Levees: PHYSICAL DATA Average height: 18 feet. Length: 454 miles. High level crossings: Morganza Floodways: U.S. Highway No. 190, length. New Orleans, Texas & Mexico Railway, length_ West Floodway: U.S. Highway No. 190, length____. New Orleans, Texas & Mexico Railway, length_. Pumping plants: Number: 10. Capacity: Minimum: 50 cubic feet per second (22,500 gallons per minute). Channels: Size: Varying dimensions. Length: 60 miles. Drainage structures: Pointe Coupee: 2 gates, 10.5 by 15 feet. Melville: 72-foot pipe. Darbonne: 10 by 10 feet. Bayou des Glaises: 72-foot pipe. Bayou Courtableau: Weir type. Brushy Bayou: 5- by 6-foot gates. Bayou Courtableau: 5 barrel, 10 by 15 feet. Wax Lake east: 25 pipes 5-foot diameter with slide gates. Wax Lake west: 15 pipes 5-foot diameter with slide gates. Floodgates: Charenton: Sector gated, 45 feet wide. East Calumet: Sector gated, 45 feet wide. Bayou Boeuf: 75 by 1,120 feet, earth chamber. Atchafalaya River navigation: New channel: 13 miles. General: The Mississippi River below the latitude of Old River is capable of carrying only 1,500,000 cubic feet per second without threatening the integrity of the levees along its banks which protect thickly populated areas, highly agricultural lands, industries, and the city of New Orleans. Studies have indicated that the project flood against which the flood control protection works are designed will be of such magnitude that 3 million cubic feet per second will pass the latitude of Old River. Since the Mississippi below this latitude can carry only one-half this amount, the other one-half must be diverted from the main channel. This diversion is made through the natural channels of the Old and Atchafalaya Rivers, and through the Morganza and Atchafalaya Floodways. In order to prevent diverted waters from spreading over the rich agricultural lands in the Atchafalaya Basin, these rivers and floodways have been leveed to confine the diverted flow. It is essential that the work proceed vogorously and as expeditiously as possible, in order to eliminate unnecessary damage. This floodway system is for all practical purposes a part of the main river system, since the integrity of the main river system depends upon its utilization. Since this construction began, people have developed their farms and industries, have moved into these areas adjacent to the floodway with full confidence that they would receive protection. Therefore, overtopping or crevassing of the levees would cause far more damage than when the project first started. Due to foundation conditions in some localities the levees sometime become deficient, due to consolidation of the soil. These levees must be maintained at the proper grade. Interrupted drainage has been diverted into natural sump areas and gaps have been left in the levee to prevent impoundment of rainwater. Drainage structures and pumping plants must be provided so that these gaps can be closed and high flood fighting costs eliminated. The main protection levees, especially below the latitude of Krotz Springs, are almost inaccessible except by boat during high water. It is important that they be brought up to grade in order that roadways can be constructed on them so that the necessary men and equipment can be moved to any threatened spot during an extreme flood. This inaccessibility adds additional costs to flood fighting operations which would not be necessary if the levees were brought to grade and access roads constructed upon them. Fiscal year 1965.—The requested amount of $7,200,000 will be applied to: Initiate: Dredging upper Grand River, mile 63.7–67.8_. Dredging Chicot Pass, mile 80.2-85.1_ Wax Lake east levee hyd. mat'l. for levee enlargement_-_ Initiate and complete: Relocate pipeline in connection with levee and dredging work...--Access road on Atchafalaya Basin levees and Atachafalaya River levees__. Gap closure, U.S. Highway 190 Krotz Springs ring levee_--- East Bayou sale levee enlargement_. Teche Ridge levee enlargement_-_ Item E-73.3-B, L.S. & F.W.S. berms stations 1414+00-1543+00-- Item E-58.0-B, L.S. & F.W.S. berms stations 561+84 to 770+00Item E-62.0-A, roadway and retaining dike, select materials stations 770+13 to 986+00--. $200,000 600, 000 676, 000 60,000 93, 000 25, 000 40, 000 35,000 43, 000 25,000 1,006, 000 220, 000 330, 000 9,000 6, 000 409, 000 385,000 $1,640, 000 323, 000 138,000 Item E-67.0-A, roadway and retaining dike, select material stations 986+00 to 1275+00‒‒‒ 307, 000 Item E-73.0-A, roadway and retaining dike, select materials stations 1275+00 to 1544+80--- 170, 000 Item E-71.5, E.A.B.P.L., L.S. & F.W.S. berms and levee enlargement, stations 1374+00 to 1389+00_. 439, 000 Pumping stations (for contingencies and claims on going contracts). Total_ 21,000 7, 200, 000 One hundred and fifty thousand dollars included in "Lands and damages" is for acquisition of flowage easements below latitude of Krotz Springs, bringing it to 53 percent completion. The remaining funds in the amount of $180,000 will be used to acquire right-of-way for dredging operations and for construction of levees. Funds are required for relocation of pipelines that will interfere with dredging operations and levee construction. Funds are required for furnishing surfacing material for surfacing roads on east and west Atchafalaya Basin protection levees. Roads constructed along the crown of the levee are necessary to provide access to the levee for patrol and high water emergencies. Funds are required to complete contract for dredging Chicot Pass, mile 91 to mile 96.2, and to initiate contract for dredging Chicot Pass, mile 80.2 to mile 85.1 and dredging upper Grand River, mile 63.7 to mile 67.8. Bayou Boeuf interim lift: Funds for this work are necessary to continue raising the fill across Bayou Boeuf to project grade and section. Due to poor foundation, it is necessary to bring the fill to grade and section in increments. Funds are required to repair levee failure, vicinity Little Bayou Sorrel. Due to poor foundation, it is necessary to bring this fiill to grade and section in increments. The gap in the Krotz Springs ring levee at the location of U.S. Highway 190 will be closed. Funds are required to enlarge item W-116.3-A, WABPL, East Bayou Sale, West Bayou Sale, and Teche Ridge levees to gross grade and section. Funds are required to continue contract for placing hydraulic material on Wax Lake east levee. This material is to be used to bring this levee to grade and section in the future. To accelerate the completion of the EABPL between stations 561+84 and 1543, funds are required for construction of landside and floodwayside stability berms. The Atchafalaya River levee from Krotz Springs to Leon will be enlarged to grade and section. Non-Federal costs.-Local interests are required to perform minor maintenance on completed levees. They estimate they have spent $1,110,000 for real estate negotiations, purchase of maintenance equipment, inspection and patrol of levees and other items. In addition, local interests state they have expended about $8,200,000 for flood control works in the project area, of which about $6,400,000 was expended prior to project authorization in 1928. Status of local cooperation.-Necessary assurances of maintaining the project have been furnished by the following cooperating agencies: Atchafalaya Basin Levee District; Red River, Atchafalaya and Bayou Boeuf Levee District; St. Mary Parish Police Jury; and the towns of Berwick and Morgan City, La. These agencies are meeting all requirements of local cooperation with the exception of furnishing rights-of-way for restoration of intercepted drainage in the Bayou Yokely area. This work has been delayed because of the inability of the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District and the St. Mary Parish Police Jury to reach an agreement with property owners. Comparison of Federal cost estimates.-No change from the latest estimate ($180 million) presented to Congress. However, adjustments have been made between feature estimates. Summary construction program (PB-1), fiscal years 1964 and 1965 Mr. WHITTEN. Please review the local cooperation solution on this point. General DAVIS. Assurances have been furnished by all interested agencies. However, there is drainage correction work in Bayou Yokeley area, indefinitely deferred because of inability to obtain rightof-way. Mr. WHITTEN. In the explanatory notes you say that this work has been delayed because of the inability of the Atchafalaya Basin Levee District and the St. Mary Parish Police Jury to reach an agreement with property owners. Does that condition still prevail? What effect has it had? This refers to what? General DAVIS. This refers to the Bayou Yokeley work for which we have not received right-of-way. Mr. WHITTEN. Is this an essential part of the overall project? Mr. WHITTEN. It does not tend to slow down the overall project? Mr. WHITTEN. It is a separate item? General DAVIS. Yes, sir. Mr. WHITTEN. Are there any questions? General, we wish to thank you and your associates for a very fine presentation. OTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Before we leave this item I should like the justifications for the other Construction projects to be placed in the record at this point. (The justifications follow:) MISSISSIPPI RIVER LEVEES (Continuing) Location.-The Mississippi River levee system on the west bank extends from Allenville, Mo., on the Little River diversion channel generally southward to the vicinity of Venice, La., and on the east bank from Hickman, Ky., to opposite Venice, La., except where interrupted by hills and tributary streams. Included in the system are the levees which protect Mounds, Mound City, and Cairo, Ill. and the New Madrid levee and floodgate. Authorization.-1928, 1936, 1938, 1941, 1946, 1950, and 1954 Flood Control Acts. Benefit-cost ratio.-8.1 to 1 (July 1, 1963) (composite for main stem). 1 In addition, local interests have expended approximately $292,000,000 for flood protection in the pro The Mississippi River levee system protects the entire alluvial valley of Mississippi River consisting of 23,621 square miles (15,117,000 acres) ag the project flood by confining the flow to the leveed channel except where enters the natural backwater areas or is diverted into floodways. The allor valley is over 650 miles long and varies in width from 20 to 90 miles. Numer railroads, highways, and airfields connecting the transportation centers of lif Orleans, Memphis, Cairo, St. Louis, Chicago, and Louisville lie within✨ protected area as do several major transcontinental communication routes. addition to the vast developed and highly productive agricultural areas levees afford protection to many large and vital industries whose products a bearing on the welfare, economy, and defense capabilities of this country. Initi |