true with all projects that have been authorized in the past? General PICK. Absolutely, sir. The CHAIRMAN. I have just a couple of questions along the line of your last question. Referring now, General Pick, to H. R. 5472, which has been reported to the House. General PICK. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. In order to clear the record and save the time at the hearings, in the future I wonder if you would express your views on the desirability of H. R. 5472 as it was reported by the House, that is, whether you approve or disapprove of the measures included in that bill. General PICK. I consider it a very satisfactory bill, sir. It is well balanced. As I have just said, the projects are all economically justified. Their benefit to cost ratio is satisfactory. The program set up in the bill provides for a 3-year program to carry on this work in a satisfactory manner. The CHAIRMAN. Is it your opinion that those authorizations will be fully adequate for the period of 3 years as you have indicated? General PICK. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. I know, General, that it has been the practice to prepare the plans in advance within the limits of the appropriations that are supplied you. Can you tell us something about how far in advance your plans are prepared now? General PICK. We try to have our plans 12 months ahead. In other words, we are making up plans now for next year's work, and the authorization which is included in the bill, you might say, would be the minimum authorization for carrying on the work as now planned and under way. That will take us on with a minimum program for 3 years. The CHAIRMAN. Now, General, with reference to the general provisions of the 1948 act and the reported provisions of H. R. 5472. You are directed in those acts to make surveys and examinations in the territorial possessions of the United States, such as Alaska and Hawaii and Puerto Rico? General PICK. That is correct, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Now what is being done in Alaska and Puerto Rico and Hawaii, if anything, at the moment? WORK IN ALASKA General PICK. Mr. Chairman, the 1948 authorization bill authorized us to do certain additional work in Alaska. I have a report here on that which I would like to give the committee, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Go ahead. General PICK. The Corps of Engineers has been actively engaged in surveys and construction for the Federal Government in Alaska for almost 40 years. This work has included both civil and military construction. Insofar as the latter is concerned, I will mention only that our military construction was greatly accelerated during the recent war and that a large military construction program is still under way in that territory. Some idea of its magnitude is indicated. by the fact that $100,000,000 has been expended since June 1946 for improved ground and air facilities at Fort Richardson near Anchorage and at Ladd and Eielson Fields near Fairbanks. New dock and warehouse facilities have also been constructed at Whittier at the terminus of the Alaska Railroad. The civil works program of the Corps of Engineers in Alaska is like similar work in the United States prosecuted under specific authorizations by the Congress and it dates back to 1911. Since that time, the Corps of Engineers has completed 19 projects for improvement of rivers and harbors for navigation at a total cost of over $4,000,000 and three projects for flood control at a total cost of over $1,000,000. The works which we have completed include channels, harbors, and harbor protection works at Nome, Ketchikan, Cordova, Valdez, Juneau, and Seward. These completed navigation projects are maintained by the Corps of Engineers. The completed flood-control projects include those for Salmon and Skagway Rivers and for Chena Slough for the protection of Fairbanks. These flood-control projects are maintained and operated by local interests. In addition, there are nine navigation projects and one additional flood-control project which have been authorized by Congress but not yet completed. The estimated cost of this work is about $6,000,000. The work now under way includes the project for deepening Wrangell Narrows to provide an adequate channel between Seattle and Alaskan ports at a total cost of $4,700,000. The project for protection of Nome Harbor will be initiated during the ensuing fiscal year with funds contained in the current War Department civil functions appropriation bill. Detailed planning is also under way for additional authorized flood-control work at Skagway. The River and Harbor and Flood Control Act of 1948 authorized the Corps of Engineers to accomplish preliminary examination and survey of the "harbors and rivers in Alaska, with a view to determining the advisability of improvements in the interest of navigation, flood control, hydroelectric power, and related water uses." Under this authority a preliminary examination was completed by the divsiion engineer, North Pacific Division, in December 1948. He found that an urgent need existed for further detailed surveys of the water resources of Alaska. The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors concurred with the division engineer and recommended an investigation of survey scope on January 26, 1949. The division engineer was consequently instructed to proceed with a comprehensive study of the water resources of Alaska. This study has for its purpose the development of basic surveys of the waters of Alaska similar to those which were made for the waters of the United States which were authorized by Congress pursuant to H. D. 308, Sixty-ninth Congress. It was recognized that the rivers and harbors of Alaska constituted one of its most important resources and that their proper development was a matter of concern not only to the people of Alaska but to the United States as a whole. This comprehensive survey is now under way and is being prosecuted vigorously. It is anticipated that at least one and perhaps two interim reports will be completed in this calendar year for transmission to the Congress. The CHAIRMAN. Let me interrupt you there, if I may. But not in time for the committee to take action during these hearings? General PICK. No, sir, not in time for the committee to take action in these hearings. Planning for the remainder of the survey is also under way, and reports on additional river basins will be completed as rapidly as possible. The work of the Corps of Engineers in Alaska is carried on by the district engineer at Anchorage. This permanent office, with some 800 personnel, is responsible for both military and civil work in Alaska and is staffed by engineers experienced in the needs and construction problems of the territory. The organization is capable of rapid expansion to meet either civil or military requirements and is, to the best of my knowledge, the only Federal construction agency now operating in Alaska. That is a brief résumé of what we are doing up there, sir, and how we are getting along. The CHAIRMAN. That will answer the purpose for the moment. At your convenience, and before the hearings are over, will you give us a brief report on Hawaii and Puerto Rico? General PICK. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Whatever work you are doing there. (The information requested is as follows:) HAWAII The civil works of the Corps of Engineers in Hawaii began with the authorization of improvements for Honolulu Harbor in the River and Harbor Act of March 3, 1905. In accordance with congressional authorizations since that time, the Corps of Engineers has completed eight harbor projects at a cost of $20,444,000. The completed harbor projects include breakwaters, entrance channels, dredged mooring basins, seaplane runways, and navigation aids. Harbor projects have been completed at Honolulu, Kahului, Hilo, Nawiliwili, Port Allen, Kaunakakai, Welles (Midway), and Keehi Lagoon. No construction work has been done on the harbor project at Wake Island. One flood control project, estimated to cost $73,000, has been authorized for protection on Hanapepe River, at Hanapepe, on the Island of Kauai, but no construction thereon has yet been undertaken. The following tabulation shows a breakdown of total costs of projects in the Honolulu District to June 30, 1948: Eight river and harbor investigations and seven flood-control investigations are under way in compliance with specific directives from Congress. Section 204 of the bill H. R. 5472 now under consideration would authorize a flood-protection project at Kawainui Swamp, Oahu, as recommended in House Document No. 214, Eighty-first Congress, first session, at an estimated cost of $848,000. Section 205 of the same bill would authorize preliminary examinations and surveys of Iao Stream, Island of Maui, and Kaunakakai Stream, Island of Molokai, both in the Territory of Hawaii. The work in Hawaii and the mid-Pacific islands is under the immediate direction of the district engineer, Honolulu District and under the supervision of the division engineer, Western Ocean Division. The limits of the Honolulu District include the Hawaiian Islands, Line Islands, Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, Midway Island, Wake Island, and Johnston Island, and such other islands in the South Pacific Ocean lying between the one hundred fifty-ninth meridian of east longitude and one hundred eighth meridian of west longitude as may be under the jurisdiction of the United States. Prosecution and completion of authorized work in Hawaii, and such other future assignments as directed by Congress, will be accomplished as rapidly as possible. |